What to know today
- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ripped the new tariffs President Donald Trump imposed on Canada, Mexico and China overnight as "a dumb thing to do" and vowed not to "back down." Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her administration would unveil countermeasures Sunday.
- The tariffs are expected to be a focus of Trump's joint address to Congress, the first of his second term. Trump is also expected to defend his administration's attempts to drastically downsize the federal government.
- Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said an interim agreement with Canada and Mexico that would allow tariffs on their goods to be rolled back to some degree could come as soon as tomorrow.
- Tune in to NBC News NOW for a livestream of Trump's speech tonight on Capitol Hill, along with news and analysis.
Elizabeth Warren blasts Republican leadership over advising GOP lawmakers to avoid in-person town halls
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., blasted the campaign arm of House Republicans for advising congressional Republicans to avoid in-person town halls following confrontations with angry constituents that have gone viral.
"What does that mean in a democracy when one of the two major political parties in America says, in effect, 'The only way we're going to survive right now is if you don't go talk to the people you represent, if you don't hear from the people you represent,'" Warren told Jen Psaki on MSNBC
Warren went on to say that Republican leadership was telling its rank-and-file members in the House to put themselves "in a bubble" rather than risk hearing dissent from voters.
GSA's 'non-core' property list didn't start under Trump
The General Services Administration today released a list of 443 “non-core” properties that it plans to sell as Musk and DOGE increasingly target federal buildings as a place where the government could save money.
The list included several well-known buildings, including the Washington, D.C., headquarters for the FBI, the Labor Department and the Justice Department. The GSA’s own building was also on the list.
According to a GSA official who has served across both the Trump and Biden administrations, 30% of the buildings were identified and added to the non-core property list during the Biden administration. The list raises GSA’s non-core properties to 50%.
The official added that GSA reviewed its portfolio to see which buildings could be disposed of — not those it has long-term interest in, like land ports of entry, federal courthouses and national security-related interests. It is looking to consolidate the workforce into fewer, higher-quality buildings.
Some fired CDC workers were offered their jobs back
At least some of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention fellows who were terminated in mid-February are being offered their jobs back, according to two sources with knowledge of the offers who are not permitted to speak on behalf of the agency.
They include fellows with the Laboratory Leadership Service and Public Health Associate Program. (More detail on those programs and the previous cuts are here.) “It’s welcome news,” a CDC official who was not permitted to speak on behalf of the agency told NBC News.
“These fellows, like most of the staff that were fired by DOGE, excelled in their roles and filled critical roles across the country to keep us safe from public health threats,” the official said. “Now we just have to hope this bit of good news isn’t short-lived."
One of the formerly terminated Laboratory Leadership Service workers shared an email sent today that read: “After further review and consideration, the notification to terminate your appointment, effective February 15, 2025, has been rescinded.”
The email said the person was cleared to return to work tomorrow. “You should return to duty under your previous work schedule,” the email continued. “We apologize for any disruption that this may have caused.”
The CDC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Protesters rallying in opposition to Trump and his administration gather in Washington ahead of Trump's remarks tonight to a joint session of Congress.
How Woodrow Wilson 'shattered' precedent with an in-person speech to Congress
When Trump addresses Congress tonight, he will continue a tradition that Americans are now accustomed to but one that was unimaginable for more than 100 years.
In April 1913, Woodrow Wilson had been president for only a month and a battle was brewing in his own party over tariff reform. To persuade skeptical lawmakers to support legislation reducing tariff rates, Wilson decided the best course of action was for him to speak to Congress directly, something a president had not done since 1800.
Wilson’s decision “caused profound astonishment among Senators and Representatives,” The New York Times reported at the time. Congressional leaders were “delving into old records tonight to learn the proper course to pursue” with the visit.
While George Washington and John Adams gave annual in-person speeches to the legislative branch during their terms as president, Thomas Jefferson instead sent a written message starting in 1801. Every president for the next century followed that mold until Wilson.
“The town is agog about it,” Wilson wrote in a letter the morning of his speech. “It seems I have been smashing precedents almost daily ever since I got here.”
The new president said he thought speaking was “more natural and dignified” than a written message. “It at least seems to amuse the town to have these unusual things done, and the newspaper men are very grateful!”
In his remarks to Congress, Wilson said he wanted people to recognize that the “president of the United States is a person, not a mere department of the government.” He said the president “is a human being trying to cooperate with other human beings in a common service.”
While the speech was about tariffs, many newspaper accounts focused on the breaking of precedent. “Congress Breathless As President Wilson Reads His Message,” read a headline in The Washington Times. The paper called the speech a “history-making event” and said the “old precedent is shattered.”
Later that year, Wilson returned to give the first in-person annual message since John Adams, re-starting a tradition that continues today.
