The Supreme Court on Thursday said President Trump’s administration must facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador, rejecting the administration’s emergency appeal.
Meanwhile, US stocks surrendered a chunk of their historic gains from the day before as Trump’s trade war continues to threaten the economy. The S&P 500 fell 3.5 percent on Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 2.5 percent, and the Nasdaq composite sank 4.3 percent.
China announced more countermeasures against the United States, and losses for stocks accelerated after the White House clarified that it would tax Chinese imports at 145 percent, not the 125 percent rate Trump had earlier written about.
Here’s how Thursday unfolded.
Mexican president responds to Trump on sending water to Texas — 9:14 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum responded to Trump’s post with her own on X, saying that her administration had sent a proposal to the US State Department on Wednesday about how to address the issue of sending water to Texas.
“There have been three years of drought and to the extent that water has been available, Mexico has complied,” she wrote.
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The president said she had instructed members of her Cabinet to immediately reach out to the US Agriculture Department and State Department.
“I am sure, like with other issues, an agreement will be reached,” she said.
Trump says Mexico owes Texas water under 1944 treaty and threatens sanctions — 8:06 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Trump says Mexico owes Texas 1.3 million acre-feet of water under a 1944 treaty, and he’s threatening sanctions to try and force its compliance.
An acre foot is the amount of water needed to cover 1 acre of land to a depth of 1 foot.
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Trump posted on his social media site that Mexico is “unfortunately violating their Treaty obligation. This is very unfair.”
He wrote that Mexico “has been stealing water from Texas Farmers” and suggested that the U.S. southern neighbor’s holding out on its water obligations was to blame for Texas’ “only sugar mill” closing last year.
Trump also wrote that he’d also recently “halted water shipments” to Tijuana, on Mexico’s border with California, to try and force compliance with the 1944 water treaty.
He added: “We will keep escalating consequences, including TARIFFS and, maybe even SANCTIONS, until Mexico honors the Treaty, and GIVES TEXAS THE WATER THEY ARE OWED!”
Trump calls New York helicopter crash ‘terrible’ and says announcements on what happened could come ‘shortly’ — 7:39 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Trump is calling the helicopter that crashed upside-down into New York City’s Hudson River “terrible.”
“Looks like six people, the pilot, two adults, and three children, are no longer with us,” Trump posted on his social media site. “The footage of the accident is horrendous. God bless the families and friends of the victims.”
The president wrote that Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and his staff “are on it.” He added that “announcements as to exactly what took place, and how, will be made shortly!”
Trump wants head of West Virginia Division of Corrections tapped as director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons — 7:38 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Trump says he wants William “Billy” Marshall III tapped as director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
In a post on his social media site, the president said Marshall “has a distinguished” law enforcement career, “rising from the ranks of the West Virginia State Police to serving as the current Commissioner of the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.”
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Trump added that Marshall is “a Strong Advocate for LAW AND ORDER. He understands the struggles of our prisons better than anyone, and will help fix our broken Criminal Justice System.”
Usually the attorney general, not the president, makes appoints to be director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The position doesn’t require confirmation from the Senate.
The finer details of the Supreme Court’s order on Abrego Garcia — 7:36 p.m.
By the Associated Press
US District Judge Paula Xinis had ordered Kilmar Abrego Garcia, now being held in a notorious Salvadoran prison, returned to the US by midnight Monday. Chief Justice John Roberts had paused Xinis’ order to give the court time to weigh the issue.
That deadline has now passed, and the justices directed the judge to clarify her order to take into account how the transfer could affect foreign affairs — specifically the relationship with El Salvador.The high court also said the administration should be prepared to share what steps it already has taken and what it still might do.
The court’s liberal justices said the administration should have hastened to correct “its egregious error” and was “plainly wrong” to suggest it could not bring him home.
“The Government’s argument, moreover, implies that it could deport and incarcerate any person, including U.S. citizens, without legal consequence, so long as it does so before a court can intervene,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote, joined by her two colleagues.
NYT: Trump may seek judicial oversight of Columbia, potentially for years — 7:29 p.m.
By the New York Times
The Trump administration may seek to have a federal judge enforce any deal it reaches with Columbia University in an arrangement that could ensure that the White House has a hand in the school’s dealings for years to come, according to four people with knowledge of the matter who spoke with the New York Times.
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Administration officials are discussing the possibility of seeking a consent decree to ratify any agreement the White House reaches in its negotiations with the school after the federal government canceled about $400 million in grants and contracts and accused Columbia of failing to stem harassment of Jewish students on campus last year.
A decree could allow President Trump to continue to exert power over one of New York City’s flagship universities, and could serve as a model for other schools seeking to negotiate with the White House.
But the university and the administration have yet to reach a deal, and putting a consent decree in place could require an extended process.
Supreme Court says Trump administration must facilitate return of deported Maryland man — 7:02 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The Supreme Court on Thursday said the Trump administration must facilitate the return of a Maryland man who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador, rejecting the administration’s emergency appeal.
