Trump Tariffs and Border Wall Waivers – 4/15/2025

President Trump’s tariff policies continue to drive global trade negotiations, with 130 countries engaging in talks and Honda planning to shift production to the U.S. Meanwhile, domestic developments include border wall construction waivers in California and debates over funding cuts impacting public broadcasting and tourism.

United States

  • President Trump suggests tariff revenue could potentially replace income taxes, per his statement.
  • The White House reports 130 countries are negotiating new trade deals with the U.S.
  • President Trump’s approval rating matches its record high following recent tariff announcements, per JL Partners poll.
  • President Trump pledges to fast-track all permits for Nvidia’s projects.
  • Senator Eric Schmitt proposes making Easter Monday a federal holiday.
  • New single-family homes for sale hit 500,000, the highest since 2007, per The Kobeissi Letter.
  • Representative Jim Jordan claims Democrats “think America is at risk because President Trump is deporting TERRORISTS.”
  • The Trump administration plans to reduce funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, impacting NPR and PBS, per The Washington Post.
  • Jury selection started in Harvey Weinstein’s retrial after his original #MeToo conviction was overturned, per The Associated Press.
  • President Trump threatened Harvard’s tax-exempt status after it rejected his administration’s funding conditions, per Bloomberg News.
  • Alamo Drafthouse NYC workers ended a 58-day strike, securing reinstatement of all 70 laid-off employees, per More Perfect Union.
  • HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reportedly minimized the U.S.’s second-worst measles outbreak since 2000, per CNN.
  • U.S. tourism dropped 11.6% in March amid tariff concerns, threatening the $2.36 trillion industry, per The Guardian.
  • DOGE officials allegedly tried to bypass a court order to access Social Security data, facing staff resistance, per The Washington Post.
  • OpenAI is allegedly developing an X-like social media platform, per reports.
  • Karmelo Anthony’s family reportedly uses over $400,000 in donations to relocate to a gated community for safety, per The Sun.

Western States

  • Honda plans to shift some car production to the U.S., targeting 90% local manufacturing due to new tariffs, per Reuters.
  • California Governor Newsom seeks $2.8 billion for Medicaid after expanding it to undocumented immigrants, per reports.
  • DHS Secretary Noem grants waivers to speed up border wall construction in California.
  • Defense Secretary Hegseth warns China’s hypersonic missiles could sink 10 U.S. carriers in 20 minutes, per Interesting Engineering.

International

  • Trump envoy Steve Witkoff says Putin seeks “permanent peace” in negotiations.
  • Greenland’s government pushes for a trade deal with China to boost its economy, raising U.S. concerns, per Xinhua, Newsweek.
  • Assailants attacked a prison near Toulon, France, setting vehicles ablaze and shooting at its walls, prompting a counterterrorism probe, per The New York Times.
  • A Russian court sentenced four journalists to 5½ years in prison for alleged extremism tied to Alexei Navalny’s anti-corruption group, per The Associated Press.
  • More Americans are reportedly seeking UK jobs amid U.S. economic concerns and Trump administration funding cuts, per Bloomberg News.
  • A severe sandstorm in Iraq hospitalized thousands with breathing issues, worsened by climate-driven drought, per The New York Times.
  • Tourism surges in Ushuaia, Argentina, for Antarctica trips, but strains local resources and housing, per The New York Times.
  • Mark Carney leads polls as the best candidate to handle Trump-related issues in Canada’s election, per Bloomberg News.
  • Middle-aged and older cannabis users needing emergency care were nearly twice as likely to develop dementia within five years, per The New York Times.
  • Italian police detained 24 suspected Camorra members in Naples for a parking extortion scheme, per The Guardian.

Europe

  • Assailants attacked a prison near Toulon, France, setting vehicles ablaze and shooting at its walls, prompting a counterterrorism probe, per The New York Times.
  • A Russian court sentenced four journalists to 5½ years in prison for alleged extremism tied to Alexei Navalny’s anti-corruption group, per The Associated Press.
  • More Americans are reportedly seeking UK jobs amid U.S. economic concerns and Trump administration funding cuts, per Bloomberg News.
  • Italian police detained 24 suspected Camorra members in Naples for a parking extortion scheme, per The Guardian.