Who is Dr. Jay Bhattacharya? Trump’s pick to lead the NIH faces Senate confirmation hearing
Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, whose opposition to Covid lockdowns made him a polarizing figure during the pandemic, is set to appear at a Senate confirmation hearing tomorrow to lead the National Institutes of Health.
As director, Bhattacharya would oversee an agency with a nearly $50 billion budget that’s set to undergo drastic changes, with the Trump administration pushing for job cuts across the federal government and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. looking to shift the agency’s focus away from infectious disease research and toward chronic diseases.
The NIH is made up of 27 research institutes, each focused on its own areas, including cancer, infectious diseases and mental health.
The administration suspended NIH reviews of new grant applications last month, preventing it from funding new research. The administration is also in a legal battle over an NIH policy that reduced indirect funding to universities — a move, experts say, that could stall progress in developing lifesaving treatments.
D.C. to transform Black Lives Matter Plaza after Republican bill threatens to withhold city funding
Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser said today that Black Lives Matter Plaza, an area on a city street near the White House, will be transformed into a mural project celebrating America’s upcoming 250th birthday.
“We have long considered Black Lives Matter Plaza’s evolution,” Bowser said in a statement announcing the plans for the plaza, which emerged as a gathering point for protests and demonstrations in the immediate aftermath of the death of George Floyd in 2020.
Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga. introduced legislation this week that would deny the city “certain apportionment funds” unless the June 2020 mural, which covers two blocks, was painted over and the area was renamed “Liberty Plaza.”
“The mural inspired millions of people and helped our city through a very painful period, but now we can’t afford to be distracted by meaningless congressional interference,” said Bowser, a Democrat.
How Trump’s Canada and Mexico tariffs risk higher prices on cars
Trump’s decision to impose a 25% tariff on all imports coming into the United States from Canada and Mexico will touch thousands of products across dozens of industries. But it is expected to take a particular toll on the U.S. auto industry, adding thousands of dollars to the cost of each new vehicle — with potential consequences including higher prices, falling sales and even cuts to manufacturing jobs.
With millions of auto parts and vehicles flowing among Canada, Mexico and the United States each year, the tariffs are estimated to increase the cost of producing most vehicles in North America by $4,000 to $10,000, according to an analysis by Anderson Economic Group. Even vehicles assembled in the United States will face higher costs, because their parts are imported from Canada and Mexico and will be subjected to the new tariffs.
“If I was a consumer and had my eye on a particular vehicle and I found it in inventory, I would buy it right away, because the price could be significantly higher in just a month,” said Patrick Anderson, head of Anderson Economic Group.
By the numbers: Lawsuits against the Trump administration
Heading into Trump’s address to Congress tonight, here is a status check on how his administration is faring in court.
At least 90 lawsuits have been filed against the administration since Trump was inaugurated, according to an NBC News analysis of court documents.
At least 14 departments or agencies face pending litigation. Nine cases have reached the appeals stage, and two have reached the Supreme Court: One is a case about funding for the U.S. Agency for International Development and the other involves the termination of special counsel Hampton Dellinger.
Here is how the cases break down:
- 21 relate to immigration
- 19 relate to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)
- 18 relate to the administration's effects on government employees
- 13 relate to funding freezes
- 11 relate to gender or equal rights
- 2 major cases relate to USAID
- 6 cases relate to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives; the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; congestion pricing in New York; and freedom of speech
Trump could scale back Canada, Mexico tariffs tomorrow, Howard Lutnick says
Trump will “probably” announce tariff compromise deals with Canada and Mexico soon, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said today.
The potential agreements would most likely involve scaling back at least part of Trump’s brand new 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, he added.
The U.S. stock market limped to a close for a second day of sharp declines, spurred at least in part by investors’ fears that Trump’s aggressive policies will ignite a crippling trade war.
The compromise with Canada and Mexico is likely to be revealed as soon as tomorrow, Lutnick said on Fox Business.
Former U.S. ambassador to Canada criticizes Trump's trade tactics
David Cohen, U.S. ambassador to Canada during the Biden administration, warned against using Trump’s new 25% tariffs on Canadian goods for non-trade objectives. He criticized Trump’s approach to Canada, saying it risks long-term U.S. interests by straining relations with a key trading partner.
Sen. Martin Heinrich to boycott Trump's address because he doesn't want to 'normalize' the administration
Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., said he has not missed a State of the Union or joint address to Congress since he was first elected to Congress in 2008 — but he will boycott Trump’s address tonight.
Heinrich said he is skipping the prime-time speech because he does not want to “normalize” Trump’s second administration.
“This White House, this president, is so radically out of bounds for what is normal that I felt it was important to make that point,” Heinrich said.
