Good morning Her Campus! With a break-neck news cycle, there is no possible way for you to stay on top of every story that comes across your feeds—we’re all only human, after all.
But, life comes at you fast. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in for this quick and dirty guide to stories you might’ve been sleeping on (like, literally. It’s early.)
Trump Breaks Silence About John McCain
President Trump remained relatively quiet after the death of Arizona Senator John McCain on Saturday, aside from a tweet in which he offered his “deepest sympathies” for McCain’s family. Trump met with reporters a number of times on Monday, only to repeatedly ignore questions about the late senator. According to sources who spoke to CNN, the president was “fed up” with the television coverage of McCain’s death, which he deemed “over the top.” Trump eventually relented and issued a statement after urging from senior aides. “Despite our differences on policy and politics, I respect Senator John McCain’s service to our country,” Trump wrote.
The president was also forced to answer for the White House flag, which was lowered for McCain on Saturday, only to be quickly raised back to full staff. People on both sides of the political spectrum condemned the decision. “I strongly urge you to make an appropriate presidential proclamation noting Senator McCain’s death and legacy of service to our nation, and that our nation’s flag be half-staffed through his interment,” said the national commander of the American Legion in a statement.
After the backlash, Trump signed a proclamation to to put the US flag at half-staff. In a statement, he also said that he asked Vice President Mike Pence to speak at a ceremony honoring McCain this Friday. “At the request of the McCain family, I have also authorized military transportation of Senator McCain’s remains from Arizona to Washington, D.C., military pallbearers and band support, and a horse and caisson transport during the service at the United States Naval Academy. Finally, I have asked General John Kelly, Secretary James Mattis, and Ambassador John Bolton to represent my Administration at his services,” Trump said.
According to ABC News, the McCain family previously asked Trump not to attend his funeral. Barack Obama and George W. Bush will not only attend, but also deliver eulogies for the senator on Saturday.
The US & Mexico Reached A “Preliminary” Trade Agreement That Could Replace NAFTA
The Trump administration announced on Monday that it reached a new trade agreement with Mexico that could potentially alter parts of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Canada has yet to sign on to the changes, which Trump discussed from the Oval Office while on a conference call with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto. Trump has been a vocal critic of NAFTA, and now, he even wants to get rid of the name. “They used to call it NAFTA,” he said. “We’re going to call it the United States-Mexico trade agreement. We’re going to get rid of NAFTA because it has a bad connotation.”
According to CNN, the new trade deal — which still needs Congressional approval — would require that 75 percent of car parts that are sold in North America be produced in the US or Mexico. This is significantly higher than the current requirement: 62 percent of parts, which can be produced in not only Mexico or the US, but also Canada. 40 to 45 percent of the auto parts produced must also be made by workers who make at least $16 USD per hour. The agreement would last for 16 years.
A spokesperson for Canadian Minister of Foreign Affiars Chrystia Freeland said that Canada is “encouraged by the continued optimism” shown by the US and Mexico. Freeland is set to travel to Washington on Tuesday to participate in negotiations.
New Information About Jacksonville Shooting Emerges
Details about Sunday’s deadly shooting at a video game competition in Florida and the suspect behind the incident began to emerge on Monday. USA Today reported that the shooter, 24-year old David Katz of Baltimore, had a “weird” online presence, and he was known to have spent time in psychiatric facilities as a teenager. Katz traveled to Florida to participate in the Madden NFL 19 competition over the weekend, where he eventually killed two and wounded 11 before taking his own life.
Katz apparently had a history with police, too. CNN obtained records that showed 26 calls to police from his family home over the years. The reasons for the calls ranged from “mental illness” to domestic disputes.
According to officials, the gun Katz used on Sunday was purchased legally. Though he only used one weapon, he reportedly had two with him — a 9mm handgun and a .45-caliber handgun. The second gun was also said to be legally purchased.
What to look for…
Pumpkin. Spice. Lattes. They official return to Starbucks today!