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'Liberation Day': Trump to announce tariff plans in Rose Garden spectacle

Ahead of the Rose Garden event, moreover, he unveiled a 25% tariff on auto imports that earned praise from union workers, including from United Auto Workers (UAW) leaders who, hewing to political tradition, opposed his candidacy.

President Donald Trump is set to announce his decision on the implementation of an array of new tariffs Wednesday as some of the tariffs he has already announced will take effect. Trump has dubbed Wednesday “Liberation Day” and is planning an event at the White House’s Rose Garden to unveil his decision on broader tariffs.

Trump announced tariffs on Mexico and Canada earlier in his administration, but agreed to postpone both following negotiations with the leaders of those countries that led to agreements to bolster border security. Each tariff adds 25% on goods from the respective country. While those tariffs were part of border security negotiations, Trump is expected to unveil broader tariffs to achieve his stated goal of rebalancing American global trade.

On Tuesday, he received reports from the Treasury, Commerce Department, and Office of the Trade Representative on possible tariffs and their potential impacts, though he reportedly has already made up his mind on what to implement. “I’ve settled, yeah,” he told the The Wall Street Journal on Monday.

Praise from union leadership and rank-and-file

Ahead of the Rose Garden event, moreover, he unveiled a 25% tariff on auto imports that earned praise from union workers, including from United Auto Workers (UAW) leaders who opposed his candidacy. Trump notably feuded with UAW President Shawn Fain during the election, but Fain had high praise for the commander-in-chief after the auto tariffs.

"We applaud the Trump administration for stepping up to end the free trade disaster that has devastated working-class communities for decades," Fain said. "Ending the race to the bottom in the auto industry starts with fixing our broken trade deals, and the Trump administration has made history with today's actions."

Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs are expected to go much broader, though the details remain unclear as of press time and interested parties are expected to push for limited exemptions all the way to the deadline.

The point of conjecture at present is whether Trump will announce an across-the-board 20% tariff on all foreign imports, with few if any exceptions, or whether he will opt for a more targeted, reciprocal tariff policy of matching each nation’s respective rates and negotiating on an individual basis.

https://justthenews.com/nation/economy/wedliberation-day-trump-announce-tariff-plans-rose-garden-spectacle

Policies and pledges

During the press briefing on Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to offer a preview of Trump’s exact decision, but spoke to broader tariff policy and the pledged foreign investments that the administration has already secured.

“It's simple. If you make your product in America, you will pay no tariffs. We have already seen a number of the largest companies in the world respond to this economic approach,” she said. “For example, Project Stargate, led by Japan-based Softbank and US-based OpenAI and Oracle, announced a $500 billion private investment in the United State-based artificial intelligence infrastructure.”

“Apple announced a $500 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing and training. Nvidia announced it will invest hundreds of billions of dollars over the next four years in U.S.-based manufacturing, and the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) announced a $100 billion investment in U.S.-based chips and manufacturing,” she added. “These are just a few of the investment announcements that have already been made, and it is clear that President Trump's America First approach is already working.”

In anticipation of Trump’s announcement, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich signed an order to remove all remaining import tariffs on American goods, subject to the approval of the Knesset Finance Committee, according to the Times of Israel.

Trump himself has indicated he expects other nations to drop their tariffs on American goods in response to his moves and has stated that India would soon drop many of its tariffs. “I heard that India is going to be dropping its tariffs substantially. A lot of countries are going to drop their tariffs,” he told reporters on Monday.

Opposition in Congress

Trump’s support for tariffs during the 2016 campaign was a substantial challenge to long-established Republican free-trade orthodoxy and his second term already threatens to rewrite the party dogma on global commerce altogether. Some lawmakers, however, are less than thrilled by the prospect, and an unusual coalition of moderate Republicans and conservative libertarians have joined forces to express their disagreements.

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., has led a resolution to end the emergency declaration that prompted Trump’s tariffs on Canada. So far, three Republicans have aligned with Democrats to back the measure, including Sens. Thom Tillis, N.C.; Rand Paul, Ky.; and Susan Collins, Maine, Politico reported. At least one more Republican would need to sign on to pass the measure, which would still likely fail in the House. Nonetheless, the vote will prove a metric for internal support for tariffs on the Republican side.

