US stocks dropped after a second day of stunning reversals. The S&P 500 fell 1.6 percent Tuesday after wiping out an early gain of 4.1 percent, which had it on track for its best day in years. That brought the index nearly 19 percent below its record set in February.
A number of sweeping new taxes by President Trump on goods from other countries are set to take effect as soon as Wednesday at midnight, contributing to market uncertainty.
Meanwhile, Trump signed executive orders aimed at boosting coal, a reliable but polluting energy source that’s long been in decline.
Here’s how Tuesday unfolded.
pinned
Trump’s latest round of tariffs are poised to go into effect. Here’s what we know.
By the Associated Press
President Trump has launched tariff wars with nearly all of America’s trading partners. And there’s no end in sight.
A number of sweeping new taxes on goods from other countries are already here — with more set to take effect as soon as Wednesday.
With so many back-and-forth tariff actions and threats, it can be tough to keep track of where things stand.
Here’s a rundown of what you need to know.
White House keeps world guessing as clock ticks down to Trump’s new tariffs — 9:43 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Less than one hour before the stock market closed on Monday, journalists gathered in the Oval Office for their only chance of the day to ask President Trump about the turmoil caused by his tariff plans.
Are the new tariffs, scheduled to take effect on Wednesday, a bargaining chip to reach better trade deals? Or are they etched in stone in a mission to revamp the global economy?
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Investors around the world were hanging on Trump’s every word, but he did little to clear up the situation.
“It can both be true,” he said. “There can be permanent tariffs, and there can also be negotiations.”
At a time when foreign leaders and business executives are desperate for clarity, the White House is sending mixed messages as it pursues conflicting goals.
Netanyahu-Trump meeting reveals unexpected gaps on key issues — 9:03 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to Washington for a hastily organized White House visit bringing a long list of concerns: Iran’s nuclear program. President Trump’s tariffs. The surging influence of rival Turkey in Syria. And the 18-month war in Gaza.
On Tuesday, Netanyahu declared the meeting a success, calling it a “very good visit” and claiming successes on all fronts. But privately, the Israeli delegation felt it was a tough meeting, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.
Netanyahu “didn’t hear exactly what he wanted to hear, so he returns back home with very little,” said Nadav Eyal, a commentator with the Yediot Ahronot daily, who added that the visit was still friendly, despite the disagreements.
Monday’s meeting showed that while Trump remains sympathetic to Israel, Netanyahu’s relationship with the president during his second term is more complicated and unpredictable than he may have expected.
Here is a look at where Trump and Netanyahu appear to have diverged.
NYT: Trump officials freeze $1 billion for Cornell and $790 million for Northwestern — 7:45 p.m.
By the New York Times
The Trump administration has frozen more than $1 billion in funding for Cornell University and $790 million for Northwestern University amid civil rights investigations into both schools, two administration officials said.
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The funding pause involves mostly grants and contracts with the departments of Agriculture, Defense, Education, and Health and Human Services, said the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the unannounced decision.
Representatives for Cornell and Northwestern did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
IRS chief to quit over deal to share data with immigration authorities, per Washington Post — 7:42 p.m.
By the Washington Post
The acting head of the Internal Revenue Service plans to resign after being bypassed over a new agreement to share tax data of undocumented immigrants with Homeland Security personnel, according to two people familiar with the situation who spoke to the Washington Post.
Acting IRS commissioner Melanie Krause — the tax agency’s third leader since President Trump’s inauguration – will participate in the deferred resignation program the Trump administration offered to agency employees in recent days, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal.
Losing three agency leaders in three months is “unprecedented,” one of the people said. “I don’t think we’ve seen anything like this at IRS.”
Democratic-led cities and states push back on threats to cut school funding over DEI — 7:09 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Some Democratic-led states and cities are pushing back on a Trump administration threat to cut education funding over diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, creating a standoff that could test how far the White House is willing to go to press its demands on the nation’s schools.
State leaders in Minnesota and New York said they will not comply with an Education Department order to gather signatures from local school systems to certify compliance with civil rights laws, including the rejection of what the federal government calls “illegal DEI practices.” Chicago’s mayor promised to sue over any cuts. California and Vermont told schools they do not need to respond.
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It amounts to some of the most forceful opposition yet, as the Education Department uses federal funding as leverage to enact President Trump’s agenda on issues from DEI to campus antisemitism and transgender athletes. The White House has targeted colleges and K-12 schools alike, but unlike universities that rely greatly on federal grants and contracts, school systems get the vast majority of their money from state and local sources.
Trump grants 2-year exemptions to EPA rules for coal-fired power plants — 6:27 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Trump signed a proclamation granting coal-fired power plants a two-year exemption from federal requirements to reduce emissions of toxic chemicals such as mercury, arsenic and benzene.
The order is among several he signed at the White House to boost the struggling coal industry, which provides fuel for electric plants that supply about 16% of US electricity.
HIs administration had offered power plants and other industrial polluters a chance for exemptions from rules imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency. Under Trump appointee Lee Zeldin, the EPA set up an electronic mailbox for regulated companies to request an exemption under the Clean Air Act.
