Friday morning news: February 14, 2025

AUDIO (Trump-Modi): Thank you very much. Thank you very much, please.

U.S.–India cooperation » President Trump stood shoulder to shoulder with Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi at the White House last night.

Addressing reporters in the East Room, Trump said the two nations are deepening their ties.

TRUMP:  Starting this year, we'll be increasing military sales to India by many billions of dollars. We're also paving the way to ultimately provide India with the F 35 stealth fighters.

India is a key partner in the Indo-Pacific in efforts to counter China’s military buildup and aggression in the region.

For his part, Modi—heard here through an interpreter—added:

MODI (translated): We have also set ourselves the target of more than doubling our bilateral trade to obtain $500 billion dollars by 2030.

But on trade, Trump said there is still work to be done to erase a trade deficit with India.

Trump tariffs » Hours earlier, Trump announced new reciprocal trade tariffs on imports from many different countries.

TRUMP:  For many years, the U. S. has been treated unfairly by other countries, both friend and foe.

The president says to level the playing field, he’s imposing tariffs on imports to mirror what U.S. producers are charged to ship their goods overseas.

TRUMP: No more, no less. In other words, they charge us a tax or tariff, and we charge them the exact same tax or tariff. Very simple.

Commerce Secretary nominee Howard Lutnick told reporters:

LUTNICK:  We are going to address each country one by one, but here's the key. They'll get an invitation to trade with the greatest consumer economy in the world. And in exchange you have to treat us the way we're going to treat you.

Asked if consumers could face higher prices, President Trump says “not  necessarily.” And he added that the move will bring a lot of jobs to the United States, as more companies decide to build in the United States to avoid tariffs.

Ukraine talks » And on the topic of perceived fairness, the Trump administration is also applying heavy pressure to European allies.

Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth told leaders at NATO headquarters in Brussels:

HEGSETH:  Leaders of our European allies should take primary responsibility for defense of the continent … which means security ownership by all allies.

He said other NATO allies need to spend more on defense.

And regarding the war in Ukraine, Hegseth said while in Brussels :

HEGSETH:  I had the chance to brief allies on President Trump's top priority, a diplomatic, peaceful end to this war as quickly as possible in a manner that creates enduring and durable peace.

White President Trump has started by making direct contact with Vladimir Putin, Hegseth said Ukraine and NATO leaders will be a part of those negotiations.

Israel-Gaza latest And in the Middle East, Hamas appears to have had a change of heart.

Earlier this week, the terror group said it would not release three Israeli hostages this weekend as required by the terms of an ongoing ceasefire.

Israeli military spokesman David Mencer said Thursday:

MENCER: We have already amassed forces inside and surrounding Gaza. So, if those three are not released, if Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday noon, the ceasefire will end and the IDF will resume intense fighting until the final defeat of Hamas.

After Hamas initially said it was halting the further release of hostages, President Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a new ultimatum. They said if ALL the hostages weren’t set free by noon on Saturday, the war would resume.

But Israel now says that provided Hamas honors the terms of the agreement by releasing three more captives on Saturday, the ceasefire will remain in place.

RFK sworn in / Rollins confirmed » Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the new Secretary of Health and Human Services.

AUDIO: I, Robert F. Kennedy Jr — do solemnly swear — do solemnly swear ….

Kennedy has vowed to fight chronic disease and clean up the ingredients in American foods.

Democrats expressed strong objections over his past voicing skepticism about vaccines. Kennedy made a series of assurances to assuage the concerns, at least of Republicans, on that matter.

Also on Thursday:

AUDIO: The years are 72. The nays are 28, and the nomination of Brooke Rollins is confirmed.

Brooke Rollins is the new Secretary of Agriculture following that vote.

Judge pauses Trump's order RE: trans procedures on kids » A federal judge has blocked President Trump’s executive order aimed at protecting children from transgender procedures. WORLD’s Kristen Flavin has more.

KRISTEN FLAVIN:  District Court Judge Brendan Hurston in Baltimore, a Biden appointee … said, in his view … It seems the president's order is trying to deny this population exists.

Trump’s order says federally run insurance programs cannot pay for potentially life-altering interventions like puberty blockers, cross-gender hormones … or surgeries to alter a child's anatomy.

Attorneys for some parents who claim their children are transgender … say Trump’s order is unconstitutional.

They argue, among other things, that his order tries to withhold funds already authorized by Congress.

The Supreme Court is currently considering a Tennessee law that bans the performance of transgender surgeries on children.

For WORLD, I’m Kristen Flavin.

I'm Kent Covington.

This is The World and Everything in It.

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