Date: 2025-07-02 Page is: DBtxt003.php txt00028330
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AXIOS news feed for April 3rd 2025
AXIOS
AXIOS news feed for April 3rd 2025
Original article:
Peter Burgess COMMENTARY
Peter Burgess
Trump denies engineering market sell-off, says you have to ''take medicine'
By Ben Berkowitz
- RFK: MMR vaccine is the 'most effective way' to prevent measles spread
- GOP Rep: Adversaries are 'laughing at us' over NSA firings
- Judge blasts government over mistakenly deporting Maryland man
- Trump administration to markets: Don't expect a rescue
Jaden Amos , Ivana Saric Updated 3 hours ago
Health
What to know about U.S. measles cases as outbreak worsens
The measles virus, paramyxoviridae from the Morbillivirus family, transmission microscopy view. Photo: BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
The growing measles outbreak in the U.S. has since January infected 642 people in 22 states, per Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.. That's more than the number of total cases in the country last year.
Why it matters: The outbreak comes at a time of dropping vaccination rates and declining trust in public health institutions. It's an early test of how President Trump's administration — and Kennedy — will handle public health emergencies and infectious disease surveillance.
Go deeper (3 min. read)
Avery Lotz
6 hours ago
Politics & Policy
READ: The 381 books removed from the Naval Academy Library
Maya Angelou poses for a portrait.
Author and poet, Maya Angelou, poses for a portrait in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 15, 1992. Photo: Dudley M. Brooks / The Washington Post via Getty Images
Maya Angelou's 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings' was among the 381 books that were recently removed from the U.S. Naval Academy's Nimitz Library, according to a list released by the Navy Friday.
The big picture: As part of the Trump administration's anti-DEI blitz, the president has called for the end of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in schools, threatening funding for colleges and K-12 institutions during the purge.
Go deeper (1 min. read)
Ben Berkowitz
11 hours ago
Business Musk 'doesn't understand' trade cheating, Navarro says
Elon Musk and Peter Navarro in the Oval Office. Photo: ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images
Elon Musk 'doesn't understand' the mechanics of other countries cheating the U.S. on trade, Trump trade counselor Peter Navarro said Sunday.
Why it matters: Musk blasted Navarro on Saturday and said he'd prefer a world with free trade, setting up a confrontation with one of the architects of Trump's sweeping tariff regime.
Go deeper (1 min. read)
Ben Berkowitz
11 hours ago
Economy Trump tariffs based on massive error, conservative think tank says
A graphic showing the Trump administration's April 2025 tariff formula, annotated. In plain language, the administration calculated a country's reciprocal tariff rate by dividing the trade deficit by total imports. The trade deficit was defined as the difference between a country's total imports to and exports from the U.S. The formula has some values that end up equaled to 1, and do not affect the calculation.
Source: United States Trade Representative; Graphic: Kavya Beheraj/Axios
The formula used by the Trump administration to levy reciprocal tariffs contains a serious math error that over-inflates the impact by about a factor of four, economists at the American Enterprise Institute said.
Why it matters: The conservative think tank says the error led to tariff rates massively higher than they should have been to achieve the goals the administration sought.
Go deeper (2 min. read)
Tal Axelrod
12 hours ago
Politics & Policy
MAGA media tiptoes around Loomer-Trump meeting and NSC firings
Loomer ... Laura Loomer arrives in Philadelphia on the Trump Organization's Boeing 757 ahead of September 2024 presidential debate. Photo: Julia Beverly/Getty Images
If you watched or read any legacy media outlets last week, President Trump's firings at the National Security Council and National Security Agency after an Oval Office meeting with conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer were hard to miss.
If you only paid attention to MAGA media, the news was hard to find.
Why it matters: There was plenty of big news last week, chiefly Trump's tariff plan. But taking staffing advice on national security from a 9/11 truther also qualifies as news. Coverage around it was one of the starkest examples of the different media universes that exist for different parts of the country.
