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Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is trying to ramp up pressure on President Biden to negotiate a package of fiscal reforms in exchange for raising the debt limit, but Democrats still refuse to sit down with him, setting the stage for a high-stakes standoff this summer.  

McCarthy on Tuesday tried to kickstart negotiations by laying out his first broad proposals for spending reforms in a letter to Biden.  

He called for cutting nondefense discretionary spending, reclaiming unspent COVID-19 relief funding, strengthening work requirements for social safety net programs and creating policies to lower energy costs and secure the U.S.-Mexico border to stem the flow of illegal drugs. 

McCarthy accused the president of putting the economy at risk by refusing to address the nation’s $31 trillion debt.  

“I am incredibly concerned that you are putting an already fragile economy in jeopardy by insisting upon your extreme position of refusing to negotiate any meaningful changes to out-of-control government spending alongside an increase of the debt limit,” he wrote.   

But McCarthy also admitted Tuesday that he is growing pessimistic about reaching any deal with the White House, which has steadfastly ignored his calls for spending cuts and instead rolled out a budget proposal this month that called for nearly $5 trillion in tax increases.  

“I am more concerned than I have ever been to be able to get this debt ceiling done because he refuses to meet with anybody and misleads the American public,” McCarthy said of Biden in an interview with MSNBC on Tuesday. 

Democrats, meanwhile, say they won’t negotiate with McCarthy until he shows he has the votes to pass a package of fiscal reforms with top-line spending numbers.  

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday dismissed McCarthy’s letter as not doing anything to advance the discussion and said it showed the Speaker is feeling pressure to show conservatives in the House that he’s getting somewhere with the president.  

“I think he’s really feeling pressure, but he has no solution. So he keeps saying the same thing, ‘sit down and negotiate.’ But as I said, if you sit down and negotiate, we have a plan, he doesn’t. What are they going to do? Talk about the weather?” Schumer said, also calling McCarthy’s broad suggestions “vague” and “amorphous.”  

“No, he didn’t advance the ball. It was just another sign of the pressure he’s under but he’s not moving forward,” he added.  

Biden on Tuesday evening responded to McCarthy’s letter, asking him to submit a budget plan before Congress leaves for a two-week recess on Thursday “so that we can have an in-depth conversation when you return.”

But he added, “As I have repeatedly said, that conversation must be separate from prompt action on the Congress’ basic obligation to pay the Nation’s bills and avoid economic catastrophe.”

Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), one of McCarthy’s closest friends in the House, told Punchbowl Tuesday that the Speaker is losing hope of getting anywhere with Biden. 

“I’ve never seen him more pessimistic about an issue than he is about the debt ceiling increase,” he said. “At the moment, I don’t see how we get there. And this a marked change from where I’ve been.” 

McHenry said he didn’t “even see a path” to a debt ceiling agreement.  

There’s a growing expectation among senators in both parties that Biden and McCarthy won’t be able to come to any debt limit agreement, and that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) will step in later this year to cut a deal to avoid a national default, as he has done in the past.  

Republican lawmakers say McCarthy needed to do something to get the stalled talks moving. He and Biden last met at the White House on Feb. 1.  

“I think it’s a good move. Let’s get people back to the table again, and hopefully this will act as a jumpstart,” Senate Republican Whip John Thune (S.D.) said.  

Members discussed McCarthy’s letter during a House GOP conference meeting on Tuesday morning, and Republicans across the ideological spectrum expressed approval of McCarthy’s outline — including members of the House Freedom Caucus and allied hard-line members. 

“I extend my gratitude to Mr. McCarthy, Speaker McCarthy,” said Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), a former chairman of the House Freedom Caucus. “His letter to President Biden this morning is a positive move.” 

“The conference is united. Speaker McCarthy in this conference is largely saying the same thing, talking about cutting 3 to 4 trillion dollars in spending, going back to 2019 nondefense discretionary spending, ’20 to ’22 spending overall,” said Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.).  

Republicans also derided the White House for seeming to attempt to run out the clock by refusing to sit down with McCarthy. That would then put pressure on Republicans to agree to a clean debt ceiling increase over the summer, possibly only days away from a default.   

“I also don’t know why the President feels that it’s important to wait. That seems like a delay tactic,” said Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), chairman of the Main Street Caucus.  

 Schumer says Democrats have a plan: to vote and pass a clean bill to raise the debt limit.  

And Democrats point out that Biden submitted his $6.8 trillion budget plan to Congress on March 9.  

 Schumer also criticized McCarthy for calling for trillions of dollars in spending reforms without laying out in more detail how he would achieve those savings.  

