‘Every voter had photo ID’: Trump cites India in push for SAVE America Act

New DelhiAug 17, 2026 07:27 PM IST President Lee Jae Myung of South Korea presents President Donald Trump with the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, left, South Korea’s highest decoration, and a replica of a crown excavated from ancient royal tombs, at the Gyeongju National Museum in Gyeongju, on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025. Donald Trump on Sunday announced that the US would reduce its joint military exercises with South Korea, a long-term American ally, for not participating in the “Denuclearization of the Islamic Republic of Iran.” In a social media post, the US President also said that North Korea, by contrast, had been “unthreatening and respectful” to him. North Korea had expressed its condemnation to the exercise last week, calling it a provocation that heightens tensions on the Korean Peninsula.However, South Korean joint chiefs of staff told Reuters that the drills started on Monday as scheduled. The latest development comes mere days after South Korean President Lee Jae Myung proposed talks with North Korea to officially end the war between the two. Why has Trump paused the exercise? It was long expected that Trump would either suspend or scale down the joint military exercise, or even reduce the US military presence in South Korea. The US President has repeatedly expressed his disappointment with several of the US’ long-time allies not contributing military or logistical support to aid the US in its ongoing war with Iran. Trump has previously expressed objections over perceived heavy military spending in South Korea, saying the US is not getting enough for helping it secure its defence against North Korea. He has also repeatedly objected to the size of the troops on the peninsula and the money spent.Story continues below this ad To this end, South Korea has attempted to appease the US President, committing $350 billion in investments in the US. What are the Ulchi Freedom drills? The Ulchi Freedom drills are a combined military exercise between South Korea and the US. Named after the Korean general Ulchi Mondik, the exercise is reportedly the world’s largest computerised command and control implementation focused on defending South Korea from a North Korean attack. Since 1976, the drills have been conducted annually between August and September, except for 2018, when the South Korean government temporarily cancelled them. The drills have had various names over the years: the Taeguk Exercise through the 1960s until 1969, when it was renamed the Ulchi Exercise. The drills were renamed the Ulchi-Focus Lens in 1976, a name it held until 2008, when the scope of the drills was updated to reflect the shift in operational control. This year, about 18,000 South Korean troops are expected to participate alongside US forces, amounting to about 28,500. Personnel from 11 of the 18 member states of the United Nations Command (UNC) — the multinational body that oversees the 1953 armistice that halted hostilities of the Korean War — are also expected to participate. The exercise got its latest rebrand in 2022 when it was rechristened the Ulchi Freedom Shield to reflect the multifaceted nature of threats.Story continues below this ad Relations between the Koreas North Korea and South Korea have been in a state of war since 1953. After Japan announced its intent to surrender in 1945, the Korean Peninsula, previously under its control, was divided into two: The Soviet and the Chinese communists propped up the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in the North, while the Americans supported the creation of the Republic of Korea in the South. In 1950, North Korean forces under founder Kim Il Sung invaded the South, triggering the three-year-long Korean War. Despite making major initial gains, US troops helped the South fight back. Eventually, neither side secured a decisive victory, and an armistice was signed in 1953, effectively leaving both sides at war. Since then, both Korean nations have dreamt of “reunification”, by force if neces

US President Donald Trump said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (File Photo)Israel has rejected a US-proposed peace plan for Gaza. Prime Minister Netanyahu says troops won’t leave until Hamas fully disarms, though talks with Washington continue. Hamas insists it still backs the plan and wants pressure applied on Israel, whose next election is October 27. In Yemen, Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacked the port city of Mocha twice in one day, killing at least seven people and damaging port facilities. They also struck a Saudi Aramco refinery with a drone, causing a fire but no injuries. These attacks raise fears of Yemen’s civil war restarting.Story continues below this ad Iran named Mohsen Rezaei as its new top security official, replacing a predecessor who took over after the last one was killed in an Israeli strike. Iran and Oman are reportedly close to a temporary deal letting ships pass through the Strait of Hormuz fee-free, though Iran says the strait won’t fully reopen until the US meets tough conditions, including lifting sanctions, ending military threats, and compensating Iran for war damage. The US hasn’t responded to these demands directly. Follow The Indian Express Global Desk for live coverage of the day’s top world news. Live UpdatesStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd Tags: donald trump Gaza Israel conflict

