Stocks skyrocket after Trump pauses most tariffs

The stock market responded positively to President Trump’s decision to pause  tariffs on most nations. Hours after sweeping reciprocal tariffs went into effect, the president announced a 90 day pause for countries that did not retaliate. But he raised the tax rate on Chinese imports to 125 percent. Investors cheered the news, pushing stocks sharply higher. The Dow gained nearly 8 percent. The S&P 500 was up almost 10 percent. And the Nasdaq rose by more than 12 percent.

Trump pauses most tariffs for 90 days, but raises tax on China

President Trump has paused his tariffs on most nations while jacking up the tax rate on Chinese imports to 125 percent. The president explained that more than 75 countries have contacted the U-S government for trade talks since the announcement of reciprocal tariffs. He also said he was monitoring the bond market and thought people were getting a bit “yippy,” afraid. The president’s pause on some tariffs sent stocks sharply higher. e by more than 12 percent.

Trump’s sweeping reciprocal tariffs go into effect

President Trump’s global reciprocal tariffs are now in effect. The president defends his newly launched trade war, claiming the tariffs are bringing two-billion dollars into the U-S every day, and dozens of nations want to negotiate. Even though some economists have warned of higher prices, the president slapped another 50 percent tariff on Chinese goods —. raising the combined total to 104 percent against China.

White House says “boys will be boys” as advisers feud

The White House isn’t too worried about a public spat over tariffs between two of President Trump’s advisers. Trump adviser Elon Musk called the president’s trade adviser Peter Navarro a “moron” and “dumber than a sack of bricks.” Navarro had criticized the Tesla CEO for opposing tariffs. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt shrugged off the trash talk, saying “boys will be boys.” Both men work for a president who’s known for trading insults.

Judge orders White House to restore AP’s full press access

A federal judge has ordered the White House to restore The Associated Press’ full access to cover presidential events. The judge ruled that it’s unconstitutional for the White House to block AP journalists from the Oval Office, Air Force One, and other presidential events over an editorial policy. The Trump-appointed judge cited the First Amendment, saying journalists cannot be barred “because of their viewpoints.” The White House limited AP’s access after its decision not to follow the president’s executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico. The judge’s ruling won’t go into effect until Sunday to give the Trump administration time to appeal.

Trump willing to negotiate trade deals after announcing tariffs

The Trump administration says several dozen countries have lined up to negotiate trade deals with the United States. After first saying there would be no negotiations to reduce the Trump tariffs, the White House now says the president’s willing to talk. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says as many as 70 nations want to negotiate with the U-S following last week’s unveiling of reciprocal tariffs.

White House welcomes Supreme Court ruling on deportations

The White House is cheering the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Alien Enemies Act. Justices this week ruled that the Trump administration can invoke a 1798 wartime law to deport Venezuelans. While it’s a legal victory for the president, the Supreme Court said migrants must get a court hearing before they are taken from the United States.

Supreme Court halts reinstatement of fired federal workers

The Supreme Court says the Trump administration does not need to rehire thousands of fired federal workers. The emergency ruling puts on hold a lower court order that required six federal agencies to reinstate thousands of probationary employees who were let go in mass firings. According to the Supreme Court, the government employee unions didn’t have legal standing to sue. It’s a temporary victory for the Trump administration because there’s a second lower court order that reverses the layoffs. And for now, that injunction protecting many jobs is still in effect.

Trump notches two Supreme Court wins on deportations

Supreme Court allows use Alien Enemies Act for deportations

Trump not looking to pause tariffs, but open to negotiations

President Trump has no plans to pause his newly announced tariffs, but he’s open to negotiations. The president said he was not looking at a pause on tariffs, which have sent global stock markets sharply lower. But he said would talk to China, Japan and other countries about the import duties. The president has threatened to add another 50 percent tariff on Chinese imports unless Beijing withdraws its threat to add a 34 percent tariff on its goods.

U.S. is holding direct talks with Iran over its nuclear program

The United States is holding direct talks with Iran about its nuclear program. Insisting that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, the president said the U-S is pursuing a diplomatic settlement with Iranian officials with a high-level meeting on Saturday. During an Oval Office meeting with the visiting Israeli prime minister, the president also warned that Iran would be in “great danger” if talks are unsuccessful.

Trump, Netanyahu still working to free hostages in Gaza

Administration appeals deportation case to Supreme Court

The Trump administration is appealing a deportation ruling to the U-S Supreme Court. Last week, a judge ordered the administration to bring back to the United States a Maryland man who was sent to a notorious prison in El Salvador. The White House described the man’s deportation as an “administrative error,” but has also cast him as an MS-13 gang member. The government argues that Kilmar Abrego Garcia is no longer in U-S custody and the government has no way to get him back. It’s asking justices to block a court order requiring Garcia’s return.

