Department of Education to lay off nearly half its workforce – US politics live

11h ago 14.41 GMT Ontario premier says 'Canada will not back down' after Trump ups tariffs Ontario premier Doug Ford has hit back at Donald Trump’s increase in tariffs on Canada’s steel and aluminum, writing on X that “Ontario and Canada will not back down until President Trump’s tariffs are gone for good.” It’s the latest salvo in the intensifying trade conflict between the two nations, which Canada’s leaders have acknowledged could cause deep damage to their economy. Here’s more: Trump raises Canadian steel and aluminum tariffs to 50% as trade war escalates Read more Share

12h ago 14.28 GMT Wall Street, once again, appears displeased with Donald Trump’s imposition of further tariffs on Canada, and his vow to go even harder on America’s northern neighbor next month. The benchmark Dow Jones Industrial Average is right now down 1.1%, or a drop of more than 400 from the open. The broad-based S&P 500 is also in the red by 0.8%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq has lost 0.6%. Share

12h ago 14.08 GMT Trump orders more tariffs on Canada after Ontario levies tax on electricity exports Donald Trump has ordered an increase in tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum and threatened to impose more levies, after Ontario yesterday slapped a 25% surcharge on electricity exports to three US states. In a lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump said he would “permanently shut down the automobile manufacturing business in Canada” if the country did not end unspecified tariffs it had placed on US goods: Based on Ontario, Canada, placing a 25% Tariff on “Electricity” coming into the United States, I have instructed my Secretary of Commerce to ad an ADDITIONAL 25% Tariff, to 50%, on all STEEL and ALUMINUM COMING INTO THE UNITED STATES FROM CANADA, ONE OF THE HIGHEST TARIFFING NATIONS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. This will go into effect TOMORROW MORNING, March 12th. Also, Canada must immediately drop their Anti-American Farmer Tariff of 250% to 390% on various U.S. dairy products, which has long been considered outrageous. I will shortly be declaring a National Emergency on Electricity within the threatened area. This will allow the U.S to quickly do what has to be done to alleviate this abusive threat from Canada. If other egregious, long time Tariffs are not likewise dropped by Canada, I will substantially increase, on April 2nd, the Tariffs on Cars coming into the U.S. which will, essentially, permanently shut down the automobile manufacturing business in Canada. Those cars can easily be made in the USA! Ontario’s addition of a 25% electricity surcharge affects New York, Minnesota and Michigan, which receive electricity from the province. Here’s more about that: Ontario sets 25% surcharge on energy exports to US to counter Trump tariffs Read more Share Updated at 14.35 GMT

12h ago 13.57 GMT Late last night (technically early this morning), Donald Trump made a show of support for Elon Musk, by saying he’d buy one of his Teslas. The comment on Truth Social came amid a rough few days for Musk, after one of his rockets blew up and Tesla’s stock slumped 15%, it’s biggest fall in five years: To Republicans, Conservatives, and all great Americans, Elon Musk is “putting it on the line” in order to help our Nation, and he is doing a FANTASTIC JOB! But the Radical Left Lunatics, as they often do, are trying to illegally and collusively boycott Tesla, one of the World’s great automakers, and Elon’s “baby,” in order to attack and do harm to Elon, and everything he stands for. They tried to do it to me at the 2024 Presidential Ballot Box, but how did that work out? In any event, I’m going to buy a brand new Tesla tomorrow morning as a show of confidence and support for Elon Musk, a truly great American. Why should he be punished for putting his tremendous skills to work in order to help MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN??? Share

12h ago 13.36 GMT Musk signals desire to 'eliminate' spending on social security, Medicare Elon Musk, who has been tasked by Donald Trump with making dramatic cuts to the federal government, said in an interview yesterday he was interested in taking aim at aid programs like social security, Medicare and Medicaid. All three programs are considered entitlements, and are major drivers of the federal budget deficit, but also popular with voters. Social security provides retirement benefits, Medicare is health insurance for the elderly and Medicaid covers lower-income and disabled Americans. In an interview with Fox Business Network, Musk said: “Most of the federal spending is entitlements. So that’s, like, the big one to eliminate. That’s sort of half-trillion, maybe $600, $700b a year.” He also repeated unfounded theories that Democrats are protecting these programs because they attract undocumented immigrants: “This is why the Democrats are so upset about the situation … if we turn off this gigantic money magnet for illegal immigrants, then they will leave and they will lose voters.” The comments from Musk come as his “department of government efficiency” has taken over the Social Security Administration and made claims of fraud that a former top official said are unfounded: Doge takeover of social security seemed ‘based on myth’, says ex-senior official Read more Share