The court acted in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran citizen who had an immigration court order preventing his deportation to his native country over fears he would face persecution from local gangs.
U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis had ordered Abrego Garcia returned to the United States by midnight Monday. Chief Justice John Roberts paused Xinis’ order to give the court time to weigh the issue.
That deadline has now passed and the justices directed the judge to clarify her order, which called on the administration to “faciliate and effectuate” Abrego Garcia’s return.
The high court also said the administration should be prepared to share what steps it already has taken and what it still might do.
The administration claims Abrego Garcia is a member of the MS-13 gang, though he has never been charged with or convicted of a crime. His attorneys said there is no evidence he was in MS-13.
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The administration has conceded that it made a mistake in sending him to El Salvador, where he is being held in a notorious prison, but also argued that it no longer could do anything about it.
Judge halts Trump administration from ending humanitarian parole for people from four countries — 5:16 p.m.
By the Associated Press
A federal judge said she will halt the Trump administration from ending a program that allowed hundreds of thousands of Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans to temporarily live in the United States.
US District Judge Indira Talwani that she will issue a stay on the program, which was set to end later this month. The push to help more than half-a-million Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans is part of a broader legal effort to protect nationals from Ukraine, Afghanistan and other countries who are here legally.
Last month, the administration revoked legal protections for hundreds of thousands of Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans, setting them up for potential deportation in 30 days. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said they will lose their legal status on April 24.
Judge allows Trump administration mandate that everyone in the country illegally must register to move forward — 5:04 p.m.
By the Associated Press
A federal judge is allowing the Trump administration to move forward with a requirement that everyone in the country illegally register with the federal government. The move could have far-reaching repercussions for immigrants across the country.
Judge Trevor Neil McFadden, sided with the administration, which had argued that they were simply enforcing an already existing requirement for everyone in the country who wasn’t an American citizen to register with the government.
The requirement goes into effect Friday.
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Lawsuit filed over Trump administration’s cancelation of work helping schools under desegregation orders — 4:47 p.m.
By the Associated Press
An organization that helped public schools in the South meet federal civil rights laws is suing the Trump administration for terminating its work. The Atlanta-based Southern Education Foundation assisted school districts under federal desegregation court orders to address challenges including teacher shortages.
Trump’s administration in February canceled the Southern Education Foundation’s contract to run an Equity Assistance Center after he signed executive orders calling for the elimination of diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
The lawsuit filed Wednesday by the Southern Education Foundation challenges the decision to cancel its contract, calling it “capricious” and “unlawful.”
“Far from violating civil rights law,” the Equity Assistance Center “enforces the civil rights law,” the lawsuit said.
Congress authorized funding for what were originally called “Desegregation Centers” through Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, promoting public school desegregation.
RFK Jr. says HHS will determine the cause of autism by September — 4:44 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The nation’s top health agency will undertake a “massive testing and research effort” to determine the cause of autism, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced.
Kennedy, a longtime vaccine critic who has pushed a discredited theory that routine childhood shots cause the developmental disability, said the effort will be completed by September and involve hundreds of scientists. He shared the plans with President Donald Trump during a televised Cabinet meeting.
Trump suggested that vaccines could be to blame for autism rates, although decades of research have concluded there is no link between the two.
“There’s got to be something artificial out there that’s doing this,” Trump told Kennedy. “If you can come up with that answer, where you stop taking something, eating something, or maybe it’s a shot. But something’s causing it.”
Pronouns in some reporters’ email signatures get a stony response from Trump administration — 4:31 p.m.
By the Associated Press
You know those email signatures at the end of messages? The ones that include a range of information about the senders — phone numbers, addresses, social media handles. And in recent years, pronouns — letting the recipient know that the sender goes by “she,” “he,” “they” or something else, a digital acknowledgement that people claim a range of gender identities.
Among those who don’t agree with that are Trump and members of his administration. They have taken aim at what he calls “gender ideology” with measures like an executive order requiring the United States to recognize only two biological sexes, male and female. Federal employees were told to take any references to their pronouns out of their email signatures.
That stance seems to have spread beyond those who work for the government to those covering it. According to some journalists’ accounts, officials in the administration have refused to engage with reporters who have pronouns listed in their signatures.
S&P 500 falls 3.5% as Wall Street swings from euphoria back to worries about US-China trade war — 4:08 p.m.
By the Associated Press
US stocks surrendered a chunk of their historic gains from the day before as Trump’s trade war continues to threaten the economy.
The S&P 500 fell 3.5% on Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 2.5%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 4.3%.
Florida brings charges against a man jailed on federal counts of trying to assassinate Trump — 3:31 p.m.
By the Associated Press
A man already jailed on federal charges of attempting to assassinate then-presidential candidate Donald Trump as he golfed last fall will face additional state terrorism and attempted murder charges, Florida’s attorney general said.
Ryan Routh tried to undermine the country’s political system and will face state attempted first-degree murder and terrorism charges, Attorney General James Uthmeier said.
“Attempting to take the life of a former president and a leading presidential candidate isn’t just an attack on one man, this was a political attack against our Republican form of government and our shares American values,” Uthmeier said.
