OTHER DEVELOPMENTS

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS

The European Union on Monday slammed the Trump administration for considering tariffs on auto imports, saying they could lead to global retaliation against some $300 billion in U.S. goods amid signs of a brewing trade war. European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said the U.S. investigation into the possibility of auto tariffs “lacks legitimacy, factual basis and violates international trade rules,” just like last month’s U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

Michael Cohen says porn actress Stormy Daniels’ attorney is running a “smear campaign” against him and insists that a federal judge must step in and issue a gag order, according to court documents filed Monday. Cohen’s attorney argues that because Daniels’ attorney, Michael Avenatti, frequently appears in TV interviews and tweets about the case almost daily, his comments are “aimed at tainting the jury pool.”

A comedian says he spoke with President Donald Trump by phone after posing as a senator and that the call was patched through while the president was aboard Air Force One. The White House declined to discuss the incident. Comedian John Melendez, known as “Stuttering John” from his years on “The Howard Stern Show,” released audio of his prank call with Trump on his podcast last Thursday. On Sunday, Melendez tweeted that he had been contacted by the Secret Service for an interview.

Source: Associated Press