Trump’s aggressive tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China begin today after president admits it may cause ‘disruption’: Live
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Donald Trump’s 25 percent tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, and 10 percent tariffs on goods from China go into effect today, potentially setting up rapid price increases for American consumers.
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. The president suggested he might mitigate the impact on oil imports with a reduced rate.
“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 Friday, 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, and stated there is nothing the three countries can do to stop the tariffs from taking effect.
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 administration erases mention of climate change and LGBTQ+ 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.
Julia Musto1 February 2025 16:30
Pete Hegseth refuses to rule out military strikes on Mexico: ‘All options will be on the table‘
Mike Bedigan1 February 2025 15:22
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 14:45
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 14:15
Catch up: Trump says sweeping 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada start today
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 13:45
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 13:15
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 12:15
Fears of retribution grow as Trump rocks FBI by telling senior officials to resign or be fired
Gustaf Kilander reports from Washington, D.C.
Oliver O’Connell1 February 2025 11:15
ANALYSIS: This was the week Trump’s honeymoon ended
Every president enjoys a “honeymoon phase,” with some lasting longer than others. Barack Obama had a relatively long one amid the euphoria of the United States electing its first Black president, but those feelings began to dissipate toward the summer amid the Great Recession. Joe Biden’s lasted until the U.S. exit from Afghanistan and inflation began to hit Americans’ pocketbooks.
But Trump already seems to show signs of weakness.
Oliver O’Connell1 February 2025 10:15
What is DEI, the diversity scheme Trump blames for DC air crash?
Since taking office on 20 January, Donald Trump has issued a series of executive orders aimed at dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs across the federal government and the private sector.
While Trump’s orders have been celebrated by some supporters and allies, they have been criticized by advocacy groups who say they might deepen inequities and undo decades of progress made to enshrine civil rights protections for marginalized groups.
On Thursday, the president baselessly tried to blame the Washington DC plane crash that has killed 67 people on DEI diversity measures.
Below we look at what DEI is and what the president has said about it.
Madeline Sherratt1 February 2025 08:15
