Phil McCausland
Reporting from New York

The US was hit with a wave of breaking news over the past few hours after a series of comments, decisions and orders were made and issued by President Donald Trump.

Here's a quick recap of what has occurred in US politics today:

• Trump issued a 25% steel and aluminum tariff on all countries, raising fears of a potential trade war and increased consumer costs.
• The president pardoned former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich years after the Democrat was found guilty of political corruption charges
• Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, a Trump appointee, told prosecutors to drop corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams - a Democrat who has met with Trump recently
• Trump gave his own deadline for the release of all Israeli hostages and threatened to end the fragile ceasefire in Gaza if Hamas didn't give in to his demands. However he said he had not yet talked to Israel about his idea for a deadline
• Another executive order issued by Trump promoted the use of plastic drinking straws, rather than paper ones, rejecting sustainability efforts to reduce their use
• A federal judge in Massachusetts blocked the Trump administration's attempt to cut funding to the National Institutes of Health, which critics alleged risked necessary medical research and health centres
• Earlier, in what some experts considered a rebuke of the US Constitution, Vice-President JD Vance claimedthat US judges do not have the authority to stymie the Trump administration's executive power

These are just a few of the many news lines to come of out of the United States tonight. You can find more of our reporting on Trump's tariff decision here. You can read about Blagojevich's pardon here, and click here to read about Vance's comments that rattled some US Consitution experts.

We also have the latest on the status of Adams' case here, and keep up with the latest Gaza developmements here.

We're now pausing our live coverage. Thanks for joining us.

Image source, Reuters

Canadian leaders have been sharply critical of Trump’s new tariff plan, saying it will cost jobs on both sides of the border.

“Today’s news makes it clear that perpetual uncertainty is here to stay,” says Candace Laing, the head of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

“Businesses and investors already feel on shaky ground with the 30-day tariff pause, and now our steel and aluminium industries - critical to the shared success of both the American and Canadian economies - are first into the fire,” Lang said in a statement.

Doug Ford, the Conservative Party premier of Ontario, was one of the first Canadian politicians to criticise Trump after the US president outlined his plan yesterday.

Today he wrote that the tariffs will hurt American business “by raising prices and costing American workers their jobs.

“America loses. Canada loses. China wins,” he posted.

Canada is the leading importer of steel into the US, and the industry is heavily concentrated in Ontario, the country’s most populous province.

Democrats search for ways to counter Trumppublished at 01:23 Greenwich Mean Time 11 February

01:23 GMT 11 February

Anthony Zurcher
North America correspondent

Democrats in Congress have been under increasing pressure from their constituents to find some way to derail Donald Trump’s push to slash government agencies, terminate programmes and advance conservative policies with the swipe of his presidential pen.

According to the New York Times, congressional offices have received tens of millions of calls, swamping phone systems and overwhelming staff.

Over the past few weeks, state-level Democrats have been filing lawsuits to try to block some of Trump’s executive orders – such as rescinding birthright citizenship, freezing federal grants and loans, and banning gender treatment for children.

Senators Elizabeth Warren and Chis Murphy have generated media coverage with their public rallies to protest Trump’s actions.

On Wednesday, top congressional Democrats tried to show they were on the job, too. Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, announced the creation of a “Rapid Response Task Force and Litigation Working Group” to oppose Trump’s actions.

And Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer unveiled a website for federal workers to submit evidence of unlawful activities by Trump officials in their agencies.

New task forces and complaint boxes only go so far, however.

Democrats in Congress could have a better opportunity to make waves in the coming months, when Republicans will probably need their help to pass bills to keep the government running.

That’s when Democratic leaders might finally have some solid ground on which to fight.

Image source, Reuters

During the Fox News interview which recently aired, journalist Bret Baier asked Trump if he believes Vice-President JD Vance is his successor in 2028, for the next presidential election.

Trump says, no.

He says Vance is "very capable", but it's too early to say whether he would be his successor.

Vance is currently on his first overseas trip as VP, visiting Paris for an AI summit.

Image source, Getty Images

The US justice department has told prosecutors to drop corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

In a memo seen by the BBC's US news partner CBS, Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, who was appointed by President Donald Trump to the role after defending him in Trump's criminal trial, instructed federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York to end the case.

Adams was indicted on five charges of bribery, conspiracy and campaign finance violations in September. He has pleaded not guilty.

