Daily Briefing: Trump looms over Canada's election
Good morning!🙋🏼♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert. Loved the demure pastels at the "Another Simple Favor" screening.
Quick look at Monday's news:
- Canada's election has become a referendum on President Donald Trump.
- Congress will take up the fiscal 2026 budget proposal on Monday.
- Americans are about to experience sticker shock in home renovation costs.
Trump is the 'X factor' as Canada picks a prime minister
"Elbows up," a defensive hockey maneuver, has become a rallying cry to unite Canada against a common enemy – President Donald Trump.
That newfound patriotism will be put to the test as Canadians head to the polls on Monday to elect a prime minister.
- The race has been defined by Trump’s attacks on Canada, upending the decades-long familial relationship between the two countries amid an unprecedented surge of Canadian nationalism.
- Trump’s threats to annex Canada and snubs of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau – coupled with the punishing tariffs he has levied on the country – pulled the ruling Liberal party out of spiraling approval ratings.
- Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated the president's desire to make Canada a U.S. state.
Democrats conduct sit-in on Capitol steps
Sen. Cory Booker and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries launched a live-streamed appeal from the steps of the U.S. Capital on Sunday, demonstrating against Republican-backed budget plans. Starting just after 6 a.m., the lawmakers addressed viewers about the Trump administration’s proposed budget that they said would slash programs in housing, health care and education that help millions of Americans, while expanding tax breaks for the wealthiest. Lawmakers on Monday are set to begin work on the Trump administration’s plan, which would cut billions of dollars from programs that support childcare, health research, education and housing, according to reported preliminary budget documents.
More news to know now
- At least 40 were killed in an explosion at Iran's biggest container hub.
- Prosecutors charged a Vancouver man with murder after an attack at a Filipino festival.
- Trump's past brings a reality show vibe to his first 100 days.
- Nearly half of the U.S. is expected to have abnormally hot, dry conditions this summer.
- Amazon will launch its first satellites into orbit.
What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.
Video of unidentified men detaining suspect raises civil liberties fears
A video showing a man being hauled away from a Virginia courthouse raises new questions about how federal immigration agents are operating. In the footage, the man, identified as Teodoro Dominguez-Rodriguez, is led by a group of plainclothes men who refused to show ID or a warrant to his attorneys. The April 22 incident bears similarities to legal detentions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in other states. The video has shaken some immigrants who fled their own countries over fears of corrupt government agents or unchecked vigilantes.
- Here's what the Trump administration said about young children who are U.S. citizens who were removed from the country.
Trump urges Putin to sign deal with Ukraine
This is a "very critical week" that will determine whether the Trump administration continues with negotiations over ending Russia's war on Ukraine, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a Sunday interview. His comments come as President Donald Trump said his meeting in Rome with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy "went well" and expressed disappointment with Russian President Vladimir Putin's attacks on Ukraine, urging him to sign a peace deal. Trump met with Zelenskyy on the sidelines of Pope Francis' funeral.
- Related: North Korea confirmed its troop deployment to Russia.
Today's talkers
- The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2025 inductees are here.
- Shedeur Sanders' NFL draft nightmare ended.
- Austin Cindric won at the Talladega Superspeedway.
- Don't miss 30 fresh deals at Wayfair's April Way Day sale.
- Would you watch your loved ones decompose?
Should you get that new kitchen counter?
After several years of blockbuster growth in the remodeling and design business, the White House’s erratic rollout of tariffs aimed at reshaping global trade is already taking a toll. The home renovation industry has already swallowed price increases and made supply-chain shifts where possible, professionals say, and higher prices will now hit consumers, likely slowing growth in a part of the economy that’s made up of lots of small, even mom-and-pop, businesses. Design professionals told Paste BN they're hearing from suppliers of everything from vanities to tile that they are raising prices, cancelling shipments, or still trying to make decisions.
Photo of the day: Cowboy Carter rides into town
It's tiiime! Beyoncé Knowles-Carter will finally debut her "Cowboy Carter" tour on Monday night, and fans from all over the world have been arriving in Los Angeles in preparation of night one.
Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at Paste BN, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com.