"It started with the pardons of the violent folks who showed up here on Jan. 6. I thought it was one thing to pardon folks who weren’t violent, but actually [it was] the people who assaulted police officers that, that really started me thinking early on in this process," Heinrich said. "I think the lack of focus on the economy is something that is really grating on my constituents right now, and then it sort of culminated last Friday with the scene in the White House," he said, referring to the explosive clash between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Asked about congressional Democrats’ mixed strategy heading into tonight’s address — as some boycott the event and others attend to show what House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., called “a strong, determined and dignified Democratic presence in the chamber” — Heinrich said his party is still “trying to find what is the thing that unites us all,” but he said he thinks high prices and the economy could be a unifying issue for Democrats.
Trump administration rescinds guidance directing agencies to fire probationary employees
The Trump administration revised its guidance today about probationary employment in the federal government after a judge ruled last week that the Office of Personnel Management lacked the authority to make hiring or termination decisions for other agencies.
The new guidance clarifies that agencies, not OPM, have the final word when it comes to performance-based personnel actions.
“Please note that, by this memorandum, OPM is not directing agencies to take any specific performance-based actions regarding probationary employees,” the new guidance says. “Agencies have ultimate decision-making authority over, and responsibility for, such personnel actions.”
Top Republican says Trump tariffs will be 'bouncy'
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., said on NBC's "Meet the Press NOW" that the latest tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico show why it is “crucial” that Congress passes the reconciliation package.
Asked whether there will be pain from the tariffs, Smith said that they are going to be “bouncy” but that Trump wants to deliver change and spark wealth. Smith said the tariffs would have winners and losers across the board.
"It’s definitely going to be bouncy, but the president wants some substantial change, and he wants to make the country wealthy very quickly," he said.
"Over the last four years, we’ve already faced a 21% inflation tax that has affected everything you purchase to put food on your table, clothes on your backs or gasoline in your cars," he said. "So we have experienced that type of inflation. What we could also experience is a 22% tax increase if Congress doesn’t deliver this."
Commerce secretary says new tariff agreement with Mexico and Canada could come tomorrow
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in an interview with Fox Business News that an interim agreement with Canada and Mexico could come as soon as tomorrow, allowing tariffs to be rolled back to some degree.
“The Mexicans and the Canadians are on the phone with me all day today, trying to show that they’ll do better,” Lutnick said. “And the president is listening because, you know, he’s very, very fair and very reasonable. So I think he’s going to work something out with them.”
Lutnick continued: “It’s not going to be a pause, that pause stuff, but I think he’s going to figure out you do more and I’ll meet you in the middle some way, and we’re going to probably be announcing that tomorrow. So somewhere in the middle will likely be the outcome the president moving with the Canadians and Mexicans, but not all the way.”
Fired NOAA workers say cuts could hinder weather forecasts and programs to keep people safe
A scientist with a doctorate who issues tsunami alerts. A hurricane-hunting flight director. A researcher studying which communities will get flooded when a storm strikes.
They were among the more than 600 workers the Trump administration cut last week when it eliminated about 5% of the workforce at the National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The mass firing — of educated, specialized workers who viewed themselves as the next generation of scientists protecting life and property — could stretch NOAA’s workforce thin and hinder work on programs designed for public safety, former agency employees and leaders said.
American Bar Association backs ‘rule of law’ after Elon Musk calls for judges to be impeached
The American Bar Association issued a statement this week rejecting attacks on the court system and the legal profession, after billionaire Elon Musk used his X platform to call for the impeachment of judges who have overruled or delayed aspects of President Donald Trump’s moves to overhaul the federal government.
The ABA said it would “not stay silent in the face of efforts to remake the legal profession into something that rewards those who agree with the government and punishes those who do not,” calling for an end to efforts meant to “cow our country’s judges, our country’s courts and our legal profession” and saying that such attempts at intimidation “cannot be sanctioned or normalized.”
Trump attacked judges whose decisions he disagreed with during his first term in office, as well as some of the judges who oversaw the four criminal cases against him during the intervening four years away from the White House.
Now, with Trump back in the Oval Office and Republicans in control of both the House and Senate, the federal judiciary has paused or overturned some of the most aggressive measures implemented by Trump and Musk, who has repeatedly urged the impeachment of judges who help up Trump’s measures.
Video shows Kansas senator getting booed after leaving town hall early
Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., was booed for leaving a town hall meeting early after facing questions about the efforts of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency. Marshall later told NBC News that the people who booed him were from out of town.
Where Trump stands in the polls: Americans are split ahead of major speech
Trump will speak to a divided country tonight when he makes a joint address to Congress, with recent polls showing Americans split on the start of his second term.
