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Trump's Lust for Power Cannot Be Satiated — It is a fool's errand to try to rationalize President Trump's obsession with tariffs. — This is not to say that people haven't tried. There are any number of theories that seek to explain Trump's preoccupation with tariffs and trade wars.
Discussion:
HotAir, Vox, The Mahablog and PBS NewsHour
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Live Updates: Markets Slide Further as U.S. Imposes Punishing Tariffs — President Trump's latest moves included a 104 percent tariff on Chinese goods. Stocks and bonds slumped as Beijing hit back with its own levies and European leaders prepared retaliation measures. — Here's the latest.
Discussion:
CBS News, Politico, Associated Press, CNBC, Bloomberg, The Independent, Reuters, Lawyers, Guns & Money, CNN, South China Morning Post, Fox Business, The Hill, Quartz, New York Post, Writers Without Money, The Wrap, The Diplomat, The Verge, Vox, New Jersey Online, Axios, Chalkbeat, Fox News, Louder With Crowder, Mediaite, Semafor, The Economist, UPI and Boston Herald, more at Techmeme »


Trump temporarily drops tariffs to 10% for most countries, hits China harder with 125% … President Donald Trump on Wednesday dropped tariffs under his new trade plan to 10% on imports from most countries, as he announced a 90-day pause for higher, so-called reciprocal tariffs that took effect on many countries this week.
Discussion:
NBC News, Vox, CNN, The Contrarian, CBS News, The Gateway Pundit, RedState, Rolling Stone, Reason, Euractiv, Roll Call, Semafor, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Politico, New York Daily News, American Thinker, Kotaku, Twitchy, Raw Story, The American Spectator, NPR, The Hill, Fox Business, Daring Fireball, ABC News, Mediaite, Deadline and The Independent, more at Techmeme »


China Has Readied a Trade-War Arsenal That Takes Aim at U.S. Companies — Beijing's strategy to hit back at Trump goes well beyond tariffs, targeting companies who bank on their China ties — In the years since President Trump's first trade war with China, Beijing has built an arsenal of tools to hit the U.S. where it hurts.
Discussion:
NPR, New York Times, Associated Press, CNN, National Legal … and San Diego Union-Tribune, more at Techmeme »


Trump pauses reciprocal tariffs for 90 days, increases China tariffs to 125% — President Trump on Wednesday announced a 90-day pause on most of his new tariffs, and a lowering of the “reciprocal tariff” rate to 10%, effective immediately, he said on Truth Social.
Discussion:
Fox News, Mediaite, Boston Herald, New Republic, Quartz, Reason, The Japan Times, The Hill, Breitbart, Daily Mail, Variety, NOTUS, New Jersey Online, Fortune, The Daily Wire, Scripps News, Deseret News, Raw Story, The Daily Signal, Daily Kos, Blaze Media, The Gateway Pundit, The Post Millennial, ABC News and Patterico's Pontifications, more at Mediagazer »


Republicans trying to change rules to avoid House vote on Trump tariffs
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Fox News, Raw Story and The Hill

House GOP moves to turn off ability to force vote on rescinding Trump ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Politico, Arizona Republic, NBC News, Bloomberg and House Foreign Affairs …

The Art of the Retreat — Trump's abrupt pivot from his planned global trade war was touted by allies as grand strategy.
Discussion:
Politico, Business Insider, Axios, Associated Press, New Yorker, Washington Post, New York Post, archive.ph, New Republic, New Jersey Online and Raw Story

Trump pauses reciprocal tariffs for 90 days for everyone but China
Discussion:
New York Times, Bloomberg, Reuters, CBS News, Fox Business, NPR, Telegraph, The Guardian, CNN, USA Today, Quartz, Mediaite, Washington Times, The Wrap, Associated Press, RedState, Wall Street Journal, Business Insider, The Hill, HotAir, MeidasTouch News, Al Jazeera, The Kyiv Independent, ABC News, The Post Millennial and Washington Examiner