Trump threatens more tariffs on China as markets drop

President Trump is threatening more tariffs on China as global markets plummet. In response to the president’s tariffs announcement, China retaliated by increasing taxes on American goods by 34 percent. And now, Donald Trump is demanding that Beijing withdraw its tariff increase. He’s giving China until Tuesday to reverse course or else the U-S will impose additional 50 percent tariffs on Chinese imports effective Wednesday. Meanwhile, the president says trade negotiations will begin “immediately” with nations that have requested talks with the administration.

Trump “not going to bend” on tariffs despite market crash

President Trump shows no signs of easing his tariffs plan despite deep losses in global financial markets.
With markets crashing, the president doubled down on his trade policy, writing on social media that he “is not going to bend.” But some influential financial leaders are worried about the potential consequences. JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon warned of higher inflation and billionaire investor Bill Ackerman, who is pro-Trump, said “we are heading for a self-induced, economic nuclear winter.”

Israel’s Netanyahu to meet with Trump amid tariff chaos

President Trump will host Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for talks at the White House this afternoon. This will be Netanyahu’s second visit during Donald Trump’s second term, but he’s the first foreign leader to see the president since last week’s global tariffs announcement. Israel was slapped with a 17 percent tariff rate by the U-S, which is Israel’s largest trading partner. The two leaders are also expected to discuss other Mideast issues, including the war in Gaza and Iran’s nuclear activity.

Trump at odds with House Speaker over proxy voting

President Trump threw House Speaker a curve ball on a family-friendly issue in Congress. Late last week, the president endorsed a proposal that would allow new parents in Congress to vote by proxy, rather than in person. That position put him squarely against Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, who has aggressively tried to kill that bill. The president told reporters: “If you’re having a baby, I think you should be able to call in and vote.” “I’m in favor of that,” he said.

Staff fired at federal program that helps low-income households pay for heat

The Trump administration has laid off the entire staff of a federal program that provides energy assistance to millions of low-income households. Roughly two dozen workers who ran the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program were fired last week. The program, called LIHEAP for short, has a 4-billion dollar budget that helps pay low-income Americans for heat during the winter and cooling in the summer. Following the layoffs, state officials are now wondering whether they will still receive millions of dollars in expected federal payments.

DOD chief’s use of Signal app to be investigated

Use of the Signal messaging app is being investigated at the Pentagon. The Defense Department’s acting inspector general announced he will review Secretary Pete Hegseth’s use of Signal to convey plans for a recent military strike in Yemen. The review will also look at other defense officials’ use of the publicly available encrypted app, which is not able to handle classified material and is not part of the Pentagon’s secure communications network. Hegseth’s use of the app came to light when a journalist was added to a text chain by the president’s national security adviser.

Intelligence, national security officials fired by Trump

There’s a staff shake-up involving intelligence and national security employees. The Trump administration fired the top two officials at the National Security Agency, including the director who also headed the Pentagon’s U.S. Cyber Command. President Trump also acknowledged the firing of several White House National Security Council officials. The shake-up came a day after far-right activist Laura Loomer met with the president to discuss staff loyalty. He said Loomer sometimes offers advice but claimed she had nothing to do with the recent firings.

Harvard is Trump’s latest target in Ivy League crackdown

Harvard University is the latest target in the Trump administration’s aggressive crackdown against campus antisemitism. Nine billion dollars in grants and contracts are being threatened unless Harvard agrees to a list of demands from the federal government. It’s just one of several Ivy League schools feeling the heat. Columbia University was the first one targeted and it agreed to several demands. The Trump administration also suspended about 175 million dollars in federal funding for the University of Pennsylvania over a transgender swimmer, and Princeton University had dozens of its research grants halted by the administration.

Trump says Musk to leave administration “in a few months”

President Trump says Elon Musk will likely leave his administration in “a few months.” The world’s richest man has been Donald Trump’s most powerful and disruptive adviser since Inauguration Day. But Musk may soon be wrapping up his work downsizing and overhauling the federal government. Last week, Musk faced a setback in Wisconsin, where voters rejected his choice for a state Supreme Court candidate despite more than 21 million dollars in personal donations. Musk’s role in the administration has led to lower Tesla sales and violent attacks against his car company.

Trump giving TikTok another 75 days to find a U.S. buyer

President Trump is giving his administration more time to broker a deal for TikTok. Congress had mandated that the popular social media platform be divested from China back in January or banned in the U-S on national security grounds. But Donald Trump extended the deadline to this weekend in a bid to keep it running. On Friday, the president announced he’s going to let TikTok operate in the U-S for another 75 days while a deal is ironed out. He said he looks “forward to working with TikTok and China to close the deal.”