The Latest: Trump in Japan, where he'll meet new Prime Minister Takaichi

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U.S. President Donald Trump is now in Japan for his first meeting with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, an early diplomatic test for the first woman to lead Japan, who took office only last week, backed by a tenuous coalition.

Trade is the focus of Trump's Asia trip. In Malaysia, he participated in a regional summit, seeking to realign the international economy with his “America First," vision.

A trade deal between the U.S. and China is drawing closer, officials from the world’s two largest economies said Sunday as they reached an initial consensus for Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to aim to finalize during their high-stakes meeting.

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The leader of Canada’s most populous province is bragging about the impact of his anti-tariff ad that prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to end trade talks with Canada.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the ad had over a “billion impressions around the world” and “generated a conversation that wasn’t happening in the U.S.”

The populist Conservative premier says it was the “best ad I ever ran” and says he’s achieved his goals.

Ontario’s television advertisement criticizes Trump’s tariffs by citing a speech from former U.S. President Ronald Reagan.

The ad upset Trump who said he plans to hike tariffs on imports of Canadian goods by an extra 10%.

“You know why President Trump is so upset right now? It was because it was effective,” Ford says.

Republicans outnumber Democrats in Indiana’s congressional delegation 7-2, limiting possibilities of squeezing out another seat. But many in the party see this mid-cycle redistricting effort as a chance for the GOP to represent all nine seats.

Among the targets is the 1st District, a Democratic stronghold near Chicago in the state’s northwest corner held by third-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan. He’s won reelection twice despite previous GOP efforts to redraw the borders to help Republicans.

“I believe that representation should be earned through ideas and service, not political manipulation,” Mrvan said in a statement Monday.

Indiana Senate Democratic Leader Shelli Yoder threatened legal action if the Republicans pass any new maps: “This is not democracy. This is desperation,” she said in a statement.

The countdown is on to figure out how to keep food on the table for the nearly 42 million Americans who receive SNAP grocery assistance.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says that the debit cards that beneficiaries use to buy food won’t be replenished in November due to the government shutdown.

About 1 in 8 people in the U.S. receive the aid.

It’s not clear whether the pause in the program will shift anything in the negotiations to reopen the government.

It is leaving beneficiaries, states and food banks scrambling for ways to fill the gaps.

Indiana’s Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray was among the state lawmakers who met privately with Trump as the White House pressured them to redraw the state’s House districts to give the GOP more of an advantage. But his spokesperson said Monday that the votes are still lacking, casting doubt on whether a special session called by Gov. Braun will be successful.

With only 10 Democrats in the 50-member Senate, that means more than a dozen of the 40 Republicans oppose the idea. Some state Republican lawmakers have warned that midcycle redistricting can be costly and could backfire politically.

Gov. Braun a staunch ally of Trump in a state the president won handily. He previously said he did not want to try mid-decade redistricting unless he was sure lawmakers would back a new map.

But on Monday, he said it was the right thing to do: “I am calling a special legislative session to protect Hoosiers from efforts in other states that seek to diminish their voice in Washington and ensure their representation in Congress is fair,” Braun said.

Julie Emerson, a Republican Louisiana state representative, is running to unseat fellow Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, who is seeking a third term in 2026.

Emerson, 37, chairs the Louisiana House ways and means committee and is an ally of Republican Gov. Jeff Landry. She announced her candidacy in a video posted Monday morning.

Landry had spoken to Trump in May about U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow as a potential primary challenger to Cassidy, who is unpopular with a segment of Louisiana’s GOP base. Cassidy voted in January 2021 to convict Trump after his second impeachment. Emerson said in August that she would run if Letlow didn’t. She now joins a crowded primary field, which includes state Treasurer John Fleming, state Sen. Blake Miguez and others.

The president of the union that represents more than 800,000 government workers says that both political parties have made their point and it’s time to end the shutdown.

Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, said every worker should be back on the job with full pay. His statement comes as more workers miss their first full paycheck.

“It’s time to pass a clean continuing resolution and end this shutdown today,” Kelley said. “No half measures, and no gamesmanship.”

The AFGE carries considerable political weight in Washington, particularly on the Democratic side. Kelley said there is no winning a government shutdown.

“It’s time for our leaders to start focusing on how to solve problems for the American people, rather than on who is going to get the blame for a shutdown that Americans dislike,” Kelley said in a statement posted on the union’s website.

New Yorkers are choosing between Democrat Zohran Mamdani, Republican Curtis Sliwa and former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat on the ballot as an independent. The incumbent mayor, Eric Adams, is also on the ballot despite dropping out and supporting Cuomo.

The New Jersey governor’s race features Republican state Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli against Democratic U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill.