A Clown in a China Shop
Discussion:
Associated Press, New York Magazine, The Contrarian, Baltimore Sun, Daily Kos, E&E News, The Hill, The Dispatch and New York Times

Dow futures tumble 700 points as China hits back at Trump's tariffs, Apple shares decline: Live updates

House G.O.P. Leaders Press Ahead With Budget Vote as Defectors Dig In
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal

China issues US travel advisory as Trump ramps up tariff retaliation
Discussion:
The Hill, Politico, UPI, Foreign Policy and The Daily Wire

House tees up dicey budget vote as Trump begs for action
Discussion:
New York Times, The Hill, New York Post, Punchbowl News, PBS NewsHour, The Status Kuo, Washington Times, NPR, HuffPost and The Daily Caller

Trump announces pause in ‘reciprocal’ tariffs for all countries but China
Discussion:
Associated Press, Politico, The Hill, Axios, One America News Network, Reuters, Electrek, The Independent, OutsideTheBeltway and New York Times

So About That Recession... Good news! I bring you good tidings and great cheer. You can retire again.
Discussion:
Ace of Spades HQ


How Musk and Trump Are Working to Consolidate Government Data About You — Databases that Elon Musk's team is trying to access include more than 300 personal details about members of the U.S. public. — The federal government knows your mother's maiden name and your bank account number.
Discussion:
The Guardian, Futurism and Bloomberg
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Elon Musk's DOGE Is Getting Audited — The General Accountability Office's audit examines DOGE's handling of data at a number of federal agencies, according to sources and records reviewed by WIRED. — The General Accountability Office (GAO) is auditing Elon Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Discussion:
Federal News Network


How Trump Is Putting Law Firms in a No-Win Situation — As Willkie Farr & Gallagher learned, cutting a deal with the White House can avert a financially punitive executive order. But doing so can draw internal rebukes and external criticism. — Willkie Farr & Gallagher last week became …
Discussion:
Above the Law, Daily Kos and The Hill
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Trump signs order targeting law firm behind $787.5m Fox defamation suit
Discussion:
Business Insider and Above the Law

Energy Dept. Instructs Employees to Gather Info on Deals with Law Firms
Discussion:
Law & Crime and Reason


Kash Patel Quietly Removed as Acting ATF Director After Ghosting Gig — CANNED — He has been replaced by Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll after he reportedly did not show face in an ATF facility for weeks. — FBI Director Kash Patel has been quietly removed as the acting director …
Discussion:
Fox News, Associated Press, The Hill, Washington Times, UPI, The Independent, CBS News, Reuters, USA Today and Raw Story
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Exclusive: Kash Patel removed as acting ATF director, replaced by Army Secretary, sources say — FBI Director Kash Patel was removed as the Acting Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and replaced by U.S. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll, four people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
Discussion:
Washington Post, Washington Examiner, GOA, Daily Kos and The Daily Caller


Trump Orders DOJ To Investigate Prominent Critic in Shocking Oval Office Remarks: 'I Think He's Guilty of Treason' — President Donald Trump directed the Justice Department to investigate former Homeland Security official Miles Taylor over his “anonymous” essay and book hammering Trump during his first term.
Discussion:
Raw Story, USA Today, The Hill, ABC News, The Guardian, New York Post and The Independent, more at Mediagazer »
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Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Addresses Risks from Chris Krebs and Government Censorship
Discussion:
Federal News Network and The Gateway Pundit, more at Techmeme »

Trump orders investigations of Chris Krebs, Miles Taylor
Discussion:
Politico, Reuters, The White House and Raw Story


U.S. Treasury Yields Jump as Trump Tariffs Fuel Bond Selloff — The increase in long-end Treasury yields prompted a rise in European counterparts, though the selloff in Europe was less intense — U.S. Treasury yields continued to surge after President Trump's sweeping duties …
Discussion:
The Economist, Reuters, Financial Times, MarketWatch, New York Times, CNBC, Bloomberg, Breitbart, Telegraph, Blaze Media, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Fortune, The Daily Wire, The Guardian and Semafor
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The bond market plunges as crisis brews
Discussion:
New York Times, BBC, ING Think, Reuters, Bloomberg, Fox Business, Semafor, Twin Cities, No More Mister Nice Blog, Financial Times and Fortune


