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A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the past 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:
U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS — TARIFFS
President Donald Trump yesterday announced a 90-day pause on U.S. tariffs on most countries, leaving in place a baseline 10% levy on all imports. The abrupt policy reversal came just hours after the levies on 60 U.S. trading partners came into force. Trump also increased tariffs on China to 125%, citing Beijing’s “lack of respect” in imposing retaliatory levies on the United States, and clarified that the 25% tariff on goods imported from Canada and Mexico remains in effect. Ana Swanson and Tony Romm report for the New York Times; Emma Rossiter and Sam Hancock report for BBC News; Reuters reports.
China yesterday further retaliated against the U.S. tariffs by increasing its levy on goods imported from the United States to 84%. Beijing also issued a new travel advisory for the United States, citing a “deterioration of economic and trade relations” and the “security situation.” Kelly Ng reports for BBC News; Ali Bianco and Phelim Kine report for POLITICO.
The G7 countries have met without the United States to discuss how to “bring the Trump administration to the table and to a reasonable position” on tariffs, Italy’s economy minister said yesterday, adding that Italy welcomed the levies’ suspension. Reuters reports.
U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS — OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
Trump yesterday signed an executive order directing the Defense and State Departments to review rules on U.S. exports of military equipment in a bid to facilitate “reliable, effective” provision of military equipment abroad. Patricia Zengerle and Andrea Shalal report for Reuters.
The United States and Russia carried out a prisoner swap early today in Abu Dhabi, with Russia releasing Ksenia Karelina, a U.S.-Russian national sentenced last year to 12 years in a penal colony on treason charges for donating less than $100 to a U.S.-based Ukrainian charity. The United States freed Arthur Petrov, a dual German-Russian citizen, arrested in 2023 for allegedly exporting sensitive microelectronics. Brett Forrest reports for the Wall Street Journal.
Israel would be the “leader” of a potential military strike on Iran if the Washington-Tehran nuclear program talks fail, Trump said yesterday. A Russian foreign ministry spokesperson asked about U.S. warnings to Iran said that “bombing cannot pave the way to peace” and that Tehran was taking preventative measures . Aamer Madhani reports for AP News; Guy Faulconbridge and Gleb Stolyarov report for Reuters.
The United States “has acknowledged [Panama’s] sovereignty over the Panama Canal,” the Panamanian minister for public security said yesterday following Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s visit to the Central American nation. Although the Spanish-language joint statement released by the two nations contains such a statement, no similar language is reflected in its English version. During his visit, Hegseth said that the United States will “take back” the waterway from “China’s influence.” Rebecca Falconer reports for Axios; Juan Zamorano reports for AP News.
The Treasury Department yesterday imposed new sanctions on entities and an individual linked to Iran’s nuclear program, days before scheduled talks between Tehran and Washington. Filip Timotija reports for the Hill.
El Salvador is sharing intelligence about wanted gang members with the United States and has previously specified which individuals it wants deported, El Salvador’s Security and Justice Minister Gustavo Villatoro told CNN. David Culver, Abel Alvarado, and Evelio Contreras report.
The Justice Department has charged four U.S. nationals for their role in an attempted coup in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to a criminal complaint unsealed yesterday. Three of the men were returned to U.S. custody from Congo this week. Simon Lewis reports for Reuters.
The United States is “alarmed” by Thailand’s arrest of a U.S. academic on charges of insulting the monarchy and is “closely monitoring” the situation, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said on Tuesday. Victoria Bisset reports for the Washington Post.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
At least 155 Chinese citizens are fighting for Russia in Ukraine according to Kyiv’s intelligence, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said yesterday. China rejected the accusations as “groundless” and stressed that Beijing instructed its citizens to avoid any involvement in armed conflicts. Olena Harmash reports for Reuters; Berry Wang and Cassandra Vinograd report for the New York Times.
Russia has launched a new offensive on Ukraine’s northeastern regions of Kharkiv and Sumy, Kyiv’s military chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said in an interview published yesterday, adding that a large increase in assaults was already being observed. Reuters reports.
Britain and France are convening a meeting of defense ministers from around 30 countries to discuss policing any future peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia, the first meeting of ministers representing the so-called coalition of the willing. AP News reports.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
A Tuesday Israeli strike on a multi-storey residential building in east Gaza City killed at least 29 Palestinians, including children, and injured dozens of others, local health authorities said yesterday. The Israeli military said it had struck a “senior Hamas terrorist.” David Gritten reports for BBC News; Nidal Al-Mughrabi reports for Reuters.
“All basic supplies” in Gaza are running out, with the territory inching towards “very, very deep hunger,” according to the Communications Director for the U.N. aid agency for Palestinians. Similar assessments have been shared by other aid agencies operating in the territory. Nidal Al-Mughrabi, Olivia Le Poidevin, and Hatem Khaled report for Reuters.
The U.S. Senate yesterday voted 53-46 to confirm former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as the U.S. ambassador to Israel. Matthew Lee reports for AP News.
U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
The House of Representatives yesterday voted 219-213 to pass a bill restricting district court judges from issuing nationwide injunctions and limiting relief only to parties directly involved in the suit. Rebecca Beitsch reports for the Hill.
The United States immigration authorities are “confident” more than 200 migrants deported to El Salvador should stay in a maximum-security prison “for the rest of their lives,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said yesterday. According to Bloomberg News’ review of U.S. legal records and government statements, 90% of the migrants did not have a U.S. criminal record. Brittany Gibson reports for Axios.
