GasBandit
Staff member
1/ Trump is “not joking” about seeking a third term. Despite the Constitution’s two-term limit for presidents, Trump claimed “there are methods” to stay in power and floated a scenario where JD Vance could run and pass him the presidency. “That’s one,” Trump said. “But there are others too,” but declined to name any or say whether formal plans exist. Legal scholars said the 22nd Amendment and 12th Amendment together bar him from serving again – either as president or vice president. (NBC News / New York Times / Associated Press / NPR / USA Today / ABC News / Bloomberg / The Atlantic / Washington Post)
2/ Trump confirmed he will hit “all countries” with new tariffs on April 2, calling it “Liberation Day.” The White House warned “There are no exemptions at this time,” despite pushback from allies and U.S. industries. Trump’s tariffs rates, however, reportedly remain undecided with Trump weighing across-the-board hikes up to 20% or “reciprocal” tariffs matched to what each country charges the U.S. He insists it will be “big and simple.” Trump may invoke the International Emergency Economic Powers Act – the same law he used to tariff Canada and Mexico. Since Trump’s inauguration, the S&P 500 has dropped nearly 6%, the Nasdaq is down 10%, and analysts have warned that Trump’s tariffs will cause inflation and slow economic growth. Goldman Sachs raised its recession odds to 35%, citing a “stagflationary environment.” Trump, nevertheless, dismissed the warnings: “I haven’t heard that term in years […] We’re going to boom.” (Bloomberg / CNN / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / Associated Press / Washington Post / Axios / CNN / NBC News / CNBC)
4/ Core inflation rose 2.8% in February – its highest annual rate since mid-2023 – as consumer sentiment fell to a two-year low and the Fed’s GDP forecast dropped to 0.2% for the first quarter. The Fed’s preferred inflation gauge – the core PCE index – increased 0.4% on the month – the biggest gain in a year. Households, meanwhile, pulled back on services and raised their savings rate to 4.6% – the highest since June. The University of Michigan’s sentiment index fell to its lowest level since 2022, with two-thirds of Americans expecting higher unemployment in the year ahead. The Atlanta Fed’s GDP tracker now shows the economy nearly flatlining, as tariffs, stagnant income growth, and weak demand weigh on the outlook. (CNBC / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Wall Street Journal / Yahoo! Finance / Washington Post / New York Times)
5/ Trump said he’s “pissed off” and “very angry” at Putin over comments questioning Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s legitimacy. Trump threatened to impose secondary tariffs on Russian oil if he concludes that Moscow is responsible for delaying a ceasefire with Ukraine. “If you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the United States,” he said, adding the tariffs could reach 50%. Trump also warned Zelensky against backing out of a rare earth mineral deal, saying he would face “big, big problems.” (NBC News / Bloomberg / Axios / CNN)
6/ Trump threatened to bomb Iran and impose secondary tariffs if Tehran refuses to agree to a new nuclear deal with the U.S. “If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing — the likes of which they have never seen before,” Trump said. Iran rejected direct talks, but said indirect negotiations could continue. Trump also said he may wait “a couple of weeks” before deciding on tariffs, adding, “I did that six years ago, and it worked very well.” Iran’s president, meanwhile, responded by reaffirming that U.S. threats rule out direct diplomacy and warned that American bases in the region wouldn’t be safe in case of conflict. (Reuters / Associated Press / CNN)
7/ JD Vance traveled to a remote U.S. military base in Greenland and repeated Trump’s demand for American control of the island, saying “The president said we have to have Greenland, and I think we do have to be more serious about the security of Greenland.” He added: “We cannot just ignore this place. We cannot just ignore the president’s desires.” The visit, originally planned as a broader outreach effort, was scaled back after public backlash. Greenland’s government refused to meet with the delegation, and officials condemned the visit. “This is not how you speak to your close allies,” Denmark’s foreign minister said. Greenland’s prime minister called it “foreign interference.” Vance, meanwhile, made no effort to meet local leaders and accused Denmark of “underinvesting” in Greenland’s security. (New York Times / Washington Post)
poll/ 71% of Americans are following news about the Trump’s second term – up from the 66% who followed news about Biden’s early term in 2021. (Pew Research Center)
poll/ 25% of Americans say Trump’s policies are improving their finances – down from 40% before he took office. About 45% say their financial situation has worsened since Trump took office. 57% say Trump focuses too much on tariffs while 63% say he doesn’t focus enough on lowering prices. (CBS News)
poll/ 40% of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of the economy – his lowest rating since 2017. 70% said the economy is poor – unchanged since December 2024. (AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research)
poll/ Trump’s average job approval from January to March 2025 stands at 45% — up from 42% in early 2017. His support rose 5 points among Republicans, 7 points among conservatives, 6 points among men and young adults, 9 points among Black adults, and 15 points among Hispanic adults. (Gallup)
The midterm elections are in 582 days.
