China hits back at US with tariffs of up to 15% on American goods
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China is not backing down in the tariff war with the Trump administration. And crews continue to remove the wreckage from an American Airlines jet that plunged into the Potomac River last week after a midair collision with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025.
China hits back at US with tariffs of up to 15% on American goods
China responded to President Donald Trump’s newly imposed tariffs with some of its own. China’s finance ministry said Tuesday that starting next Monday, Feb. 10, it will impose additional tariffs of 15% on coal and liquefied natural gas imports from the U.S. and 10% higher duties on American crude oil, farm equipment, and certain cars.
Point phone camera here
China’s announcement came just minutes after Trump’s additional 10% tariff on all Chinese goods took effect.
At the same time, Trump paused the 25% tariffs he promised to impose on Canada and Mexico for 30 days. Straight Arrow News reporter Lauren Taylor has the details of that pause here.
Trump has not yet spoken to Chinese President Xi Jinping about the tariffs but is expected to do so in the next few days. In addition to the tariffs against the U.S., China has also filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization.
El Salvador offers to house violent U.S. criminals and deportees of any nationality
As the U.S. continues its crackdown on undocumented immigrants, El Salvador has offered the Trump administration an unprecedented deal.
After meeting with El Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele, Secretary of State Marco Rubio explained the details of the offer.
“He has agreed to accept for deportation any illegal alien in the United States who is a criminal from any nationality, be they MS-13 or Tren de Aragua, and house them in his jails,” Rubio said. “And he’s also offered to do the same for dangerous criminals currently in custody and serving their sentence in the United States even though they’re U.S. citizens or legal residents.
We have offered the United States of America the opportunity to outsource part of its prison system.
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) February 4, 2025
We are willing to take in only convicted criminals (including convicted U.S. citizens) into our mega-prison (CECOT) in exchange for a fee.
The fee would be relatively low for… pic.twitter.com/HTNwtp35Aq
El Salvador’s president said in a post on X, “We have offered the United States the opportunity to outsource part of its prison system. We are willing to take in, only convicted criminals, including convicted U.S. citizens, into our mega-prison in exchange for a fee. The fee would be relatively low for the U.S. but significant for us, making our entire prison system, sustainable.”
It’s unclear when such a transfer might begin or if it would even be legal.
The stop in El Salvador was part of a larger tour of Central America for Secretary of State Rubio. Before heading there, Rubio was in Panama, seeking assurances on curbing China’s influence over the Panama Canal.
Rubio is also scheduled to visit Costa Rica, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic this week.
Large pieces of American Airlines jet pulled from river; more remains found
Salvage crews continued Tuesday to remove the wreckage of an American Eagle passenger jet in the Potomac River near Washington, D.C.
On Monday, Feb. 3, the first day of operations, they removed an engine and large portions of the plane’s fuselage from the water.
Investigators said the plane broke apart into three pieces in the river. Officials said the remains of the jet must be removed from the crash site to recover all 67 victims who died in the mid-air collision between Flight 5432 and an Army Black Hawk helicopter last Wednesday night, Jan. 29.
So far, officials have positively identified 55 victims. They vowed to recover everyone. Searchers found additional remains during recovery efforts Monday, but they have not yet been identified.
Once the jet’s wreckage is cleared, crews will start working to remove what remains of the helicopter. They will haul both aircraft to a National Transportation Safety Board hangar for a lengthy investigation into what caused the deadly crash.
Trump reportedly weighing plan to dismantle the Department of Education
Trump could soon sign an executive order directing Acting Secretary of Education Denise Carter to dismantle the Federal Department of Education, according to multiple reports citing sources briefed on drafts circulating among top administration officials.
The proposed order is expected to require Carter to submit a proposal to break up the department and for Congress to pass legislation to get rid of it.
It’s unclear when the president will officially make the order, but at least one White House official has said it’s expected sometime this month.
Trump creates US sovereign wealth fund, could buy into TikTok
The president has signed an executive order that outlines plans to establish a government-run sovereign wealth fund. It would serve as an economic development account and might be used to buy into TikTok as a partner.
The popular social media app operates under a 75-day period during which its owner, ByteDance, is supposed to break away from its Chinese influence.
In addition to TikTok, the fund would be used to pay for infrastructure projects in the U.S., including at airports and highways.
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Elon Musk creates confusion over IRS’ free tax filing program
Tax season is here, and several Americans are banking on the IRS’ new Direct File system to make life easier. However, they might find themselves confused about a recent social media post by Department of Government Efficiency Chair Elon Musk.
Musk shared a user’s post about the free program on his platform X and said, “That group has been deleted.”