He is accused of accepting illegal campaign funds and thousands of dollars in luxury travel benefits from Turkish businessmen and an official in exchange for his influence as mayor.

Prosecutors are yet to indicate whether they intend to drop the case as requested.

Adams has spent time with President Trump and members of the administration and indicated his willingness to work with the White House on federal immigration raids, despite local sanctuary city laws that bar him from doing so.

The New York City mayor said he had not discussed his case when he met with the president.

While we were bringing you that flurry of breaking news from Donald Trump in the Oval Office, a pre-recorded interview with the president was airing on Fox News.

Speaking with reporter Bret Baier, Trump claimed Elon Musk has guardrails with his work at Doge - he says the billionaire reports straight to the president, and Trump says he trusts Musk.

Trump said Musk's unofficial Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) will turn its focus to the Education Department in the next 24 hours.

"I'm going to tell him very soon, like maybe in 24 hours to go check the Department of Education," Trump said. It's worth noting that this interview was recored on Sunday, and it is unclear if Trump has since ordered Musk to do this.

Democrats have accused Musk of personally benefiting from some of the changes that the Trump administration is trying to push through, such as the proposed closure of the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

On Saturday, a federal judge blocked Doge from accessing the personal financial data of millions of Americans in Treasury Department records.

The BBC's Sarah Smith spoke with new British Ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson, earlier today. They discussed what the US-UK relationship will look like under a new Trump administration.

Mandelson acknowledged the relationship between the two countries is "unique" and said he wants to build on it.

"Each of us wants to grow our economies, and I think that what we need to do is to build a technology and investment relationship between the US and the UK that's fit for the 21st century," Mandelson said. "So I'm looking at that very carefully indeed, and that's where I want to focus and make my plan."

Mandleson also noted Trump has "a very strong or clear mandate for change in the United States" and that might dictate how the UK approaches issues.

"Now that doesn't mean to say that we're going to agree in Britain with every single detail in what he does, but we have to respect and understand what drives him, what his mandate is to do, and how his allies need to adjust sometimes," he said.

"And I believe that given the relationship that we have, we can always make our views known... directly and privately, Mandelson added. "We have a strong relationship that enables us to influence the president and his policies, where necessary."

Read more on BBC's interview with Mandelson here.

Natalie Sherman
New York business reporter

New tariffs on steel could bring unexpected costs to consumers, experts say.

For example, it could lead to higher prices for canned goods at the grocery store, according to Robert Budway, president of the Can Manufacturers Institute, a US business group representing can-makers.

That's because about 70% of the steel used in the US to make cans for food and other drink is imported today, coming in from countries such as Germany, the Netherlands and Canada.

He said prices were already high for that kind of steel, the result of significant cutbacks in production in the US since 2018, when Trump announced tariffs to protect steel the first time.

Many can-makers have won "exclusions" from those tariffs, over the objections of steel-makers, an acknowledgement by the government of the gap in US offerings.

"While the president may believe that these tariffs are protecting the steel industry, they certainly are undermining our food security and our supply resiliency for American canned food, which Americans rely on every day for delicious and convenient and affordable ways to feed their family," Mr Budway says.

One reporter asks Trump if there would be an exemption for Australia on the steel and aluminium tariffs.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters about a call earlier today with the president in which he raised concerns about tariffs and suggested that Australia may be exempted.

"The US president agreed that an exemption was under consideration in the interests of both of our countries,” Albanese had said.

Trump tells the reporter that the US has a trade surplus with Australia, which is why he is considering the exemption.

"The reason is they buy a lot of airplanes," Trump says. "They are rather far away and they need a lot of airplanes."

He says that he told Albanese he would give an exemption "great consideration".

Image source, Reuters

Jordan's leader, King Abdullah II, has arrived in Washington, DC and is scheduled to meet with Trump at the White House on Tuesday.

One reporter asked Trump in the Oval Office how he would convince the king to take in more Palestinians, which Trump has raised as a potential solution.

“I do think he'll take, and I think other countries will take also," Trump says. "They have good hearts.”

Jordan and other countries in the region have objected to Trump's suggestion.

Another reporter asked the president whether he would withhold aid from Jordan and Egypt if they don’t agree to take Palestinians from Gaza.