Trump’s job approval in various surveys has been largely in the mid-to-high 40s, slightly above where it stood at the start of his first term eight years ago. An NBC News poll in February 2017 found Trump’s approval rating at 44%.
A trio of polls released in recent days found Trump’s job approval rating ranging from 45% in a NPR/PBS News/Marist poll, 48% in a CNN poll, and 51% in a CBS/YouGov poll.
The surveys also showed some concerns about Trump’s early priorities.
Expect to see some Democratic lawmakers wearing anti-Elon Musk stickers tonight
Some Democratic members of Congress tonight are expected to wear stickers that read in all capital letters, “Elon is stealing Social Security,” according to organizers of the move.
This unified act of opposition from Democrats in the House chamber is just one of many related to the Elon Musk-led downsizing of the federal government that are expected tonight.
This particular move is being organized by the Progressive Change Institute, a liberal advocacy group.
Trump adviser Alina Habba says veterans fired by DOGE are perhaps ‘not fit to have a job at this moment’
White House adviser Alina Habba said today that military veterans affected by the DOGE-led layoffs of federal workers may not be “fit to have a job at this moment.”
Speaking to reporters on the White House lawn, Habba was asked about fired workers whom Democrats invited to Trump’s joint address to Congress on Tuesday. Habba defended the cuts and said she had no sympathy for the thousands of people who have lost their jobs.
“I really don’t feel sorry for them,” Habba said. “They should get back to work for the American people, like President Trump and this administration.”
A reporter then noted that some military veterans have been part of that group.
“That’s something the president has always cared about — anybody in blue, anybody that serves this country. But at the same time, we have taxpayer dollars, we have a fiscal responsibility to use taxpayer dollars to pay people that actually work,” she said.
“That doesn’t mean that we forget our veterans by any means,” she added. “We are going to care for them in the right way, but perhaps they’re not fit to have a job at this moment, or not willing to come to work. And we can’t, you know, I wouldn’t take money from you and pay somebody and say, ‘Sorry, you know, they they’re not going to come to work.’ It’s just not acceptable.”
Habba, who previously served as Trump’s personal lawyer, said the president planned to highlight the cuts, spearheaded by the Department of Government Efficiency, in his speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night.
The fight to replace Ron DeSantis in Florida is on, marked by jockeying with Trump
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is not leaving office for almost two years, but the fight to replace him has already sparked intense jockeying among Republicans — and set up a proxy battle between DeSantis and Trump.
Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., was the first big-name Republican to enter the race, but the open governorship is almost certain to draw in additional well-financed primary opposition. Increasingly, it appears that opposition could come from one of the state’s best-known Republicans, in both reputation and last name: Casey DeSantis.
The state’s high-profile first lady has already said she is considering a run to replace her husband, starting a round of behind-the-scenes intrigue as DeSantis’ political machine tries to slow the ascent of Donalds, who quickly picked up Trump’s endorsement on the heels of Trump’s 13-point win in Florida last year.
According to a dozen veteran Florida and national Republicans interviewed by NBC News, the effort to tear down Donalds’ early front-runner status has included quiet calls to a list of big Republican donors who have already endorsed Donalds, as well as direct appeals to Trump in a recent face-to-face meeting with the DeSantises.
Former FEMA chief financial officer sues Trump administration over firing
The former chief financial officer of the Federal Emergency Management Agency has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA over her termination, claiming she was fired without proper cause or due process.
The ex-CFO, Mary Comans, is also alleging defamation after DHS published a news release about her firing.
The complaint argues that regulations limit how top-level federal employees like her can be fired.
“Under regulations prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management, an agency may take an action covered by this subchapter against an employee only for misconduct, neglect of duty, malfeasance, or failure to accept a directed reassignment or to accompany a position in a transfer of function,” attorneys for Comans write in the complaint. “None of those grounds were cited in the Termination Memorandum or are applicable to Ms. Comans.”
Comans alleges that the day she was fired, DHS issued a news release falsely claiming she had been let go “for circumventing leadership to unilaterally make egregious payments for luxury NYC hotels for migrants.”
The release also allegedly noted that “under President Trump and Secretary Noem’s leadership, DHS will not sit idly and allow deep state activists to undermine the will and safety of the American people.”
Comans' lawsuit says that because of the release "and other steps undertaken by the Defendants, Ms. Comans’ actions were widely, publicly and falsely condemned as 'illegal' and 'criminal' by rightwing influencers, to include Elon Musk, on various social media platforms and news outlets.”
Comans is seeking unspecified monetary damages. The lawsuit also indicates Comans is filing a complaint with the Merit System Protection Board.
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for comment on Comans' lawsuit.