Chemical and petrochemical industry groups said the Biden-era rule on mercury and other air pollution from stationary sources was costly and unworkable.
Environmental groups denounced the exemptions offer, calling the new email address a “polluters’ portal” to let companies evade laws meant to protect the environment and public health.
Official says Pentagon has no authority for drone strikes against drug cartels in Mexico — 6:18 p.m.
By the Associated Press
A top Pentagon official said special operations forces do not have the authority to launch drone attacks at drug cartels in Mexico.
Colby Jenkins, who is currently assistant defense secretary for special operations, told a Senate committee that President Donald Trump’s move to designate drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations does not automatically convey authority for direct action against them.
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Under questioning from Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., Jenkins said Trump’s designation “helps us unlock the doors” for a broader approach to drug cartels.
Slotkin noted that billionaire government adviser Elon Musk has said the foreign terrorist designation means the U.S. can conduct drone strikes against the cartels. Musk posted that Feb. 19 on the social platform X.
Jenkins said it does not, but now the military can provide options and be ready if Trump needs more done to protect the border.
There are manned and unmanned surveillance flights over Mexico’s airspace.
Canada retaliates with 25 percent auto tariffs in response to Trump’s import taxes — 5:39 p.m.
By the Associated Press
In response to Trump’s tariffs, Canada says it’s implementing retaliatory tariffs of its own just after midnight on Wednesday.
Canada will put a 25 percent tariff on auto imports from the United States that do not comply with the USMCA, the 2019 North American trade pact put into place during Trump’s first term.
The Canadian government is also putting in a framework to bolster auto production and domestic investment as well as providing a special exception on tariff countermeasures for residents of Campobello Island, New Brunswick.
Senate confirms Trump’s nominee for top Pentagon policy job — 5:36 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The Senate confirmed the appointment of Elbridge Colby to be the top policy adviser at the Pentagon, overcoming concerns that he has downplayed threats from Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin.
The vote was 54-45, with Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky as the only Republican voting against Colby and three Democrats voting in favor.
McConnell said Colby’s public record suggests a willingness to discount the complexity of the challenges facing America and the critical value of our allies. Vice President JD Vance criticized McConnell’s vote as petty.
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Vance spoke at the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing early last month to urge Colby’s confirmation, saying the nominee has said things in the past that alienated Republicans and Democrats and also said things that both sides would agree on.
AP wins reinstatement to White House events after judge rules government can’t bar its journalists — 5:22 p.m.
By the Associated Press
A federal judge ordered the White House to restore The Associated Press’ full access to cover presidential events, ruling on a case that touched at the heart of the First Amendment and affirming that the government cannot punish the news organization for the content of its speech.
US District Judge Trevor N. McFadden, an appointee of Donald Trump, ruled that the government can’t retaliate against the AP’s decision not to follow the president’s executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico. The decision handed the AP a major victory at a time the White House has been challenging the press on several levels.
“Under the First Amendment, if the Government opens its doors to some journalists—be it to the Oval Office, the East Room, or elsewhere—it cannot then shut those doors to other journalists because of their viewpoints,” McFadden wrote. “The Constitution requires no less.”
Trump signs orders promoting coal industry — 5:11 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Trump signed four executive orders promoting the struggling coal industry, flanked by coal miners wearing helmets and administration officials.
The president’s orders allow some older coal-fired power plants set for retirement to continue producing electricity to meet US energy demands, put a moratorium on coal policies issued by his predecessor, President Joe Biden, and direct the executive branch to ensure its positions are not discriminatory against coal.
Trump also signed an order directing the Justice Department to investigate policies about coal issued by Democratic-controlled states to determine if they are illegal.
State Department rolls back funding cuts to UN emergency food projects in poor countries — 4:53 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The State Department said it rolled back an undisclosed number of sweeping funding cuts to U.N. World Food Program emergency projects in 14 impoverished countries, saying it had terminated some of the contracts for life-saving aid by mistake.
State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters she had no immediate information on which countries had funding for food aid restored after a dayslong cutoff. She gave no explanation for how some contracts came to be canceled in error.
The World Food Program did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.
The Associated Press reported Monday that the Trump administration cut funding to WFP emergency programs helping keep millions alive in Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen and 11 other countries, many of them struggling with conflict, according to the agency and officials who spoke to the AP.
Bitcoin moves lower — 4:45 p.m.
By the Associated Press
$76,600 as it gave up an earlier gain, similar to stocks.
Also, the Justice Department announced it is disbanding a team of prosecutors who targeted cryptocurrency crimes and is shifting its focus away from complex crypto-related cases involving banking and securities law, according to a memo reviewed by The Associated Press.
US stocks drop again as uncertainty reigns about Trump’s tariffs — 4:14 p.m.
By the Associated Press
US stocks dropped after a second day of stunning reversals. The S&P 500 fell 1.6 percent after wiping out an early gain of 4.1 percent, which had it on track for its best day in years. That brought the index nearly 19 percent below its record set in February.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 320 points after giving up an earlier surge of 1,460, while the Nasdaq composite lost 2.1 percent. Uncertainty is still high about what Trump will do with his trade war.