Go deeper (1 min. read)
Dave Lawler 12 hours ago - World Trump just blew up America's China policy Illustration of one of Donald Trump's signature hand gestures forming the shape of a Chinese star. Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios A bipartisan consensus on how to compete with China that took shape in President Trump's first term has exploded at the start of his second. Why it matters: Nearly everyone in Washington agrees that to win the battle for the 21st century, the U.S. needs to strengthen its alliances in Asia, shift supply chains to friendlier countries, and convince the world Washington is a more dependable partner than Beijing. Nearly everyone, that is, except Donald J. Trump. Go deeper (3 min. read)
Ben Berkowitz , Avery Lotz Updated 12 hours ago - Business Bessent: 'No reason' for markets to price in recession Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images Americans will benefit more from lower energy prices and interest rates than they will be hurt by falling stock prices as a result of President Trump's tariffs, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday. Why it matters: Economists broadly fear a global recession, perhaps even a dire stagflationary environment of rising prices and slowing growth, after Trump's sweeping attempt to re-order the world's economy. Go deeper (1 min. read)
Russell Contreras 13 hours ago - Politics & Policy The soldiers of color who freed concentration camps 80 years ago Photo illustration of Leon Bass, Frank Sinatra, Japanese-American soldiers and Johnnie Marino with barbed wire in the background. Photo illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios. Photos: Bettman, Houston Chronicle/Hearts Newspapers via Getty Images, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum U.S. forces liberated Nazi concentration camps 80 years ago this month. Among the liberators were Black, Latino, Asian American and Native American soldiers whose actions today are often forgotten. Why it matters: The Pentagon recently purged references to soldiers of color from its websites, per an order by President Trump. But civil rights advocates say the liberators warrant recognition for their service at a time when many returned home to discrimination, segregation and racial violence. Go deeper (3 min. read)
Marc Caputo 22 hours ago - Politics & Policy Scoop: RFK Jr. plans Texas trip after possible second measles-related death there Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is shown walking in front of the White House. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a White House ceremony last week. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. late Saturday was planning a hastily arranged visit to Texas after the state informed his department that a second child's death there could be linked to measles. The death that triggered Kennedy's trip is under investigation. Driving the news: The child involved was a member of the same Mennonite religious community that in February reported the death of an unvaccinated 6-year-old girl who had had measles. Go deeper (1 min. read)
Mike Allen Apr 5, 2025 - Politics & Policy Bessent seeks tax cut as big summer win Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent attends President Donald Trump's remarks on reciprocal tariffs during a so-called 'Make America Wealthy Again' event in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 2, 2025. Trump unveiled a raft of punishing tariffs targeting countries around the Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent attends President Trump's Rose Garden remarks on tariffs on Wednesday. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's tax-cut negotiators say big progress has been made on Capitol Hill, and are optimistic about final passage by summer despite the measure's complexity, Treasury officials tell Axios. Why it matters: With markets plunging after President Trump's tariffs, top administration officials see the extension of Trump's first-term tax cuts — set to expire at year's end — as a chance to show consumers and businesses that he has a broad growth and affordability agenda to benefit them. Go deeper (1 min. read)
April Rubin , Lauren Floyd Updated Apr 5, 2025 - Politics & Policy In photos: 'Hands Off!' protesters rally against Trump across the U.S. Protesters cover lawn in front of Washington Monument Demonstrators gather on the National Mall for the nationwide 'Hands Off!' protest against President Trump Saturday. Photo: Amid Farahi / AFP via Getty Images Millions of 'Hands Off!' protesters, by organizers' count, took to the streets, state capitals, federal buildings, congressional offices and city centers to protest the Trump administration on Saturday. Why it matters: President Trump's political, economic, social, health and legal changes have mobilized a wide cross-section of Americans. Go deeper (1 min. read)
Ben Berkowitz Updated Apr 5, 2025 - Economy Musk slams key Trump adviser Navarro, calls for more free trade Elon Musk and Peter Navarro seen through a window in the Oval Office of the White House. Elon Musk and Peter Navarro in the Oval Office. Photo: ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images) Elon Musk blasted top Trump administration trade adviser Peter Navarro and told an Italian political gathering he wants more free trade, not less. Why it matters: The two-day rout in the stock market this week, after Trump announced sweeping new tariffs backed by Navarro, cost Musk nearly $18 billion just on his Tesla stock. Go deeper (1 min. read)
Stef W. Kight Updated Apr 5, 2025 - Politics & Policy Senate adopts budget plan for passing Trump's agenda Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, speaks during a news conference following the weekly Republican policy luncheon Senate Majority Leader John Thune: Tierney L. Cross/Bloomberg via Getty Images The Senate approved a budget resolution early Saturday morning following a grueling overnight session with forced votes on more than 20 amendments. Why it matters: It's an important step for Congressional Republicans seeking to pass President Trump's ambitious agenda on taxes, energy and the border. But the hard part is still to come. Go deeper (1 min. read)
Ben Berkowitz Apr 5, 2025 - Business Trump touts 'economic revolution' as economists warn of recession President Trump holds up a sign with a list of reciprocal tariffs during a White House event. President Trump holds a list of reciprocal tariffs during a White House event. Photo: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images President Trump on Saturday touted his tariff regime as an 'economic revolution' and told businesses to 'hang tough' in the face of widespread market panic. Why it matters: Economists say a recession is highly likely, potentially even a dire stagflation scenario, as Trump fundamentally re-orders the global economy. Go deeper (1 min. read)
April Rubin Updated Apr 5, 2025 - Politics & Policy What to know about Saturday's nationwide 'Hands Off!' anti-Trump protests Places with a Hands Off! rally or visibility event planned for April 5 As of April 3, 2025, 10:30am ET A U.S. map showing the location of Hands Off! rallies and visibility events planned for April 5, 2025. As of the evening of April 3nd, there have been at least 1,000 events planned across all 50 states, with a significant concentration in the Northeast, West Coast, and Rust Belt. Data: Hands Off!; Note: Events planned outside of the U.S. are not shown; Map: Kavya Beheraj/Axios A nationwide anti-President Trump movement on Saturday, 'Hands Off!,' is expected to be the largest single-day protest since he entered office. Why it matters: The Trump administration's wide-reaching and ground-shaking policies have mobilized a varied cross section of Americans affected by political, economic, social and legal changes. Go deeper (1 min. read)
Erica Pandey Apr 5, 2025 - Economy Tariffs bring overnight economic chaos Photo illustration of President Donald Trump with a shipping container and various skewed rectangles Photo illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images In one 48-minute speech, President Trump scrambled every American's budget, every U.S. company's balance sheet and every global alliance. Tariffs, a sometimes obscure economic tool, have massive power, especially when enacted this expansively. Why it matters: Think fundamental re-ordering of the economy. Americans are staring down a disruption to their standard of living. Companies are about to find out how bad bad can get. The ripple effects may be felt for years to come.
Go deeper (2 min. read) Zachary Basu Apr 5, 2025 - Politics & Policy America the victim Illustration of the Statue of Liberty with a small storm cloud overhead Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios President Trump's tariff revolution is rooted in a simple thesis: America has been humiliated and exploited by foreign nations for decades, and only he has the guts to make them pay. Why it matters: Trump's personal victim complex has powered much of its political career. Now it's going global — with the entire world, not just Trump's domestic enemies, feeling the weight of retribution.
Go deeper (2 min. read) Neil Irwin Apr 5, 2025 - Economy Tariffs 101 Illustration of shipping container as a chalkboard with a hand writing on it Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axois Let's go back to basics. What is a tariff, what role do they play in the economy, and how have they been applied, both historically and now? The big picture: Tariffs were once the primary way the United States collected tax revenue, but over time elected leaders and economists alike have rejected them for their many downsides.
Go deeper (3 min. read) Sam Sabin Apr 4, 2025 - Technology CISA braces for deep staffing cuts The logos of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security are seen on computer terminals in a training room of the Cyber Crimes Center of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement The logos of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security are seen on computer terminals in a training room of the Cyber Crimes Center of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is looking to push out as much as a third of the agency's total headcount, in addition to contract personnel from a major threat hunting team, according to three sources familiar with the matter. Why it matters: The cuts are likely to impact 'every single part of the agency,' one of those sources told Axios — dealing a huge blow to the country's cybersecurity posture following earlier rounds of layoffs and contract cuts.
Go deeper (2 min. read) Lauren Floyd Updated Apr 4, 2025 - Politics & Policy Tracking Trump: Tariffs spark stock market plunge, and deportations fuel pushback A timeline that outlines key events related to Trump and court actions from March 31 to April 4, 2025. Notable events include a judge's denial of Trump's attempt to stall an order halting his ban on trans military service and the announcement of tariffs on U.S. imports. Chart: Axios Visuals President Trump announced sweeping tariffs on goods imported to the U.S., with potentially devastating impacts, while his administration fought aspects of his immigration agenda in court. Here's our recap of major developments:
Go deeper (2 min. read) Andrew Solender Apr 4, 2025 - Politics & Policy House Republican plans bill to let Congress block Trump tariffs Trump holds reciprocal tariffs chart President Trump holds a chart as he announces a plan for tariffs on imported goods during an event Wednesday in the Rose Garden. Photo: Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images A House Republican is planning to introduce legislation that would give Congress the power to block tariffs imposed by the president. Why it matters: It's a rare break with President Trump from a Republican lawmaker as markets continue to tumble in response to the White House's sweeping new tariffs.
Go deeper (1 min. read) April Rubin Apr 4, 2025 - Politics & Policy SCOTUS allows Trump to move ahead with cuts to teacher training grants A photo of the outside of the Supreme Court with the sky in the background The U.S. Supreme Court is shown at dusk in June 2023 in Washington, D.C. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images The Supreme Court on Friday sided with the Trump administration, allowing it to withhold federal education grants for teacher training while the case proceeds at a lower court. Why it matters: The decision marks a Supreme Court victory for President Trump as he slashes federal spending with the help of Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency. Go deeper (1 min. read)
Stephen Neukam Apr 4, 2025 - Politics & Policy Michigan Democrats pull punches on Trump's tariffs This is Gary Peters Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) talks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol this week about Senate Republicans' budget blueprint. Photo: Daniel Heuer/Bloomberg via Getty Images President Trump's tariffs have earned him a near-universal rebuke from Democrats, with the notable exception of top lawmakers from Michigan. Why it matters: Trump's 25% tariffs on vehicles and auto parts not produced in the U.S. went into effect this week. Go deeper (1 min. read)
Stephen Neukam Apr 4, 2025 - Politics & Policy Senate Dems to target vulnerable Republicans in overnight voting marathon This is Chuck Schumer Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer talks about Trump and tariffs Friday at a news conference. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images Senate Democrats are planning to set some traps for moderate Republicans during Friday's 'vote-a-rama' on the mammoth budget reconciliation bill. Why it matters: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) wants Democrats to hit six themes in their amendments during the vote-a-rama. Go deeper (1 min. read)
Stephen Neukam Apr 4, 2025 - Politics & Policy Scoop: Sen. Ruben Gallego's hefty fundraising debut US Senator Ruben Gallego, Democrat of Arizona, questions former Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought during a US Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on his second nomination to be OMB director, on Capitol Hill, in Washington, DC, on January 15 Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) on Capitol Hill in January. Photo: Jemal Countess/AFP via Getty Iamges Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) had one of the best-ever fundraising debuts for a Senate Democrat, pulling in more than $1 million in his first quarter. Why it matters: Gallego's victory in purple Arizona last year has positioned him as one of the party's most intriguing young voices in Congress. Go deeper (1 min. read)