Trump meeting with House Freedom Caucus to talk about government funding
Trump will meet with some members of the far-right House Freedom Caucus at the White House tomorrow afternoon to discuss government funding plans, according to three Republican sources familiar with the planning. The meeting comes as House Republican leaders have been trying to corral the votes for a continuing resolution, which members of the HFC typically do not support.
But as Trump has called for a yearlong “clean” CR bill, there are signs that the usual HFC opposition is melting. Even hard-line conservative Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who previously said he’d oppose any funding bill without DOGE cuts in it, stood up in a Republican conference meeting this morning and signaled he’d back a CR, according to two sources in the room.
Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought and other OMB staff attended an HFC meeting near Capitol Hill on Monday evening, one of the sources said, where government funding was also a major topic of conversation.
The Blaze was the first to report the meeting.
Airplanes, food and beverages, cosmetics and toiletries set to face retaliatory tariffs from Canada
A wide array of U.S. goods entering Canada will face 25% tariffs, according to a list released by that nation's Department of Finance.
The affected goods include aircraft, food and beverages, cosmetics, toiletries, home furnishing items, clothing, tools and appliances.
Trump has responded in a Truth Social post by stating Canada would face a further U.S. response for retaliating.
Already, some U.S. business groups are asking for the White House to stand down. Corey Rosenbusch, head of the Fertilizer Institute, an industry trade group, has sought a tariffs exemption for Canadian potash, which accounts for nearly all imports brought in by U.S. farmers.
“Restrictions on this critical cross-border trade will drive up costs for farmers, which could ultimately be felt at the grocery store by consumers,” Rosenbusch said in a statement.
Supreme Court poised to deny Mexico’s lawsuit against U.S. gunmakers
The Supreme Court today appeared likely to rule against the Mexican government over a lawsuit seeking to hold U.S. gunmakers accountable for an epidemic of violence that officials in Mexico say can be traced to their products.
During oral arguments, both conservative and liberal justices seemed skeptical of the arguments made by Mexico that its claims could move forward despite a federal law intended to shield gun companies from liability.
Zelenskyy says he's ‘ready to sign’ a minerals deal 'at any time and in any convenient format'
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he is ready to work with Trump following their heated exchange in the Oval Office last week, writing in a post on X that "nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians."
"I would like to reiterate Ukraine’s commitment to peace," Zelenskyy wrote. "None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer."
"We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky — ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure — and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same," he continued. "Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal."
The Ukrainian president said he values how much America has assisted the country and acknowledged that his White House meeting on Friday "did not go the way is was supposed to."
"It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive," he wrote.
"Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it in any time and in any convenient format," Zelenskyy said, calling it a step toward security guarantees.
Trump threatens more tariffs if Canada implements retaliatory tariffs
Trump threatened to impose additional tariffs on Canada if it moves forward with retaliatory tariffs in response to U.S. duties that went into effect today.
Trudeau announced today that Canada would impose tariffs on around $107 billion worth of U.S. goods.
In a post to his social media site, Trump took a dig at Trudeau, alluding to previous remarks that Canada should become the 51st state.
"Please explain to Governor Trudeau, of Canada, that when he puts on a Retaliatory Tariff on the U.S., our Reciprocal Tariff will immediately increase by a like amount!" Trump said on Truth Social.
Judge rules chair of agency responsible for handling federal employee claims over firings can stay on the job
A federal judge granted Merit Systems Protection Board Chair Cathy Harris’ motion for a summary judgment this morning, saying she could remain at the agency after she sued the Trump administration over her attempted firing.
The judge said Harris "may be removed by the President prior to the expiration of her term in office only for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office pursuant."
Harris sued the Trump administration, alleging her termination violated federal law. She was confirmed by the Senate on May 25, 2022, and sworn in on June 1, 2022.
The Merit Systems Protection Board handles complaints from federal workers about actions taken against them, including firings.
From his perspective, Putin is now winning the yearslong struggle with the U.S.
MOSCOW — From where President Vladimir Putin is sitting, it looks like Russia is now winning a yearslong struggle with the United States and the West. And the result may be more war.
Trump’s announcement overnight that the United States would immediately halt military aid to Ukraine was welcomed by the Kremlin today, and his decision appears to vindicate Putin’s visceral dislike of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Meanwhile, the White House’s growing differences with NATO, the 32-member U.S.-led military alliance set up to counter the Soviet Union after World War II, and apparent rapprochement with Russia are fracturing the Western liberal order that for decades contained Putin’s ambitions.
The fight is by no means over. Hours after Trump’s announcement on Ukraine, European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced plans to strengthen Europe’s defense industry and increase military capabilities by freeing close to 800 billion euros ($841.4 billion).
