Trump levies ‘reciprocal’ tariffs on more than 180 nations

[CRAIG NIGRELLI]

GOOD MORNING

I’M CRAIG NIGRELLI

IT’S THURSDAY APRIL 3, 2025

AND THESE ARE YOUR UNBIASED UPDATES:

PRESIDENT TRUMP DELIVERS HIS LIST OF RECIPROCAL TARIFFS.  FOR MOST COUNTRIES ITS ABOUT 50 % OF WHAT **THEY CHARGE** ON AMERICAN EXPORTS.  THIS MORNING WE HAVE REACTION FROM WASHINGTON. ALSO HOW THE STOCK MARKET MIGHT FARE.   

AND –A tornado emergency — the weather service’s highest alert –  DECLARED IN THE SOUTH AS TORNADOES AND SEVERE WEATHER ROAR THROUGH PLACES LIKE KENTUCKY, ARKANSAS, INDIANA, MISSOURI AND MORE.  HOW SPRING STORMS AND WARNINGS ARE FAR FROM OVER AS WE MAKE OUR WAY TOWARD THE WEEKEND.  

TRUMP REVEALS LIST OF COUNTRIES HIT WITH ‘RECIPROCAL’ TARIFFS

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HAS OFFICIALLY REVEALED HIS LIST OF “RECIPROCAL” TARIFFS AGAINST MORE THAN 180 COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES ACROSS THE WORLD.

THE WHITE HOUSE POSTED CHARTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA — SHOWING ALL THE PLACES IMPACTED… ALONG WITH HOW MUCH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SAYS THEY’VE “CHARGED” THE U-S IN TARIFFS — QUOTE “INCLUDING CURRENCY MANIPULATION AND TRADE BARRIERS.”

IN MOST CASES, THE NEW TARIFFS ARE ABOUT **HALF** OF WHAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION numbers show THAT EACH COUNTRY HAS “CHARGED” AND IS CHARGING US.

LESOTHO — AN ENCLAVE OF SOUTH AFRICA — WILL SEE THE HIGHEST DUTIES OF ANY PLACE ON THE LIST, AT 50 PERCENT.

LESOTHO PRIMARILY EXPORTS CLOTHING, DIAMONDS, AND WOOL TO THE U-S.

NOW — THE BIG QUESTION IS HOW WILL THESE TARIFFS AFFECT THE ECONOMY? this morning stock futures are down, signally the dow and s-and-p 500 might tumble when trading begins.

AND AS STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS’ WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT RAY BOGAN EXPLAINS — DEMOCRATS AREN’T THE ONLY ONES SEEKING ANSWERS.

4 REPUBLICANS BREAK WITH PARTY TO REJECT TRUMP’S TARIFFS ON CANADA

MEANWHILE, A GROUP OF SENATE REPUBLICANS BROKE WITH THEIR PARTY TO PASS A RESOLUTION TO BLOCK PRESIDENT TRUMP’S TARIFFS ON CANADIAN PRODUCTS.

THE SENATE VOTED 51 TO 48 IN FAVOR OF A DEMOCRATIC-LED MEASURE TO REVOKE TRUMP’S CANADIAN TARIFFS.

SENATORS SUSAN COLLINS OF MAINE; RAND PAUL AND MITCH MCCONNELL OF KENTUCKY; AND LISA MURKOWSKI OF ALASKA JOINED ALL 47 DEMOCRATS IN SUPPORTING THE MEASURE.

SEN. RAND PAUL, R-KY

“This is a tax, plain and simple. Taxes should not be enacted by one person. So I will vote today to end the emergency. I will vote today to try to reclaim the power of taxation, the power of the tariff, to where the Constitution designated it should properly be, and that is in Congress.”

