Trump announces 25% tariffs on foreign-made cars

[CRAIG NIGRELLI]

GOOD MORNING

I’M CRAIG NIGRELLI

IT’S THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 2025 

AND THESE ARE YOUR UNBIASED UPDATES:

PRESIDENT TRUMP ANNOUNCES A 25 PERCENT TARIFF ON FOREIGN CAR IMPORTS. WHAT HE HOPES TO ACCOMPLISH HERE IN THE UNITED STATES BY DOING SO AND HOW SUCH A LEVY MIGHT IMPACT THE PRICE OF A NEW CAR. 

AND — THE SIGNAL CHAT FALLOUT.  CALLS FOR RESIGNATIONS AS SENSITIVE INFORMATION ON THE UNITED STATES BOMBARDING THE HOUTHI REBELS IN YEMEN GETS TEXTED TO A REPORTER.  WHAT PRESDIENT TRUMP SAID LAST NIGHT ABOUT THE CONTROVERSY AND HIS DEFENSE SECRETARY.

THIS MORNING — REACTION IS COMING  IN FROM ACROSS THE WORLD AFTER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP ANNOUNCED HE’S LEVYING 25 PERCENT TARIFFS ON FOREIGN-MADE AUTOS.

THE PRESIDENT SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER WEDNESDAY, SAYING IT WILL SPUR GROWTH WITHIN THE UNITED STATES — AND COULD BRING IN 600 BILLION TO ONE **TRILLION** DOLLARS IN TAX REVENUE,  TO THE UNITED STATES, WITHIN THE NEXT TWO YEARS.

“And that number is going to be used to reduce that greatly in the United States and to build things, reduce taxes. I mean, basically, I view it as reducing taxes and also reducing debt.”

JAPAN’S PRIME MINISTER TOLD LAWMAKERS THERE HE’S QUOTE “CONSIDERING ALL OPTIONS” IN RESPONSE TO THE TARIFFS — NOT RULING OUT COUNTERMEASURES.

AUTOS MADE UP MORE THAN 28 PERCENT OF JAPAN’S TOTAL EXPORTS TO THE U-S IN 20-24, AND THE COUNTRY’S AUTO INDUSTRY MAKES UP ROUGHLY 3 PERCENT OF JAPAN’S GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT.

CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER MARK CARNEY CALLED THE NEW TARIFFS A “DIRECT ATTACK” ON HIS COUNTRY.

“We have anticipated this possibility, we have put in place the mechanisms so that if it is appropriate for retaliatory tariffs and there’s many considerations, to be taken in, in those regards, and I want to have the meeting of, of our cabinet, Canada-U.S. cabinet, other considerations, we need to see the details of the executive order. But we will take the steps that are in the interests of Canadian workers, of Canada.”

THE TARIFFS TAKE EFFECT NEXT WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2-ND  AND PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS THE U-S WILL BEGIN COLLECTING DUTIES THE NEXT DAY.

AUTOMAKERS WITH PLANTS IN THE U-S STILL DEPEND ON CANADA, MEXICO AND OTHER NATIONS FOR PARTS AND FINISHED VEHICLES.

EXPERTS SAY RAMPING UP MANUFACTURING FACILITIES WILL TAKE TIME — WHICH IS LIKELY TO CAUSE DOMESTIC AUTO PRICES TO GO UP AND SALES TO GO DOWN.

THE TARIFFS ARE ALREADY HAVING AN EFFECT ON A COUPLE OF BIG NAMES.

THIS WEEK, HYUNDAI ANNOUNCED IT  IS INVESTING 21 BILLION DOLLARS IN THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDING A 6 BILLION DOLLAR STEEL PLANT IN LOUISIANA.

EARLIER THIS MONTH, HONDA REVEALED IT IS CHANGING PLANS, AND WILL PRODUCE ITS POPULAR **CIVIC** IN INDIANA, INSTEAD OF MEXICO.

THE FALLOUT CONTINUES FROM WHAT’S NOW BEING CALLED “SIGNAL GATE” AS A GROWING NUMBER OF TRUMP ALLIES ARE CALLING FOR NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER MIKE WALTZ TO BE FIRED.

IT COMES AFTER A JOURNALIST WAS INCLUDED IN A GROUP CHAT WITH THE NATION’S TOP DEFENSE OFFICIALS — AS THEY DISCUSSED SENSITIVE MILITARY OPERATIONS AGAINST HOUTHI REBELS IN YEMEN.

SCREENSHOTS PUBLISHED BY THE ATLANTIC SHOW A USER NAMED “MICHAEL WALTZ” INVITED THE MAGAZINE’S EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JEFFREY GOLDBERG INTO THE CONVERSATION ON THE APP “SIGNAL.”

ACCORDING TO THE ATLANTIC, THE GROUP ALSO INCLUDED VICE PRESIDENT J-D VANCE, DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH, AND SEVERAL OTHER CABINET MEMBERS, AS WELL AS TRUMP CHIEF OF STAFF SUSIE WILES AND DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF STEPHEN MILLER.

WHILE PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS ALLIES MAINTAIN NO SENSITIVE INFORMATION WAS COMPROMISED…

CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS REJECTED NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE DIRECTOR TULSI GABBARD AND C-I-A DIRECTOR JOHN RATCLIFFE’S ASSERTIONS IN A HEARING ON WEDNESDAY… SAYING DETAILS FROM THE CHAT COULD HAVE JEOPARDIZED THE SUCCESS OF THE MISSION OR PUT U-S SERVICE MEMBERS’ LIVES AT STAKE.

THE ATLANTIC’S REPORTING QUOTED FROM MESSAGES IN WHICH HEGSETH SPECIFIED TYPES OF U-S MILITARY AIRCRAFT AND THE TIMING OF RECENT AIRSTRIKES.