“We’re living in the most momentous and dangerous of times,” she said in a statement. “We are in an era of rearmament.”
Republicans advised to avoid in-person town halls after confrontations over layoffs go viral
Congressional Republicans are again being advised against holding in-person town halls after several instances of lawmakers being berated by attendees went viral.
The chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, which is the Hill committee that works to get Republicans elected to the House, told lawmakers in a closed-door meeting this morning that there were more efficient ways to reach constituents than in-person town halls, according to two sources in the room.
The chairman, Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., compared the moment to 2017, when a series of GOP town halls made headlines after angry attendees confronted lawmakers. He also claimed without evidence that the disruptions were from paid protesters.
Democratic women to wear pink, 'color of protest,' to Trump speech
The Democratic Women's Caucus has sent an email to its members urging them to wear pink, "a color of protest," for Trump's speech tonight.
"We're powerful, passionate, and pissed off," says the email, which was obtained by NBC News. "Pink is the color of protest. It is a color of women's power and persistence. Trump is raising costs, not lowering them, and we will push back."
"Wear pink to stand out as united in our fight for women and families."
Other Democratic groups say they will wear other colors symbolically. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus, for example, say they will wear black on the House floor Tuesday night. While supporters of Ukraine say they will wear blue and yellow, the colors of the Ukrainian flag.
Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill., a CBC member who also has Ukrainian ancestry, says she plans to wear a bit of pink, black, as well as blue and yellow.
"I can't say there won't be some defiance, depending on what he says," Kelly said, "but we're respectful of the institution."
American who was held hostage by Hamas to attend Trump’s speech as guest of Michigan congresswoman
Keith Siegel, an American who was held hostage by Hamas, will attend Trump’s joint speech to Congress as a guest of Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., a member of House leadership.
Siegel was the first American to be freed from Hamas captivity on Feb. 1 during a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Siegel, a Chapel Hill, North Carolina, native, was held in captivity for 484 days after Hamas’ deadly attack on Oct. 7, 2023. His wife, Aviva, who was taken captive by Hamas and released last November, will also attend Trump’s speech.
Dana Milo, the niece of Judi and Gadi Haggagi — two Americans whose remains are being held in Gaza — will also attend the speech as a guest of McClain, according to a news release first shared with NBC News.
“Hamas cruelly kept Keith and his wife Aviva in darkness, and now it’s my honor to bring Keith and Aviva’s impactful story to light for the world to see. Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, I have the opportunity to invite the Siegels to Washington and bring Keith, Aviva, and Dana as my guests,” McClain said in a statement.
The chairwoman of the House GOP conference added: “We continue to stand with our ally Israel in their fight against Hamas’ evil and brutality. Hamas is still holding innocent people captive, and I will continue working with our strong leaders in the White House to secure their release.”
The Siegels traveled to Washington, D.C., on Monday to meet with Trump administration officials alongside six others who were freed from Hamas’ captivity.
Trump adviser Alina Habba defends DOGE job cuts: 'I really don’t feel sorry for them'
Speaking to reporters this morning, White House adviser Alina Habba defended cuts that have been made by Elon Musk's DOGE team in the federal government.
Asked about Democratic lawmakers who are bringing federal workers who were recently fired as part of those cuts, Habba said: "We’ve heard that they’re going to bring people that have lost their jobs. Yeah, you get fired. You get fired when you don’t show up to work. You get fired when you are taking taxpayer dollars and you’re not working for the federal government. And you are double dipping. That is this administration."
"I really don’t feel sorry for them," she said. "They should get back to work for the American people, like President Trump and this administration."
Habba also weighed in on military veterans who have also been fired, saying that the Trump White House cares about them, but "at the same time, we have taxpayer dollars, we have a fiscal responsibility to use taxpayer dollars to pay people that actually work."
"That doesn’t mean that we forget our veterans by any means," she continued. "We are going to care for them in the right way, but perhaps they’re not fit to have a job at this moment, or not willing to come to work."
Trump trying to destroy the Canadian economy and annex the country, Trudeau says
During his remarks addressing the new tariffs, Trudeau said Trump is seeking to destroy the Canadian economy so that the U.S. can annex its neighbors to the north.
“I don’t know what negotiations we might undertake at the moment to convince him that that’s not his goal,” Trudeau said.
Trump has continued to suggest Canada could become the 51st state, recently posting to Truth Social that hockey great Wayne Gretzky, with whose family Trump is close, has been "low key" about the idea, rather than outwardly supporting Canada "becoming a cherished and beautiful 51st State, paying much Lower Taxes, a Free and Powerful Military, NO TARIFFS, and having a Booming Economy.”
Trudeau expresses disbelief at U.S. for 'appeasing' Putin
In his speech addressing the new tariffs, Trudeau also took aim at Trump's treatment of Zelenskyy and the administration's posturing toward Russia.
