Trump’s Economic Moves and Global Tensions – 3/3/2025

United States

  • The Atlanta Fed has sharply lowered its Q1 2025 GDP growth forecast to -2.8% as of today, down from -1.5% just days ago and a steep fall from +3.9% a month earlier, per The Kobeissi Letter.
  • Rep. Jasmine Crockett, appearing on MSNBC, claimed Trump is “occupying the White House,” labeling him “an enemy to the United States” and “a dictator.”
  • Pennsylvania’s latest voter registration data shows Republicans gaining 1,045 members while Democrats lost 4,461 as of March.
  • Trump is set to reveal a Taiwanese chipmaker’s commitment to invest over $100 billion in the U.S. today, per CNN.
  • The SEC is providing a $50,000 incentive for eligible employees to retire or resign by April 4, per Bloomberg.
  • Trump announced that tariffs on foreign agricultural goods will begin April 2.
  • Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed U.S. Cyber Command to halt offensive cyber and information operations targeting Russia, per Axios.
  • President Trump will address the potential suspension or full cancellation of military aid to Ukraine, including Biden-era weapons pledges, today, per the NYT.
  • Auto loan and credit card delinquencies of 90 days or more have hit a 14-year peak, per YF.
  • President Trump will convene a meeting today to discuss Ukraine policy, potentially pausing U.S. military aid, per Axios.
  • Senator Van Hollen from Maryland expresses regret over his vote to confirm Marco Rubio as Secretary of State.
  • Tim Walz is allegedly eyeing a presidential bid in 2028, per NYP.
  • Honda shifts production of its next Civic Hybrid to Indiana from Mexico, citing Trump’s tariff policies.
  • Secretary of State Marco Rubio claims, “If President Trump were a Democrat, he’d win the Nobel Peace Prize.”
  • The Department of Government Efficiency has cut $105 billion in spending, reducing each taxpayer’s burden by about $652.17.
  • Trump will reveal today a $100 billion-plus investment by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company in the U.S. over four years.
  • Rep. Anna Paulina Luna urges the U.S. to exit NATO, calling it “America-last” and “globalist.”
  • CNN acknowledges widespread approval of Trump’s Russia-Ukraine approach over Biden’s, quoting, “HOLY COW! It’s just a different planet entirely! The gulf between these two is wider than the Gulf of America!”
  • Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly warned Mexico that U.S. forces may act unilaterally against drug cartels if collusion persists.
  • Rep. Brandon Gill introduces the “Golden Age Act” to feature Trump’s image on the $100 bill.
  • Trump’s approval soars before his congressional address, with 52% approving, 58% favoring him over Biden, 81% backing criminal alien deportations, 76% supporting DOGE’s waste reduction, and 68% endorsing his two-gender stance, per Harvard/Harris Poll, Fox News.
  • Trump’s Department of Education offers $25,000 resignation bonuses to staff, per The Hill.
  • Trump’s proposal to end income tax on Social Security benefits could slash revenues by $1.5 trillion and boost federal debt 7% by 2054, per CNBC.
  • NOAA employees nationwide protested Monday against Trump administration-ordered layoffs, per CBS.

International

  • A Houthi official has cautioned Saudi Arabia to heed Ukraine’s example and not depend on U.S. support.
  • Pope Francis has been placed on mechanical ventilation following acute respiratory failure.
  • Canada warns it will impose hefty energy tariffs on the U.S. if the U.S. enacts tariffs on Canadian goods, per Bloomberg.
  • Soaring living costs and a severe recession drove a record number of New Zealanders to emigrate last year, per Bloomberg.
  • Microsoft research reveals a decline in critical-thinking abilities among workers relying on generative AI tools like ChatGPT, per Bloomberg.
  • A Bank of America survey finds 42% of investors now view a global trade war as the top threat to risky assets in 2025, up from 30% in January.