Mamdani appeared with Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Sunday, telling a raucous crowd that his campaign is a “movement of the masses” against billionaires and “oligarchs.” As the crowd chanted his name, Mamdani reiterated plans to hire thousands of new teachers, renegotiate city contracts, freeze rent increases for the city’s 1 million rent-regulated apartments, build more affordable housing and provide universal child care.

Cuomo argued that he’s the real Democrat and that Mamdani’s democratic socialism would send residents and businesses fleeing: “He wins, book airline tickets for Florida now.”

▶ See where Americans are already voting across the U.S.

The Navy’s Pacific Fleet said three people went down in the MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter, quickly followed by the ejection of both aviators in the F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet. All five were rescued.

The causes are under investigation, but Trump speculated while en route to Tokyo that “bad fuel” could be to blame for both crashes. The president ruled out foul play and said there was “nothing to hide.”

The Nimitz is returning to Naval Base Kitsap in Washington state after being deployed to Middle East in response to attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on commercial shipping. The aircraft carrier is on its final deployment before decommissioning.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a phone call Monday that they both have “world-class leaders.”

Wang said the “long-standing exchange and mutual respect” of presidents Xi and Trump have become the most valuable strategic asset” of the bilateral ties, according to a statement by the Chinese foreign ministry.

U.S. and Chinese trade negotiators said they made progress toward a possible trade deal during talks in Malaysia, ahead of the expected meeting between Trump and Xi on Thursday in South Korea.

The streets in Japan are famously narrow and congested, but no matter: Japan’s government said it may import Ford F-150 trucks for its transport ministry to use while inspecting roads and infrastructure. That would be a win for the Trump administration, which has long complained of American vehicles being shut out of the market that’s home to Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Isuzu, Mitsubishi and Subaru.

“We appreciate President Trump’s advocating for American made products,” Ford spokesperson Dave Tovar said. “We would be excited to introduce America’s best-selling truck to work and government customers in Japan.”

Trump bought into the idea while flying to Asia, saying “That’s a hot truck.”

Indiana Republican Gov. Mike Braun called Monday for state lawmakers to return to Indianapolis for a special session on Nov. 3 to redraw the state’s congressional boundaries, escalating a national fight over midcycle redistricting.

Trump has ramped up pressure on Republican governors to give the party an easier path to maintain control of the House. Republicans in Texas and Missouri moved quickly, and California Democrats responded with their own redistricting plan. But Indiana lawmakers have been far more hesitant.

A spokesperson for a state senate leader said last week that the Indiana Senate lacked the votes to pass a new congressional map, but the White House has held multiple meetings with holdout lawmakers, including a return trip to Indianapolis on Oct. 10 by Vice President JD Vance.

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CORRECTION: Last week’s statement that the Senate lacked the votes was incorrectly attributed to a spokesperson for Braun. The statement was made by a spokesperson for state Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray.

Notices of rising health insurance premiums are landing in voters’ mailboxes and sending some to town halls to vent their frustration. Republicans have offered few answers, saying they won’t negotiate until Democrats end the shutdown.

The moment revives a familiar dynamic in a the Republican Party that is united in opposing the Affordable Care Act but since the Obama administration has lacked a clear plan to replace it. The lack of a plan to address to rising costs risks political backlash for Republicans in next year’s midterms.

Democrats have said tax credits that kept the costs lower should be extended and refused to reopen the government until they are.

▶ Read more about voters confronting GOP lawmakers over rising health care costs

When the Trump administration froze foreign assistance overnight, urgent efforts began to figure out how private donors could support critical aid programs.

Multiple groups launched fundraisers in February, eventually mobilizing more than $125 million in emergency funding. It wasn’t nearly enough, but was more than organizers had imagined possible. And with needs piling up, wealthy donors and private foundations grappled had to determine: Of the thousands of programs the U.S. funded abroad, which ones could have the biggest impact if saved?

Sasha Gallant led a team at the U.S. Agency for International Development that specialized in identifying programs cost-effective and impactful programs. Along with colleagues who had been fired or worked outside of business hours, they identified 80 programs they recommended to private donors, and Project Resource Optimization announced that all had been funded.

▶ Read more about how private donors stepped in when USAID dropped out

Former President Joe Biden called these “dark days” as he urged Americans to stay optimistic and to not check out as Trump attacks free speech and asserts expanded executive powers.

“We’re more powerful than any dictator,” Biden said after receiving a lifetime achievement award from the Edward M. Kennedy Institute in Boston Sunday night.

America depends on a balance of powers between a presidency with limited power, a functioning Congress and an autonomous judiciary, he said: “Since its founding, America served as a beacon for the most powerful idea ever in government in the history of the world.”

