Maybe don’t wait to buy that new car
Happy Thursday! It’s Rebecca Morin here. So what’s happening in the world of Politics today? Let's break it down.
The trade war grows: Trump announces new auto tariffs
If you’re thinking about getting a new car, don’t wait. President Donald Trump announced 25% tariffs on imported automobiles that will go into effect on April 2. The tariffs, which will start at 2.5% and rise to 25% on all foreign cars and light trucks, will go on top of existing tariffs. Trump’s long-promised reciprocal fees – where we'll will respond to any nation's tariffs on our exports with the same costs – will also go into effect on April 2. What the tariffs mean in the global trade war.
- Cars, Venezuela, goods from the EU: What's the latest with Trump tariffs?
After the president’s announcement, experts are warning consumers to prepare for a price hike spurred by the new tariff on auto imports. Cox Automotive chief economist Jonathan Smoke said massive increases in tariffs would be “highly disruptive” to North American vehicle production, potentially leading to tighter supply and higher prices. What the tariffs mean for car buyers.
- Tesla navigates tariff turbulence with US-focused supply chain
A politics pit stop
- Trump cuts childhood vaccine funds for poorest countries
- Leader of violent MS-13 gang arrested in Virginia, feds say
- Federal judiciary creates task force after Trump, allies single out judges
- Trump administration directs spy satellite agencies to surveil US-Mexico border
- ICE detains doctoral student at University of Alabama
Health department overhaul
About 10,000 full-time jobs will be cut from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Thursday – closing half of the agency’s regional offices. The move comes amid the Trump administration’s wider overhaul of the federal government. The Health and Human Services department, which oversees the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, will consolidate the agency's 28 divisions into 15 new divisions in Kennedy's shakeup. Why the cuts matter.
The Vances' icy Greenland visit
It was going to be a three-day adventure in Greenland for second lady Usha Vance and one of her sons. A trip that included seeing an annual dogsled race and visits to historical sites. Now, the trip has been cut down to one day. And Vice President JD Vance, who will be the most senior Trump administration official to set foot on the island, will join in. The Vances are set to only visit the U.S. Space Force Base at Pituffik, in northern Greenland, on Friday. The trip comes amid tension between Denmark, which Greenland is a territory of, and Trump, who has repeatedly said he wants the United States to acquire the island. Was the U.S. invited to Greenland?
- The Vances may not be going to the dogsled race, but flip through photos of Greenland dog sledding
Got a burning question, or comment, for On Politics? You can submit them here or send me an email at rdmorin@usatoday.com.