Trump Tariffs and University Funding Shake U.S. – 4/8/25

The United States faces escalating trade tensions as President Trump imposes a 104% tariff on China, prompting varied domestic reactions and international retaliation, including Canada’s planned 25% tariff on U.S. cars. Concurrently, significant budget cuts and administrative shifts, such as the Trump administration’s halt of over $1 billion in university funding and the IRS chief’s resignation, mark a tumultuous day in domestic policy.

United States

  • Elon Musk urged Trump to scrap new tariffs in a direct plea, per WaPo
  • Trump pushes for $1 trillion budget cut, saying “we must get the bill approved NOW”
  • Judge Trevor N. McFadden orders Trump admin to reinstate AP’s press access
  • Fannie Mae terminates over 100 staff for unethical acts, including fraud, per U.S. Federal Housing
  • White House claims “America relies less on other nations than they do on us”
  • Trump signs orders to boost clean coal, lift Biden-era limits, and protect U.S. energy from leftist policies
  • Bill Maher questions if Andrew Cuomo can win NYC mayor race amid nursing home scandal, per NYP
  • Acting IRS chief to step down over pact to share illegal immigrants’ tax data with ICE, per WaPo
  • Ex-Facebook insider Sarah Wynn-Williams to testify Meta aided China with AI tech via “Project Aldrin,” per NBC
  • Trump calls open border policies “treason,” declaring “what they’ve done to our country is unthinkable”
  • Texas AG Ken Paxton launches Senate bid to take on John Cornyn in GOP primary
  • George Conway tears up over Trump’s “rule of law” attacks after law firm flips to support admin
  • Trump says China faces 104% tariffs, claims “now it’s our turn” to impose high rates
  • Trump signs order hiking tariffs on China to 104%, escalating trade tensions
  • Migrants using Biden-era app must leave U.S. “immediately,” officials say, per CBS
  • Apple allegedly airlifted 5 planes of iPhones into U.S. to dodge tariffs, per Dexerto
  • Acting IRS chief resigns amid agency upheaval, per The Wall Street Journal
  • Trump boasts tariffs, 35 years in the making, saying “nobody but me would do this,” per ABC News
  • Trump admin halts $1B for Cornell, $790M for Northwestern in university funding crackdown, per New York Times
  • Texas AG Ken Paxton launches Senate run against John Cornyn for 2026 GOP primary, per The Associated Press
  • Mega Millions debuts $5 ticket with better jackpot odds, per NBC News
  • ICE raid in Washington saw masked agents detain dozens at roofing firm, per NBC News
  • Elon Musk, Dave Portnoy join GOP voices opposing Trump’s tariffs, per PBS News
  • Federal judge restores AP’s White House access after Trump admin curbs, per The Wall Street Journal
  • Connecticut man, 20, pleads guilty in 2023 crash that killed a Hartford police officer, per The Associated Press

International

  • Nightclub roof collapse in Santo Domingo kills 66, injures 155, including Rubby Pérez and Octavio Dotel
  • Mexico’s President Sheinbaum vows to block U.S. military action against cartels amid Trump drone strike rumors
  • Canada’s PM Mark Carney to hit U.S. cars with 25% tariffs at midnight, saying “this trade crisis was caused by Trump,” per The Guardian
  • Chinese investors poured record cash into gold ETFs last week, seeking safety, per Bloomberg
  • U.S. academic Paul Chambers faces 15 years in Thailand for insulting monarchy, per The Guardian