Trump’s tariffs are part of ‘realigning the global trade relationships,’ Wisconsin congressman says — 3:23 p.m.
By the Associated Press
“The European Union is a mafia,” Republican Representative Derrick Van Orden said at a tele-town hall on Thursday. “They do protectionist policies with their individual industries, and then they hide it from the international community, including the United States, to give themselves a competitive trade advantage.”
Van Orden said he delivered that message to representatives from Estonia, France and Poland hours before the tariffs were paused.
“I was just telling those cats, ‘It’s over,‘” Van Orden said.
When one constituent on the town hall asked about volatility in the stock market, Van Orden said once the trade agreements are reordered “it’s going to be a lot better.”
Appeals court allows Trump administration to freeze teacher grant money — 3:18 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The White House has said that the grants violate an executive order banning diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
A lawsuit filed by groups representing teacher training programs had obtained a preliminary injunction against the cuts.
But in a different lawsuit, filed by Democratic attorneys general, the Supreme Court granted an emergency appeal from the government, allowing the administration to move forward with canceling the funding.
Plaintiffs in both cases have argued the grants are not DEI initiatives and ending them would hurt the pipeline of educators, especially in rural areas that struggle to retain teachers.
US revives program sending Afghan women abroad for education, 5 days after killing it — 3:12 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The Trump administration reversed its funding cutoff for a program that had sent 126 young Afghan women overseas for university despite a Taliban prohibition on women’s education, five days after terminating the program mid-school year without warning.
“Please disregard my previous email,” Thursday’s email from the U.S. Agency for International Development serving notice of the program’s reinstatement said. The email was viewed by The Associated Press.
Elon Musk associate Jeremy Lewin abruptly suspended hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts for some of USAID’s last remaining humanitarian work around the world over the weekend.
Lewin and the State Department reinstated some of the funding Tuesday after the AP reported on the cuts. US funding for U.N. emergency food programs in Afghanistan and Yemen remains cut, however.
Lawmakers, the U.N. and aid organizations had pushed for restoration of the contracts.
The women’s education program, a project with Texas A & M University, is funded by interest payments from a $50 million 2019 endowment by USAID. Program managers say the project has no employees or office in Afghanistan.
Pressed for evidence against Mahmoud Khalil, government cites its power to deport people for beliefs — 2:44 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Facing a deadline to turn over evidence for its attempted deportation of Columbia University activist Mahmoud Khalil, the federal government has instead submitted a brief memo, citing the Trump administration’s authority to expel noncitizens whose presence in the country damages US foreign policy interests.
The two-page memo, which was obtained by The Associated Press and is signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, does not allege any criminal conduct by Khalil, a legal permanent US resident and student who served as spokesperson for campus activists last year during large demonstrations against Israel’s treatment of Palestinians and the war in Gaza.
Rather, Rubio wrote, Khalil could be expelled for his beliefs.
Attorneys for Khalil said the memo proved the Trump administration was “targeting Mahmoud’s free speech rights about Palestine.”
RFK Jr. orders US Health Department to determine the cause of autism by September — 2:36 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said during a Cabinet meeting with Trump that he is undertaking a “massive testing and research effort” to determine the cause of autism.
Autism is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain that presents with a wide range of symptoms that may include delays in language, learning, social and emotional skills.
Kennedy said on Thursday that by September, “we will know” the cause of the developmental disability.
Scientists believe genetics and environmental factors can play a role, but the exact cause is unknown.
Anti-vaccine advocates, including Kennedy, have for years inaccurately claimed that routine childhood shots may cause autism.
The belief first gained traction decades ago after the publication of flawed studies that have since been retracted. Decades’ worth of subsequent studies have found no connection between vaccines and autism.
US ambassador to Ukraine to step down as peace talks uncertain — 2:34 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The departure of Bridget Brink after nearly three years in Kyiv comes at a time of uncertainty over the Trump administration’s attempts to broker a peace deal to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
The State Department said on Thursday that Brink will be leaving her post, although it was not immediately clear exactly when she would depart.
Brink assumed the post under former President Joe Biden’s administration and has been a staunch advocate for US military assistance to Ukraine.
Her resignation had been expected for some time, especially considering the Trump administration’s premium on rapprochement with Russia and ending the war.
Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. assassination papers to be made public, Gabbard says — 2:33 p.m.
By the Associated Press
National intelligence director Tulsi Gabbard said at the Cabinet meeting that more than 100 people have been working “around the clock” to scan papers related to the 1960s killings of both leaders.
Gabbard told Trump that the papers have been “sitting in boxes in storage for decades” and “have never been scanned or seen before.” She said they’d be ready for release soon.
Kennedy’s son, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who also was at the meeting, said he was “very grateful” when Trump asked how he left about the pending release.
Trump ordered the papers released when he took office again in January.
Trump touts release by Russian-American convicted of treason — 2:17 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Ksenia Karelina, a ballerina, was released on Thursday as part of a prisoner swap and is on her way back to the US.
