President Donald Trump began Labor Day with a clear public schedule as multiple political storylines unfolded across the country and abroad. Last week, a federal appeals court struck down most of Trump’s sweeping global tariffs, a major blow to his efforts to unilaterally reshape U.S. trade policy. In response, Trump warned the nation could “become a Third World Nation” without tariffs and insisted they had curbed inflation while bringing in trillions from foreign countries.
In Chicago, tensions flared as Mayor Brandon Johnson used a Labor Day march to denounce Trump’s threats to send federal forces or National Guard troops to the city. Leading chants of “No troops in Chicago,” Johnson vowed to defend democracy and protect residents’ rights. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the administration was considering options but offered no details.
Trump also announced that Rudy Giuliani, former New York City mayor recently injured in a car accident, will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. He praised Giuliani’s record, while aides described the award as a fitting tribute to his decades of service.
On the international front, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin met at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in China. Modi highlighted strong bilateral ties, while Trump criticized India’s continued trade with Russia despite U.S. pressure.
Meanwhile, Trump pressed pharmaceutical companies to “justify the success” of their COVID-19 vaccines and praised Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser for cooperating with federal law enforcement in crime reduction efforts.