Notables.
2/ Trump confirmed he will hit “all countries” with new tariffs on April 2, calling it “Liberation Day.” The White House warned “There are no exemptions at this time,” despite pushback from allies and U.S. industries. Trump’s tariffs rates, however, reportedly remain undecided with Trump weighing across-the-board hikes up to 20% or “reciprocal” tariffs matched to what each country charges the U.S. He insists it will be “big and simple.” Trump may invoke the International Emergency Economic Powers Act – the same law he used to tariff Canada and Mexico. Since Trump’s inauguration, the S&P 500 has dropped nearly 6%, the Nasdaq is down 10%, and analysts have warned that Trump’s tariffs will cause inflation and slow economic growth. Goldman Sachs raised its recession odds to 35%, citing a “stagflationary environment.” Trump, nevertheless, dismissed the warnings: “I haven’t heard that term in years […] We’re going to boom.” (Bloomberg / CNN / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / Associated Press / Washington Post / Axios / CNN / NBC News / CNBC)
- Senior trade adviser Peter Navarro claimed that Trump’s tariffs would raise $6 trillion in federal revenue over the next decade, calling it the “biggest tax cut” in U.S. history. But economists and critics warned the plan would likely amount to the largest peacetime tax hike ever, with American consumers paying higher prices. Navarro said $100 billion would come from auto tariffs and $600 billion annually from broader import duties. Experts questioned the math, noting details are vague and the revenue assumes Americans won’t reduce purchases of pricier imported goods. “That is a tax,” Sen. Mark Warner said, warning that the costs would fall on Americans. (The Hill / Washington Post / CNN)
4/ Core inflation rose 2.8% in February – its highest annual rate since mid-2023 – as consumer sentiment fell to a two-year low and the Fed’s GDP forecast dropped to 0.2% for the first quarter. The Fed’s preferred inflation gauge – the core PCE index – increased 0.4% on the month – the biggest gain in a year. Households, meanwhile, pulled back on services and raised their savings rate to 4.6% – the highest since June. The University of Michigan’s sentiment index fell to its lowest level since 2022, with two-thirds of Americans expecting higher unemployment in the year ahead. The Atlanta Fed’s GDP tracker now shows the economy nearly flatlining, as tariffs, stagnant income growth, and weak demand weigh on the outlook. (CNBC / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Wall Street Journal / Yahoo! Finance / Washington Post / New York Times)
5/ Trump said he’s “pissed off” and “very angry” at Putin over comments questioning Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s legitimacy. Trump threatened to impose secondary tariffs on Russian oil if he concludes that Moscow is responsible for delaying a ceasefire with Ukraine. “If you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the United States,” he said, adding the tariffs could reach 50%. Trump also warned Zelensky against backing out of a rare earth mineral deal, saying he would face “big, big problems.” (NBC News / Bloomberg / Axios / CNN)
6/ Trump threatened to bomb Iran and impose secondary tariffs if Tehran refuses to agree to a new nuclear deal with the U.S. “If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing — the likes of which they have never seen before,” Trump said. Iran rejected direct talks, but said indirect negotiations could continue. Trump also said he may wait “a couple of weeks” before deciding on tariffs, adding, “I did that six years ago, and it worked very well.” Iran’s president, meanwhile, responded by reaffirming that U.S. threats rule out direct diplomacy and warned that American bases in the region wouldn’t be safe in case of conflict. (Reuters / Associated Press / CNN)
7/ JD Vance traveled to a remote U.S. military base in Greenland and repeated Trump’s demand for American control of the island, saying “The president said we have to have Greenland, and I think we do have to be more serious about the security of Greenland.” He added: “We cannot just ignore this place. We cannot just ignore the president’s desires.” The visit, originally planned as a broader outreach effort, was scaled back after public backlash. Greenland’s government refused to meet with the delegation, and officials condemned the visit. “This is not how you speak to your close allies,” Denmark’s foreign minister said. Greenland’s prime minister called it “foreign interference.” Vance, meanwhile, made no effort to meet local leaders and accused Denmark of “underinvesting” in Greenland’s security. (New York Times / Washington Post)
poll/ 71% of Americans are following news about the Trump’s second term – up from the 66% who followed news about Biden’s early term in 2021. (Pew Research Center)
poll/ 25% of Americans say Trump’s policies are improving their finances – down from 40% before he took office. About 45% say their financial situation has worsened since Trump took office. 57% say Trump focuses too much on tariffs while 63% say he doesn’t focus enough on lowering prices. (CBS News)
poll/ 40% of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of the economy – his lowest rating since 2017. 70% said the economy is poor – unchanged since December 2024. (AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research)
poll/ Trump’s average job approval from January to March 2025 stands at 45% — up from 42% in early 2017. His support rose 5 points among Republicans, 7 points among conservatives, 6 points among men and young adults, 9 points among Black adults, and 15 points among Hispanic adults. (Gallup)
The midterm elections are in 582 days.