House Republicans end standoff on proxy voting for new parents — 4:11 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Republicans voted to resurrect an arcane congressional procedure, ending a standoff between Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna and Speaker Mike Johnson on whether the House should permit proxy voting for new parents.
The compromise formalizes “vote pairing,” which allows a member on the House floor to cancel out the vote of a member who is absent. The member who is absent “pairs” with a member who plans to vote the opposite direction and is willing to vote “present” instead.
Previously Luna had supported legislation to allow new parents to vote by proxy, a measure that Johnson vehemently opposed.
Rules Committee Chair Virginia Foxx called the solution a “tried and true” method. But Democratic Rep. Brittany Pettersen, who worked with Luna on legislation promoting proxy voting, said it “is not a workable solution.”
FBI tells some senior officials at field offices to retire or accept new positions — 3:54 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The directive applies to about five special agents in charge at some of the FBI’s 55 field offices around the country. It was described to The Associated Press by multiple people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to talk about private personnel discussions.
The exact reason for the move wasn’t immediately clear, nor was it clear how the individual agents were chosen. But it’s all part of a broader workforce realignment that involves the planned relocation of some 1,500 employees from Washington to the FBI’s campus in Huntsville, Alabama. That plan was disclosed by FBI Director Kash Patel on his first day on the job.
An FBI spokesperson had no immediate comment Tuesday.
Trump has faced measles before. The difference this time is RFK Jr. — 3:14 p.m.
By Washington Post
Six years ago, as measles outbreaks cropped up across the country, Trump was asked what parents should do.
“They have to get the shots,” he said. “The vaccinations are so important.”
On Sunday, Trump was asked about the growing measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico. “It’s so far a fairly small number of people,” he said, though the outbreaks were similar in size at the time of both interviews. “This is not something new.”
Two children have died of measles-related complications, and a third death has been linked to the infection so far this year. No one died in the 2019 outbreaks.
Public health experts and former officials are bemoaning the current lack of action, noting the clear difference between the government’s response then and now. With Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health and human services secretary and increasing public hesitancy over vaccines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been muzzled, messaging has been muddled, and public health funding has been slashed.
“This response does an incredible disservice to what public health could be in this country. It would actually be difficult to even call it an anemic response,” said Peter Marks, who was the Food and Drug Administration’s top vaccine regulator until the Trump administration pushed him out last month.
Kennedy, who has a long history of disparaging vaccines, initially underplayed the severity of the outbreak and promoted unproven treatments, while stressing that vaccination is a “personal choice.” Kennedy has contended that he is simply seeking good data about vaccines and said during his confirmation hearing that he supports the measles vaccine.
Trump helps plant replacement for historic White House tree that was removed over safety concerns — 2:58 p.m.
By the Associated Press
“We have a beautiful tree now at the White House,” Trump said.
The White House did not allow news media coverage of the tree planting, but afterward shared a brief video clip on social media. Dale Haney, the longtime grounds superintendent, also participated.
“Dale’s been here 53 years. He’s fantastic,” Trump said.
The Republican president had announced March 30 on his social media platform that the nearly 200-year-old tree, known as the Jackson Magnolia, was in “terrible condition, a very dangerous safety hazard, at the White House Entrance, no less, and must now be removed.”
The southern magnolia had stood for decades near the west side of the South Portico of the White House. It’s where presidents and prime ministers often are welcomed on their visits, as well as where the president himself exits to board the Marine One helicopter or returns after a trip.
Trump meets with the House GOP as his ‘big’ bill of tax breaks and spending cuts teeters — 2:35 p.m.
By the Associated Press
House Speaker Mike Johnson found himself in a familiar jam on Tuesday: Conservative Republican holdouts are stalling action on Trump’s “big” bill of tax breaks and spending reductions, refusing to accept a Senate GOP budget framework approved over the weekend because it doesn’t cut enough.
Trump summoned House Republicans to the White House for a midday meeting as the beleaguered speaker pulls out all the stops to nudge the process forward before lawmakers leave Thursday for a two-week spring recess.
Homeland Security waiver allows feds to bypass environmental rules to build border wall — 2:18 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The waiver issued Tuesday allows the federal government to bypass environmental regulations and begin construction immediately on stretches of the border wall in Southern California.
Homeland Security said in a statement that the waiver signed by Secretary Kristi Noem will “cut through bureaucratic delays” and forego dozens of laws including the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires federal agencies to evaluate the effects of their actions on the environment.
Officials said the decision will fast-track U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s construction of about 2 1/2 miles (4 kilometers) of the wall south of San Diego and further east near Jacumba Hot Springs, California.
“This waiver clears the path for the rapid deployment of physical barriers where they are needed most, reinforcing our commitment to national security and the rule of law,” the statement said.
The advocacy group Earthjustice derided the decision to sidestep environmental laws.