On the other end of the exchange was a Russian German man jailed on smuggling charges in the US.
Trump said at a Cabinet meeting that he appreciated the release by Russia and that it followed conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump credited the involvement of UFC CEO Dana White, a friend of his, for bringing attention to the case.
Karelina’s fiance, Chris Van Heerden, is a professional boxer.
Trump’s Cabinet meeting ends after more than an hour — 2:10 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Seated around a large oval table, Trump had each department head give brief reports on what they are doing.
Several Cabinet secretaries used the opportunity to slip in praise for Trump’s style of leadership.
Elon Musk also attended and spoke about the work he’s doing cutting the government and the savings he expects to achieve.
The House passed a requirement to prove US citizenship to vote. This is how it could affect voting. — 1:56 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The US House approved legislation requiring documentary proof of US citizenship for anyone registering to vote, something voting rights groups have warned could disenfranchise millions of Americans.
The bill, known as the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or the SAVE Act, now heads to the Senate, where its fate is uncertain because Republicans don’t have a large enough majority to avoid a filibuster.
If it eventually becomes the law, the SAVE Act would take effect immediately and apply to all voter registration applications.
“This has no impact on individuals that are currently registered to vote,” said Representative Bryan Steil, a Wisconsin Republican who has been advocating for the bill.
Voting rights groups say there is more to the story.
The law would affect voters who already are registered if they move, change their name or otherwise need to update their registration. That was acknowledged to some extent by the bill’s author, Republican Representative Chip Roy of Texas, during a recent hearing on the legislation.
Read more about how the bill could affect voting in the U.S.
Musk sets lower target for DOGE savings — 1:42 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Like usual, Elon Musk participated in Trump’s Cabinet meeting to promote his work with the Department of Government Efficiency.
In a message to Americans, he said, “We’re going to be spending their tax dollars in a way that is fair and sensible and good.”
But there was something different about his remarks this time.
Musk said he expected to achieve $150 billion in savings during the next fiscal year by reducing waste and fraud, which he described as “very common.”
That’s much lower than his previous target of cutting $1 trillion — a number he used last month in a Fox News interview.
Musk and Trump have said the billionaire entrepreneur will likely end his job with the administration in the near future.
Trump says he will let farmers ‘recommend’ migrants to remain in country — 1:31 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Trump said at his Cabinet meeting that he’s going to allow farmers to recommend migrant workers who can remain in the country for a while and eventually be admitted to the country with legal status.
Trump offered few details about the new proposal, which seems to be a softening of his pledge for a large-scale deportation of immigrants who are in the country illegally.
“So the farmer will come in with a letter concerning certain people saying ‘They’re great. They’re working hard.’ We’re going to slow it down a little bit for them,” Trump said.
Yellen says Trump has taken a ‘wrecking ball’ to the US economy — 1:19 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Former Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told CNN International that Trump’s recent sweeping tariffs are “the worst self-inflicted wound that I have ever seen an administration impose on a well-functioning economy.”
Yellen, a former Federal Reserve Chair, said the US “had a very well-functioning economy and President Trump has taken a wrecking ball to it.”
Yellen served as Fed chair under both Trump and former President Barack Obama.
Trump says he’s ‘very happy’ and defends his moves on tariffs — 12:56 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Trump has opened a meeting with his Cabinet by defending his moves on tariffs.
“We’re very happy with the way the country’s running. We’re trying to get the world to treat us fairly,” Trump said.
He said of yesterday’s retreat from many of his steep tariffs and the market’s wild swings, “We had a big day yesterday.”
Trump congratulates House for passing budget bill — 12:43 p.m.
By the Associated Press
In a post on his social media site, Trump said the bill’s passage “sets the stage for one of the Greatest and Most Important Signings in the History of our Country.”
The measure next goes to the White House for the Republican president’s signature.
House Republicans voted narrowly on Thursday to approve the bill after Speaker Mike Johnson worked into the night to satisfy party holdouts who had refused to vote for trillions of dollars in tax breaks without deeper cuts to federal spending.
Officials from the US and Russia meet in Istanbul — 12:40 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Officials from the United States and Russia met on Thursday in Istanbul to discuss repairing long-strained diplomatic relations even while a ceasefire agreement to end the Russia-Ukraine war remains elusive.
The State Department said the talks resulted in the exchange of notes “to finalize an understanding to ensure the stability of diplomatic banking for Russian and U.S. bilateral missions” in the two countries.
Both countries had imposed financial sanctions on each other’s embassies and consulates in recent years after the onset of Russia-Ukraine hostilities and had also ordered dramatic drawdowns in their respective diplomatic presences. A finalized agreement on banking could be a first step toward restoring staffing to those missions.
However, staffing levels are still a concern, according to the State Department.
Other issues remain unresolved, including the status of closed Russian consulates and other facilities in the United States and US consulates in Russia.
The two sides agreed to hold follow-up meetings at dates and venues to be determined, the State Department said in a statement.
S&P 500 slumps 5% after White House clarifies the US is tariffing China at 145% — 12:13 p.m.
