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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 is hosting Ireland’s Taoiseach, Michael Martin, as part of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.
The University of Maine has had funding for research and programs suspended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, months after Donald Trump publicly clashed with state Governor Janet Mills over the banning of transgender athletes from girls’ sports.
In an email received by the University of Maine, the USDA’s chief financial officer ordered all payments paused while the department “evaluates if it should take any follow-on actions” related to possible civil rights violations at the school, according to Reuters.
UM said in a press release that it had received $30 million in USDA funding in fiscal year 2024.
Oliver O’Connell12 March 2025 16:40
(REUTERS)
Midway through the Oval Office meeting with Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin, President Donald Trump noticed Vice President JD Vance’s shamrock socks — worn to mark the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.
Oliver O’Connell12 March 2025 16:33
The hearing for detained student protester Mahmoud Khalil has concluded.
The judge set a briefing schedule and is making court records publicly accessible outside of the courthouse.
He sounded somewhat skeptical of the circumstances of Khalil’s arrest and detention. He’s allowing one attorney-client privileged call today and one tomorrow. Lawyers said he hasn’t had one yet at all.
He will remain in Louisiana, for now. Government attorneys said he is in deportation proceedings with a Louisiana court. But the judge’s order on Monday blocks that from happening, for now.
Here’s the background to the case:
Oliver O’Connell12 March 2025 16:23
President gave a quick shoutout to first buddy Elon Musk on Truth Social this morning:
Wow!!! People are loving Elon, a GREAT PATRIOT. Nice to see!!! DJT
Unfortunately for Musk and Trump, this seems divorced from reality when considering the latest polling from CNN/SSRS. Per our earlier post:
The latest CNN/SSRS poll shows President Donald Trump’s number falling across a broad swathe of policy areas (with the exception of immigration).
While that’s bad news for him, there is even worse news in the poll for DOGE head Elon Musk, who it shows is 18 points underwater, with only 35 percent having a favorable opinion of him versus 53 percent unfavorable.
More than 60 percent of respondents believe Trump does not have the experience of judgment to make changes to the way government works.
Oliver O’Connell12 March 2025 16:20
In remarks to reporters on the visit of the Irish Taoiseach Michael Martin, President Donald Trump said on the theme of trade: “We do have a massive deficit with Ireland because Ireland was very smart, they took our pharmaceutical companies away from presidents that didn’t know what they were doing, and it’s too bad that happened.”
He continued: “The Irish is smart, you’re a smart people. And you took our pharmaceutical companies and other companies, through taxation, proper taxation, and they made it very, very good for companies to move over there. We had presidents and people that were involved in this and had no idea what they were doing. And we lost big segments of our economy.”
Oliver O’Connell12 March 2025 16:13
Oliver O’Connell12 March 2025 16:00
President Donald Trump meets with Irish premier Micheal Martin in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C. (AFP via Getty Images)
“It’s a great honor to have Michael Martin,” said President Donald Trump.
Oliver O’Connell12 March 2025 15:53
As federal workers were laid off in widespread cuts, McLaurine Pinover, a spokesperson for the Office of Personnel Management, was posting videos on Instagram about her outfits from the agency’s offices in Washington, D.C., according to CNN.
Rhian Lubin has the story.
Oliver O’Connell12 March 2025 15:40