Wednesday, April 9 | By Cate Martel |
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It's Wednesday. Thoughts and prayers to everyone's sinuses. It feels like the entire DMV is doused in yellow pollen. | - China, EU hit back with escalating tariffs
- Trump's message to Americans: "BE COOL!"
- Will Congress step in?
- "The White Lotus" deleted scenes revealed
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Trump urges public to chill:
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President Trump's massive tariffs kicked in today, including a whopping 104 percent import tax on China (!) Any new tariffs this morning?😅: Yes, China quickly retaliated again, increasing its tariff on U.S. goods to 84 percent. And the European Union (EU) will instate 25 percent retaliatory tariffs on a variety of products. ^ How China landed on 84 percent: China's reciprocal tariff had been 34 percent, and it added 50 percent today. Trump's message to Americans this morning: "BE COOL!" "Everything is going to work out well. The USA will be bigger and better than ever before," Trump posted on Truth Social. He then urged people to buy stocks. Is this another way of telling us to go to Home Goods and buy the best "Keep Calm and Carry On" décor we can find? FWIW: Trump said last night that global leaders are trying to negotiate with him. "I am telling you, these countries are calling us up, kissing my a--," Trump said during a speech to Republicans last night. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says China's Wednesday retaliatory import taxes are a bad idea. "They have the most imbalanced economy in the history of the modern world. And I can tell you that this escalation is a loser for them," Bessent told Fox Business Network. 🗨️ Follow today's live blog |
➤ HOW IS EVERYBODY FEELING?: |
People are panic-buying iPhones: Bloomberg reports that customers are worried about the potential price increase of iPhones, so they've had a surge in purchases. One analyst predicts that iPhone prices could triple, rising to roughly $3,500, according to CNN. Republicans are … not feeling so hot: The Hill's Al Weaver and Alex Gangitano report that Republicans' mood has grown darker on the Trump tariffs as they see the damage to the stock market. Kevin O'Leary wants Trump to quadruple the China tariffs: The "Shark Tank" investor told CNN that he thinks Trump should throw a 400 percent tariff on China, arguing "they don't play by the rules." How are MAGA influencers feeling?: MSNBC pulled together clips of Trump-friendly influencers talking about Trump before the election compared to now. Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy claims Trump "just cost him $20 million." 📹 Watch the 54-second clip What about late-night hosts?: 📹 Jon Stewart's segment on "The Daily Show" 📹 Jimmy Kimmel's segment 📹 Jimmy Fallon pieced together a song — "Just a spoonful of tariffs" Trump's first Commerce secretary isn't surprised by any of this: Wilbur Ross, who served as Trump's Commerce secretary during his first term, told The Hill's Brett Samuels that "if he gets it right, it's off to the races. If he gets it wrong, that means a very good chance that the Republicans will lose control of the Congress in the midterms. This is sort of typical Trump in that it's high-risk, high reward." JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon predicts a recession: "That's the likely outcome," Dimon told Fox Business. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) did not hold back: "Whose throat do I get to choke if this proves to be wrong?" Tillis asked U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer during a hearing. Tidbit — what Mike Johnson is reading: NOTUS'S Alex Roarty posted a photo of Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) reading Drudge Report on his phone during Trump's GOP speech last night. The headline is about the stock market crash. 📸 See for yourself |
➤ WILL CONGRESS STEP IN TO STOP THESE TARIFFS?: |
Things would have to get *really bad* for enough congressional Republicans to step in and rebuff Trump. He has such a strong grip on the GOP, and because Trump has said he would veto the bill, it would take two-thirds of the House and the Senate — including dozens of Republicans — to override it. In this political climate, that's an incredibly unlikely scenario. |
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Why the IRS probably isn't knocking on your door:
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The New York Times reports that the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) audit rate is at its lowest level — and may continue to drop because of the agency cuts. A New York Times "analysis of historical I.R.S. data found that the effective audit rates between 2020 and 2023, all under 0.5 percent, were lower than any published audit rate since at least 1950. In 1980, the agency's published audit rate was over 2 percent, and in 1960 it was over 3 percent." 📉 Check out these charts |
Justice Amy Coney Barrett is taking heat in MAGA World: |
Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett is the target of President Trump's supporters' fury this week over a ruling related to deportations, reports The Hill's Niall Stanage. What happened?: She partially agreed with liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor's dissent on Monday on whether the Trump administration could deport Venezuelan migrants under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) called her opinion "disappointing." Tech billionaire Elon Musk then chimed in to say that "suicidal empathy is a civilizational risk." Read more of the MAGA fury |
The Hill's Ella Lee and Zach Schonfeld report in their newsletter "The Gavel" that just two Supreme Court justices control the fate of Trump's second-term agenda: Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett. Read more on their alliance |
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The House and Senate are in. President Trump is in Washington. (All times EST) |
2 p.m. Trump takes photos with auto racing champions. 💻 Livestream
2 p.m. Three Senate confirmation votes. Two more votes are expected around 7 p.m. 📆 Today's agenda
2:30 p.m. Trump signs executive orders. 2:30 p.m. A former Facebook executive testifies on the company's practices. 💻 Livestream 3:30 p.m. First House votes. Last votes are expected around 5:25 p.m. 📆 Today's agenda |
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🍪 A reason to celebrate: Today is National Chinese Almond Cookie Day. 🪷 Did you notice Piper at the end of the finale?: "White Lotus" creator Mike White revealed that a storyline between Piper Ratliff and Belinda's son Zion was cut from Season 3. 👀 List of deleted plotlines 🚌 Omg, they're going after Ms. Rachel: An advocacy organization, StopAntisemitism, wants Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate popular YouTube star Ms. Rachel over her posts talking about children in Gaza, reports the New York Post. It alleges they are "Hamas-aligned propaganda." If you aren't familiar with Ms. Rachel, she makes educational songs and skits for babies and young children. She is wildly popular. ^ Speaking of Ms. Rachel, she and her husband Aron just welcomed a baby girl by surrogate! 📸 Photo of the newborn snuggles |
📺 Miss yesterday's newsletter? Catch up with a 1-minute video recap here. |
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