“Yeah, maybe, sure why not? If they don’t, I would conceivably withhold aid - yes.”

A federal judge in Massachusetts has blocked the Trump administration's order to cut funding to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The funding cut - announced on Friday - centred on pay that defrayed the administrative costs of research conducted by universities and research organisations.

Academic leaders and lawmakers shared their alarm over the cuts, warning that it could threaten ongoing medical research as well as unversities and medical centres.

Trump has given his own deadline for the future of the Gaza ceasefire deal.

"As far as I'm concerned, if all of the hostages aren't returned by Saturday at 12 o'clock - I think it's an appropriate time - I would say, cancel it and all bets are off and let hell break out," he said from the Oval Office.

It is unclear whether Trump meant midday on Saturday or midnight. It is also unknown which time zone he may have been referring to.

Trump added that he expects all the hostages to be released, "not in drips and drabs".

Asked by the BBC whether he intends for Israel to retaliate against Hamas when he says "all hell will break out", Trump said: “You’ll find out, and they’ll find out to. Hamas will find out what I mean.”

When pressed on whether the US would be involved, Trump said: “We’ll see what happens.”

He also said it was "just my deadline", and he hadn't yet mentioned it to the Israeli prime minister.

Image source, Reuters

We just watched Trump sign the executive orders that will reimpose a 25% tariff on steel and aluminium.

"It's a big deal," Trump said as he signed the order. "This is the beginning of making America rich again."

Trump said the tariffs on steel and aluminium are without exception and apply to all countries.

"Our nation requires steel and aluminium to be made in America, not in foreign lands," he said.

"Ultimately it will be cheaper,' Trump says when asked if the tariffs could increase prices for consumers.

Trump added that other planned tariffs may focus on drugs, pharmaceuticals and chips.

"It's time for our great industries to come back to America... this is the first of many. We're going to be doing others on other subjects, topics," he said.

Trump has given us a bit more on his view regarding the Gaza ceasefire, a complex and delicate deal that has freed Hamas-held hostages.

The US president clarified that it is up to Israel whether to keep the ceasefire on track. But he has warned that "all hell is going to break out" if Hamas delays releasing hostages.

“I’m speaking for myself,” Trump says. “Israel can override it.”

Hamas has said that it intends to delay the release of three hostages who were scheduled to be freed on Saturday "until further notice". They alleged that Israel had violated the ceasefire agreement.

Trump says he fears that many of the hostages are dead, though he did not share any evidence to support this claim.

Image source, Getty Images

Donald Trump has just pardoned Rod Blagojevich, the former Illinois governor who received a 14-year sentence for political corruption charges.

The charges stem from Blagojevich's attempts to sell an appointment to former President Barack Obama's Illinois Senate seat.

Blagojevich was convicted in 2011. He served eight years before Trump shortened the sentence.

Blagojevich, a Democrat, appeared on Trump's Celebrity Apprentice reality show in 2010 before he faced the corruption charges.

Among the executive orders just signed by Trump was on that aimed at promoting the use of plastic drinking straws, rather than paper ones.

"We're going back to plastic straws," Trump told reporters at the White House as he signed the order.

"I don't think plastic would affect a shark, as they are munching their way through the ocean," Trump said of plastic straws that could end up as pollution.

Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden, had urged sustainability practices such as paper straw to reduce single-use plastic use.

We're now learning more of what Trump said while in the Oval Office.

He told reporters that reciprocal tariffs would come over the next two days.

Trump also signed a proclamation that former President Joe Biden granted that would end waivers to tariffs on steel and aluminium.

"I don't mind," Trump reportedly said when asked about other countries retaliating against US tariffs.

We're playing video of his White House appearance at the top of this page, you can click watch live to follow along.

Trump has just said in the Oval Office that if all the Gaza hostages are not returned on Saturday, he will "cancel the ceasefire", Reuters reports.

"All hell is going to break out," he says.

Image source, Reuters

Trump is now in the Oval Office signing executive actions, including a proclamation announcing a 25% tariff on aluminium and steel.

"Today I'm simplifying our tariffs on steel and aluminium," Trump says. "It's 25% without exceptions or exemptions."

He also indicated he would consider additional tariffs on automobiles, pharmaceuticals and computer chips.

Donald Trump signs a proclamation announcing tariffs on steel and aluminium imported to the United States.