April 13, 2025: Donald Trump presidency information

This weekend has as soon as once more been dominated by information on President Donald Trump’s back-and-forth tariffs.

The revelation late Friday that key electronics, together with smartphones and semiconductors, can be exempt from Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs spurred optimism for the US tech sector.

However Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick added one other wrinkle in the present day by indicating the exemptions might be non permanent, telling “ABC This Week” focused new tariffs will apply to electronics within the months to return.

Administration officers have been blended on the best way to describe the exemptions in the present day, however emphasised that the administration will examine the nationwide safety implications of semiconductor imports earlier than probably imposing electronic-specific tariffs.

Right here’s what we heard from different Trump officers:

• Kevin Hassett: A minimum of 130 nations are negotiating potential commerce offers with the US following Trump’s 90-day pause on the “reciprocal” tariffs, the Nationwide Financial Council director advised CNN on “State of the Union.” He mentioned talks with Beijing, in the meantime, are within the very early levels, “if in any respect.”

• Peter Navarro: The White Home senior commerce adviser didn’t say whether or not there have been new talks within the deepening commerce warfare with China, although he added in an look on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that there’s an open invitation and Trump has a “good relationship” with Chinese language chief Xi Jinping.

In the meantime, criticism and concern: Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren slammed Trump’s “purple light-green gentle” method to tariffs. “No one can determine what the foundations might be 5 days from now, a lot much less 5 years from now,” Warren mentioned on “State of the Union.”

The progressive lawmaker can also be among the many Democrats calling for a probe into whether or not Trump deliberately manipulated monetary markets round his tariff pause. Lawmakers haven’t but offered proof to again up their suspicions.

Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers mentioned on CNN’s “Fareed Zakaria GPS” that the tariff coverage is “the worst self-inflicted wound by means of financial coverage” since World Battle II.

And billionaire investor Ray Dalio advised “Meet the Press” the US is “very near a recession.” Dalio referred to as Trump’s commerce insurance policies “very disruptive” to date, although he acknowledged it “may very well be a part of a course of.”