What happened
President Donald Trump held the first Cabinet meeting of his second term Wednesday, inviting billionaire Elon Musk to expound on his DOGE cost-cutting effort and ensuring that Cabinet members knew Musk had his full support. Trump also declined to say the U.S. would protect Taiwan if China invaded, said Ukraine will sign a mineral deal on Friday, suggested tariffs on Canada and Mexico could be postponed until April 2 and said 25% tariffs on the European Union were coming "very soon."
Who said what
"The European Union was formed in order to screw the United States," Trump said, and "they've done a good job of it." He said the tariffs "will be on cars and all other things." A European Commission spokesperson said the EU "has been a boon for the United States" and "will react firmly and immediately against unjustified" tariffs.
With nascent negotiations, "the eventual tariffs imposed on the EU could be less than 25%," The Wall Street Journal said. But after Trump's "embrace of Russia" and "warnings that Europe had better fend for itself," the tariff threats "added to the increasing view" in Europe that Trump "considers America's traditional allies in Europe as adversaries not just on trade, but on nearly everything," The New York Times said. The question is whether Trump is "merely indifferent to Europe" or feels "open hostility."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What next?
Mexican Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard will meet Thursday with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, confirmed Wednesday in a 56-43 vote, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is meeting with Trump to discuss trade, Ukraine and other trans-Atlantic topics.
-
The 8 greatest heist movies of all timethe week recommends True stories, social commentary and pure escapism highlight these great robbery movies
-
Ecuador rejects push to allow US military basesSpeed Read Voters rejected a repeal of a constitutional ban on US and other foreign military bases in the country
-
Why are China and Japan fighting over Taiwan?Today's Big Question Comments on Taiwan draw Beijing's rebuke
-
Ecuador rejects push to allow US military bases
Speed Read Voters rejected a repeal of a constitutional ban on US and other foreign military bases in the country
-
Trump pivots on Epstein vote amid GOP defectionsSpeed Read The president said House Republicans should vote on a forced release of the Justice Department’s Jeffrey Epstein files
-
Is Marjorie Taylor Greene undergoing a political realignment?TALKING POINTS The MAGA firebrand made a name for herself in Congress as one of the Donald Trump’s most unapologetic supporters. One year into Trump’s second term, a shift is afoot.
-
How are these Epstein files so damaging to Trump?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As Republicans and Democrats release dueling tranches of Epstein-related documents, the White House finds itself caught in a mess partially of its own making
-
‘Officials say exporters pay the tariffs, but consumers see the opposite’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Will California tax its billionaires?Talking Points A proposed one-time levy would shore up education and Medicaid
-
Trump DOJ sues to block California redistrictingSpeed Read California’s new congressional map was drawn by Democrats to flip Republican-held House seats
-
GOP retreats from shutdown deal payout provisionSpeed Read Senators are distancing themselves from a controversial provision in the new government funding package