AS WALTZ FACES CALLS TO RESIGN FROM WITHIN HIS OWN PARTY — DEMOCRATS, including illinois senator tammy duckworth ARE ALSO CALLING FOR HEGSETH TO RESIGN.

IN THE OVAL OFFICE LAST NIGHT, PRESIDENT TRUMP ADDRESSED THE MATTER WHEN QUESTIONED BY REPORTERS.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP

“Well, I don’t know about downplaying. The press upplays it. I think it’s all a witch hunt, that’s all. I think it’s a witch hunt. I wasn’t involved with it, I don’t, I wasn’t there, but I can tell you the result is unbelievable because the Houthis are looking to do something, they want to know how do we stop? How do we stop, can we have peace? The Houthis want peace because they’re getting the hell knocked out of them.”

TRUMP ALSO STATED THAT HE BELIEVES DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH IS DOING A GREAT JOB AND THAT HEGSETH HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS. 

THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION QUICKLY BACKTRACKED ON SOME OF ITS PLANS TO COMBAT FRAUD AND WASTE — AFTER WIDESPREAD OUTCRY OVER CHANGES MANDATED BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

PEOPLE APPLYING FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY INSURANCE, MEDICARE, OR SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME — WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO USE AGENCY’S ONLINE PORTAL WILL BE ALLOWED TO COMPLETE THEIR CLAIM ENTIRELY OVER THE PHONE INSTEAD OF IN PERSON.

LAST WEEK, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCED A PLAN TO REQUIRE IN-PERSON IDENTITY CHECKS FOR MILLIONS OF NEW AND EXISTING RECIPIENTS — HOWEVER, IT CAME AS ELON MUSK’S DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY SAID IT’S CLOSING  47 SOCIAL SECURITY FIELD OFFICES ACROSS 18 STATES,  RAISING CONCERNS FOR THOSE WHO WOULD BE FORCED TO TRAVEL LONG DISTANCES TO REACH THEIR NEAREST OFFICE.

THE CHANGES WERE SUPPOSED TO BEGIN ON MONDAY.  BUT THAT is now PUSHED BACK TO APRIL 14

ACTING SOCIAL SECURITY COMMISSIONER LEE DUDEK SAYS DELAYING THE START DATE WILL HELP OFFICIALS TRAIN EMPLOYEES ON NEW PROCEDURES.

THE SEARCH CONTINUES FOR FOUR U-S ARMY SOLDIERS WHO WENT MISSING DURING A TRAINING EXERCISE IN LITHUANIA.

STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS ORIGINALLY REPORTED WEDNESDAY THE SOLDIERS WERE DEAD…

WHILE SPEAKING WITH REPORTERS IN WARSAW, NATO’S SECRETARY GENERAL SAID THEY HAD DIED.

HOWEVER — NATO LATER MADE A POST ON X SAYING THE SECRETARY GENERAL WAS QUOTE “REFERRING TO EMERGING NEWS REPORTS & WAS NOT CONFIRMING THE FATE OF THE MISSING — WHICH IS STILL UNKNOWN.”

THE SOLDIERS WERE LAST SEEN IN A TRAINING AREA JUST 6 MILES FROM LITHUANIA’S BORDER WITH BELARUS.

ARMY OFFICIALS SAY THE MISSING AMERICANS WERE RIDING IN THEIR M-88 RECOVERY VEHICLE,  WHICH WAS “DISCOVERED SUBMERGED IN A BODY OF WATER IN A TRAINING AREA.”

THE ARMY HAD BEEN TRAINING WITH LITHUANIAN ARMED FORCES AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.

A SEARCH AND RECOVERY EFFORT IS UNDERWAY FOR THE SOLDIERS — WHO ARE ALL FROM THE 1ST BRIGADE, 3RD INFANTRY DIVISION.

THE MEASLES OUTBREAK THAT HAS HIT WEST TEXAS AND EASTERN NEW MEXICO, IS CLOSING IN ON ALMOST 400 CASES AND IT NOW APPEARS TO BE SPREADING.

THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN KANSAS REPORTS CASES, IN THAT STATE,  DOUBLED LAST WEEK TO NEARLY TWO DOZEN AND THERE IS A POSSIBLE LINK TO THE TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO.

KANSAS HEALTH OFFICIALS PUT DOCTORS ON HIGH ALERT THIS WEEK AND RECOMMENDED EARLY VACCINATION FOR BABIES, BETWEEN 6 MONTHS AND 11 MONTHS IN OUTBREAK COUNTIES.

IN OHIO, WHAT STARTED AS ONE CASE, IN ONE COUNTY, IS NOW UP TO NINE SUFFERERS.

ON THE EAST COAST, WASHINGTON D.C. HEALTH OFFICIALS CONFIRM A PERSON WHO RODE THE AMTRAK TRAIN IS CONFIRMED TO HAVE THE MEASLES.

A PRESS RELEASE INDICATES THAT PERSON VISITED VARIOUS LOCATIONS WHILE CONTAGIOUS BETWEEN LAST WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY.

HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE NOW TRYING TO ALERT PEOPLE WHO TRAVELED IN THE SAME CIRCLES, THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN EXPOSED.

FINALLY THIS MORNING — IT’S A BIG DAY FOR BASEBALL. MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL OPENING DAY, 2025.

EVERY YEAR, THERE’S SO MUCH EXCITEMENT SURROUNDING THE START OF THE SEASON. MANY MAJOR LEAGUE FANS CONSIDER IT A NATIONAL HOLIDAY.

STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS SPORTS REPORTER CHRIS FRANCIS NOW ON WHAT TO KEEP AN EYE ON  THIS SEASON.