Biden, 82, ended his first public speech since a round of radiation therapy for an aggressive form of prostate cancer on an optimistic note, predicting Americans will “find our true compass again” and “emerge as we always have — stronger, wiser and more resilient, more just, so long as we keep the faith.”

Chinese markets logged solid gains Monday and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 1.1% to 26,434.69, while the Shanghai Composite index added 1.2% to 3,996.94 — reflecting growing hopes that after months of escalating trade disputes, Trump might be right when he said “I think we’re going to come away with a deal” with China.

“This isn’t just photo-op diplomacy. Behind the showmanship, Washington and Beijing’s top trade lieutenants have quietly mapped out a framework that might, just might, keep the world’s two largest economies from tearing up the field again,” Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management said in a commentary.

Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are expected to hold their high-stakes meeting on Thursday, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in South Korea.

Asian shares surged Monday while European markets were little changed after Trump said he expected to reach a trade agreement with China.

Germany’s DAX gained 0.2% to 24,279.53 and the CAC 40 in Paris slipped 0.1% to 8,218.42. Britain’s FTSE 100 also shed 0.1%, to 9,640.12. The future for the S&P 500 jumped 0.9% while that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.6%.

Work on trade deals that might alleviate friction between the U.S., China and other major trading partners has reassured investors, especially in Asia.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 gained 2.5% to 50,512.32, a new closing high following news that the world’s two largest economies had reached an initial consensus for Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to finalize during a high-stakes meeting later in the week.

Brazilian farmers are increasing soybean production as the U.S. and China engage in a trade fight.

The conflict has shut American soybeans out of the Chinese market, leading China to seek more Brazilian supply. China’s customs body reported no U.S. soybean imports in September, a first since November 2018.

Brazilian soybeans already accounted for over 70% of China’s imports last year. Brazil’s Agriculture Ministry expects the next soybean harvest to rise by 3.6%.

Farmers in the U.S. are worried about losing the Chinese market permanently, even if a trade agreement is reached, and are seeking other markets.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said a potential agreement, which has been the subject of extensive negotiation, could require more time.

“Just a lot of details to work out,” he said. “Very complicated deal, and I think we’re very close.”

A sticking point has been Washington’s push for South Korea to invest $350 billion in the U.S.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said “Koreans have a great plan to invest in U.S. shipbuilding,” an industry that Trump wants to expand.

Bessent says there’s “a framework” for Trump and Xi to discuss during a meeting in South Korea later this week.

The details are still unclear, but Bessent said American and Chinese negotiators discussed tariffs, rare earths, fentanyl and “a substantial purchase of U.S. agricultural products.” Specifically, Washington wants Beijing to buy soybeans from U.S. farmers.

Trump chimed in by saying “we feel good” about working things out with China.

As Air Force One approached Tokyo, Trump posted on social media about renovations at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

He said exterior columns had been “beautifully painted in a luxuriant white enamel color, replacing the fake looking gold paint that was there for years.”

There are also “many major improvements” on the way, including “seating, carpeting, wall coverings, ceilings, chandeliers, stages, heating and A/C, etc.”

Trump also posted a picture of the renovated Oval Office, which features extensive gold trim and more portraits of presidential predecessors.

“Look how beautiful the Oval Office is, now,” he wrote.

Trump is still upset about Ontario’s television advertisements criticizing his tariffs by citing a speech from former U.S. President Ronald Reagan.

Trump noted that the advertisement was yanked from the air, “but they did it very late” and “they let it play for another two nights.”

Trump said he wouldn’t meet with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in South Korea, where they’re attending the same summit.

“I don’t want to meet with him,” he said. “I’m not going to be meeting with him for a while.”

The president said he wants the current chairman, Jay Powell, to leave “as soon as possible,” and he could pick a replacement by the end of the year.

Powell’s term as chair ends in May. Trump has stepped back from threats to fire Powell, although he has tried to push out another board member, Lisa Cook.

Bessent said they’re preparing a slate of candidates for Trump to choose from. And Trump reiterated that Bessent is a possibility for the job himself.

During the gaggle with reporters, Trump boasted about his administration’s transparency, pointing to all the top officials taking questions from the media.

“You can ask anything you want. There’s never been anything like this,” he said.

But Trump still wants to keep some things under wraps. Specifically, he’s still unwilling to identify the donor who provided $130 million to pay U.S. troops during the government shutdown.

Trump said only that “he’s an unbelievable patriot.”

The political party of Argentine President Javier Milei did well in the country’s midterm elections, and Trump called it “a big win.”

“He had a lot of help from us,” Trump said. “I gave him an endorsement, a very strong endorsement.”

The administration has also been extending economic assistance to Argentina, including raising the possibility of buying Argentine beef to bring down prices in the U.S.

The idea has upset American cattle ranchers, but Trump brushed off the issue.