WHILE THE RESOLUTION IS NOT EXPECTED TO GO ANYWHERE IN THE HOUSE — IT REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT BREAK IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY…

EVEN AFTER THE PRESIDENT TRIED TO PRESSURE THE FOUR G-O-P SENATORS,  IN A POST ON HIS TRUTH SOCIAL PLATFORM, TELLING THEM TO GET ON BOARD THE REPUBLICAN BANDWAGON AND PENALIZE CANADA FOR ALLOWING LARGE AMOUNTS OF FENTANYL TO BE SOLD IN THE U.S.

TORNADOES AND SEVERE STORMS RIP THROUGH MIDWEST AND SOUTH

TORNADOES AND STORMS RIPPED THROUGH PARTS OF THE SOUTH AND MIDWEST WEDNESDAY, KILLING AT LEAST ONE PERSON AND INJURING MORE THAN A DOZEN OTHERS.

THE SEVERE WEATHER KNOCKING DOWN POWER LINES AND TREES, TEARING ROOFS OFF HOMES AND SENDING DEBRIS THOUSANDS OF FEET INTO THE AIR.

THERE WERE DOZENS OF TORNADO AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS IN MISSISSIPPI, ARKANSAS, MISSOURI, INDIANA, ILLINOIS AND OTHER STATES.

MORE SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED IN THE COMING DAYS WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR DEADLY FLASH-FLOODING IN THE SOUTH AND MIDWEST AS POWERFUL STORMS HEAD EASTWARD GAINING STRENGTH. 

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WARNS THE STORM SYSTEM IS PACKING A RISK OF “SIGNIFICANT, LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODING” EACH DAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

JUDGE DROPS CORRUPTION CHARGES AGAINST NEW YORK CITY MAYOR ERIC ADAMS

A FEDERAL JUDGE HAS DISMISSED THE CORRUPTION CASE AGAINST NEW YORK MAYOR ERIC ADAMS.

JUDGE DANIEL HO SAID DISMISSING THE CASE WAS THE ONLY PRACTICAL OUTCOME — BUT ADDED THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT’S RATIONALE FOR SEEKING  THE CHARGES BE THROWN OUT WAS “TROUBLING.”

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WANTED THE CASE TOSSED SO THE DEMOCRATIC MAYOR COULD HELP PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S  CRACKDOWN ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IN NEW YORK.

THE JUDGE ALSO RULED PROSECUTORS **CANNOT** REFILE THE CHARGES AFTER THE MAYORAL ELECTION COMING UP IN NOVEMBER. HE SAID LEAVING THAT DOOR OPEN WOULD QUOTE “CREATE THE UNAVOIDABLE PERCEPTION THAT THE MAYOR’S FREEDOM DEPENDS ON HIS ABILITY TO CARRY OUT THE IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT PRIORITIES OF THE ADMINISTRATION.”

THERE ARE NOW TALKS IN NEW YORK THAT ADAMS MIGHT RUN FOR RE-ELECTION AS AN INDEPENDENT.

FORMER GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO IS EXPECTED TO WIN THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY IN JUNE.

THERE IS A LOT MORE TO THE STORY BEHIND THE CORRUPTION CHARGES AGAINST ERIC ADAMS.

STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS REPORTER LAUREN TAYLOR HAS AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE LEGAL SAGA here.

FDA SAYS FEWER INSPECTIONS OF FOOD AND DRUGS AMID LAYOFFS

FEWER FOOD AND DRUG INSPECTIONS WILL BE DONE AT THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, BECAUSE OF LAYOFFS TO SUPPORT STAFF, THAT’S ACCORDING TO A COUPLE OF TOP OFFICIALS.

AROUND 170 EMPLOYEES WERE LET GO FROM THE F-D-A’S OFFICE OF INSPECTIONS AND INVESTIGATION,  TWO UNNAMED FEDERAL OFFICIALS TOLD C-B-S NEWS.

ONE OFFICIAL SAYS THE INSPECTIONS AND INVESTIGATIONS OFFICE MUST NOW WORK WITH THE F-D-A’S DRUG, DEVICE AND FOOD CENTERS TO DETERMINE THEIR WORKLOAD FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.