“Today he said, ‘What about $4 trillion in cuts?’ Well, what are they? A number is not a plan, especially a plan that is so vague and amorphous,” he told reporters. “The reason he doesn’t want to do it in my humble judgment is that he can’t get 218 votes for any plan.”  

But McCarthy argued Schumer does not yet having the votes to pass a clean debt ceiling increase — necessitating the need for negotiation with Biden. 

“If they think they can just raise the debt limit, why don’t they do it in the Senate tomorrow?” McCarthy said. 

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre noted in a statement Tuesday that Republicans agreed to pass clean debt limit increases three times under former President Trump.   Man stops traffic to help teacher, children escape Nashville school shooting Florida board bans ‘This Book Is Gay’ from middle school libraries

“Business leaders and economists have warned that the threat of a default risks the livelihoods of American small businesses, retirees, and working families and would hand a massive win to China — and recent events underscore the need for Congress to address the debt limit as soon as possible. It’s time for Republicans to stop playing games, pass a clean debt ceiling bill, and quit threatening our economic recovery,” she said.  

Thune, who is standing in for McConnell while the Kentucky lawmaker recuperates from a concussion, said McCarthy didn’t coordinate his letter ahead of time with Senate Republicans but said his proposals will attract broad GOP support.  

“I know that he’s working with his members … I think those are all items that there’d probably be general, pretty broad agreement among Republicans in both the House and Senate on,” he said. 

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Environment

ECOVACS Goat RTK robot mowers start from $850 low, Rad Power RadWagon 4 cargo e-bike $1,499, EcoFlow solar bundle flash sale, more

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July 30, 2025

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ECOVACS Goat RTK robot mowers start from 0 low, Rad Power RadWagon 4 cargo e-bike ,499, EcoFlow solar bundle flash sale, more

This week’s hump day Green Deals start off with the ECOVACS Goat O1000 RTK Robot Lawn Mower returning to its $850 low for the third time ever, while its upgraded A2500 model is down at its second-lowest price too. From there, we have a spotlight on Rad Power’s popular RadWagon 4 Cargo e-bike at $1,499 while the brand’s Back to School Sale continues through to next week, as well as EcoFlow’s final 24-hour July Monthly Madness flash sale that is taking up to 55% off DELTA 2 Max and DELTA 3 Pro solar generator bundles starting from $1,349, while also offering an increased EcoCredits purchase option. We also have a returning low on the 80V Pro-grade Greenworks 18-inch chainsaw, a one-day-only discount on Anker’s SOLIX C300X DC power station with a book-sized 60W folding panel, and more waiting for you below. Plus, all the hangover savings at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s Navee ST3 Pro electric scooter savings, Aiper’s HydroComm pool monitor hitting its lowest price for the second time, and more.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

Save up to 35% on ECOVACS’ Goat RTK robot lawn mowers with fisheye cameras starting from an $850 low

Amazon is offering the ECOVACS Goat O1000 RTK Robot Lawn Mower for $849.99 shipped, which beats out the brand’s direct website pricing by $50. This newer lawn care solution has only been on the market for five months and normally goes for $1,000 at full price, with discounts having mostly taken the price down to $900, aside from the two recent falls to the $850 low in May and June, while getting skipped over during Prime Day sales. This is the third time that we’ve seen this all-time low price appear with $150 cut from the tag price, and you’ll also find its upgraded counterpart benefitting from a discount below.

The ECOVACS Goat O1000 robot mower is the base model of the series designed to handle up to 1/4 of an acre of land on each full charge, with it able to stop, charge, and return to its duties for larger yards. Forget having to deal with laying boundary wires here, as it’s been given RTK navigation that provides more accurate location tracking on top of efficient route planning, with bolstered support from the LiDAR (3D-ToF) and fisheye camera that can take over steering when it enters heavily shaded or tree-lined areas that the satellites can’t see into. There’s also AIVI 3D obstacle avoidance tech, with the added bonus that it can also identify small animals alongside everyday inanimate objects around your yard – whether in the sun or in the dark.

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ECOVACS’ Goat robot mowers can fit into tighter spaces between fences and the like that a normal mower may struggle or fail to tackle well, thanks to the compact and narrow design of its body, with it even given an IPX6 waterproof construction should it need to tough out sudden weather changes as it works. There’s plenty of remote smart controls available via its companion app, giving you the means to adjust settings, monitor its real-time performance, and edit the 3D maps it creates.

