August 19, 2025: Trump Seeks Peace Talks, Gabbard Revokes Clearances, More

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Speaker 1 (00:01):
News when you want it with Bloomberg News Now, I'm
Doug Krisner. President Trump is urging Russian President Putin and
Ukrainian President Zelensky to show flexibility as Trump pushes for
direct peace talks. Trump told Fox News today he is
pressing the two leaders to hold a bilateral summit within weeks,
with a trilateral meeting to follow. Here is White House

(00:22):
Press Secretary Caroline Levitt.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
Following the encouraging conversations, yesterday, President Trump spoke with President
Putin by phone, and he agreed to begin the next
phase of the peace process, a meeting between President Putin
and President Zelensky, which would be followed, if necessary, by
a trilateral meeting between President Putin, President Zelenski and President Trump.

Speaker 1 (00:43):
That is White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt. Now, President
Trump has signaled security guarantees for Ukraine could include US
air support. However, Trump ruled out NATO membership or Ukraine
reclaiming crimea meantime, Bloomberg has learned that Trump called Hungarian
Minister Victor Orbon today. This was after European leaders pressed

(01:04):
Trump to intervene in Ukraine's stalled bid from membership to
the European Union. Now, Orbon has been blocking talks on
admitting Ukraine to the EU, and that in turn has
frustrated both Brussels and Kiev. Here is Kurt Volker, former
US Ambassador to NATO, speaking on Bloomberg's balance of power.

Speaker 3 (01:22):
Well, one of the good things about President Trump here
is that he is completely tactical. So if the Europeans
are coming to him and saying we have a problem
with Orbon in doing what we need to do to
back up Ukraine, well Trump wants to end the war
in Ukraine and he needs europe to help. So he
just goes and picks up the phone and talks to
Orbon and say help out, help get Ukraine into the

(01:43):
European Union.

Speaker 1 (01:44):
That is Kurt Volker, former US Ambassador to NATO, speaking
on Bloomberg's balance of power. Incidentally, European leaders say that
Ukraine's membership is part of a broader security guarantee, but
Orbon has rebuked that notion, calling it unnecessary and day interest.
The Trump administration says it's revoking the security clearances of

(02:05):
thirty seven current and former national security officials. Those impacted
include people who were involved in conducting an assessment of
Russia's efforts to influence the twenty sixteen election, as well
as members of former President Biden's National Security Council. A
memo from the Director of National Intelligence, Telsea Gabbard, accuses

(02:25):
the singled out individuals of politicizing and manipulating intelligence. Here
is Gabbard speaking earlier to Fox News.

Speaker 4 (02:32):
Some of those folks in those thirty seven individuals that
we revoked directed the revocation of security clearances from today
under the direction of President Trump. They aided and embedded
in this action, This seditious conspiracy that undermined our democracy,
undermined our republic, and broke that sacred trust that every

(02:56):
one of these professionals is supposed to have.

Speaker 1 (02:59):
The people that was the Director of National Intelligence Tulsey Gabbard,
speaking to Fox News tomorrow morning before the opening Bill
will get earnings from Target, and investors will be looking
for an update on the company's turnaround efforts. The combination
of weak discretionary spending and boycott calls, as well as
tariff uncertainty, have contributed to Target's week sales in recent years.

(03:23):
Stacey Whitlets is president and founder of sw Retail Advisors.
She spoke earlier to Bloomberg.

Speaker 5 (03:29):
The good news is that the bar for target is
pretty low here going into earnings. But I think from
an investment thesis, there are probably better places to put
your money.

Speaker 1 (03:40):
She is Stacey Whitlets from sw Retail Advisors, speaking earlier
to Bloomberg. Beaches in New York City will be closed
to swimmers Wednesday and Thursday as Hurricane Aaron churns offshore.
This storm is now a Category two and it's created
dangerous rip currents along the East coast. According to the
National Hurricanes Aaron's winds now extend two hundred and thirty

(04:03):
miles from its eye. Meantime, the Jersey shore is facing
the prospect of severe rip currents, prompting a number of
towns along the coastline to ban swimming outright. Here is
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.

Speaker 6 (04:16):
The second concern is the potential for coastal flooding. And
the word that we're using that we use is moderate.
Moderate does not mean a little. This means a potential
for significant coastal flooding.

Speaker 1 (04:32):
Phil Murphy. There, the Governor of New Jersey. Now double
red flag warnings and evacuations are already in effect in
parts of North Carolina. Forecasters say that erin is likely
to fluctuate in its intensity before the storm begins to
break down. The White House launched its own TikTok account today.

Speaker 3 (04:51):
Every day, I wake up determined to deliver a better
life for the people all across this nation.

Speaker 4 (05:00):
I am your voice.

Speaker 1 (05:04):
This is the first video posted by the White House.
It features a montage of President Trump and other administration officials,
including Vice President jd Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt told Reuters the Trump
administration is committed to communicating with as many audiences and
platforms as possible. And that is news when you want it.

(05:27):
With Bloomberg News Now, I'm Doug Prisner, and this is
Bloomberg