"They’re talking about working positively with Russia, appeasing Vladimir Putin — a lying, murderous, dictator," Trudeau said. "Make that make sense. Canadians are reasonable and we are polite. But we will not back down from a fight, not when our country and the well-being of everyone in it is at stake."
Trudeau participated in a defense summit with European leaders and Zelenskyy over the weekend in London, voicing support for the Ukrainian president and his country.
Elon Musk to meet with House Republicans tomorrow
Elon Musk will join House Republicans for a meeting in the Capitol tomorrow evening, according to an email from House Speaker Mike Johnson's office that was sent to GOP members and shared with NBC News.
Johnson, R-La., said last week that he was looking to arrange a meeting for members with Musk as some Republicans seek more clarity on the DOGE cuts that the tech billionaire is spearheading.
The meeting comes as House Republican leaders try to pass a continuing resolution ahead of the March 14 government funding deadline. Musk helped torpedo spending legislation in December, complicating GOP leaders’ plans.
Trudeau calls tariffs 'very dumb' and says Canada 'will not back down from a fight'
Trudeau reiterated his country's plan to impose tariffs on some $107 billion worth of U.S. goods in response to President Donald Trump's announcement that America's northern neighbor would be subject to 25% duties.
“Canadians are reasonable and we are polite, but we will not back down from a fight, not when our country and the well-being of everyone in it is at stake at the moment,” Trudeau said.
Addressing Trump as "Donald," Trudeau said Canada had stuck to its word in negotiations last month designed to avoid the new duties — while also stating Trump's claim that Canada was a significant source of fentanyl flows was false.
“There is absolutely no justification or need whatsoever for these tariffs today,” Trudeau said, adding: “Even though you’re a very smart guy, this is a very dumb thing to do.”
Earlier Tuesday, Canadian officials had indicated the tit-for-tat levies, without naming specific goods they would apply to. Alongside the 25% duties imposed on Canadian goods, Trump imposed a lower 10% tariff on Canadian energy imports.
Trudeau said the retaliatory duties would remain in place “until the U.S. tariffs are withdrawn and not a moment sooner,” while mentioning other new measures may be forthcoming.
Vance says Ukraine must 'come to the table' and negotiate minerals deal with Trump
Vice President JD Vance told reporters on Capitol Hill this morning that the pause in U.S. aid to Ukraine is intended "to send a very explicit message that the Ukrainians have got to come to the table and start negotiating with President Trump."
Asked if there’s still hope for a mineral deal, Vance said yes and that he believes Trump is still committed to the deal as well.
“There’s a lot of questions about territory, about everything else. We want to have that conversation. We’re not saying that we’re committed to one pathway or another. We’re just saying you can’t even bring the peace to the forefront if the Ukrainians aren’t willing to negotiate in good faith,” Vance said about a timeline for a deal.
Vance, Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy got into a heated clash in the Oval Office last week after the vice president questioned whether Zelenskyy was grateful for U.S. assistance and challenged him on how to address the ongoing war with Russia.
This morning, Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X: "Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts."
The White House meeting Friday "did not go the way it was supposed to be," Zelenskyy said on X, adding, "It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive."
On the Trump administration tariffs that went into effect today, Vance said he needs to see “real engagement” from Canada on fentanyl to roll back the tariffs.
“Now, people will sometimes say, ‘Well, if you look at the numbers, the Mexicans send way more fentanyl into the United States than the Canadians do.’ The Canadians have allowed a lot of fentanyl to come into the country. It’s not a defense to say more has come from Mexico because way too much has come from Mexico, too,” Vance said.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data, only about 0.2% of the fentanyl that was seized in the U.S. last year was at the northern border with Canada, compared with 96.6% seized at the southern border with Mexico.
House Democrats told not to make Trump's speech about themselves
House Democratic leaders urged members during a closed-door party meeting today to show proper decorum ahead of Trump’s joint address to Congress, according to three House Democrats who attended the meeting.
House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., specifically asked members not to use “props” to protest the speech tonight, while House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., encouraged members to stay on message and keep the spotlight focused on the people affected by Trump’s policies — not make the story about themselves.
Jeffries previously encouraged members in a “dear colleague” letter to attend the speech, but during this morning's meeting, he said he respects any decision by members to skip it, according to attendees.
Among those members not attending the speech are Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., who announced during the meeting she would be boycotting Trump’s address.
House Republican campaign chief advises lawmakers against town halls
Rep. Richard Hudson, the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, advised Republicans against doing town halls after several GOP district events recently went viral, according to two sources who attended a closed-door political meeting this morning.