White House and Iran at odds on whether upcoming talks will be ‘direct’ or ‘indirect’ — 2:06 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Iranian officials have confirmed they’ll engage with Trump’s team in Oman on Saturday as the administration presses Tehran to abandon it’s nuclear weapons ambitions. But they’re describing the talks differently than Trump.
“Iran and the United States will meet in Oman on Saturday for indirect high-level talks,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X. “It is as much an opportunity as it is a test. The ball is in America’s court.”
But Trump in announcing the talks Monday described the upcoming engagement as “direct talks.”
Asked to clarify the difference, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stuck with Trump’s description.
“They will be direct talks on Saturday, and I won’t get ahead of the president on any further details,” she said.
The U.S. and Iran have engaged in indirect talks in recent years, with Oman playing the role of intermediary. If direct talks happen, they would be the first publicly-known direct negotiations between the U.S. and Iran since Trump scrapped Obama administration’s negotiated nuclear deal in 2018.
‘Boys will be boys,’ White House says about feuding between advisers Musk and Navarro — 1:50 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Leavitt said “we will let their public sparring continue.”
Elon Musk earlier on X called trade adviser Peter Navarro “truly a moron” and “dumber than a sack of bricks.” Navarro has been speaking publicly about worldwide tariffs Trump announced last week.
Navarro previously had said Musk, a billionaire who’s leading Trump’s government downsizing initiative, was “protecting his own interests” by opposing tariffs.
The Tesla electric car company is among several businesses Musk owns.
.@PressSec on Karoline Leavitt on public sparring between Elon Musk and Peter Navarro: "These are obviously two individuals who have very different views on trade and on tariffs. Boys will be boys and we will let their public sparring continue." pic.twitter.com/RSo19uwxAm
— CSPAN (@cspan) April 8, 2025
‘Tailor-made’ trade deals, not ‘off-the-rack’ deals — 1:49 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Leavitt says Trump has directed his team to work with countries that have reached out to strike deals in the wake of the president’s tariff hikes and trade war and to create “tailor-made” trade deals for each country.
“They are not going to be off-the-rack deals,” Leavitt said.
Leavitt said the Trump administration is willing to speak to any country that comes to the negotiating table.
Trump will host the leaders of El Salvador and Italy at the White House next week — 1:47 p.m.
By the Associated Press
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says Trump will host El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, for a working visit April. 14.
Trump has been deporting Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador, which has agreed to house them in an infamous prison.
Late Monday, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts agreed to pause a midnight deadline for the administration to return a Maryland man who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador.
Later that week, on April 17, Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, will visit with Trump.
Hegseth: Panama Canal faces threats from China, but US and Panama will keep it secure — 1:46 p.m.
By the Associated Press
“The United States of America will not allow Communist China, or any other country to threaten the canal’s operation or integrity,” Hegseth said, speaking at ribbon cutting for a new US-financed dock at the Vasco Nuñez de Balboa Naval Base.
To that end, Hegesth said, the US and Panama have worked in recent weeks to strengthen their defense and security cooperation.
“Our relationship is growing in part to meet Communist China’s rising challenge,” Hegseth said. “China-based companies continue to control critical infrastructure in the canal area. That gives China the potential to conduct surveillance activities across Panama. This makes Panama and the United States less secure, less prosperous and less sovereign. And as President Donald Trump has pointed out, that situation is not acceptable.”
Joe Rogan and Dave Portnoy are among the Trump backers now questioning his tariff policies — 1:21 p.m.
By the Associated Press
As Trump’s tariffs roil global markets, some of the thought leaders and influential podcasters who backed the Republican’s campaign are voicing doubts.
Barstool Sports owner Dave Portnoy, hedge fund manager Bill Ackman and even Elon Musk are adding their voices to a number of congressional Republicans who’ve weighed in against the tariffs set to take effect Wednesday.
Portnoy has said he might have lost up to $20 million since the tariffs were unveiled, although he thinks Trump is “smart.”
In March, influential podcaster Joe Rogan said Trump’s feud with Canada was “stupid” and bemoaned the fact that Canadians “booed us over tariffs.”
Ackman has characterized the tariffs as “a major policy error.” After Peter Navarro said Musk “doesn’t understand” the situation over tariffs, the Tesla chief and Trump ally called the White House trade adviser “dumber than a sack of bricks.”
In Montana, Blackfeet members say tariffs on Canada violate treaty rights — 1:16 p.m.
By the Associated Press
A Democratic state lawmaker and a rancher who are members of the Native American tribe in northwestern Montana have filed a lawsuit in US District Court seeking to block Trump’s tariffs.
Short of a complete block, they want tariffs halted at three Montana border crossings or for tribal members.
Indigenous people of Montana have treaty rights that allow them to travel and conduct commerce freely across the border. Those date to 1794, long before the present US-Canada boundary line was established, the lawsuit says.
Plaintiff Jonathan St. Goddard, who ranches on the Blackfeet reservation that’s along the Canada border, last month broke a tractor wheel and couldn’t get one locally, so he traveled to Alberta to buy a replacement. He paid $308 coming back across the U.S. border to cover a 25 percent tariff, he said in a declaration filed with the lawsuit.