Forty-eight U.S. service members, contractors, civilians, and relatives of people who were injured or lost family members in Middle East strikes yesterday filed a federal lawsuit against Iran and North Korea, alleging the two countries provided funding, weapons, and training to militant groups that targeted U.S. troops. Salvador Rizzo reports for the Washington Post.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service today announced it would start screening immigrants’ social media accounts for antisemitic content as grounds for denying entry. The new policy will apply to immigrants applying for lawful permanent residence, foreign students, and immigrants “affiliated with educational institutions linked to antisemitic activity,” the agency said. Anumita Kaur and María Luisa Paúl report for the Washington Post.
A group of 77 House Democrats yesterday wrote to Trump demanding an “immediate public statement” that Elon Musk will “resign and surrender all decision making authority” by May 30 in accordance with the restrictions of the special government employee role. Andrew Solender reports for Axios.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) today plans to block the nomination of Sean Plankey, Trump’s pick to lead the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, until the agency releases a report about telecommunications insecurity. Julia Shapero reports for the Hill.
The Justice Department yesterday moved to drop its charge against a man it had alleged was a “major leader” of the MS-13 gang. The man’s lawyer said the move may be the first step to deporting his client to El Salvador. Hannah Rabinowitz reports for CNN.
The leaders of Northwestern University law clinics yesterday filed a lawsuit against the House Education and the Workforce Committee and their university in an attempt to prevent the school from turning over the records requested by the Committee. Lexi Lonas Cochran reports for the Hill.
GLOBAL AFFAIRS
Peace talks between Congo’s government and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels scheduled to take place in Qatar have been postponed, with no future date set, sources say. Sonia Rolley reports for Reuters.
The Islamic State has shown renewed vigor in Syria, with increasing numbers of attacks raising the risk it could find a way to free thousands of its hardened fighters who are held in prisons guarded by U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish forces, U.N. and U.S. officials say. Alissa J. Rubin and Eric Schmitt report for the New York Times.
Tanzanian police arrested the leader of the country’s main opposition party yesterday during a public rally, his party said. Reuters reports.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ACTIONS
Trump yesterday signed executive orders ordering the Justice Department to investigate Christopher Krebs, a senior cybersecurity official who oversaw the securing of the 2020 presidential election, and Miles Taylor, the former Homeland Security Department chief of staff who anonymously wrote a high-profile op-ed for the New York Times in 2018. The President also imposed sanctions on the Susman Godfrey law firm, which represented a manufacturer of voting machines that successfully sued Fox News for misinformation involving the 2020 election. Chris Cameron reports for the New York Times.
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has replaced FBI Director Kash Patel as Acting Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), sources confirm, the first time a Pentagon official has led the law enforcement agency. Jack Detsch and Paul McLeary report for POLITICO.
The Justice Department yesterday barred employees who work in policy-related positions from holding positions or renewing their memberships at the American Bar Association, attending ABA’s events in an official capacity, or writing in “ABA-sponsored media.” Devlin Barrett reports for the New York Times.
The Government Accountability Office is auditing DOGE’s handling of data at several Cabinet-level agencies, as well as the US DOGE Service (USDS) itself, according to documents reviewed by WIRED and sources. The audit is expected to conclude by the end of spring, with Congressional sources indicating the resulting report will be made public. Leah Feiger and Tim Marchman report.
The Trump administration has cut funding and staffing at a program that oversees the National Climate Assessment, the federal government’s main report on how global warming is affecting the country, sources say. Zack Colman reports for POLITICO.
The Senior Advisor for the U.S. Agency for Global Media tapped to lead the Voice of America, Kari Lake, is set to be detailed to the State Department, sources say. The move could prevent Lake from becoming the director of VOA. Sarah Ellison and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez reports for the Washington Post.
U.S. intelligence agencies are investigating whether the FBI was involved in planning the 2021 Capitol riot, the chief of staff to Director of National Intelligence, Joseph Kent, said yesterday during a Senate intelligence committee hearing on his nomination to head the National Counterterrorism Center. Jonathan Landay reports for Reuters.
Trump yesterday ordered DOGE to investigate Navy and Coast Guard shipbuilding with an objective of “improv[ing its] efficiency and effectiveness” alongside 45-day reviews of the shipbuilding efforts to be carried out by the Navy and Coast Guard. Paul McLeary reports for POLITICO.
The White House will not engage with reporters who list their personal pronouns in their signatures, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said yesterday. It is unclear whether a formal policy on the issue had been implemented. Separately, the Air Force has recently reversed its ban on the use of pronouns in official communications after assessing it violated a provision in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act. Gaya Gupta reports for the Washington Post; Tobi Raji reports for the Washington Post.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION LITIGATION
Chief Justice John Roberts yesterday temporarily allowed Trump to fire National Labor Relations Board member Gwynne Wilcox and Merit Systems Protection Board member Cathy Harris, issuing a brief administrative stay of a lower court ruling pending the Supreme Court’s consideration of the administration’s appeal. Zach Schonfeld reports for the Hill.
An appeals court yesterday blocked a lower court ruling ordering the federal government to reinstate thousands of probationary workers. Eileen Sullivan reports for the New York Times.
A federal judge in Texas yesterday issued an order temporarily restraining the Trump administration from using the Alien Enemies Act to deport people held in a Texas detention center without due process. Separately, a federal judge in New York said that he planned to issue a similar order in proceedings concerning migrants held in the Southern District of New York. Gary Grumbach, Chloe Atkins, and Suzanne Gamboa report for NBC News.
The White House told a court it intends to appeal a Tuesday ruling that ordered the administration to readmit Associated Press journalists to White House events on First Amendment grounds. AP News reports.
Did you miss this? Stay up-to-date with our Litigation Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions
