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Donald Trump’s increased tariffs on all U.S. steel and aluminum imports are now in effect, intensifying a campaign to reshape global trade that has already prompted quick retaliation from Europe.
Trump’s action to bulk up protections for domestic steel and aluminum producers restores effective global tariffs of 25 percent on all imports of the two metals, extending the duties to hundreds of downstream products made from the materials — from nuts and bolts, bulldozer blades to soda cans.
The European Commission responded immediately, saying it would impose counter-tariffs on $28 billion worth of American goods from next month.
The countries most affected by the levies are Canada – the biggest foreign supplier to the U.S. – Brazil, Mexico and South Korea. On Wednesday morning, Canada responded with C$29.8 million ($20 billion) in retaliatory duties on U.S. products.
On Tuesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he would suspend his province’s 25 percent electricity surcharge – just hours after Trump announced steep tariffs by way of retaliation for Ford’s actions, which the president then, in turn, withdrew on an exhausting day of U-turns.
As Trump’s tariffs come into effect, he hosted Ireland’s Taoiseach, Michael Martin, as part of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations — the first EU leader to meet with the president amid the escalating trade war.
Ronald Reagan’s daughter takes shot at Trump for cozying up to Russia: ‘I think he would be grieving’
Former President Ronald Reagan’s daughter Patti Davis took aim at President Donald Trump during an appearance on CNN, saying that her father “would be grieving” over Trump’s recent moves to isolate the U.S. from its traditional allies.
“The America that I grew up in, that we all have known, is one that had alliances and was friends with other countries, and it would go to other countries who were in trouble, who were being tyrannized, or invaded, or, you know, otherwise suffering from famines, for example,” Davis told CNN’s Anderson Cooper, saying her dad “would be heartbroken” by Trump’s actions.
Gustaf Kilander12 March 2025 20:37
COMMENT: Why Wall Street’s supremos are risking their reputations to prop up the president
With Trump 2.0 it really is different in no small part because the people around him are different. They are either enablers, who are apparently incapable of providing any meaningful pushback of the sort politicians badly need, or true believers.
Last time around, he had people like Steve Mnuchin, who pulled off the remarkable of feat for a Trump lieutenant of spending his entire term in post as treasury secretary. There was also Gary Cohn, his chief economics advisor for two years. Alumni of Goldman Sachs, who followed a well trodden path from the powerful investment bank into public office, they brought an economically orthodox, conservative view with them.
The rest of his first government was full of establishment Republicans who actively worked to moderate – even to undermine – the president’s most destructive instincts.
Today, it is very different.
Oliver O’Connell12 March 2025 20:30
Judge blocks Trump order targeting law firm
Trump issued the order because he claims Perkins Coie was involved in “weaponization against a political opponent’’ in 2016.
The firm represented Trump’s 2016 presidential opponent, Hillary Clinton, as well as several other Democrats in 2020.
“That’s pretty extraordinary power for the president to exercise,” Judge Beryl Howell said as he blocked the order, according to Bloomberg.
Katie Hawkinson12 March 2025 20:16
From ‘hoax’ to ‘incredible,’ Trump flips stance on EVs after Elon Musk endorsed him and donated millions
Donald Trump used the White House driveway for a highly unusual event on Tuesday, praising the Tesla cars created by his adviser Elon Musk’s EV company, with the president claiming he was buying a Tesla himself as a show of support.
“I’m going to buy because number one, it’s a great product. As good as it gets. Number two, because [Elon Musk] has devoted his energy and his life to doing this, and I think he has been treated unfairly,” Trump told reporters.
The event was notable for a few reasons. It came at a time when Tesla stock was taking its biggest tumble in four years and Musk was reportedly planning a $100 million donation to Trump’s political operation.
Josh Marcus12 March 2025 20:15
King Charles discussed international topics of great concern with Canadian officials
The King is understood to have discussed national and international topics of great concern as he welcomed officers from the Canadian parliament to Buckingham Palace.
Charles, who is King of Canada, held an audience with Gregory Peters, who is Usher of the Black Rod of the Senate of Canada, and Senate Speaker Raymonde Gagne on Wednesday afternoon.
The audience, which has long been scheduled, came as US President Donald Trump threatened historic financial devastation for Canada amid an escalating and erratic trade war, alongside repeated vows to make the country America’s 51st state.
Press Association12 March 2025 20:00
Business execs are calling up Susie Wiles in panic over Trump’s mixed messages on tariffs
Gustaf Kilander12 March 2025 19:53
COMMENT: Putin cannot be trusted to stick to a ceasefire in Ukraine
Kyiv insists that it is happy that the “ball is in the Russians’ court”, to use Marco Rubio’s phrase. That phrase has been repeated by EU leaders from Emmanuel Macron and Ursula von der Leyen downwards.
Consensus in politics is usually a sign that a mistaken course of action has been agreed upon.
Naturally, Ukrainians are relieved that the daily slaughter of their troops at the front and the nightly bombardments of their cities could be paused – at least for a month. Privately, many Russians may share that sentiment.
Putin cannot be trusted to stick to a ceasefire in Ukraine
As the Russian leader says the US-brokered truce is ‘difficult to accept’, a pause in fighting could be exactly what he needs to regroup – and to shatter the wartime solidarity keeping Ukrainian society united against his invading forces, says Mark Almond
Oliver O’Connell12 March 2025 19:40
Watch: Trump attempts to pronounce Taoiseach in meeting with Irish premier
Oliver O’Connell12 March 2025 19:20
Trump’s biggest executive orders of his second term — so far…
Donald Trump wasted no time in signing off on a stack of executive orders since commencing his second presidency on January 20, setting about his task in the Oval Office almost immediately after his inauguration ceremony was concluded.
The 47th president’s trusty Sharpie has since crossed orders relating to everything from the declassification of files pertaining to the 1960s assassinations of John F Kennedy, Robert F Kennedy and Dr Martin Luther King to ending the federal procurement of paper straws in favor of plastic ones.
He has extended a lifeline to the social video app TikTok, rolled back restrictions on artificial intelligence, revoked the security clearances of former intelligence officials and reinstated military personnel who refused to receive a Covid-19 vaccine during the pandemic.
Accused of violating the principles of the U.S. Constitution, ignoring state laws and attracting widespread criticism, Trump has continued undaunted and signed almost 90 orders to date.
Here’s a look at some of the most consequential issued so far.
Joe Sommerlad12 March 2025 19:00