By the Associated Press
US stocks are giving back much of their historic gains from the day before as Wall Street weighs a trade war that has cooled in temperature but is still threatening the economy.
The S&P 500 fell 5 percent..
The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1,746 points, and the Nasdaq composite sank 5.8 percent.
Even a better-than-expected report on inflation wasn’t enough to get US stocks to climb further. Losses for stocks accelerated after the White House clarified that Chinese imports will be tariffed at 145 percent, not the 125 percent rate that Trump had earlier written about.
Agriculture secretary suggests March rise in egg prices are a blip — 11:43 a.m.
By the Associated Press
US egg prices increased in March to reach a record high of $6.23 per dozen, even with a drop in wholesale prices and no egg farms having bird flu outbreaks.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Thursday suggested the rise in egg prices will be temporary, however. She pointed to the Consumer Price Index more broadly showing a slight dip for goods and services cost across the US economy in March.
“We’re also moving into the Super Bowl of eggs, which is Easter,” Rollins said. “So from the beginning, I’ve said this is sort of the high price for retail for eggs, but we feel very confident that will continue to come back down.”
Kennedy Center bars staff from wearing face masks in public — 11:39 a.m.
By the Associated Press
An email was sent by human resources this week, stating: “Masks should not be worn in public spaces in the Kennedy Center. This is especially important for our public-facing staff and front of house employees.”
A staff member, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, confirmed the change in policy. The staffer at the Washington-based performing arts center said they were concerned for people who might need masks for health reasons.
On Thursday, a page on health and safety on the center’s website was no longer available. The page used to state: “Masks are optional in all Kennedy Center spaces for visitors and staff. If you prefer to wear a mask, you are welcome to do so.”
US is actually tariffing China at 145% — 11:37 a.m.
By the Associated Press
When Trump said Wednesday that Chinese imports would be tariffed at 125 percent, that wasn’t completely accurate.
His post on Truth Social had excluded the 20 percent tariffs that the US president put on China for its role in the production of fentanyl. The White House said Thursday once that figure is added in that the new tariffs total 145 percent.
Previous statements by administration officials had emphasized the 125 percent rate.
House passes GOP bill requiring proof of US citizenship for voting, a Trump priority — 11:32 a.m.
By the Associated Press
House Republicans passed one of their signature issues for the year on Thursday, approving legislation to require proof of US citizenship when registering to vote for federal elections, one of President Trump’s top election-related priorities.
Democrats lined up against the bill and warned that it risks disenfranchising millions of Americans who do not have ready access to the proper documents.
Trump has long signaled a desire to change how elections are run in the US and last month issued a sweeping executive order that included a citizenship requirement, among other election-related changes.
Top Republicans have argued the legislation, known as the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, is necessary to ensure only citizens vote in US elections and “cements into law” Trump’s order.
This marks Republicans’ second attempt at passing the SAVE Act. It passed the House last year but failed in the Senate amid Democratic opposition.
Trump to sign into law a roll-back on crypto reporting rules — 11:27 a.m.
By the Associated Press
A Trump administration official said Trump will sign a bill into law today that overturns the Biden Administration’s “Broker Rule,” which requires digital asset brokers to report certain decentralized financial — or DeFi — transactions to the IRS.
The move rolls back the regulation that was set to take effect on the crypto industry in 2027. It is Trump’s first crypto regulation signing since taking office in January.
Republicans have railed against the rule, arguing that it is unworkable since DeFi platforms operate on blockchains without human intervention and the rule stifles innovation in the crypto space, threatening to push digital asset innovation overseas.
House narrowly approves framework for Trump’s big agenda bill after intense wrangling wins over Republican holdouts — 11:15 a.m.
By the Associated Press
House Republicans narrowly approved their budget framework on Thursday, a political turnaround after Speaker Mike Johnson worked into the night to satisfy GOP holdouts who had refused to advance trillions of dollars in tax breaks without deeper spending cuts.
Johnson stood with Senate Majority Leader John Thune early in the morning at the Capitol and said Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” which seeks as much as $1.5 trillion in cuts to federal programs and services, was on track. The speaker had abruptly halted voting Wednesday night.
“I believe we have the votes,” said Johnson, R-La. “We’ll take the next big step.”
Thune, R-S.D., also tried to assure House conservatives that many GOP senators are aligned with their pursuit of spending reductions.
“We certainly are going to do everything we can,” Thune said.
The 216-214 vote pushed the budget plan forward, one more milestone for Johnson, who could only lose a few detractors from his slim Republican majority.
Deputy ATF chief is forced out, AP source says — 10:33 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The second highest-ranking official at the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has been pushed out by the Trump administration, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.
Marvin Richardson, who has served since 2019 as deputy director of the agency responsible for enforcing US gun laws, has decided to retire after being told Wednesday evening to either leave or be fired, the person said. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a personnel matter.
Richardson didn’t immediately respond to an email on Thursday. A Justice Department official declined to comment.
It comes amid intense upheaval at the agency that’s long been a target of conservatives.