U.S. says it is now monitoring immigrants' social media for antisemitism — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced it will begin screening immigrant's social media for evidence of antisemitic activity as grounds for denying immigration benefit requests.
Discussion:
ABC News and Washington Examiner
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Rejected at her door, ICE nabs a Maryland woman in her car after smashing her window — The arrest was captured on camera by her daughter — This Monday started off like any other day for Karen Cruz Berrios. — The 18-year-old and her mother — Elsy Noemi Berrios, 52 …
Discussion:
Reuters


Trans pilot falsely blamed in D.C. plane crash sues conservative influencer — Military pilot Jo Ellis said she had to hire private armed security for her family because of the false claims, which went viral on social media. — A transgender military pilot filed a defamation lawsuit Wednesday …
Discussion:
New York Times


Social Security backs off cuts to phone services amid outcry — After weeks of confusion and outcry, the Social Security Administration said it is backing off its announced drastic cuts to phone services. — Why it matters: The changes would've strained an already backlogged agency …
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Hill and The Daily Caller


Supreme Court lets Trump remove independent regulators, for now — The cases test the boundaries of presidential power and involve Gwynne Wilcox of the National Labor Relations Board and Cathy A. Harris of the Merit Systems Protection Board. — just now — Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr …
Discussion:
Raw Story, GovExec.com, Democracy Docket, Fox News, The Hill, Bloomberg, The Gateway Pundit, USA Today and CBS News
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Supreme Court allows Trump to fire independent agency members
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, CNN, Law & Crime, Associated Press, The Hill, Daily Caller News Foundation, The Daily Caller and RedState


Trump Takes Aim at Low-Pressure Showers With Executive Order — Order would roll back Obama- and Biden-era restrictions on water pressure — WASHINGTON—President Trump took aim Wednesday at a low-pressure target: wimpy showers. — Trump plans to sign an executive order on Wednesday rolling …
Discussion:
The Hill, Business Insider, American Military News, Raw Story, The Post Millennial and E&E News
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Tulsi Gabbard declared her residency in Texas. Then she voted in Hawaii — As Tulsi Gabbard completed her transformation from a Hawaii Democratic politician to a MAGA surrogate last year, she put down stakes in a far redder state. Gabbard and her husband bought a home outside of Austin …
Discussion:
The Daily Wire


Some elite Trump supporters are having regrets. We asked them why. — President Donald Trump's tariffs haven't only demolished trillions in wealth and raised the chance of a global recession. They've also led some prominent Trump supporters to wonder whether they made a huge mistake.


DOJ seeks to drop charges against man it said was “East Coast leader” of MS-13 gang — The Justice Department seeks to drop its criminal case against a Virginia man accused of being the “East Coast leader” of the MS-13 gang, weeks after Attorney General Pam Bondi announced his arrest …


US Justice Dept bars its attorneys from participating in American Bar Association events — The U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday barred its attorneys from traveling to or speaking at American Bar Association events, in the latest salvo by President Donald Trump's administration …
Discussion:
Law Dork


Dollar Confidence Crisis Is Here, Deutsche Bank Warns — The broad selloff in U.S. stocks and bonds, and the continuing decline in the dollar, represents a “simultaneous collapse in the price of all U.S. assets,” analysts at Deutsche Bank said Wednesday. They warned that “unchartered territory” lies ahead.


About 90% of Migrants Deported to El Salvador Had No US Criminal Record — Men were accused of ties to Tren de Aragua criminal gang — US court records show just a few charges for serious crimes — Trump administration officials have described the men deported to El Salvador prisons last month as …
Discussion:
Rolling Stone, Associated Press, The Atlantic, Daily Caller News Foundation, Deseret News, NPR and God is a Republican