Some Republicans are enthusiastically on board with the tariffs. Speaking on the “Just the News, No Noise” television show on Tuesday, Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.V., pointed to how free trade practices had led to job losses in his own district. ”The American workers have been living in a trade war for over 40 years, and they've seen their jobs be decimated, like in my state of West Virginia, where just last year, because the Biden administration would not implement tariffs on 10-plate steel that was being dumped into the market by China and Canada and some other countries, we lost 1,000 jobs in my district alone, and we had to idle that steel plant,” he said.

“That's not putting the American worker first. It’s not putting America first,” he added. “So, President Trump is the first person in my lifetime who is really trying to reset this table and put us in a good position to be able to succeed here as a country,” Moore added.

Continued market volatility ahead

Stock markets have reeled in the wake of some of Trump’s tariffs thus far, with key indices such as the DOW Jones Industrial Average, NASDAQ, and S&P 500 plunging significantly in the subsequent days, though they have since stabilized to some degree.

Should Trump opt for broader tariff options, equities are likely to witness a similar drop. Nevertheless, the White House offered its assurances on Tuesday that the markets would ultimately adjust to the changing state of affairs. “Yesterday, Dow futures were up, and there's been a lot of talk about the market, and it was up yesterday,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters. “So look, the President wants to ensure that all Americans make out well, particularly Main Street, that's the focus of these tariffs."

Leavitt also predicted that "Wall Street will be just fine.”

https://justthenews.com/nation/economy/wedliberation-day-trump-announce-tariff-plans-rose-garden-spectacle

The ship is sinking.

Gavin Newsome: "I'm not on this ship".

California’s Newsom making a play for the middle, calls fellow Dems 'toxic'

As California marks the first birthday of its $20 minimum wage mandate, far-left progressive California Governor Gavin Newsom is talking to the other side.

When California Governor Gavin Newsom launched his “This Is Gavin Newsom” podcast last month, he cited a need to “change the conversation.” He says he is committed to having conversations with people who he disagrees with about things like egg prices, tariffs, and DOGE.

Political analysts and commentators have prognosticated that his attempt to shift center could augur a presidential run in 2028. Floated as a potential to replace former President Joe Biden last summer, Newsom insists he’s not making a play for the highest office in the land.

In what might seem surprising to right-leaning observers, he delivered on the promise to have conversations with the other side of the aisle. On March 6, he hosted Turning Point USA’s founder, Charlie Kirk. On March 10, his guest was conservative commentator Michael Savage and on March 12, he spoke with former White House strategist and “War Room” host, Steve Bannon.

He also hosted former vice presidential candidate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and discussed why the Democratic Party is losing male votes and why they believe the party’s platform and message are not resonating with Americans.

The face of progressive policies

Newsom is seen as the face of Golden State progressive polices for controversial laws whose news reached all corners of the country. Assembly Bill 1955 was signed into law last year to ban forced disclosure of students' gender struggles. Framed by its opponents, the first-in-the-nation law prohibits teachers from telling parents if a student is struggling with their gender orientation or identity. This policy is currently being challenged in federal court.

This week also marks the one-year anniversary of the passage of another progressive policy: California’s $20 minimum wage requirement for fast food restaurant employees. Assembly Bill 1228 passed in California and added new sections to the Labor Code, including the $20 minimum wage mandate and also a section establishing a Fast Food Council, which is empowered to make future increases and adopt other employment standards for fast food restaurants. It went into effect last April Fool’s Day, April 1.

The economic repercussions of this law could exacerbate Newsom’s progressive reputation. Speaking to the “Furthermore with Amanda Head” podcast, Director of Research at Employment Policies Institute Rebekah Paxton delved into the damage and said, “this is the crappiest law that has been signed in California so far because the $20 minimum wage stinks for workers, it stinks for business owners and it stinks for consumers.”