On Wednesday, ATF senior leaders were informed that Kash Patel, the FBI director who also had been serving as acting ATF chief, had been replaced by Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll.
Johnson meeting with GOP holdouts before key vote to get to Trump priorities — 10:30 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Speaker Mike Johnson is meeting with holdouts before a key vote that’s necessary for Republicans to extend tax cuts and boost border security spending later this year without any help from Democrats.
The holdouts are seeking greater assurances that Republicans will deliver significant spending cuts to go along with extending the individual and estate tax cuts that expire at the end of this year.
- Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., said the only commitments so far are verbal. “I’d like to see something in writing,” Burchett said.
- Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., said he’s still uncommitted going into the meeting, and was looking for “a little bit more solid assurance” on spending cuts.
- Rep. Andy Harris, chairman of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, struck an optimistic tone going into the meeting. “I think there is progress being made,” Harris said.
Man accused of trying to assassinate Trump on his golf course to be charged — 10:19 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Ryan Routh will be charged with first-degree murder and terrorism, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said on Thursday.
Prosecutors say Routh methodically plotted to kill Trump at Trump’s West Palm Beach golf course last September. Routh allegedly aimed his rifle at a Secret Service agent, who opened fire and prompted him to drop his weapon and flee without firing.
The Secret Service had spotted Routh before Trump came into view at the golf course.
“Attempting to take the life of a former president and a leading presidential candidate isn’t just an attack on one man — this was a political attack against our Republican form of government and our shared American values,” Uthmeier said.
Democrats seek ethics investigation into possible insider trading by Trump associates — 10:18 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Senate Democrats are asking for the US Office of Government Ethics to look into whether anyone benefitted financially from advanced knowledge of Trump’s decision to back down on tariffs to most countries on Wednesday.
The Republican president said on social media on Wednesday morning that it was a “great time to buy,” then announced less than four hours later that nearly all tariffs would be paused for 90 days. It caused the stock market to soar.
Democratic Sens. Adam Schiff of California and Ruben Gallego of Arizona released a letter this morning to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Jamieson Greer, the acting director of the ethics office, asking for “an urgent inquiry into whether President Trump, his family, or other members of the administration engaged in insider trading or other illegal financial transactions.”
While Democrats don’t have power to force the investigation, they are hoping the demands direct scrutiny at the issue.
China to distribute fewer American movies — 10:01 a.m.
By the Associated Press
China on Thursday said it will “appropriately reduce the number of imported US films,” as the tariff war has escalated between the world’s two largest economies.
A spokesperson for the China Film Administration said it is “inevitable” that Chinese audiences would find American films less palatable given the “wrong move by the US to wantonly implement tariffs on China.”
The spokesperson said China would follow market rules and respect the preferences of China’s moviegoers to reduce the import of American films. Chinese authorities have long controlled the distribution of foreign films, limiting them to a set quota each year.
China and the US are the world’s two largest film markets by box office revenue.
Official White House Christmas ornament honors 150 years of culinary diplomacy — 10:00 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Unveiled Thursday by the White House Historical Association, the ornament features the red china plate of former President Ronald Reagan’s administration on one side and the gold-rimmed china plate of former President Bill Clinton’s on the other.
First issued in 1981, the ornament usually honors presidents in their order of service; last year’s was a tribute to former President Jimmy Carter.
But Stewart McLaurin, the association’s president, says it sometimes is used to highlight important White House anniversaries or occasions.
President Ulysses Grant held the first state dinner in December 1874 for King David Kalakaua, one of the last monarchs of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to travel to Argentina — 9:48 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Bessent will travel to Buenos Aires on Monday to meet with President Javier Milei and Minister of Economy Luis Caputo to show support for Argentina’s “bold economic reforms,” the Treasury Department said in a statement.
Trump’s recent sweeping tariff package included 10 percent on Argentina, though on Wednesday he announced a 90-day pause on the tariffs for most countries except China — whose tariffs he raised to 125 percent.
A Treasury news release states that during his meetings in Argentina, Bessent will “reiterate the United States’ firm backing for the continued implementation of President Milei’s robust economic agenda and encourage the international community to fully support President Milei’s economic reform efforts.”
“I look forward to our positive discussions about Argentina’s economy, and to exploring the ways our nations can further deepen our vital economic relationship,” Bessent said.
S&P 500 falls 2% at the open despite an encouraging inflation update as Trump’s trade war still weighs on markets — 9:34 a.m.
By the Associated Press
US stocks are giving back some of their historic gains from the day before as Wall Street weighs a global trade war that has cooled in temperature but is still threatening the economy.
The S&P 500 was down 2.3 percent early Thursday, a day after surging 9.5 percent following Trump’s decision to pause many of his tariffs worldwide. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 685 points, and the Nasdaq composite was down 2.9 percent.
Even a better-than-expected report on inflation wasn’t enough to get stocks to add to their gains from the day before, including the S&P 500’s third-best since 1940.
