Trump Tariffs and Putin Ceasefire – 3/13/2025

United States

  • Egg prices have plummeted recently, now averaging $4.89 compared to $6.55 on January 21
  • President Trump plans to activate the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a broad wartime power, soon, per CNN
  • Pete Buttigieg is reportedly set to pursue the 2028 presidency and will skip Michigan’s open Senate race, per POLITICO
  • US influencer Sam Jones allegedly faces deportation from Australia after taking a baby wombat from its mother, with the Immigration Minister pushing for action
  • Congressman Riley has introduced legislation to block Chinese nationals from obtaining U.S. student visas
  • President Trump declares, “Egg prices, oil, and interest rates are down, and tariff money is pouring in”
  • The White House has pulled Dr. David Weldon’s nomination for CDC director amid controversy over his vaccine skepticism, per Fox News
  • The Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency propose slashing the IRS workforce by nearly 20% starting a month after Tax Day, per CNN
  • President Trump warns of a 200% tariff on European alcohol to counter EU tariffs on U.S. whiskey, per CBS
  • Illegal U.S.-Mexico border crossings have dropped 94% compared to last year, per CBS
  • Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D) vows, “We shutting down the government to block federal layoffs”
  • Trump family reportedly negotiating to buy a stake in Binance US, per WSJ
  • 21 Democratic attorneys general file lawsuit against Trump admin’s plan to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education, per Axios
  • Safety concerns rise for Dominican Republic and Caribbean travel as U.S. student goes missing, per CBS
  • Social Security drops major phone service cuts but will still end direct deposit changes by phone, per More Perfect Union
  • Meta’s new Community Notes to fight misinformation will borrow tech from Elon Musk’s X, per NBC
  • U.S. stocks dip after President Trump threatens 200% tariff on EU wine and alcohol exports, per CBS
  • Mount Spurr near Anchorage shows heightened unrest, raising eruption odds in coming weeks or months
  • Tampa Bay’s tech appeal grows with a planned AI and cybersecurity college at USF, per WSJ
  • In Memphis, a pit bull puppy named Oreo accidentally shot its owner in the thigh by triggering a gun on a bed, per NBC
  • FBI joins probe into suspected arson at a Bayer exec’s New Jersey home on March 4, with no major damage or injuries, per ABC

International

  • Putin claims Ukrainians in Kursk face only two fates: death or capture
  • Putin suggests a 30-day ceasefire could help Ukraine given the current situation
  • Russia has reportedly accepted parts of a ceasefire deal, with Putin favoring a 30-day pause but noting “nuances,” per AFP
  • Putin rejects a short-term ceasefire, advocating instead for a lasting peace agreement
  • Swedish pledges 18 Archer howitzers and 5 ARTHUR radars to Ukraine in a $300 million aid package, joining an artillery coalition to supply shells and training
  • Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk expresses support for Turkey’s EU membership, saying, “We want Turkey to become a member of the EU”
  • Binance sells minority stake to UAE’s MGX for $2 billion, per Forbes
  • South Africa’s ruling coalition should hold despite budget disputes, says Standard Bank CEO Sim Tshabalala, per Bloomberg Economics
  • Poland’s President Andrzej Duda renews push for U.S. nuclear weapons in Poland to counter Russia, per CBS