Top Items:


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, 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, HuffPost, New York Post, USA Today, CNBC, Writers Without Money, One America News Network, The Verge, Foreign Policy, CNN, Semafor, Quartz, Bloomberg, Mediaite, Chalkbeat, UPI, Washington Examiner, New York Daily News, The Economist, Boston Herald, Tennessee Star, Wall Street Journal, Washington Times, Al Jazeera and Fox Business


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:
New York Times, CNN, San Diego Union-Tribune and National Legal …, 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.


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

Trump pauses most of his new tariffs for 90 days, increases China tariffs to 125%

Johnson Delays Budget Vote As G.O.P. Defectors Balk
Discussion:
CNN, Axios, Politico, USA Today, Associated Press, The Hill, CBS News, Roll Call, The Independent, ABC News, Raw Story, NBC News and Business Insider

Trump told people to buy. Hours later, his tariff pause sent markets soaring.
Discussion:
Associated Press, Fox News, HuffPost, New Republic, Axios, WHDH-TV and The Independent

House GOP moves to turn off ability to force vote on rescinding Trump ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Politico, Arizona Republic, Washington Post, Associated Press, Washington Times, Bloomberg, NPR, House Foreign Affairs … and Axios

Trump pauses reciprocal tariffs for 90 days for everyone but China
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, Reuters, Vox, Bloomberg, Associated Press, CBS News, Fox Business, CNN, NPR, The Daily Wire, New York Post, USA Today, Washington Post, The Guardian, Quartz, Reason, Euractiv, New York Daily News, RedState, Scripps News, The Wrap, Washington Times, Business Insider, Twitchy, New York Magazine, HotAir, MeidasTouch News, Al Jazeera, New Jersey Online, The Kyiv Independent, The Hill, The Japan Times, ABC News, Washington Examiner and Deadline

The Art of the Retreat — Ask President Donald Trump's aides and allies, and they'll tell …
Discussion:
Politico, Associated Press, Business Insider, New York Times, New Yorker, Mediaite, New York Post, Washington Post, New Jersey Online, New Republic, Raw Story, Axios and archive.ph

Donald Trump Backs Down On His Trade War Against The World
Discussion:
ABC News, Foreign Policy, Mediaite, Daily Caller News Foundation, The Gateway Pundit, Tennessee Star, Raw Story, One America News Network, Fortune, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Variety, The Root, 9to5Mac, Deadline, The Independent, Blaze Media, New Republic and New York Post, more at Mediagazer »


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:
NBC News, The Hill, Raw Story and The Guardian, more at Mediagazer »
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Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Addresses Risks from Chris Krebs and Government Censorship — RESTORING TRUST IN GOVERNMENT: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum revoking any active security clearance held by Chris Krebs and his associates.
Discussion:
USA Today, Federal News Network and The Gateway Pundit, more at Techmeme »




President Trump Signs EOs Directing DOJ to Investigate Miles Taylor and Chris Krebs
Discussion:
Associated Press, ABC News, Breitbart, Washington Times, The Gateway Pundit, New York Post and Raw Story

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


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:
Bloomberg, The Guardian, Futurism and Rolling Stone
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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


US DOGE Service Agreement With Department of Labor Shows $1.3 Million Fee—and Details Its Mission — The unsigned agreement between the US DOGE Service and the Department of Labor provides significant insight into DOGE's work with federal agencies. — An unsigned agreement between the US DOGE Service …


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:
Associated Press, Fox News, Breitbart, CBS News, Washington Times, UPI, USA Today, The Independent, The Hill, Reuters and Raw Story
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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


Maintaining Acceptable Water Pressure in Showerheads — By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: — Section 1. Purpose. Overregulation chokes the American economy and stifles personal freedom.
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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:
Washington Times, Above the Law, Daily Kos, Daily Mail, Associated Press, The Hill and Raw Story
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Energy Dept. Instructs Employees to Gather Info on Deals with Law Firms
Discussion:
Law & Crime and Reason

Trump signs order targeting law firm behind $787.5m Fox defamation suit
Discussion:
Business Insider and Above the Law


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.
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DHS to Begin Screening Aliens' Social Media Activity for Antisemitism
Discussion:
The Guardian, Politico, The Texas Tribune, The Daily Wire, New York Daily News, Blaze Media, Reuters, New York Post, USA Today, Truthout, Washington Examiner, New Republic, ABC News, Washington Times, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, The Independent, The Washington Free Beacon, The Hill and Fox News


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:
Raw Story and The Daily Wire


The Pool Filter — Some White House pool reports are no longer making it to the official distribution list, Status has learned—an unsettling development in the Trump administration's escalating war on the press. — At approximately six-thirty on Tuesday evening, Joseph Morton …
Discussion:
Law & Crime, more at Mediagazer »


NIH freezes all research grants to Columbia University — Trump administration fires staff for flagship U.S. climate assessment — After April Fools' Day purge, U.S. health agencies spiral into chaos — Sifter — Gene editing fixes DNA—and treats incurable lung and liver disease


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:
Washington Examiner, GovExec.com, The Hill and Talking Points Memo
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Supreme Court allows Trump to fire independent agency members
Discussion:
HuffPost, CNN, Associated Press, Daily Caller News Foundation, Washington Examiner, The Daily Caller and RedState


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:
HuffPost, Washington Post, The Hill and The Daily Caller


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 …
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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:
HuffPost and New York Times


H.R. McMaster receives accidental call from President Trump — Just over a month ago, retired Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster received an unexpected call on his personal cell, four sources told CBS News. It was from the White House and he was instructed by the voice on the other end to stand by for the president.


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 …
Discussion:
Washington Post and The Independent