That group has been deleted https://t.co/TICeriaLlA
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 3, 2025
That led to concerns that Americans would not be able to use the new tool to file their 2024 taxes. However, the Direct File has not been “deleted” and is still available, at least for this tax season.
Musk was referring to 18F, a government agency that worked on technology projects, including the IRS’s Direct File program. Last year, the IRS announced it would make the free electronic tax return filing system permanent.
Tax Day this year is Tuesday, April 15.
Tags: Crude oil, Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE, El Salvador, Panama Canal, Income tax, Money, Deportation, public education, farm, Crash, Gang Violence, cars, Immigrant, Airport, Immigration, China, Twitter, Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Social Media, Tech, Education, U.S. Army, IRS, Canada, TikTok, ByteDance, Mexico, Farming, Xi Jinping, Natural gas, Coal, helicopter crash, Crime, American Airlines, U.S. Congress, Marco Rubio, White House, Education Department, Department of Education, X, Washington DC, Black Hawk helicopter, Death, plane crash, Costa Rica, Panama, websites, Dominican Republic, Trade, Prison, Prisoners, Taxes, National Transportation Safety Board
[CRAIG NIGRELLI]
THIS MORNING — CHINA IS HITTING BACK AT PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S NEWLY IMPOSED TARIFFS WITH SOME OF ITS OWN.
CHINA’S FINANCE MINISTRY SAID TODAY IT WILL IMPOSE ADDITIONAL TARIFFS OF 15 PERCENT ON COAL AND LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS IMPORTS FROM THE
UNITES STATES, AND 10 PERCENT HIGHER DUTIES ON AMERICAN CRUDE OIL, FARM EQUIPMENT AND CERTAIN CARS, STARTING NEXT MONDAY.
CHINA’S ANNOUNCEMENT CAME JUST MINUTES AFTER TRUMP’S ADDITIONAL 10 PERCENT TARIFF ON **ALL**CHINESE GOODS TOOK EFFECT.
THIS COMES AS TRUMP PUT A 30-DAY PAUSE ON THE 25 PERCENT TARIFFS HE PROMISED TO SLAP ON CANADA AND MEXICO.
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS NOT YET TALKED TO CHINESE PRESIDENT XI JINPING ABOUT THE TARIFF TIT-FOR-TAT, BUT IS EXPECTED TO DO SO IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
IN ADDITION TO TARIFFS OF ITS OWN AGAINST THE U-S, CHINA HAS ALSO FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION.
AS THE UNITED STATES CONTINUES ITS CRACKDOWN ON UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS — EL SALVADOR HAS OFFERED THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AN UNPRECEDENTED DEAL.
AFTER MEETING WITH EL SALVADORIAN PRESIDENT NAYIB BUKELE, SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO LAID OUT THE DETAILS OF THE OFFER.
MARCO RUBIO | U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE
“He has agreed to accept for deportation any illegal alien in the United States who is a criminal from any nationality, be they MS-13 or Tren de Aragua and house them in his jails.”
“And he’s also offered to do the same for dangerous criminals currently in custody and serving their sentence in the United States even though they’re U.S. citizens or legal residents.”
EL SAVADOR’S PRESIDENT SAID IN A POST ON X – QUOTE
“WE HAVE OFFERED THE UNITED STATES THE OPPORTUNITY TO OUTSOURCE PART OF ITS PRISON SYSTEM
WE ARE WILLING TO TAKE IN, ONLY CONVICTED CRIMINALS, INCLUDING CONVICTED U.S. CITIZENS, INTO OUR MEGA-PRISON IN EXCHANGE FOR A FEE. THE FEE WOULD BE RELATIVELY LOW FOR THE U.S. BUT SIGNIFICANT FOR US, MAKING OUR ENTIRE PRISON SYSTEM, SUSTAINABLE.” END QUOTE.
IT’S NOT YET CLEAR WHEN SUCH A TRANSFER MIGHT BEGIN OR IF IT WOULD EVEN BE LEGAL.
THE STOP IN EL SALVADOR WAS PART OF A LARGER TOUR OF CENTRAL AMERICA FOR SECRETARY OF STATE RUBIO.
BEFORE HEADING TO EL SALVADOR — RUBIO WAS IN PANAMA SEEKING ASSURANCES ON CURBING CHINA’S INFLUENCE OVER THE PANAMA CANAL.
STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT RAY BOGAN HAS MORE DETAILS ON OUR WEBSITE — S-A-N DOT COM.
RUBIO IS ALSO SCHEDULED TO VISIT COSTA RICA, GUATEMALA AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC THIS WEEK.