“If tariffs continue, the costs from the tariffs will cause irreparable harm to our family’s ranch and agricultural business,” St. Goddard said.
The other plaintiff is state Senator Susan Webber.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Panama President José Raúl Mulino — 1:14 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The meeting came before Hegseth headed to a ribbon cutting for a new US-financed dock on a former US base.
Hegseth did not make any comments as he left the meeting, but posted a photo of the two men laughing on X.
Hegseth wrote that it was an honor speaking with Mulino. “You and your country’s hard work is making a difference. Increased security cooperation will make both our nations safer, stronger and more prosperous.”
The meeting comes amid tensions over Trump’s repeated assertions that the United States is being overcharged to use the Panama Canal and that China has influence over its operations. Panama has denied those allegations.
IRS agrees to share migrants’ tax information with ICE — 1:11 p.m.
By The New York Times
The IRS has agreed to help homeland security officials find immigrants they are trying to deport, according to court records, committing to sharing information in what would be a fundamental change in how the tax collector uses its tightly regulated records.
In a court filing, the Trump administration said that the IRS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement had reached the agreement Monday and that the two agencies had not yet shared any information.
Watch live: White House holds news briefing — 2:40 p.m.
By Globe Staff
Boston Mayor Wu says Trump antisemitism task force will meet with city officials Wednesday — 12:53 p.m.
By Anjali Huynh, Globe Staff
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said in a radio interview that members of President Trump’s antisemitism task force will meet with city staff Wednesday. Their visit comes after that task force last month notified leaders of four cities — Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City — that they wanted to meet “to discuss their responses to antisemitism at schools and on college campuses.”
“We have asked repeatedly for their information on sort of vague statements that they’ve made about troubling situations within the city of Boston,” Wu said on her monthly “Ask the Mayor” radio appearance on GBH New’s “Boston Public Radio.” She continued: “We have not received that yet and hope to have a productive conversation based on the information that they are referring to.”
“Part of the staff will be in town from that task force tomorrow to meet with staff at the city, and so we will ask again for that in preparation, potentially, for a larger meeting down the line,” she added.
In recent weeks, the Trump administration has cracked down on universities where pro-Palestinian protests took place over the last two years by reviewing federal funds issued to them. They have also revoked visas and challenged other legal protections for many international students accused of being affiliated with pro-Palestinian activism.
Wu told GBH there has been “some question about the motivation behind these investigations and current actions,” even as, she added, “it’s really important to call out antisemitism and discrimination of every type.” Her comments came in response to a question about the Trump administration recently announcing it would review roughly $9 billion in federal grants and contracts awarded to Harvard University, her alma mater.
Minnesota’s education chief pushes back on Trump threat to cut school funding over DEI — 12:30 p.m.
By the Associated Press
In a letter to the US Education Department, Minnesota’s education chief says the Trump administration has overstepped its authority with its crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
The White House last week directed states to gather signatures from local school systems certifying compliance with civil rights laws, including the rejection of what the federal government calls “illegal DEI practices.” It said schools that don’t comply would run the risk of losing funding.
Minnesota’s education chief Willie Jett said in the letter that there’s nothing illegal about DEI.
“Threats to this funding without backing in law or established requirements put key programs at risk that students and schools depend on every day,” Jett wrote.
State leaders in New York said last week they wouldn’t comply with an Education Department order.
Supreme Court says Trump administration doesn’t have to reinstate fired probationary federal employees — 12:08 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The employees were let go in mass firings aimed at dramatically downsizing the federal government.
The justices acted in the administration’s emergency appeal of a ruling by a federal judge in California ordering that 16,000 probationary employees be reinstated while a lawsuit plays out because their firings didn’t follow federal law.
The effect of the high court’s order will keep employees in six federal agencies on paid administrative leave for now.
A second lawsuit, filed in Maryland, also resulted in an order blocking the firings at those same six agencies, plus roughly a dozen more. But that order only applies in the 19 states and the District of Columbia that sued the administration.
The Justice Department is separately appealing the Maryland order.
National Park Service restores the original Harriet Tubman and Underground Railroad webpage — 11:49 a.m.
By the Associated Press
It comes in the wake of news reports and public backlash over the changes.
“Changes to the Underground Railroad page on the National Park Service’s website were made without approval from NPS leadership nor Department leadership,” NPS spokeswoman Rachel Pawlitz said late Monday in an email. “The webpage was immediately restored to its original content.”
She did not say who ordered the changes or for what reason. The changes — first reported by The Washington Post — included removing Tubman’s picture from the top of the page and making multiple edits to the text. A side-by-side analysis of the pages, using the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine, revealed changes that removed references to slavery and changed descriptions about the issue and its brutal realities.
The issue comes amid sweeping government changes to comply with President Trump’s campaign against so-called diversity, equity and inclusion policies in the federal government.
Chipmakers power broader market’s gains — 11:33 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Nvidia surged 5.3 percent, Broadcom jumped 7.6 percent and Advanced Micro Devices rose 3.5 percent. The companies and broader technology sector jumped amid hopes for negotiations over tariffs.