Aide downplays timing of Trump’s call to buy stocks shortly before announcing tariff pause — 9:26 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Hours before he announced his 90-day pause on tariffs, Trump took to social media to tell Americans, “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!!”
With the pause, stocks soared on Wednesday — with the market, measured by the S&P 500, gaining back about $4 trillion.
Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council, pushed back against questions about whether the timing of Trump’s social media post amounted to market manipulation.
“I think the president’s policy has gotten us to a very successful place where we’ve got countries all around the world lining up to come up with policy changes that are going to make America great again,” Hassett told reporters when asked on Thursday. “And I don’t think that he ever had any other intent other than to get the people to the table with serious policies on our part that were going to go into place and be permanent. If people didn’t change” their policies.
Top US envoy to WTO defends Trump’s tariff policies — 9:06 a.m.
By the Associated Press
David Bisbee, the interim head of the US mission to the World Trade Organization, insisted the United States was “taking action it considers necessary for the protection of its essential security interests” — a move he said was allowed under the trade body’s rules.
Bisbee on Thursday told a WTO gathering that Trump had taken steps to address an “emergency” caused by persistent annual US goods trade deficits, which the envoy said topped $1 trillion each of the past two years.
The US diplomatic mission in Geneva provided The Associated Press with a copy of Bisbee’s comments during a closed-door WTO session.
On Wednesday — before Trump announced a suspension of nearly all of the tariffs against trading partners, except for China — a Chinese government representative accused the United States of setting the global trading system “ablaze” with the tariffs.
White House aides to strategize on way forward for Trump tariffs — 8:37 a.m.
By the Associated Press
President Trump’s top economic advisers will gather a day after the president announced he was suspending for 90 days import taxes on dozens of countries while escalating his trade war with China to discuss the president’s options moving forward.
“The chief of staff’s office has called all the principals who have, you know, skin in the game and discuss their views about how this should go,” Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council, told reporters on Thursday.
Hassett added that 15 countries have already presented offers to the administration aimed at getting Trump to drop his reciprocal tariffs. He did not detail which countries have presented offers.
Trump’s Thursday schedule — 8:35 a.m.
By the Associated Press
This morning, at 10 a.m., Trump will receive his intelligence briefing in the Oval Office.
At 11 a.m., he will participate in a cabinet meeting.
At 12:30 p.m., he will attend the swearing-in ceremony for the solicitor general.
Later, at 4 p.m., he will participate in a bill signing in the Oval Office, according to the White House.
Global shares jump following historic gains on Wall St after Trump paused most of his tariffs — 8:22 a.m.
By the Associated Press
World markets soared on Thursday, with Japan’s benchmark jumping more than 9% as investors welcomed Trump’s decision to put his latest tariff hikes on hold for 90 days.
In early trading, Germany’s DAX initially gained more than 8%. By midmorning, they were up 5.3% at 20,720.86, while France’s CAC 40 in Paris gained 5% to 7,204.23. Britain’s FTSE 100 surged 4.0% to 7,983.37.
Chinese shares saw more moderate gains, given yet another jump in the tariffs each side is imposing on each others’ exports.
The future for the S&P 500 was down 2.1% while the contract for the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.6%.
Analysts had expected the global comeback given that US stocks had one of their best days in history on Wednesday as investors registered their relief over Trump’s decision.
China reaches out to others as Trump layers on tariffs — 8:20 a.m.
By the Associated Press
China is reaching out to other nations as the US layers on more tariffs in what appears to be an attempt to form a united front to compel Washington to retreat. Days into the effort, it’s meeting only partial success with many countries unwilling to ally with the main target of Trump’s trade war.
China has thus far focused on Europe, with a phone call between Premier Li Qiang and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen “sending a positive message to the outside world.”
That was followed by a video conference between Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao and EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Šefčović on Tuesday to discuss the US “reciprocal tariffs.”
Wang has also spoken with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, while Li, the premier, has met with business leaders. China has “already made a full evaluation and is prepared to deal with all kinds of uncertainties, and will introduce incremental policies according to the needs of the situation,” Xinhua quoted Li as saying.
Another U-Turn: Trump reverses tariffs that caused market meltdown, but companies remain bewildered — 8:16 a.m.
By the Associated Press
President Trump delivered another jarring reversal in American trade policy Wednesday, suspending for 90 days import taxes he’d imposed barely 13 hours earlier on dozens of countries while escalating his trade war with China. The moves triggered a powerful stock market rally on Wall Street but left businesses, investors and America’s trading partners bewildered about what the president is attempting to achieve.
The U-turn came after the sweeping global tariffs Trump announced last week set off a four-day rout in global financial markets, paralyzed businesses and raised fears the US and world economies would tumble into recession.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt tried to characterize the sudden change in policy as part of a grand negotiating strategy. But to those outside the Trump administration, it looked like a cave-in to market pressure and to growing fears that the president’s impetuous use of import taxes — tariffs — would cause massive collateral economic damage.