Notables.- The FDA’s top vaccine regulator resigned after being told to step down or be fired by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.. In his resignation letter, Dr. Peter Marks accused Kennedy of pushing “misinformation and lies,” and undermining vaccine confidence during a growing measles outbreak as part of “unprecedented assault on scientific truth.” Marks added: “Truth and transparency are not desired by the secretary.” HHS responded, saying Marks had “no place at FDA” if he wouldn’t support Kennedy’s vision. (NBC News / Washington Post / The Guardian / NPR / CNN / Mother Jones)
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. hired a discredited vaccine skeptic to study the debunked conspiracy theory between vaccines and autism. David Geier previously practiced medicine without a license and co-authored flawed studies with his father, who had his medical license revoked. (New York Times)
- Utah banned fluoride in public water – the first U.S. state to do so. Gov. Cox said he saw “no drastically different outcomes” between people who drank fluoridated water and those who didn’t. Experts, however, warned the move would likely harm the oral health in low-income communities, calling the ban “misguided.” (New York Times / NBC News)
- Trump signed an executive order to end collective bargaining rights for federal workers in agencies tied to national security, including Defense, State, Justice, and Health and Human Services. The Trump administration argued unions “obstruct” Trump’s agenda and cited the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 for authority. (Associated Press / NPR / Politico / CNN / New York Times)
- Trump ordered JD Vance to purge “divisive” and “anti-American” ideology from the Smithsonian Institution and its affiliates. The executive order, titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” also calls for the restoration of removed monuments and limits future federal funding for exhibits that “degrade shared American values” or “divide Americans based on race.” Trump singled out the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Women’s History Museum, and the American Art Museum, accusing them of advancing “race-centered” ideologies. The order prohibits the inclusion of transgender women in the Women’s History Museum and targets exhibits that, according to Trump, distort the U.S. founding legacy. (Washington Post / NPR / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / New York Times / NBC News)
- The Trump administration will eliminate nearly all remaining staff at the U.S. Agency for International Development, notifying employees that their jobs will end by July or September. An appeals court cleared the way Friday, lifting a block on Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. More than 200 House Democrats called the move unconstitutional and vowed legal action, with Rep. Jamie Raskin saying, “Trump and Musk’s lawless attempt to dismantle USAID is seriously dangerous.” (Washington Post / Associated Press / New York Times / Politico / NPR)
- The White House fired two career prosecutors last week with no explanation beyond that the move came “on behalf of the president.” Adam Schleifer in Los Angeles and Reagan Fondren in Memphis were each dismissed by email, bypassing typical Justice Department procedures. Schleifer had been working on a fraud case involving a Trump donor, while Fondren was the acting U.S. attorney in Tennessee. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt, meanwhile, confirmed over 50 prosecutors had been dismissed, saying Americans “deserve a judicial branch full of honest arbiters of the law.” (New York Times / Daily Memphian / Axios)
- The Trump administration fired nearly all U.S.-based staff at the U.S. Institute of Peace. Termination emails, full of errors, were sent to as many as 300 employees, who were offered severance and health coverage for one month if they signed away their right to sue. (CBS News / CNN / New York Times / Washington Post)
- A career Department of Homeland Security employee was placed on leave after mistakenly including a reporter in an internal email about an upcoming ICE operation. While she faces the loss of her security clearance, top national security officials who leaked sensitive military plans in a Signal group cha, including strike timing and target details, have remained in their roles. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who started the Signal chat and mistakenly added The Atlantic’s editor, has reportedly lost influence inside the White House, though Trump chose not to fire him – yet. A federal judge has ordered the administration to preserve all Signal messages from the chat, amid a lawsuit alleging violations of federal records laws. Meanwhile, at least four officials in the Signal chat had Venmo accounts publicly exposing their contacts and transactions. (New York Times / NBC News / Wall Street Journal / Wired / Washington Post)
- Hillary Clinton on Trump officials leaking military strike plans in a Signal chat that mistakenly included a journalist: “It’s not the hypocrisy that bothers me; it’s the stupidity.” Clinton said Trump’s team “don’t actually care about protecting classified information” and accused them of putting “our troops in jeopardy” while mocking her over emails. “Any security professional […] would be fired on the spot,” Hegseth once said of Clinton. Now he’s the one texting attack plans in a group thread called “Houthi PC Group.” Clinton called it “just dumb,” “dangerous,” and “a string of self-inflicted wounds” that are “squandering America’s strength.” (New York Times)