There’s also the more advanced ECOVACS Goat A2500 RTK Robot Lawn Mower down at its second-lowest price of $1,299.99 shipped right now, down from its $2,000 price tag. This model comes with a 32V motor and dual-blade discs, with a 5Ah battery that allows it to cover up to 5,382 square feet of mowing on a single charge, which it can be ready to pick back up on after only 45 minutes of charging at its station. It brings much of the same smart capabilities for its navigation and obstacle avoidance as the above model, with the added bonus of responding to voice commands via Alexa or Google Assistant too.

woman riding Rad Power RadWagon 4 cargo e-bike with two children

As part of its ongoing Back to School Sale running through August 6, Rad Power Bikes is offering its RadWagon 4 Cargo e-bike at $1,499 shipped, alongside the ongoing low RadExpand 5 pricing and the new RadRunner e-bike bundles. This popular model fetches $1,799 at full price, which we’ve only seen dropped down to $1,599 over the last year, with more frequent returns to $1,499 in 2025 or otherwise given some bundled accessory packages. This is the lowest price we have tracked in the last two years, beaten out by the $1,399 post-launch low from 2023 and the all-time $1,299 preorder low from its launch years before.

If you want to learn more about this model, be sure to check out our original coverage of this e-bike here, while you can also browse the entire Rad Power Back to School Sale lineup here.

man aiming solar panel towards sun on leafy ground while plugged into EcoFlow DELTA 2 max portable power station

EcoFlow’s final July Monthly Madness flash sale takes up to 55% off DELTA 2 Max and DELTA Pro 3 bundles starting from $1,349

As part of the final days of its July Monthly Madness Sale running through July 31, EcoFlow has launched the last of this sale’s scheduled 24-hour flash sales through tomorrow at 9 a.m. PDT / 12 p.m. EST with up to 55% discounts on two solar generator bundles and an increased EcoCredits one-time purchase promotion. The most budget-friendly of the two bundles gives you the DELTA 2 Max Portable Power Station with a 400W solar panel at $1,349 shipped, and that price matches at Amazon too. This bundle would normally cost you $2,298 at full price, with discounts having mostly kept costs between $1,399 and $1,599 over the year, though we have seen it go as low as $1,279 during Prime Day. You’re looking at a 55% markdown here for the next 24 hours that saves you $949 at the third-lowest price we have tracked. Head below to learn more about this unit and the other offers during this sale.

If you want to learn more about this power station or the other offers during this 24-hour flash sale, be sure to check out our original coverage of these deals here.

man cutting log with Greenworks 80V 18-inch cordless chainsaw

Cover storm cleanup, firewood, more with Greenworks’ Pro 80V 18-inch cordless chainsaw at $199 low

Amazon is offering the Greenworks Pro 80V 18-inch Brushless Cordless Chainsaw with 2.0Ah battery at $199 shipped, while it’s priced at $229 directly from the brand’s website. It carries a $350 MSRP direct from Greenworks, but we have been seeing it more often at $299 at Amazon, with discounts mostly keeping things at $229 on average, with two previous falls to the $199 low, most recently during Prime Day three weeks ago. You’re looking at the best price we have tracked on this pro-grade model, giving you significant power for sawing needs with $100 cut from the tag (and $151 off the MSRP).

If you want to learn more about this pro-tier tool, be sure to check out our original coverage of this deal here.

man and woman camping during the day and night with Anker's SOLIX C300X portable power station solar bundle

Carry Anker’s SOLIX C300X DC power station with a book-sized 60W folding solar panel at $237 (Today only)

As part of its Deals of the Day, Best Buy is now offering the Anker SOLIX C300X DC Portable Power Station bundled with a 60W foldable solar panel for $236.99 shipped. While this model starts for $330 at full price here, it carries a lower $300 tag directly from the brand’s website, where it’s currently sitting untouched by discounts, while Amazon’s matching grey colorway is priced $23 higher. For most of 2025, while there have been price cuts, they generally hit $250, though it did drop a tad lower to $230 during Prime Day, as well as $220 in February, with everything beaten out by the $190 Black Friday low. For the rest of the day, you can pick up this solar generator bundle with $63 off the going rate ($93 off the Best Buy tag) at the third-lowest price of the year and fourth-best overall.

If you want to learn more about this compact solar generator bundle, be sure to check out our coverage of this one-day-only deal here.

Best Summer EV deals!

Best new Green Deals landing this week

The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.

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Environment

Ford says it will build ‘breakthrough’ EVs in the US

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July 30, 2025

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Ford says it will build 'breakthrough' EVs in the US

Ford-Q2-2025-earnings

Ford (F) reported Q2 2025 earnings on Wednesday, beating top and bottom line expectations. Despite the revenue growth, Ford is warning profits will take a hit thanks to Trump’s tariffs. We will also learn about Ford’s plans to build “breakthrough” EVs in the US very soon.