April Rubin Updated Apr 4, 2025 - Politics & Policy Trump uses child abuse awareness proclamation to bash transgender people Illustration of a silhouetted teen hospital patient sitting behind an overlaid Transgender pride flag and a large stack of papers. Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios President Trump's decision to target transgender care in a proclamation declaring April National Child Abuse Prevention Month 'betrays' the month's purpose, LGBTQ advocates said. Why it matters: Framing the trans youth experience as 'abuse' further stigmatizes an already vulnerable community, as the Trump administration tries to erase trans people from American life through policies limiting access to health care, careers, sports, education and more. Go deeper (2 min. read)
Zachery Eanes Apr 4, 2025 - Axios Raleigh N.C. appeals court says more than 60k voters must prove eligibility in state Supreme Court race Judge Jefferson Griffin, the Republican candidate for the N.C. Supreme Court listens to testimony in Wake County Superior Court on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, in Raleigh, North Carolina. Griffin trails North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs by 734 votes following two recounts of the November 2 Judge Jefferson Griffin, the Republican candidate for the N.C. Supreme Court. Photo: Robert Willett/The News & Observer/Tribune News Service via Getty Images A North Carolina appeals court sided with Republican state Supreme Court candidate Jefferson Griffin, ruling Friday that tens of thousands of voters were wrongfully counted, The Associated Press reports. Why it matters: After two recounts, Griffin trails Democrat Allison Riggs by 734 votes for a seat on the N.C. Supreme Court — the only 2024 election race that has still not been decided in the country. Go deeper (2 min. read)
Sareen Habeshian Apr 4, 2025 - Politics & Policy Man mistakenly deported to El Salvador must be returned, judge orders Suspected members of Venezuela's Tren de Aragua and Mara Salvatrucha-13 gang, who were deported to El Salvador by the U.S. in San Salvador, are checked by authorities before being sent to the country's infamous mega-prison at CECOP facility prison. Photo: El Salvador Press Presidency Office/Anadolu Suspected members of Venezuela's Tren de Aragua and Mara Salvatrucha-13 gang, who were deported to El Salvador by the U.S., are checked by authorities before being sent to the country's infamous mega-prison. Photo: El Salvador Press Presidency Office/Anadolu via Getty Image The Trump administration must return a man who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador to the U.S., a judge ordered Friday. The big picture: Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Salvadorian national living in Maryland legally, was detained by immigration officials and erroneously deported despite a prevailing court order saying he could remain in the U.S. Go deeper (1 min. read)
Maria Curi , Dan Primack Apr 4, 2025 - Business TikTok saved again as Trump extends ban deadline Photo illustration of Donald Trump embracing the TikTok logo Photo illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images President Trump on Friday announced that he again would delay the ban on TikTok, scheduled for tomorrow, despite not having made a deal with the app's Chinese owner, ByteDance. Why it matters: TikTok is used by millions of Americans, for both entertainment and livelihoods. Go deeper (1 min. read)
Rebecca Falconer Updated Apr 4, 2025 - Politics & Policy Top Democrats denounce reported firing of NSA chief Director of the National Security Agency Lieutenant General Timothy Haugh testifies during a Senate Select Intelligence Committee hearing on Worldwide Threats on March 11, 2024 in Washington, DC. National Security Agency director Timothy Haugh on Capitol Hill in 2024. Photo: Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images Top congressional Democrats on Thursday night spoke out over reports that Gen. Timothy Haugh has been fired as National Security Agency director. The big picture: The Washington Post first reported that Haugh had been removed from the NSA role and as U.S. Cyber Command chief, along with his civilian deputy Wendy Noble, citing a former U.S. official and two current ones. Go deeper (2 min. read)
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