By placing his tariffs against Mexico and Canada on pause in return for some largely symbolic border moves by the two countries, Trump revised the dangerous game he is playing. During the 30-day waiting period, he will see how many promises he can extract from our neighbors with the equivalent of the sword of Damocles hanging over their heads.
Or maybe he’ll change the game.
Meanwhile, I initially had mixed feelings about the apparent decision by Trump and Musk to shut down USAID. While that agency funds many life-saving health programs in underdeveloped parts of the globe, affecting millions of people’s lives, it has also served other purposes, as we revealed in some of our major investigations at the Center for Investigative Reporting.
These included Global Dumping Ground and Circle of Poison. According to our investigations, USAID helped finance the export of banned and restricted goods, including toxic waste, under the rubric of foreign aid.
In this way, the agency not only helped U.S. companies get paid for getting rid of bad stuff but helped them develop new markets for hazardous products around the world.
All of that aside I recognize that USAID has on balance, done a lot more good than harm.
But none of this is of interest to Musk and Trump in moving to eliminate USAID, apparently with a team of immature hackers. Like much of what they are doing in the early days of the administration, this is an act with a sledgehammer and symbolic resonance.
For the MAGA base, a headline about eliminating foreign aid is political gold. There will no doubt be more such acts in the coming days and weeks.
Finally, lost in all the domestic drama, the one tariff Trump didn’t lift was the most important one of all — against China. Now China has struck back with matching tariffs of its own. This isn’t Trump beating up on his neighbors, this is the Godzilla v. Kong of trade wars, and there is going to be bloodshed.
Plus remember that dustup with Tik-Tok? China has opened a probe into Google. This could get really ugly really fast
HEADLINES:
The Young, Inexperienced Engineers Aiding Elon Musk’s Government Takeover (Wired)
China counters with tariffs on US products. It will also investigate Google (AP)
Democrats say Trump's efforts to shutter US aid agency 'unconstitutional' (BBC)
USAID to be merged into State Department, U.S. officials say (CBS)
Rubio Says He’s Acting Director of U.S. Aid Agency (NYT)
Rubio asserts control of USAID, vows to end ‘insubordination’ (WP)
Where USAID funds are disbursed around the world (Axios)
What is USAID and why is Trump reportedly poised to close it? (BBC)
Trump Tariffs Threaten to Upend Global Economic Order (NYT)
Trudeau says Trump agrees to a pause on U.S. tariffs on Canada (WP)
Mexico's president announces one-month pause in US tariffs (Guardian)
Trump halts tariffs on Mexico as it rushes troops to border (WP)
U.S. stock market recovers some ground on hopes for a trade-war reprieve (NPR)
Musk's wrecking ball pierces government's inner sanctum (Axios)
I’m a Federal Worker. Elon Musk’s Government Data Heist Is the Entire Ballgame. (Slate)
Hard-liner rebellion forces House GOP leaders to scramble for deeper cuts (Politico)
The U.S. Military’s Recruiting Crisis (New Yorker)
Education Department employees placed on leave for attending diversity training (Politico)
The country's top health agency ordered government scientists to withdraw or pause the publication of all papers set to appear in medical or scientific journals so the Trump administration can review the material for "forbidden terms." Read on for a list of those terms. [HuffPost]
Entities behind Trump’s crypto coin accumulate close to $100 million in trading fees (Reuters)
Newly detected near-Earth asteroid has astronomers’ full attention (WP)
Why Is This C.E.O. Bragging About Replacing Humans With A.I.? (NYT)
Court Rules Elephants Can’t Sue To Leave Zoo (The Onion)
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