Trump stay updates: President tells world to ‘be cool’ as China introduces 84% retaliatory tariffs on US
As Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs on some of America’s biggest global trading partners come into effect, including a huge 104 percent levy on imported Chinese goods to which Beijing has responded by introducing an 84 percent retaliatory levy on U.S. imports in return, the president has urged the public to stay calm.
“BE COOL! Everything is going to work out well,” he wrote on Truth Social. “The USA will be bigger and better than ever before!”
Last night, the president delivered a marathon address at the National Republican Congressional Committee’s annual fundraising gala in Washington at which he likewise attempted to reassure GOP lawmakers and donors that his tariff strategy had already left fellow world leaders “kissing my a**” as they seek exemptions.
He also promised his conservative audience that his program would secure their party a “monumental victory” in next year’s midterms.
“I know what the hell I’m doing,” he insisted. “I know what I’m doing, and you know what I’m doing too.”
The president further used the occasion to warn of impending tariffs on imported pharmaceuticals in an effort to bully companies into relocating their production facilities to the U.S.
Exclusive: Mar-a-Lago to get $1.8 million in ‘security enhancements’ as DOGE takes a chainsaw to government spending
The taxpayer-funded upgrades to the president’s Florida home come while spending on education and public health is gutted and entire federal agencies are eliminated by Trump and “First Buddy” Elon Musk.
Here’s Justin Rohrlich’s report.
Trump admin refuses to engage with reporters who include their pronouns in email signatures
Journalists who include their preferred pronouns in email signatures are less likely to get a response from the White House or other members of the Trump administration when they reach out for comment.
Following the president’s crackdown on transgender rights and gender ideology in the federal government, administration officials have seemingly taken steps to suppress reporters from using terminology that acknowledges the existence of non-binary or trans people.
That includes refusing to respond to reporters’ emails when they include preferred pronouns in their signature such as “she/her” or “he/him” or “they/them.”
Ariana Baio has more.
Dave Chappelle’s scathing take on Trump’s policies goes viral as trade war escalates
As the world reels from the impact of the president’s reciprocal tariffs, a video mocking his plan by comedian Dave Chappelle has resurfaced from eight years ago.
Trump sent stock markets plummeting when he announced the stiff levies, with even his close advisor Elon Musk openly questioning the policy.
But the world’s richest man is by far the first to question the logic of Trump going to economic war with the world.
“High people ideas,” is how Trump’s policies are described in a viral clip of Chappelle from 2017, which is being shared online after the White House broke decades of international trade convention.
“Like, he doesn’t think these things through before he tells us. He just tells us what he’s thinking as soon as it occurs to him,” Chappelle says in the clip.
Alex Croft has more.
‘Why are we doing this?’ Maria Baritromo asks Scott Bessent
Why indeed.
The Treasury Secretary certainly cannot offer a coherent explanation here.
JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon was also on her show this morning, incidentally, and said that America slamming into recession is now “a likely outcome” of Trump’s actions, a prospect he looks oddly cheerful about.
Meanwhile, one of Bessent’s predecessors, Larry Summers, has warned that the advent of a recession could mean the loss of 2 million American jobs.
Here’s Mike Bedigan on that one.
Kristi Noem roasted for her gun handling skills in ICE photo-op
Trump’s Homeland Security Secretary is being blasted online for posing with a rifle pointing dangerously close to an officer’s face in a new social media video in which she once again attempts to look tough in uniform.
Kelly Rissman has the fallout.
China mocks Trump’s tariffs with AI video of U.S. sweatshop workers: ‘Make America Great Again’
An AI-generated video mocking downcast American workers in a post-tariffs world has been circulating on Chinese and U.S. social media.
The video shows overweight employees in a textiles factory, appearing exhausted and depressed as they stitch clothing on sewing machines.
Depicting the type of clothing manufacturing jobs that have been outsourced overseas in the past decades, the 32-second clip paints a dystopian picture of what the U.S. working world might look like as a result of Trump’s sweeping tariffs.
Alex Croft has more.
‘Be cool! Everything is going to work out well,’ Trump tells world
The president’s message appears to be “don’t worry, be happy” as the global economic chaos he has wrought invites retaliatory measures from China and the European Union.
Breaking: E.U. votes to impose retaliatory 25% tariffs on U.S. goods
European Union member states have voted in favor of imposing tariffs of their own on American imported goods in response to Trump’s aggressions, a statement from the European Commission has just announced.
The new tariffs will come in from April 15.
“The E.U. considers U.S. tariffs unjustified and damaging, causing economic harm to both sides, as well as the global economy,” the statement says.
“The E.U. has stated its clear preference to find negotiated outcomes with the U.S., which would be balanced and mutually beneficial.”
Meanwhile, Trump has not yet commented on today’s developments from Beijing and Brussels, preferring instead to whip House Republicans into shape.
Texas AG Ken Paxton will challenge incumbent Republican for Senate seat
Paxton, a MAGA favorite, has announced that he will challenge fellow Republican and five-time incumbent Senator John Cornyn for his Lone Star State seat in 2026.
“I am announcing that I am running for U.S. Senate against John Cornyn,” Paxton said in an interview on Fox News show The Ingraham Angle on Tuesday night.
“We have another great U.S. senator, Ted Cruz [in Texas], and it’s time we have another great senator that will actually stand up and fight for Republican values, fight for the values of the people of Texas and also support Donald Trump in the areas that he’s focused on in a very significant way.”
Cornyn’s campaign immediately hit back.
“Ken Paxton is a fraud,” his team said, touting that the senator has often voted in favor of Trump’s agenda.
Trump has previously expressed support for both men.
Paul Farrell reports.
Source: independent.co.uk
