Donald Trump’s presidency comprised a series of firsts: the occupant of the Oval Office without any prior military or government service. The first to be impeached twice. And last night, he made further history, becoming the first former US President to be criminally indicted.
The charges relate not to his actions around the January 6 Capitol attacks but to hush money paid to a porn star, Stormy Daniels. While the charges are not yet known, with indictments under seal, reports indicate that Trump faces more than 30 counts.
The news may throw the race for the Republican nomination into chaos, or it may make little difference. Trump will use the charges to fire up his base, while few elected Republican officials dare speak out against him for fear of reprisals. There is a danger that Trump uses these indictments to further fuel his false narrative of betrayal in his bid to regain power.
Trump’s “lock her up” refrain, directed at the 2016 Democrat nominee Hilary Clinton, was a low point for a US democracy that has rarely seemed more fragile. It is unclear whether this indictment signals the beginning of a welcome end to the vitriol he has injected into American public life.
A toothless trade deal
The UK has joined a global trade bloc. The accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) was formally confirmed in a phone call between Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch and representatives from the 11-member group.
We welcome trade deals that lower costs for consumers and open up new markets for British exporters. But this agreement will do little to boost our economy. While the CPTPP’s trading area covers a market of roughly 500 million people and 13 per cent of global GDP, the Government’s own estimates show accession will contribute just 0.08 per cent to UK output.
Britain is a services-led economy, but in trade, proximity still matters. Badenoch may not want to talk about it but the UK will be much poorer because of Brexit — the Office for Budget Responsibility puts the fall at four per cent over the long run.
In truth, this is a fact that neither main political party seems much interested in acknowledging.
Paltrow’s star turn
As one high-profile American falls foul of the justice system, another has scored a victory. Gwyneth Paltrow has been awarded just $1 and cleared of fault over a 2016 skiing collision at a resort in Utah.
The former actress is never one to miss out on a marketing opportunity. As such, Goop, her wellness brand, is selling a delightful June Intarsia Alpine Sweater for the low price of $725 — with free shipping. Capitalism always finds a way.