“We’re going to get the price of beef down, and I’m going to make sure the cattle ranchers don’t get hurt,” Trump said.

The president and the tech titan had an explosive falling out when Musk left the administration, where he was spearheading the Department of Government Efficiency. They reconnected at the funeral for conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Trump suggested their dispute was water under the bridge.

“He had a bad period, a bad moment. It was a stupid moment in his life,” Trump said, adding, “I like Elon, and I suspect I’ll always like him.”

Stephen Bannon, a Trump ally, has repeatedly said the president could serve a third term despite a constitutional prohibition. Trump himself has flirted with the idea.

Asked about it on Air Force One, Trump said, “I haven’t really thought about it.” He rejected the possibility of running for vice president as a way to get back to the presidency, saying, “I’d be allowed to do it” but wouldn’t because “it’s too cute.”

Trump praised Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance as potential future Republican candidates.

“I’m not sure if anybody would run against those two. I think if they ever formed a group, it would be unstoppable,” he said.

The president’s overtures to reconnect with reclusive North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have gone unanswered.

“If he wants to meet, I’ll be in South Korea,” Trump said.

Trump even said he’d be willing to extend his trip if there was a chance to talk to Kim. Since South Korea is Trump's last stop before returning to the U.S., “it’s pretty easy to do,” he noted.

A source of tension has been a recent immigration raid at a Hyundai plant, which frustrated Korean business leaders who have been encouraged to invest in the United States.

Trump said, “I was opposed to getting them out,” and he said they were working on a new visa system that would make it easier for Korean companies to bring in skilled workers.

“We’re doing a whole new plan for that,” he said.

Trump said, “We want them to bring in experts” and “they’ll teach our people how to do it” before returning to Korea.

Trump came back to the press cabin on Air Force One along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Bessent and Greer. They took questions for about a half hour.

Trump said he would talk about the “great friendship” between the U.S. and Japan during his visit.

“I hear phenomenal things" about the new Japanese prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, Trump said. He noted her closeness with former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, with whom Trump had a good relationship during his first term.

“It’s going to be very good,” he said. “That really helps Japan and the United States.”

There’s no shortage of security issues in the region, including access to the South China Sea and the future of Taiwan. But Trump’s focus has undoubtedly been trade and his desire to realign the international economy in his vision of “America first.”

For the most part, that means tariffs, or at least the threat of them. Trump has frequently used taxes on imports — from allies and adversaries alike — in an effort to boost domestic manufacturing or seek more favorable terms.

However, his unilateral power to enact tariffs remains contested. Trump is awaiting a Supreme Court case that could solidify his authority or limit it.

The president is flying to Tokyo from Kuala Lumpur, where he attended the annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. He participated in a ceremonial signing of an expanded ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia, which fought earlier this year. Trump helped pressure both countries to stop by threatening to withhold trade agreements.

The summit is not a guaranteed part of any president’s itinerary, but it was an opportunity for Trump to reengage with a critical region for the first time since returning to office.

In addition, American and Chinese negotiators used the summit to advance trade talks, with the potential for an agreement that would reduce tensions between the world’s two largest economies later this week.

While on his way to Japan, Trump posted on Truth Social that Argentine President Javier Milei was “doing a wonderful job” as his party beat expectations in midterm elections.

“Our confidence in him was justified by the People of Argentina,” Trump wrote.

Trump ally Milei essentially received a vote of confidence to pursue his policies to break long-standing inflation and economic problems in Argentina. A libertarian seeking to unlock free-market forces, Milei has endeared himself to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement with an appearance this year at the Conservative Political Action Conference in the U.S.

The Trump administration provided a $20 billion credit swap line to bolster Milei ahead of the election and was looking to provide an additional $20 billion to support the value of Argentina’s peso.

Japan’s capital saw heightened security ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s arrival on Monday. Tokyo’s metropolitan police set up a special task force and mobilized some 18,000 officers.

At Tokyo’s Haneda airport, where Trump will arrive, all lockers and garbage bins were closed or removed.

In downtown Tokyo, vehicles were checked and police dogs were stationed near the U.S. Embassy, where riot police were also deployed. One man was arrested for allegedly carrying knives outside the embassy.

Trump is moving on to the second leg of his Asia tour, boarding Air Force One for Japan after time in Kuala Lumpur for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit.

The U.S. president didn’t talk to gathered reporters as he walked the red carpet and watched dancers as he made his way to the airplane.

Still, the president felt his time in Malaysia was productive, calling it a “very vibrant” nation in a post on his social media site. Trump noted the ceasefire agreement signed between Thailand and Cambodia as well as trade frameworks that were part of his time with leaders.

“Now, off to Japan!!!” Trump said on Truth Social.