The potential impact of Trump’s tariff proposal

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Former U.S. President Donald Trump has proposed sweeping tariffs if elected for a second term: a 20% universal tax and 60% tax on goods from China. He argues that the policy will help create jobs, shrink the national debt and boost government revenue for public services, such as child care. Most economists, however, agree that it is ultimately U.S. consumers who will pay more. Economists also warn of unintended ripple effects that could do more harm than good to the U.S. economy. This explainer video explores how increased tariffs might affect U.S. buyers, domestic and foreign producers, and the budget.more

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Fast facts about the US election

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The U.S. presidential election takes place Nov. 5. Here is a primer on some basic facts and information regarding the election. Who is running in the US elections? Apart from the most prominent contest — the presidential race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump — there are myriad other races on the ballot, spanning national, state and local levels. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are up for election as they are every two years, with members of the House serving two-year terms. In the Senate, where members serve six-year terms, 34 of themore

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US ballot boxes under attack; Homeland Security warns of ‘heightened, dynamic’ threat environment

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Washington — A series of attacks on ballot collection boxes across the United States is ratcheting up the pressure on state and local officials, who are hoping to oversee a safe and peaceful presidential election, both for early voting underway across much of the country and for when millions of Americans go to the polls next week. The Northwest U.S. state of Washington confirmed to VOA Monday that local police and the FBI are investigating reports of a suspected “incendiary device” that was placed in a ballot drop box in Vancouver, Washington, early Monday. Officials said no one was injured butmore

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Explainer: Where do Harris and Trump stand on social welfare?

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washington — With the U.S. presidential election coming November 5, the importance of social welfare — such as government-run programs for pensions and health care, known as Social Security and Medicare, along with affordable housing, and support for families — is again in the spotlight. More than 71 million people in the U.S. received benefits from programs administered in 2023 by the Social Security Administration, which helps retired workers and people with disabilities. But the Social Security Trust Fund and Medicare, a federal health insurance program for the elderly, are running out of funds, and without a new source of fundingmore

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Biden casts 2024 election ballot near his Delaware home

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NEW CASTLE, Delaware — President Joe Biden has cast an early ballot in the 2024 general election.  It’s a bittersweet moment for Biden, who decided to end his reelection campaign in July because of growing concerns about his health and Democrats’ worries about his chances of defeating former President Donald Trump. Biden voted on Monday at the state of Delaware Department of Elections, not far from his home outside Wilmington, Delaware at an early voting site, where voters were lined up on the street to cast ballots.  Biden chatted with voters as he waited in line to cast his ballot, andmore

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Missouri sports betting ballot measure highlights national debate about tax rates

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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The ads promoting a November ballot measure to legalize sports betting in Missouri tout the potential for millions of new tax dollars devoted to schools. If voters approve the measure, it’s a good bet they will see even more ads offering special promotions for bettors.  Many of those promotional costs — in which sportsbooks provide cash-like credits for customers to place bets — will be exempt from state taxes, effectively limiting the new revenue for education.  The Missouri ballot measure highlights an emerging debate among policymakers over how to tax the rapidly growing industry, which has spreadmore

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Trump headlines New York rally after allies’ racist remarks; Harris rallies in Philadelphia

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NEW YORK/PHILADELPHIA — Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump headlined a rally at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Sunday that began with a series of vulgar and racist remarks by allies of the former president.  Trump, a New York celebrity for decades, hoped to use the event at the iconic venue known for Knicks basketball games and Billy Joel concerts to deliver his closing argument against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, even though the state last backed a Republican presidential candidate in 1984.  “I’d like to begin by asking a very simple question. Are you better off now than you were fourmore

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Former top aides call Trump a fascist; Vance calls them ‘disgruntled former employees’

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Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who is running for reelection, has been called a “fascist” and described as “unfit to serve” by several of his former top aides, but Trump vice presidential pick JD Vance on Sunday rejected the accusations. Meanwhile, the Democratic presidential campaign runs ads on the controversy in battleground states. VOA’s Veronica Balderas Iglesias reports. (Produced by: Henry Hernandez) …

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Harris, Trump look to sway the last undecided voters

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U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are headed into the final full week of campaigning ahead of the November 5 presidential election. Both are looking for any small advantage they can gain to woo the sliver of voters who have not made up their minds in what could be one of the country’s closest votes in decades. Harris, the Democratic candidate, on Sunday visited Philadelphia, the country’s sixth biggest city and a Democratic stronghold where she needs to pile up her vote count in the political battleground state of Pennsylvania. It is one of seven tightlymore

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Migrant families separated under Trump still feel fallout, fear his return

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Washington — Billy’s friends don’t know he was one of thousands of children separated from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border under then-President Donald Trump’s zero tolerance immigration policy.  At their rural high school in the South, where Billy plays football and soccer, the 16-year-old doesn’t talk about what he went through — that his father was told six years ago that Billy was being given up for adoption and feared he would never see his son again.  With the United States on the verge of an election that could put Trump back in office, Billy wants people to know thatmore

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Unpacking America’s urban-rural divide

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The divide between urban and rural voters is a key indicator in U.S. electoral politics. Cities favoring Democrats and rural areas favoring Republicans isn’t new. But since 2000, the gap has grown dramatically. What is behind this trend, and why is it so important? The answer is partly economic — but there are also complex cultural factors involved. Produced by Yass Monem and Nicky Woolf. …

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New Americans expected make impact in 2024 election

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Nearly 3.5 million voting-age adults have become U.S. citizens since the 2020 election, according to the National Partnership for New Americans. Some experts say this growing group could prove pivotal in shaping the election results. VOA’s immigration reporter Aline Barros reports. Camera and contributor: Jeff Swicord. …

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Can either Trump or Harris end the wars?

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Vice President Kamala Harris says she believes the U.S. should lead by building alliances to manage conflict. Former President Donald Trump says his projection of strength, and unpredictability, can stop wars before they begin. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara spoke to experts on which foreign policy approach would be better at reducing conflict, amid wars in the Middle East and Europe. …

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Chinese hackers access US telecommunications system 

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washington — Hackers linked to the Chinese government have broken into parts of the U.S. telecommunications system in a breach that might be connected to an attempt to access data from the 2024 presidential campaign of former President Donald Trump. The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency late Friday said they were investigating “unauthorized access” to commercial telecommunications infrastructure, attributing the attack to Chinese-affiliated actors. The agencies said they immediately notified affected companies once the breach was detected and had offered assistance, though there might be additional victims. “The investigation is ongoing, and we encourage any organization that believes itmore

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Musk gives $44 million more to back Trump

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WASHINGTON — Elon Musk gave about $44 million to his pro-Donald Trump spending group during the first half of October, federal disclosures showed on Thursday, as the billionaire stepped up his efforts for the Republican candidate in the November 5 election. The contributions, disclosed in a filing to the Federal Election Commission by Musk’s America PAC group, come after a prior report showed he gave the group about $75 million over three months between July and September. America PAC, which is focused on turning out voters in closely contested states that could decide the election, also disclosed spending more than $47more

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What makes Nevada a ‘pure battleground’ state

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During the U.S. presidential election, all eyes will be on the seven so-called battleground states that are expected to determine the outcome of the 2024 contest. While some battleground states have shifted politically over the years, the Western swing state of Nevada has reliably voted right down the middle. Camera: Miguel Amaya …

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