13h ago 13.14 GMT The rightwing House Freedom Caucus has in the past been an obstacle to the sorts of government funding bills Republicans hope to pass through the chamber today. Not this time. The group announced its support on X late yesterday, saying: This bill will reduce and then freeze spending for the next six months to allow President Trump and his Administration to continue their critical work within the Executive Branch to find and eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse. It entirely kills the prospect of a budget busting, pork filled omnibus this fiscal year, and it breaks the longstanding practice in the Swamp of handcuffing increases in defense funding with increases to the non-defense bureaucracy. Furthermore, it contains zero earmarks, makes major rescissions to the Internal Revenue Service and the so-called “Commerce slush fund,” and includes additional funding for immigration enforcement and deportation operations. Perhaps most importantly, it prevents Democrats from derailing the America First agenda with a go-nowhere government shutdown. Share

13h ago 12.55 GMT It wouldn’t be the House Republican Conference without some infighting, and indeed, they’re making good on that promise as they scramble to avert a government shutdown. The latest squabble involves Thomas Massie, an eccentric GOP hardliner who often votes no on legislation he believes will increase the national debt. He’s declared his intention to vote against the government funding bill that will be considered today, prompting Donald Trump’s allies, and then the president himself, to call for someone to challenge him in next year’s primary. Here’s Trump making the call: Congressman Thomas Massie, of beautiful Kentucky, is an automatic “NO” vote on just about everything, despite the fact that he has always voted for Continuing Resolutions in the past. HE SHOULD BE PRIMARIED, and I will lead the charge against him. He’s just another GRANDSTANDER, who’s too much trouble, and not worth the fight. He reminds me of Liz Chaney before her historic, record breaking fall (loss!). The people of Kentucky won’t stand for it, just watch. DO I HAVE ANY TAKERS??? Responding to attacks from former Trump campaign manager Chris LaCivita, Massie had this to say about the primary threat: Three times I’ve had a challenger who tried to be more MAGA than me. None busted 25% because my constituents prefer transparency and principles over blind allegiance. Share

13h ago 12.34 GMT Republicans to put government funding bill up for a vote in House Republicans in the House of Representatives plan to put their bill to fund the government and prevent a shutdown that would begin Friday up for a vote in the closely divided chamber today. Democrats are encouraging their members to vote no on the legislation, which would keep the government open until the end of September but also make a variety of spending cuts. The GOP thus needs unanimity to pass the legislation, as their margin in the chamber is so small they can’t afford a single defection. We’ll see if they have that. Voting is currently expected to take place sometime after 1.30pm. Here’s more about the bill: Trump backs temporary funding bill that would avert government shutdown Read more Share

14h ago 12.12 GMT White House blames 'animal spirits' for Wall Street sell off Donald Trump (and other presidents, to be fair) love to tout a healthy stock market, but there was little of that sentiment to be found on Wall Street yesterday. Major US stock indices fell significantly in the day’s trading, with traders pointing the finger at Trump’s imposition of tariffs on US trading partners and threats to levy more next month, all of which they fear will send the economy in a recession. The trend may not necessarily continue – markets open in about an hour and a half, and futures are currently showing decent gains. But a big stock market sell off in the opening weeks of their new administration is something Trump wants to get ahead of. So a White House official had this to say yesterday about what caused it: Want to emphasize that we’re seeing a strong divergence between animal spirits of the stock market and what we’re actually seeing unfold from businesses and business leaders, and the latter is obviously more meaningful than the former on what’s in store for the economy in the medium to long term. Here’s more about yesterday’s jitters on Wall Street: Global stock markets register heavy falls as White House tries to talk up Trump tariffs Read more Share