Ford Q2 2025 earnings preview

After suspending full-year guidance in May, Ford warned that it expected to take a $2.5 billion hit from Trump’s auto tariffs.

Given that Ford builds more vehicles in the US than any major automaker, outside of Tesla, it’s expected to see less of an impact from the 25% tariff on imports.

Ford imports just about 21% of the vehicles it sells in the US. In comparison, crosstown rival GM imports around 46%. GM announced last week that the tariffs cost it an extra $1.1 billion in the second quarter. For the full year, GM still expects a $4 billion to $5 billion impact.

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Unlike GM, Ford breaks down earnings into three units, including Model e, its electric vehicle business. Ford’s Model e posted a nearly $1 billion loss in the first quarter, but new EVs rolling out in Europe boosted revenue.

Although Ford’s vehicle sales rose 14% to over 612,000 in Q2, EV sales dropped 31% to just 16,438. Ford spokesperson Martin Gunsberg told Electrek that both the Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning were impacted by the changeover to the 2025 model year and the Mach-E recall.

Ford-Q2-2025-earnings
Ford Mustang Mach-E (left) and F-150 Lightning (right) (Source: Ford)

According to Estimize, Wall Street expects Ford to post second-quarter EPS of $0.33 on revenue of $43.75 billion.

Improving costs and more EV news to come

Ford beat earnings estimates posting second quarter revenue a record $50.02 billion in revenue, up 5% YOY and an adjusted EPS of $0.37.

  • Ford Q2 2025 Revenue: $50.02 billion vs $43.75 billion expected
  • Ford Q2 2025 adjusted EPS: $0.37 vs $0.33 expected

Despite the higher revenue, Ford posted a $36 million net loss, which was due to a “field service action and expenses related to a previously announced cancellation of an electric vehicle program.” It also incurred an $800 million loss due to tariffs in the quarter.

Ford Pro continues to drive both top and bottom-line growth with high-margin revenue streams from software and services.

Its Model e EV business, on the other hand, lost another $1.3 billion in the second quarter. Through the first half of the year, Model e has now lost $2.2 billion.

Ford-Q2-2025-Earnings
Ford Model e Q2 2025 earnings (Source: Ford)

Ford attributed the higher losses to tariff-related costs and investments in launching its new EV battery plant in Michigan.

After launching new EVs in Europe, like the Capri and electric Explorer, Model e’s revenue doubled to $2.4 billion. Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning material costs also improved in the quarter.

Ford-EVs-Europe
Ford’s electric vehicles in Europe from left to right: Puma Gen-E, Explorer, Capri, and Mustang Mach-E (Source: Ford)

Ford now expects full-year adjusted EBIT of $6.5 billion to $7.5 billion, including a $2 billion hit from tariffs. That’s down from the $7 billion to $8.5 billion it previously forecasted.

The company will partially offset a $3 billion gross adjusted EBIT impact, partially offset by $1 billion in recovery actions.

CEO Jim Farley announced an event on August 11 in Kentucky, where Ford will share more details about its “plans to design and build breakthrough electric vehicles in America.”

Check back for more info from Ford’s Q2 2025 earnings call. We will keep you updated with the latest.

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Technology

Arm shares dip 8% on revenue miss

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July 30, 2025

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Arm shares dip 8% on revenue miss

The replica of the ARM is an electronic chip board during a collaborative ceremony launching a partnership between Malaysia and ARM Holdings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on March 5, 2025.

Hari Anggara | Nurphoto | Getty Images

Arm Holdings shares dipped as much as 9% in after-hours trading on the company’s first-quarter earnings results Wednesday.

 Here’s how the company did, compared with estimates from analysts polled by LSEG:

  • Earnings per share: 35 cents vs. 35 cents expected.
  • Revenue: $1.05 billion vs. $1.06 billion expected.

The company said it expects second-quarter revenue in the range of $1.01 billion to $1.11 billion, which was in line with $1.05 billion expected by analysts tracked by LSEG.

ARM is a chip technology firm that sells architecture for making chips that power billions of devices, including Apple and Qualcomm‘s chips.

During the quarter, Samsung launched the Galaxy Flip 7 based on the Exynos 2500, built on Arm’s compute subsystem platform.

CEO Rene Haas said in an interview with Reuters that the company was “consciously deciding to invest more heavily,” suggesting the company is considering designing its own processors.

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