BACK HERE IN THE U-S — SALVAGE CREWS ARE CONTINUING THEIR WORK TODAY REMOVING THE WRECKAGE OF AN AMERICAN EAGLE PASSENGER JET IN THE POTOMAC RIVER NEAR WASHINGTON, D-C.
DURING THEIR FIRST DAY OF OPERATIONS YESTERDAY, THEY REMOVED AN ENGINE AND LARGE PORTIONS OF THE PLANE’S FUSELAGE FROM THE WATER.
INVESTIGATORS HAD SAID THE PLANE BROKE APART IN THREE PIECES IN THE RIVER.
OFFICIALS SAY THE REMAINS OF THE JET MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE CRASH SITE IN ORDER TO RECOVER ALL 67 VICTIMS WHO DIED IN THE MIDAIR COLLISION BETWEEN FLIGHT 54-32 AND AN ARMY BLACK HAWK HELICOPTER LAST WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
SO FAR, OFFICIALS HAVE POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED 55 VICTIMS’, AND THEY VOW TO RECOVER EVERYONE.
SEARCHERS FOUND ADDITIONAL REMAINS, DURING RECOVERY EFFORTS YESTERDAY — BUT THEY HAVE NOT YET BEEN IDENTIFIED.
ONCE THE JET’S WRECKAGE IS CLEARED, CREWS WILL START WORKING TO REMOVE WHAT REMAINS OF THE BLACK HAWK HELICOPTER.
THEY WILL HAUL IT TO A NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION AND SAFETY BOARD HANGAR FOR A LENGTHY INVESTIGATION INTO WHAT CAUSED THE DEADLY CRASH.
BACK TO THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION NOW — THE PRESIDENT COULD SOON SIGN AN EXECUTIVE ORDER DIRECTING ACTING SECRETARY OF EDUCATION DENISE CARTER TO DISMANTLE THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, THAT’S ACCORDING TO MULTIPLE REPORTS CITING SOURCES BRIEFED ON DRAFTS OF THE ORDER THAT ARE CIRCULATING AMONG TOP ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS.
THE PROPOSED ORDER IS EXPECTED TO CALL FOR CARTER TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL TO BREAK UP THE DEPARTMENT AND FOR CONGRESS TO PASS LEGISLATION TO GET RID OF IT.
IT IS NOT YET CLEAR WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP IS SET TO OFFICIALLY MAKE THE ORDER, BUT AT LEAST ONE WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL HAS SAID IT’S EXPECTED SOMETIME THIS MONTH.
THIS MORNING THERE ARE NEW DEVELOPMENTS ON THE FUTURE OF TIKTOK IN THE UNITED STATES.
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT OUTLINES PLANS TO ESTABLISH WHAT IS CALLED A GOVERNMENT-RUN SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUND.
IT WOULD SERVE AS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT AND MIGHT BE USED TO BUY INTO TIKTOK, AS A PARTNER.
THE POPULAR SOCIAL MEDIA APP IS OPERATING UNDER A 75-DAY PERIOD DURING WHICH ITS OWNER BYTE-DANCE IS SUPPOSED TO BREAK AWAY FROM ITS CHINESE INFLUENCE.
IN ADDITION, TO TIKTOK, THE FUND WOULD BE USED TO PAY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN THE U.S INCLUDING AT AIRPORTS AND HIGHWAYS.
FINALLY THIS MORNING — TAX SEASON IS HERE AND IF YOU’RE BANKING ON THE I-R-S’ NEW DIRECT FILE SYSTEM TO MAKE LIFE EASIER, YOU MIGHT BE CONFUSED ABOUT A RECENT SOCIAL MEDIA POST BY DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY CHAIR ELON MUSK.
ON HIS PLATFORM X — MUSK SHARED A USER’S POST ABOUT THE FREE PROGRAM — AND SAID QUOTE “THAT GROUP HAS BEEN DELETED.”
THAT LED TO CONCERNS AMERICANS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO USE THE NEW TOOL TO FILE THEIR 20-24 TAXES.
BUT IT TURNS OUT DIRECT FILE HAS NOT BEEN “DELETED” AND WILL REMAIN AVAILABLE — AT LEAST FOR THIS TAX SEASON.
MUSK WAS REFERRING TO 18-F — A GOVERNMENT AGENCY THAT WORKED ON TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS INCLUDING THE I-R-S’ DIRECT FILE PROGRAM.
THE I-R-S ANNOUNCED LAST YEAR IT WOULD MAKE THE FREE ELECTRONIC TAX RETURN FILING SYSTEM PERMANENT.
WE CHECKED THIS MORNING AND THE DIRECT FILE SERVICE IS STILL UP AND RUNNING.
BY THE WAY, TAX DAY THIS YEAR IS TUESDAY, APRIL 15-TH.
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