Trump Tariffs Disrupt Ford Shipments, Federal Judge Blocks CFPB Job Cuts – 4/18/25

President Trump’s new tariffs have prompted Ford to halt vehicle shipments to China, while a federal judge has blocked his plan to cut 1,500 jobs at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, citing concerns over mass firings. Internationally, Trump’s push for Russia-Ukraine peace talks and the controversial deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador continue to spark debate and legal challenges.

United States

  • Trump vows to fire corrupt or non-compliant government policy workers, aiming to run the government like a business
  • A federal judge blocks Trump’s plan to cut 1,500 CFPB jobs, calling the mass firings “deeply concerning,” per ABC News
  • Trump announces “Schedule policy/career” classification for policy workers, allowing firings for corruption or policy resistance
  • Oklahoma House passes resolution proclaiming “Christ is King” across the state
  • Treasury Secretary Bessent replaces IRS acting chief Gary Shapley, reportedly installed without Trump’s knowledge, per NBC
  • Trump’s approval rating hits 44%, with 90% Republican support but only 4% from Democrats, per Fox News
  • Dr. Mehmet Oz calls self-care a patriotic duty, saying, “Healthy people don’t consume healthcare resources,” per C-Span
  • Stephen Miller labels Letitia James “one of the most corrupt, shameless individuals ever to hold public office”
  • Trump claims egg prices dropped 87% and gas hit $1.98, alleging, “Only the fake news says they’re going up,” per Rapidresponse47
  • A federal judge halts the Trump administration’s latest effort to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau after mass firings, per Washington Post
  • Trump appeals a ruling blocking his administration from denying Associated Press access to White House spaces, per Raw Story
  • The Trump administration replaces COVID-19 federal health resources with a “Lab Leak” origins page, per CBS News
  • Chicago City Council votes 43-3 to ban Jan. 6 Capitol riot participants from city jobs, per Straight Arrow News
  • Trump declares national emergencies to boost fossil fuel, drilling, border militarization, and global tariffs, per Truthout
  • The Supreme Court will review an Affordable Care Act rule mandating free preventive care for 150 million insured Americans, per NBC News
  • The Trump administration advances a rule to reclassify some civil servants as “at-will” employees, per CBS News
  • All six victims injured in the Florida State University shooting are expected to fully recover, officials confirm, per ABC
  • Rev. Al Sharpton warns Target CEO of boycotts if DEI cuts continue, saying DEI “is under siege” after Trump’s executive order, per Fox News

Western States

  • Mexican man Luis Esquivel-Bolanos faces life in prison for drug trafficking tied to Jalisco Cartel in Washington and Montana

International

  • Ford halts vehicle shipments to China due to new tariffs imposed by President Trump
  • White House rejects moving Kilmar Abrego Garcia from El Salvador, with Stephen Miller stating, “The Supreme Court has been abundantly clear,” per C-SPAN 2
  • Trump aims to stop Russia-Ukraine war, warning, “If one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we’re gonna say you’re foolish,” per C-Span2
  • Trump blames Biden for Ukraine war, stating, “This is a war that should have never happened,” per NewsMax
  • MSNBC allegedly cuts Trump’s Oval Office remarks on MS-13 member Kilmar Abrego Garcia, raising questions about media bias, per MSNBC
  • Sen. Chris Van Hollen, visibly moved, recounts seeing a “tear go down” Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s cheek during their recent meeting in El Salvador
  • Attorneys for undocumented immigrants facing imminent deportation urgently request Judge Boasberg to stop the buses, per POLITICO
  • A poignant image of a 9-year-old Palestinian boy who lost both arms in Gaza wins 2025 World Press Photo of the Year, per NBC News
  • Trump backs Rubio’s frustration with Russia-Ukraine peace talks, saying “we’re going to take pass” if stalled, per CBS News
  • ACLU seeks a restraining order to block Trump officials from deporting Venezuelan detainees under the Alien Enemies Act, per CBS News
  • S&P Global Ratings upgrades Greece’s credit rating, marking its third boost in over a month due to economic recovery, per Bloomberg

Central America

  • White House rejects moving Kilmar Abrego Garcia from El Salvador, with Stephen Miller stating, “The Supreme Court has been abundantly clear,” per C-SPAN 2
  • MSNBC allegedly cuts Trump’s Oval Office remarks on MS-13 member Kilmar Abrego Garcia, raising questions about media bias, per MSNBC
  • Sen. Chris Van Hollen, visibly moved, recounts seeing a “tear go down” Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s cheek during their recent meeting in El Salvador
  • ACLU seeks a restraining order to block Trump officials from deporting Venezuelan detainees under the Alien Enemies Act, per CBS News