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick speaks during an event with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House. (Photo: AP)One month after the Supreme Court struck down his first try to limit birthright citizenship, Donald Trump signed two executive orders on Thursday. The orders aim to stop US citizenship for children born in the US to “birth tourists”. The orders have not been made public yet. They appear to widen the list of children the White House says do not qualify for birthright citizenship. They also try to stop “birth tourism”, a practice Trump said on Thursday is used by “hundreds of thousands” of people.Story continues below this ad That number looks too high. The Migration Policy Institute says the top estimate from census data puts birth tourism at 22,000 to 26,000 babies born on US soil each year. Government data show only 9,600 births to mothers with foreign addresses in 2024. It is worth noting that Trump’s own father, Fred Trump, was born a US citizen in 1905. His mother was not a citizen and had come from Germany six months pregnant. Trump’s mother, Mary Anne, was born in Scotland. She gave birth to her first two children, the president’s older siblings, in the US before she became a US citizen herself. Follow The Indian Express Global Desk for live coverage of the day’s top world news. Live UpdatesStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd Tags: India US

President Donald Trump arrives on Air Force One at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas (AP Photo) US President Donald Trump said that the Strait ​of ​Hormuz “is going to be open very ⁠soon,” warning that if Iran backed out, it would be “hit very hard”. “The Strait’s going to be open very soon, or they are going to get hit very hard,” he said.“If they back out again, they are going to get hit really hard. They know that. They understand that. I have no choice,” Trump later added. Speaking in an interview with Fox News, he said that there was an “all-day negotiation” with Tehran on Tuesday (Aug 4), and that both countries were having “very good” discussions, adding that his first choice was pushing for a diplomatic agreement. “We hit them very, very hard. But the hard hit is yet to come, and hopefully we won’t have to use it,” he said. “I hope we won’t – we’re having very good discussions. They don’t like to admit that.” Deal could happen ‘tomorrow or next day’ The US president further said that Iran was keen on exploring ways to end the conflict. “The only thing that matters is action. And they want to make a deal. We’ll see what happens,” POTUS said. “I have plenty of time,” he added.Story continues below this ad He then said that he believed a deal could happen “tomorrow or the next day.” Axios, citing two regional sources and a US official, reported that the United States and Iran were close to reaching an interim agreement to reopen the strategic strait with Oman’s backing. The report stated that Washington was aiming for an announcement as early as Wednesday. The Iranian state media, however, citing an informed source, said that an agreement with Oman on the strait will be delayed “as long as the United ‌States continues to threaten Iran.” Meanwhile, Qatar said that the mediators were making progress in their efforts to end the conflict, even after Tehran denied that talks were underway.Story continues below this ad The office of Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on Tuesday, said that he received a phone call from Trump and they discussed ways to de-escalate tensions between Washington and Tehran and bridge the gap between both countries. © IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd The Express Global Desk at indianexpress.com which delivers authoritative, verified, and context-driven coverage of key international developments shaping global politics, policy, and migration trends. The desk focuses on stories with direct relevance for Indian and global audiences, combining breaking news with in-depth explainers and analysis. A major focus area of the desk is US immigration and visa policy, including developments related to student visas, work permits, permanent residency pathways, executive actions, and court rulings. The Global Desk also closely tracks Canada’s immigration, visa, and study policies, covering changes to study permits, post-study work options, permanent residence programmes, and regulatory updates affecting migrants and international students. All reporting from the Global Desk adheres to The Indian Express’ editorial standards, relying on official data, government notifications, court documents, and on-record sources. The desk prioritises clarity, accuracy, and accountability, ensuring readers can navigate complex global systems with confidence. Core Team The Express Global Desk is led by a team of experienced journalists and editors with deep expertise in international affairs and migration policy: Aniruddha Dhar – Senior Assistant Editor with extensive experience in global affairs, international politics, and editorial leadership. Nischai Vats – Deputy Copy Editor specialising in US politics, US visa and immigration policy, and policy-driven international coverage. Mashkoora Khan – Sub-editor focusing on global developments, with a strong emphasis on Canada visa, immigration, and study-related policy coverage. ... Read More Stay updated with the