Good morning. Today is March 4th, and here is your morning news update. Today will be one of the busiest days of the year as Donald Trump is set to give his first address to the nation before a joint session of Congress. I will be on Capitol Hill throughout the day providing you with live coverage, so stay tuned.
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With that, here is all the news you missed overnight:
The United States has officially entered trade wars on multiple fronts as Donald Trump’s tariffs have taken effect against Mexico, Canada, and China. Mexico and Canada will each face 25% tariffs, while China will face additional 10% tariffs making a total of 20% tariffs on Chinese goods. There is a carveout for Canadian energy exports which will be tariffed at 10% versus the larger 25% rate.
On Tuesday, China responded by imposing a 15% tariff on U.S. imports of chicken, wheat, corn, and cotton, according to a statement from the State Council Tariff Commission. The statement also announced a 10% tariff on products such as sorghum, soybeans, pork, beef, seafood, fruits, vegetables, and dairy.
In a separate move, China’s Ministry of Commerce placed 15 U.S. companies, including drone manufacturer Skydio, on its export control list. This designation prevents Chinese firms from supplying them with dual-use equipment.
Lin Jian, a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, said: “China will fight till the end” if the US “insists on waging a tariff war, trade war or any other kind of war.”
In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Ottawa would immediately retaliate with tariffs on $30 billion worth of U.S. goods. He also stated that by March 25, Canada would implement an additional $125 billion in tariffs on American products.
Doug Ford, the Premier of Ontario, has now doubled down on his threat to shut off electricity exports to the United States in response to the tariffs.
Donald Trump halts U.S. military aid to Ukraine following a tense Oval Office meeting, applying pressure on Zelenskyy to negotiate with Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to facilitate negotiations between the Trump administration and Iran concerning Tehran's nuclear program. This development follows direct communication between President Trump and President Putin in February, during which Trump expressed interest in Russia's assistance.
Today is Donald Trump’s first address to a joint session of Congress. I will be on Capitol Hill covering it throughout the day. Let me know what you want me to ask members of Congress.
A top FBI official who vowed last month to resist the Trump administration’s request for the names of agents involved in January 6th cases has retired under pressure as head of the New York field office, according to five sources cited by NBC News.
The Trump administration has notified NOAA that leases for two essential buildings used for weather forecasting may be canceled. One of these buildings is a key forecasting hub in College Park, Maryland. If this happens, it could have significant consequences.
Trump has introduced a policy to withdraw federal funding from schools that allow what he calls "illegal protests." The policy enforces strict penalties, including deportation or imprisonment for foreign participants and expulsion or arrest for American students. It also bans wearing masks during protests.
See you this evening.
— Aaron
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