Perhaps the harshest result was that the law destroyed 16,000 jobs in one year, according to Paxton. “We know that businesses and restaurants, specifically in California, are strapped. Profit margins are low, and so increasing the minimum wage by 25%…operators had no choice. They had to slash jobs. They had to raise prices just to keep their doors open, to keep some people employed.”

With this latest blast of liberal-on-conservative conversations, Newsom is also putting himself in the guest seat. He appeared on HBO’s “Real Time With Bill Maher” where he referred to the Democratic Party as “toxic” and said, “these guys [Republicans] are crushing us.” Newsom and Maher agreed on the fact that Democrats have avoided conversations with the other side, with Maher adding, “you have to. They won.” Newsom, in his movement to the middle, also criticized Democrats for being "more judgmental" and not owning up to "cancel culture."

Steamy liberal-on-liberal action

Fellow Democrat Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., redirected the anger towards Trump on X, posting, “With respect, @GavinNewsom the Democratic party is not "toxic." This is not the time to join the chorus in bashing our party. The rage should be about what Trump is doing TODAY. Let's share what our party has done & offer a forward vision for the future.”

Despite his presumed eyes on the Oval Office, California is still experiencing historical population loss under Newsom. According to The Desert Sun, in 2024, almost 240,000 people left California, making it the state with the largest migration loss in the country. The data compiled by truck rental company U-Haul reveals that California ranks last on U-Haul's 2024 growth index list.

https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/elections/californias-newsom-making-play-middle-calls-dems-toxic

Here is a look at what tariffs are expected to hit Wednesday, on Trump's 'liberation day'

The White House on Tuesday said the president would reveal even broader tariffs than he has already indicated during an event on Wednesday afternoon in the Rose Garden.

President Donald Trump is expected to impose tariffs on a bunch of U.S. trading partners on Wednesday as part of his "liberation day" event.

The White House on Tuesday said the president would reveal even broader tariffs than he has already indicated during an event on Wednesday afternoon in the White House Rose Garden. He has already teased tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico.

The president first announced tariffs on the three countries earlier this year, but delayed imposing them until April 2.

Here is a list of the tariffs that are currently expected to take effect on Wednesday:

Auto imports: The president is expected to impose 25% tariffs on all auto imports coming into the United States. But countries that relocate plants to the U.S. or build their cars in the U.S. will be exempted.

Venezuela oil: Trump threatened to impose secondary tariffs of 25% on countries that import oil and gas from Venezuela and trade with the United States, as he seeks to add pressure on the South American country over its response to the U.S. immigration crisis.

Canada and Mexico: The president is expected to impose his 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico, which were delayed as part of a United States-Mexico-Canada agreement. The tariffs are in response to the illegal drug crisis happening in the U.S. which sneaks into the U.S. from both countries.

China: Trump is expected to impose a 10%-20% tariff on Chinese imports over the fentanyl and illegal drug crisis.

The tariffs will take effect immediately.

https://justthenews.com/government/white-house/here-look-what-tariffs-are-expected-hit-wednesday-trumps-liberation-day

House DOGE subcommittee to hold hearing on reducing federal real estate

The hearing, titled “Federal Foreclosure: Reducing the Federal Real Estate Portfolio," will examine the management of federal real estate and whether it's cost-effective for American taxpayers.

The House Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE) announced Wednesday it will hold a hearing next week that will focus on reducing federal real estate.

The hearing, titled “Federal Foreclosure: Reducing the Federal Real Estate Portfolio," will examine the management of federal real estate and whether it's cost-effective for American taxpayers. The issue has been on the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) High-Risk List since 2003, according to a news release shared with Just The News.

“The U.S. federal government has been an irresponsible landlord for decades, squandering tens of billions of taxpayer dollars," DOGE Chairwoman Marjorie Taylor Greene said in a statement. "It cannot accurately track the properties it owns, including their condition, usage, or financial value, and continues to spend billions annually on vacant buildings."

The congresswoman highlighted how the Biden administration continued to retain its leases on federal buildings during the COVID-19 pandemic, even when government employees were primarily working remotely.