Chipmakers and other technology companies have an outsized impact on the broader market because of their pricey valuations. Big moves for the sector’s most valuable companies can swing the market on their own or accentuate an already sharp move.
Technology companies have seen their values skyrocket over hopes for artificial intelligence advancements. Higher costs for chips and other technologies pose a risk to that development and the earnings growth prospects for those companies.
Thailand to send delegation to Washington for tariff negotiations — 11:30 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said that Thailand intends to send a high-ranking delegation to Washington to negotiate with their US counterparts over the new tariff policies.
Thailand is facing a 36 percent percent tariff under the new US rules.
The decision to have a delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira was made after Paetongtarn held a meeting with her ministers of finance, foreign affairs an commerce, along with the Thai Trade Representative.
The Bangkok Post newspaper cited Pichai saying Thailand’s plans include revising its import duties and amending non-trade barriers.
Paetongtarn said the government had anticipated the issue and earlier this year established a US Trade Policy Working Group to study developments and formulate a comprehensive response strategy. She said her government plans to roll out immediate relief for affected sectors, particularly small businesses and workers, while simultaneously crafting a broader economic overhaul to diversify export markets and boost national competitiveness.
Trump is expected to sign executive orders to boost coal — 11:20 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Trump is expected to sign executive orders aimed at boosting coal, a reliable but polluting energy source that’s long been in decline.
According to two senior White House officials, Trump will use his emergency authority to allow some older coal-fired power plants set for retirement to keep producing electricity to meet rising US power demand amid growth in data centers, artificial intelligence and electric cars.
Trump tariffs threaten 35,000 jobs and entire towns in South Africa’s citrus sector, group says — 10:56 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa says the impending reciprocal tariffs, due to come into effect Wednesday, will be deeply damaging to South Africa’s largest agricultural export.
The group says the tariffs would likely make South African citrus fruits cost $4.25 more per carton for American consumers. South Africa provides citrus to the US market when it is out of season there.
South Africa is the second-biggest exporter of oranges behind Spain and the world’s fourth-largest exporter of soft citrus fruits, according to the World Citrus Organization.
House leaders express concern for any US troop cuts in Europe — 10:44 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The top Republican and Democratic leaders of the House Armed Services Committee expressed concerns about reports that the Trump administration is eyeing a reduction of US forces in Europe, saying America must stick with its NATO allies.
Representative Michael Rogers, the panel’s chairman, also voiced opposition to any plan for the US to relinquish NATO command. The US historically has held the Supreme Allied Command Europe position.
“US leadership in NATO is essential to ensure armed American forces, including our nuclear weapons, always remain under US command,” said Rogers at the start of a hearing with Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli, commander of US European Command and the NATO commander.
Cavoli told the committee he’s recommended that the US maintain its current force totals. There has been roughly 100,000 US troops in Europe.
Trump expected to help plant replacement for historic White House tree — 10:38 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The White House says President Trump was participating in an event to plant a 12-year-old Magnolia sapling to replace a nearly 200-year-old Magnolia tree that was removed Monday due to safety concerns.
The sapling is a direct descendant of the Andrew Jackson-era Magnolia.
Trump had announced last month that the tree was in “terrible condition” and would be removed because it had become a safety hazard.
A disagreement over tariffs between two of Trump’s top advisers is escalating — 10:33 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Elon Musk said on X that Peter Navarro, a trade adviser, is “truly a moron” and “dumber than a sack of bricks.”
Navarro had previously said Musk was “protecting his own interests” by opposing tariffs. He also described Musk’s electric automaker, Tesla, as a “car assembler” that’s dependent on importing parts from overseas.
Musk rejected that characterization, citing research that showed Tesla produced “the most American-made cars.”
Trump again seeks to boost coal as part of agenda for US ‘energy dominance’ — 10:27 a.m.
By the Associated Press
President Trump is expected to sign executive orders Tuesday aimed at boosting coal, a reliable but polluting energy source that’s long been in decline.
According to two senior White House officials, Trump will use his emergency authority to allow some older coal-fired power plants set for retirement to keep producing electricity to meet rising US power demand amid growth in data centers, artificial intelligence and electric cars. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the issue before the president’s announcement, expected Tuesday afternoon.
Trump, a Republican, has long promised to boost what he calls “beautiful” coal to fire power plants and other uses, but the industry has been in decline for decades.
The orders expected Tuesday will direct federal agencies to identify coal resources on federal lands, lift barriers to coal mining and prioritize coal leasing on US lands, according to information from the White House officials.
Trump’s Tuesday schedule — 10:17 a.m.
By the Associated Press
At 10:30 a.m., President Trump will participate in a commemorative tree planting on the South Lawn of the White House. At 3 p.m., he’ll attend an Unleashing American Energy Executive Order Signing Event.
This evening, at 6:45 p.m., Trump will deliver remarks at the National Republican Congressional Committee Dinner at the Building Museum in Washington, D.C.
At 1 p.m., Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will deliver a briefing at the White House.
