US politics live: Fed-up Donald Trump shuts down Epstein question while hailing trade deal with European Union

Donald Trump was hailing a huge trade “breakthrough” with Europe when one reporter dared to bring up his least favourite subject.

Welcome to another week in our live coverage of US politics.

President Donald Trump and his European Commission counterpart Ursula Von der Leyen have hailed a trade agreement which will see the United States impose a tariff rate of 15 per cent on all imports from the European Union.

That’s half the 30 per cent rate Mr Trump had threatened to impose from the start of August. But it still represents a whopping tax hike, compared to the current situation.

“We have reached a deal. It’s a good deal for everybody,” Mr Trump told reporters alongside Ms Von der Leyen, after a meeting at one of his golf courses.

“It’s going to bring us closer together.”

He said the European Union had agreed to boost its investment in the United States by $US600 billion and spend $US750 billion on American energy.

“I want to thank President Trump personally for his personal commitment and his leadership to achieve this breakthrough,” said Ms Von der Leyen.

“He is a tough negotiator, but he is also a dealmaker.”

Mr Trump abruptly ended the press conference after one reporter diverted from the trade deal to ask about the Jeffrey Epstein case.

“Mr President, was part of the rush to get this deal done to get the Jeffrey Epstein story out of-” the reporter started to ask.

“Oh, you have got to be kidding with that,” Mr Trump interjected.

“No. Had nothing to do with it. Only you would think that. That had nothing to do with it.”

He took just one more question before wrapping up the event.

Read on for the latest updates.

Originally published as US politics live: Fed-up Donald Trump shuts down Epstein question while hailing trade deal with European Union