"President Trump and his administration are taking decisive action to end this egregious waste of taxpayer dollars," she continued. "The DOGE Subcommittee will work with this administration to right-size the federal government’s property footprint and ensure it acts as a responsible steward of taxpayer-funded real estate."

The hearing is expected to take place on Tuesday, April 8, at 10 a.m. Eastern. It is expected to include testimony from Open Books CEO John Hart, and David Marroni, the acting director of Physical Infrastructure at the GAO.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.

https://justthenews.com/government/congress/house-doge-subcommittee-hold-hearing-reducing-federal-real-estate-next-week

Republicans pad U.S. House majority with two Florida special election wins

The GOP will now hold a 220-213 majority in U.S. House.

Republicans padded their slim U.S. House majority Tuesday after winning two Florida special elections to replace a pair of members who resigned their seats.

In the 6th Congressional District, state Sen. Randy Fine was projected to defeat Democrat Josh Weil with about 56% of the vote with 98% of ballots counted, according to unofficial results. The race was necessitated by the resignation of former U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz, a Republican who became President Donald Trump's national security advisor.

Tuesday's outcome was closer than Waltz's last race, when he won by 34 points.

Florida Republican Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis was the projected winner over Democrat Gay Valimont with 56% of the unofficial vote tally with 93% counted to replace former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz in Florida's 1st Congressional District.

Gaetz resigned his U.S. House seat after being nominated by Trump to be the U.S. attorney general, but he later dropped out of the running because the Republican firebrand and Trump ally faced a tough confirmation vote in the U.S. Senate due to a House ethics investigation.

Trump instead nominated former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was easily confirmed.

With the wins, the GOP will pad their U.S. still slim House majority to 220 seats to 213 for Democrats.

https://justthenews.com/nation/states/center-square/republicans-pad-us-house-majority-two-florida-special-election-wins

Gas prices in CA nearly $2 above US average due to state policies: Report

Last year, California Gov. Gavin Newsom called a special session of the state legislature to pass new regulations on refineries, citing price gouging.

(The Center Square) — California gas prices are nearly $2 per gallon higher than the national average due to state policies, according to a new study from the University of Southern California.

This new evidence contradicts state leaders’ insistence that “price-gouging” by local fuel producers and distributors is the reason for the state’s chronically high gas prices.

The paper from Michael A. Mische found that “Collectively, the sum of all federal, state, and local taxes and fees, as well as regulatory-mandated costs, total approximately $1.638 a gallon, as of March 10, 2025.”

“Not surprisingly, the average price of retail gasoline in California on March 11, 2025, was $4.694 a gallon, or 52.35% higher per gallon for all formulations than the national average price for gasoline at $3.081,” wrote Mische, confirming that state and local taxes make up for much of the difference between state and national gas prices.

“Based on 30 to 50 years of data, the primary conclusion from this study is that California’s high gasoline prices and supply dilemmas are, by design, engineering or serendipitously, largely self-inflicted, and the result of directed policies and a litany of regulations, taxes, fees, and costs,” concluded Mische. “The economic evidence is abundant; California refiners have not engaged in widespread price gouging, profiteering, price manipulation, 'unexplained residual prices' or surcharges, magical or otherwise.”

Last year, California Gov. Gavin Newsom called a special session of the state legislature to pass new regulations on refineries, citing price gouging. Phillips 66 then announced the closure of its Los Angeles facility, which accounts for 8.57% of the state’s remaining refining capacity. The closure will put further pressure on gas prices.

California gas prices also have an impact on the parts of Nevada and Arizona that rely on California gasoline, meaning the effects of the state’s policies extend beyond the state’s borders.

The Republican governor of Nevada and the Democratic governor of Arizona signed a bipartisan letter urging Newsom not to adopt the new refinery regulations, to no avail. Gas prices in Nevada and Arizona have since spiked due to California refinery closures, highlighting the governors’ concerns.

Last year, California also passed a $162 billion fuel tax to fund credits for “clean” fuels such as electric vehicle charging and hydrogen, with costs expected to be passed on to consumers of “dirty” fuels.

https://justthenews.com/nation/states/center-square/ca-gas-prices-nearly-2-above-us-average-due-state-policies-study-finds

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