ANOTHER OFFICIAL SAYS THE AGENCY WILL NEED TO CUTBACK ON ROUTINE “SURVEILLANCE INSPECTIONS” FOR MORE PRESSING NEEDS, SUCH AS INSPECTIONS OF COMPANIES THE AGENCY ALERTED TO SAFETY RISKS OR FOLLOW-UP VISITS TO MAKE SURE DRUG MANUFACTURERS AND FOOD PRODUCERS ADDRESS PRIOR VIOLATIONS.

THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HAS SAID LAYOFFS,  ORDERED BY H-H-S SECRETARY ROBERT F. KENNEDY,  INVOLVING THOUSANDS OF EMPLOYEES  AT THE DEPARTMENT WOULD NOT IMPACT F-D-A INSPECTORS.

DEFENDING WORLD CHAMP DODGERS OFF TO HISTORIC START

THE DEFENDING WORLD CHAMPS OF BASEBALL ARE OFF TO SCORCHING HOT START.

THE LOS ANGELES DODGERS ARE UNDEFEATED.  SO ARE THEY UNSTOPPABLE ?

STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS SPORTS REPORTER CHRIS FRANCIS HAS MORE ON WHO COULD CHALLENGE THE DODGERS AS THE MAJOR BASEBALL SEASON, PICKS UP STEAM

As of Tuesday, the Los Angeles Dodgers are the first World Series champions to start a season 7-0 since the 1933 Yankees. Quite the accomplishment. Let’s take a look at how they are doing it

and whether or not this record start is sustainable. Not surprising with the starting staff they have, they are getting great pitching, even factoring in rookie Roki Sasaki’s early struggles.The offense is as expected too. Six of their seven wins have come by 2 runs or more and they are outscoring opponents 39-18 so far. Newcomer Michael Conforto says there are no weaknesses in the lineup.

“When you have good hitter after good hitter you know, it can be tiresome for the other team. I mean um you know just constantly um you know taking some good pitches, some good pitchers pitches, staying on some fast balls.”

Scary to think what things might look like when Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts are fully healthy. Betts already has a walk off homer this year after losing 20 pounds because of a stomach virus.

The record for wins in a single season is 116 held by the 2001 Seattle Mariners who lost to the Yankees in the American League championship series. In other words, it’s a long season and even with overwhelming numbers now there’s no guarantee that will lead to a second straight championship for the Dodgers. In fact, there are several teams who are raising their hands to say.. Hey, look at us, we’re off to a hot start as well and we’d like to challenge the champs.

Chief among them, LA’s division rival, the San Diego Padres who are off to their own 7-0 start. The first in team history. They’re outscoring opponents 31-9 and swept the surprisingly winless Atlanta Braves to open the season then took care of the defending AL Central champion Guardians including a win for Kyle Hart, his first since 2020.

“Feels great. I mean, y’know, listen, It’s a good ballclub off to a good start clearly, playing really good baseball across the board. Pitching, congratulations to Kyle getting his first big league win. Doing it in all phases, a solid five, the bullpen’s been great, situational hitting, defense, everything has been on point.”

And they are not the only two teams dialed in to start the year, the Giants in the same division are keeping pace. In the American League the Jays and Rangers lead the way and the Yankees with their Torpedo bats have scored an MLB leading 41 runs in their fast start.

Even with their hot start the Dodgers are clearly not satisfied. Wednesday they traded for some speed, getting Esteury Ruiz from the A’s. Ruiz set the American League rookie record for stolen bases in 2023.For Straight Arrow News I’m Chris Francis.

AND A LATE BREAKING UPDATE,  OHTANI HIT A WALK-OFF HOME RUN LAST NIGHT.  THE DODGERS BEAT THE BRAVES IN DRAMATIC FASHION. THEY ARE NOW 8 AND OH.