Donald Trump announced that effective Saturday, he would impose 25 percent tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, and 10 percent tariffs on goods from China, potentially setting up rapid price increases for American consumers. The president suggested he might mitigate the impact on oil imports with a reduced rate.
Trump aims to use tariffs as leverage to encourage those countries to take more action against illegal immigration and the smuggling of chemicals used in fentanyl production.
“Starting tomorrow, those tariffs will be in place,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Friday. “These are promises made and promises kept by the president.”
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office later, Trump stated that there was nothing the three countries could do to stop the tariffs from taking effect on Saturday. The president also mentioned that he intended to evaluate tariffs on the European Union, as well as sectoral levies on oil, gas, steel, aluminum, copper, pharmaceuticals, and semiconductors.
Trump conceded that the tariffs could lead to short-term disruption, admitting that some costs are passed on to consumers. He also stated that he is not worried about how the market will react to this decision.
ICYMI: Murkowski rips Trump’s comments on disability and diversity
The Alaska Republican’s attack come after Trump blamed Diversity, Equity and Inclusion practices for the crash near Reagan National Airport that killed 67 people. Specifically, the president criticized the Federal Aviation Administration’s recruitment program for people with intellectual disabilities.
Murkowski told The Independent that she felt awful for the families and everyone involved.
Oliver O’Connell1 February 2025 04:15
Mexico’s president calls on Google to identify US as ‘América Mexicana’
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum has blasted Google for kowtowing to Donald Trump by changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico – and wants the United States to be identified as “América Mexicana.”
Sheinbaum attacked Google after Trump unilaterally decreed last week in an executive order that the Gulf of Mexico will henceforth be known as the “Gulf of America” – and Google quickly agreed to comply on its Google maps.
Oliver O’Connell1 February 2025 03:15
ANALYSIS: Mark Robinson is not running for re-election – here’s why that’s bad news for Trump
Eric Garcia explains how North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis has had to appeal to the Trumpian right to avoid a primary challenge, but now Robinson’s departure gives him an opening to pivot to the center and sink some of Trump’s nominees.
Oliver O’Connell1 February 2025 02:15
Hegseth refuses to rule out military strikes on Mexico
The order also gives the administration more power to impose economic penalties and travel restrictions, as well as potentially to even take military action in foreign countries.
Oliver O’Connell1 February 2025 01:45
Trump administration erases mention of climate change and LGBT+ health data from key government sites
Just under two weeks into the Trump administration, government agencies are making major edits to the content shared on their website to fit with the president’s policies.
Several pages were taken down from the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention related to health disparities among LGBT+ youth.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which manages the U.S. Forest Service, has removed pages related to climate change.
Oliver O’Connell1 February 2025 01:15
Trump tariffs: Republicans Against Trump post poignant clip of Reagan extolling virtues of free trade
The clip features a portion of President Ronald Reagan’s radio address to the nation on November 26, 1988.
Yet today, protectionism is being used by some American politicians as a cheap form of nationalism, a fig leaf for those unwilling to maintain America’s military strength and who lack the resolve to stand up to real enemies — countries that would use violence against us or our allies. Our peaceful trading partners are not our enemies; they are our allies. We should beware of the demagogs who are ready to declare a trade war against our friends — weakening our economy, our national security, and the entire free world — all while cynically waving the American flag. The expansion of the international economy is not a foreign invasion; it is an American triumph, one we worked hard to achieve, and something central to our vision of a peaceful and prosperous world of freedom.
Oliver O’Connell1 February 2025 00:45
Trump says sweeping tariffs start Saturday on Mexico and Canada; new tax on pharmaceuticals threatened
President Donald Trump said Friday afternoon that he will impose tariffs on imported goods from Mexico, Canada and China starting Saturday, a move that’s expected to raise the prices Americans pay for goods coming from those countries.
Speaking in the Oval Office on Friday, Trump claimed he was imposing the import taxes — which are paid by American companies and passed on to consumers — because U.S. allies Mexico and Canada were “sending massive amounts of fentanyl” into the country that he claimed had originated in China. He also cited trade deficits as a justification for the import tax increases.
Andrew Feinberg reports from Washington, D.C., and Ariana Baio reports from New York.
Oliver O’Connell1 February 2025 00:15
Oil giant Shell walks away from major New Jersey offshore wind farm in win for Trump
In the first serious fallout from President Donald Trump‘s early actions against offshore wind power, oil and gas giant Shell is walking away from a major project off the coast of New Jersey.
Shell told The Associated Press it is writing off the project, citing increased competition, delays and a changing market.
“Naturally we also take regulatory context into consideration,” spokesperson Natalie Gunnell said in an email.
Pentagon preparing to deploy at least 1,000 more troops to U.S. southern border
The Pentagon is readying orders for the deployment of at least 1,000 additional active duty troops to bolster President Donald Trump’s expanding crackdown on immigration, U.S. officials said Friday.
They said roughly 500 more soldiers — largely a headquarters unit from the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum in New York — will be sent to the southwest border. And about 500 Marines will go to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where some of the detained migrants will be held.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because announcements have not been made, said there have been ongoing discussions about the deployments and the numbers could increase if additional details are worked out.