Fewer foreign visitors are traveling to the US in what some see as a sign of a ‘Trump Slump’ — 10:15 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The US tourism industry expected 2025 to be another good year in terms of foreign travelers. The number of international visitors to the United States jumped in 2024, and some forecasts predicted arrivals from abroad this year would reach pre-COVID levels.
But three months into the year, international arrivals are plummeting. Angered by Trumps’ tariffs and rhetoric, and alarmed by reports of tourists being arrested at the border, some citizens of other countries are staying away from the US and choosing to travel elsewhere.
The federal government’s National Travel and Tourism Office released preliminary figures Tuesday showing visits to the US from overseas fell 11.6% in March compared to the same month last year. The figures did not include arrivals from Canada, which is scheduled to report tourism data later this week, or land crossings from Mexico. But air travel from Mexico dropped 23%.
For the January-March period, 7.1 million visitors entered the US from overseas, 3.3% fewer than during the first three months of 2024.
The travel forecasting company Tourism Economics, which as recently as December anticipated the US would have nearly 9% more international arrivals this year, revised its annual outlook last week to predict a 9.4% decline.
Trump to meet with House Republicans on the budget — 10:13 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The president will host House Republicans at the White House on Tuesday as the GOP leadership continue to wrangle votes for the party’s budget resolution.
That meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m., according two people with knowledge of it. The people were granted anonymity to discuss a meeting that hasn’t been made public.
As a future of US foreign aid cuts comes into focus, so do efforts to respond — 10:10 a.m.
By the Associated Press
With most programs funded by the US Agency for International Development cut and the agency’s remaining staff told their jobs will end by September, the reality of the Trump administration’s sudden halt to more than 60 years of international development work has sunk in.
Billionaire presidential advisor Elon Musk, who led the charge to dismantle USAID, has called the agency criminal and corrupt. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said many programs didn’t advance American interests. The administration continues to cancel programs, including humanitarian and food aid, and has said it will roll any remaining programs into the State Department.
Two months into the cuts, some workers and organizations, who once carried out those programs, are developing a variety of initiatives to stand in the breach left by the dismantling of US foreign aid.
S&P 500 opens 3.4% higher as some relief washes through financial markets worldwide. — 9:40 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Stocks are rising on Wall Street and around the world to recover some of the historic losses since last week when President Trump announced sharp increases in taxes on goods imported to the US. The S&P 500 was up 3.4% in early trading Tuesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 1,230 points, or 3.3%, and the Nasdaq composite was 3.6% higher.
Overseas markets also rose sharply, and the price of US crude oil rose a bit after touching its lowest level in four years. Market watchers say more big swings up and down are likely as the tariff conflict plays out.
As a future of US foreign aid cuts comes into focus, so do efforts to respond — 9:20 a.m.
By the Associated Press
With most programs funded by the US Agency for International Development cut and the agency’s remaining staff told their jobs will end by September, the reality of the Trump administration’s sudden halt to more than 60 years of international development work has sunk in.
Billionaire presidential advisor Elon Musk, who led the charge to dismantle USAID, has called the agency criminal and corrupt. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said many programs didn’t advance American interests. The administration continues to cancel programs, including humanitarian and food aid, and has said it will roll any remaining programs into the State Department.
Two months into the cuts, some workers and organizations, who once carried out those programs, are developing a variety of initiatives to stand in the breach left by the dismantling of US foreign aid.
Trump says high tariffs may have prevented the Great Depression. History says different — 8:52 a.m.
By the Associated Press
In the early days of the Great Depression, Representative Willis Hawley, a Republican from Oregon, and Utah Republican Sen. Reed Smoot thought they had landed on a way to protect American farmers and manufacturers from foreign competition: tariffs.
President Herbert Hoover signed the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act in 1930, even as many economists warned the levies would prompt retaliatory tariffs from other countries, which is precisely what happened. The US economy plunged deeper into a devastating financial crisis that it wouldn’t pull out of until World War II.
Most historians look back on Smoot-Hawley as a mistake that made a bad economic climate much worse. But tariffs have a new champion in President Trump.
US Steel rises for a 2nd day after Trump orders new security review of Nippon Steel bid — 8:51 a.m.
By the Associated Press
President Biden blocked the deal just before leaving office and Trump had vowed to do the same in previous months. Late Monday Trump ordered the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to review the transaction “to assist me in determining whether further action in this matter may be appropriate.”
Shares soared 16% Monday and are up nearly 3% before the opening bell Tuesday.
The confidential review will look for potential national security risks from the proposed deal and the U.S. will give Nippon and US Steel time to respond to any concerns.
CFIUS will have 45 days to submit a recommendation to Trump detailing whether any measures proposed by Nippon and US Steel are sufficient to mitigate identified risks.
Iran’s foreign minister says he’ll have indirect talks with US envoy over Tehran’s nuclear program — 8:39 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday he’ll meet with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff in Oman for the first negotiations under the Trump administration seeking to halt Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program as tensions remain high in the Middle East.
Speaking to Iranian state television from Algeria, Araghchi maintained the talks would be indirect, likely with Omani mediators shuttling between the parties. President Trump, in announcing the negotiations Monday, described them as direct talks.
