Friday morning news: April 25, 2025

Trump on Russia-Ukraine situation » President Trump is calling on Russia’s Vladimir Putin to suspend deadly attacks in Ukraine for the sake of peace.

His remarks came after Russia launched a missile and drone assault in Kyiv and beyond on Wednesday night killing at least 12 people.

Trump told reporters:

TRUMP: I didn't like last night. I wasn't happy with it. And we're in the midst of talking peace and missiles were fired. And I wasn't happy with it.

His rebuke of Putin was a notable shift with much of his recent criticism aimed at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Zelenskyy said Thursday:

ZELENSKYY: We were attacked. Our territory was occupied. Tens of thousands of people were killed. Many children and adults buried alive. And the fact that Ukraine is ready to sit at a negotiations table after a complete ceasefire, with the terrorist that did it all on our land—exclusively on our land—this is a great compromise.

Trump with Norwegian Prime Minister / trade / China » President Trump’s remarks came as he hosted another European ally at the White House.

TRUMP:  Thank you very much. It's a real honor to have the highly respected, the great Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Norway with us today.

Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre spoke with the president about peace in Ukraine and, of course, about trade.

Trump said Norway has a $2 billion dollar trade surplus with the United States, and he wants to fix that. But he said he’s confident that they’ll work out a new trade deal.

He also said his administration is now holding trade talks with China.

TRUMP:  They Had a meeting this morning, so …

REPORTER: Who's they?

TRUMP: I can't tell you. It doesn't matter who they is. Uh, we may reveal it later, but they had meetings this morning and we've been meeting with China.

That contradicted a statement from a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, who just hours earlier claimed there were no talks happening between the two countries.

That also follows recent reports that China had not reached out to Washington to start trade talks. If negotiations are taking place, it’s unclear who initiated them.

States sue over tariffs » Meantime, a dozen states led by Democratic attorneys general are suing to try and block the president’s sweeping tariffs.

The suit accuses President Trump of overstepping his legal authority by imposing them.

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield called the tariffs “unlawful”

RAYFIELD: They're chaotic and harmful to the hardworking families and businesses that make our state thrive. And they are not just numbers on a page. They are real costs in all of our wallets, your workplace, and all of our future.

The president invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose the import taxes.

Congress passed that law in 1977 to give the president the authority to respond to economic threats during peacetime.

The states bringing the lawsuit argue that only Congress has the power to implement such sweeping tariffs.

Trump earlier this month paused the majority of the tariffs for 90 days amid trade talks.

Trump administration SCOTUS appeal on trans military ban The Trump administration is asking the US Supreme Court to allow enforcement of a ban on so-called transgender service members in the military. WORLD’s Christina Grube reports.

CHRISTINA GRUBE:  An executive order from President Trump — along with a Pentagon policy, effectively bars people who identify as the opposite sex from serving in the armed forces.

The Obama administration was the first to change the rules to allow people with gender dysphoria to serve openly.

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, who herself identifies as openly LGBT … ruled that the Pentagon cannot enforce the ban.

She asserted that ending the military service of those who identify as transgender … would damage their reputations and careers.

The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to let the ban take effect as the legal battle plays out.

The high court has directed the plaintiffs to respond to the administration’s request by Thursday.

For WORLD, I’m Christina Grube.

I'm Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: our weekly conversation with John Stonestreet. Plus, your feedback on some of our recent coverage.

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