The EU will put tariff retaliation on hold for 90 days to match Trump’s pause — 8:15 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The European Union’s executive commission said Thursday it will put its retaliation measures against new US tariffs on hold for 90 days to match President Trump’s pause on his sweeping new tariffs and leave room for a negotiated solution.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the commission, which handles trade for the 27 member countries, “took note of the announcement by President Trump.”
New tariffs on 20.9 billion euros ($23 billion) of US goods will be put on hold for 90 days because “we want to give negotiations a chance,” she said in a statement.
But she warned: “If negotiations are not satisfactory, our countermeasures will kick in.”
Trump imposed a 20% levy on goods from the EU as part of his onslaught of tariffs against global trading partners but has said he will pause them for 90 days to give countries a chance to negotiate solutions to US trade concerns.
‘We’ve been vindicated’: The return of the college Republican — 5:30 a.m.
By Adelaide Parker, Globe Correspondent
At Harvard and beyond, college conservatives are experiencing a renaissance. Gen Z is leaning more Republican than ever. Though the generation slightly favored Kamala Harris over Trump in 2024, young voters have been shifting steeply to the right.
According to research from Tufts University, 40 percent of young women said they voted for Trump in 2024, compared with 33 percent in 2020. The shift is larger among young men, a demographic President Trump won in 2024: 56 percent of 18- to 29-year-old men said they voted for Joe Biden in 2020; four years later, that same proportion reported voting for Trump.
EU chief welcomes Trump’s tariff pause but is quiet about the bloc’s own retaliatory duty plan — 4:07 a.m.
By the Associated Press
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday welcomed President Trump’s decision to temporarily halt most US tariffs, but she did not say whether the European Union intends to press ahead with its own retaliatory measures.
“I have authorized a 90 day PAUSE,” Trump said, after recognizing the more than 75 countries that he said have been negotiating on trade and had not retaliated against his latest increases in tariffs. Countries subject to the pause will now be tariffed at 10 percent. The EU’s rate was 20 percent, but it was not entirely clear how the 27-nation bloc would be impacted.
China reaches out to others as Trump layers on tariffs — 3:11 a.m.
By the Associated Press
China is reaching out to other nations as the US layers on more tariffs, in what appears to be an attempt by Beijing to form a united front to compel Washington to retreat. Days into the effort, it’s meeting only partial success from countries unwilling to ally with the main target of President Trump’s trade war.
Facing the cratering of global markets, Trump on Wednesday backed off his tariffs on most nations for 90 days, saying countries were lining up to negotiate more favorable conditions.
China has refused to seek talks, saying the US was insincere and that it will “fight to the end” in a tariff war, prompting Trump to further jack up the tax rate on Chinese imports to 125 percent. China has retaliated with tariffs on US goods of 84 percent, which took effect Thursday.
Johnson vows to try again after GOP holdouts block action on Trump’s ‘big, beautiful’ budget bill — 2:25 a.m.
By the Associated Press
After abruptly halting votes, House Speaker Mike Johnson vowed to try again Thursday to approve a Republican budget framework, having worked into the night to satisfy GOP holdouts who refused to advance trillions of dollars in tax breaks without deeper spending cuts.
Even a hefty push from President Trump couldn’t heave the package to approval. Johnson was forced to abandon Wednesday’s scheduled action as the Republican hardliners left him without enough support, and risked upending what the president calls the “big, beautiful bill,” which is central to his agenda of tax cuts, mass deportations and a smaller federal government.
“The president is very anxious for us to get this done,” Johnson said as he left a late-night meeting with the GOP lawmakers. He said he expects votes on Thursday.
The week that Trump pushed the global economy to the brink with tariffs and then pulled back — 1:48 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The stock market was soaring and the sun was shining when President Trump stepped out of the Oval Office on Wednesday afternoon. Less than two hours earlier, he had retreated from his plans to increase tariffs on many US trading partners, and investors were rejoicing after bracing for a global economic meltdown.
“You’ve got the markets seeing your brilliance,” Senator John Barrasso, a Republican from Wyoming, told the president.
Trump agreed. “Nobody’s ever heard of it,” he declared.
It was a typical bit of hyperbole that, in this case, was true. Even by the standards of Trump’s second term, the saga that had played out over the past week left the world struggling to catch its breath.
The president, of his own doing, had single-handedly pushed the global economy to the brink of chaos with new tariffs. The stock market cratered, businesses tore up their plans and foreign leaders prepared for a future without the world’s richest nation at the center of international trade.
Trump’s new energy order puts states’ climate laws in the crosshairs of the Department of Justice — 12:37 a.m.
By the Associated Press
A new executive order from President Trump that’s part of his effort to invigorate energy production raises the possibility that his Department of Justice will go to court against state climate change laws aimed at slashing planet-warming greenhouse gas pollution from fossil fuels.
Trump’s order, signed Tuesday, comes as US electricity demand ramps up to meet the growth of artificial intelligence and cloud computing applications, as well as federal efforts to expand high-tech manufacturing. It also coincides with “climate superfund” legislation gaining traction in various states.
Trump has declared a " national energy emergency " and ordered his attorney general to take action against states that may be illegally overreaching their authority in how they regulate energy development.