Years of indirect talks under the Biden administration failed to reach any success, as Tehran now enriches uranium up to 60% purity — a technical step away from weapons-grade levels. Both the US and Israel have threatened Iran with military attack over the program, while officials in Tehran increasingly warn they could potentially pursue a nuclear bomb.
RFK Jr. says he plans to tell CDC to stop recommending fluoride in drinking water — 8:10 a.m.
By the Associated Press
US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday said he plans to tell the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stop recommending fluoridation in communities nationwide. Kennedy said he’s assembling a task force of health experts to study the issue and make new recommendations.
Also on Monday, the US Environmental Protection Agency announced it is reviewing “new scientific information” on potential health risks of fluoride in drinking water. The EPA sets the maximum level allowed in public water systems.
Kennedy told The Associated Press of his plans after a news conference with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin in Salt Lake City.
Kennedy cannot order communities to stop fluoridation, but he can direct the CDC to stop recommending it and work with the EPA to change the allowed amount.
Utah last month became the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water, pushing past opposition from dentists and national health organizations who warned the move would disproportionately hurt low-income residents who can’t afford regular dentist visits.
China says it will ‘fight to the end’ after Trump threatens to impose still more tariffs — 8:10 a.m.
By the Associated Press
China said Tuesday it would “fight to the end” and take countermeasures against the United States to safeguard its own interests after President Trump threatened an additional 50% tariff on Chinese imports.
The Commerce Ministry said the US’s imposition of “so-called ‘reciprocal tariffs’” on China is “completely groundless and is a typical unilateral bullying practice.”
China, the world’s second-largest economy, has announced retaliatory tariffs and the ministry hinted in its latest statement that more may be coming.
“The countermeasures China has taken are aimed at safeguarding its sovereignty, security and development interests, and maintaining the normal international trade order. They are completely legitimate,” the ministry said.
“The U.S. threat to escalate tariffs on China is a mistake on top of a mistake and once again exposes the blackmailing nature of the U.S. China will never accept this. If the U.S. insists on its own way, China will fight to the end,” it added.
Supreme Court allows Trump to deport Venezuelans under wartime law, but only after judges’ review — 7:44 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the Trump administration to use an 18th century wartime law to deport Venezuelan migrants, but said they must get a court hearing before they are taken from the United States.
In a bitterly divided decision, the court said the administration must give Venezuelans who it claims are gang members “reasonable time” to go to court.
But the conservative majority said the legal challenges must take place in Texas, instead of a Washington courtroom.
The court’s action appears to bar the administration from immediately resuming the flights that last month carried hundreds of migrants to a notorious prison in El Salvador. The flights came soon after Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act for the first time since World War II to justify the deportations under a presidential proclamation calling the Tren de Aragua gang an invading force.
Canadian couple likely the only business owners on Australia’s Norfolk Island to face US tariffs — 5:09 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Jesse Schiller and Rachel Evans are likely the only business owners on Australia’s Norfolk Island to be directly affected by the Trump administration’s tariffs, as the South Pacific outpost they call home exports nothing to the United States.
The Canadian couple, both aged 41, own a business that makes plastic-free hair accessories under the brand Kooshoo. Vancouver-born Schiller said he and his Norfolk Island-born wife are likely the only business owners on the island that will pay elevated tariffs — and they will pay at the rates imposed on Japan and India, where the goods are manufactured. Around 80 percent of Kooshoo’s business is with the United States.
World shares advance, led by 6 percent jump in Tokyo as markets calm somewhat after Trump’s tariff shocks — 3:27 a.m.
By the Associated Press
World shares and US futures advanced Tuesday, led by gains in Tokyo where the Nikkei 225 shot up just over 6 percent as markets calmed somewhat after the shocks from President Trump’s tariff hikes.
The modest rebound for most markets followed a wild day on Wall Street, where stocks careened after Trump threatened to crank his double-digit tariffs higher.
Trump’s DHS revokes legal status for migrants who entered the US on Biden-era CBP One app — 1:29 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Migrants who were temporarily allowed to live in the United States by using a Biden-era online appointment app have been told to leave the country “immediately,” officials said Monday. It was unclear how many beneficiaries would be affected.
More than 900,000 people were allowed in the country using the CBP One app since January 2023. They were generally allowed to remain in the United States for two years with authorization to work under a presidential authority called parole.
“Canceling these paroles is a promise kept to the American people to secure our borders and protect national security,” the Department of Homeland Security media affairs unit said in response to questions.
China says it will ‘fight to the end’ after Trump threatens to impose more tariffs — 12:03 a.m.
By the Associated Press
China said Tuesday it would “fight to the end” and take countermeasures against the United States to safeguard its own interests after President Trump threatened an additional 50 percent tariff on Chinese imports.
The Commerce Ministry said the US’s imposition of “so-called ‘reciprocal tariffs’” on China is “completely groundless and is a typical unilateral bullying practice.”
China, the world’s second-largest economy, has taken retaliatory tariffs and the ministry hinted in its latest statement that more may be coming.