Hudson, R-N.C., whose committee works to get Republicans elected to the House, warned members that it’s like “2017” and accused paid protesters of being the source of the recent town hall disruptions over DOGE. He and other Republican officials who have made such claims have not provided evidence.
Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., stood up at the meeting and said people were following her outside her house and harassing her and her kids, the sources said.
Hudson's comments follow previous suggestions from party leaders that lawmakers hold tele-town halls or vet attendees to avoid viral scenes, or stop holding events altogether.
Trump’s pause on Ukraine aid is like the U.S. switching sides in WWII, expert says
Trump’s decision to pause American military aid to Ukraine is handing Russia’s Vladimir Putin the upper hand on the battlefield and in geopolitical negotiations, former officials and experts warned Tuesday.
The White House said the defense assistance was being reviewed to make sure it was contributing to the administration’s goal of being “focused on peace.”
Military analysts say that withholding Ukraine’s defensive lifeblood will be “crippling” in a matter of months as it tries to hold back the Russian war machine and defend cities being bombed nightly.
It will also deepen the chasm between the Trump administration and Washington’s longtime European allies, who are already scrambling to fill the void left by a U.S. government pursuing a rapprochement with their chief antagonist in Moscow.
Trump’s tariffs take effect: What prices are set to increase?
Trump’s sweeping tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico and China took effect at midnight. Reporting for "TODAY," NBC’s Christine Romans says it’s only a matter of time until American families see price hikes nearly everywhere they spend money, from grocery stores to car dealerships.
Democrats dispute Trump's claims of successes in ‘S--- That Ain’t True’ videos before joint address
Several congressional Democrats took to social media to post about, in their words, ‘S--- That Ain’t True,' ahead of Trump's joint address tonight.
Several of the posts listed: "Trump promised to lower prices on day one, but costs have only gone up."
The videos start with a clip of Trump declaring, "I will immediately bring prices down, starting on day one." Then the individual member of Congress speak straight to the camera, following similar scripts.
"S--- that ain't true, that's what you just saw," Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., said in his video. "Since day one of Donald Trump's presidency, prices are up, not down."
The videos lay out the costs of basic goods, say Trump is letting Elon Musk “take a chainsaw” to the federal government, and criticize pardons of violent Jan. 6 defendants.
"Donald Trump has done nothing — goose eggs — to lower prices for you," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., in his video, which bleeped out an expletive. "Instead, he's pardoned violent criminals who savagely beat police officers on Jan. 6. That's an f-ing disgrace."
"The Republican plan is simple," said Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., in his video. "Billionaires win and families lose. And that's the truth."
Military veteran fired from the VA to attend Trump's speech as Democratic guest
Military veteran David Pasquino told an NBC's Florida affiliate that he's attending Trump's speech to Congress tonight after he was recently fired from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
"The sacrifices that I made don’t matter because I'm an arbitrary number," he told West Palm Beach-based WPTV.
Pasquino said his termination was done "arbitrarily" and "without any research, due process or fairness, and it was illegal, immoral and unjust.”
Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., ranking member on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, invited Pasquino as his guest to Trump's address tonight.
“It makes me feel seen and heard, and it makes me think that I’m not just a number on a spreadsheet,” Pasquino said. “I want the House, the Senate, I want President Trump and all of his administration, to see the impact that this has had on American lives.”
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick says today's tariffs are part of a 'drug war,' not a trade war
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on CNBC that Mexico should recognize that today's new tariffs are part of a "drug war."
"Hopefully Mexico will understand that this is not a trade war," he said. "This is a drug war."
Lutnick was also asked whether Canada and Mexico could do anything to remove the tariffs, which kicked in at midnight.
"If they can stop the flow of fentanyl, and they can prove to the president they can stop the flow of fentanyl, then of course the president can remove these tariffs," he said. "But you've seen it, it has not been a statistically relevant reduction of deaths in America."
New provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that the number of drug overdose deaths declined about 24% for a year-long period that ended in September, compared to the previous year.
Lutnick also insisted that "tariffs do not, do not, do not create inflation." Economists and businesses, however, have warned that tariffs can cause companies to pass on higher prices to consumers.
Mexico's Sheinbaum says countermeasures will be unveiled Sunday
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her country would institute countermeasures Sunday in response to the sweeping 25% tariff Trump imposed on America's largest trading partner.
In a news conference Tuesday, Sheinbaum said the actions would include “tariff and nontariff measures.” Trump's actions, she said, were affecting international companies in Mexico "and the people of both countries."
Sheinbaum also addressed America's fentanyl crisis, stating the U.S. must address the drug importers "in its own land" while confronting the conditions that have led to the health crisis.
She said Mexico had already taken steps during the past month to crack down on drug gangs and trafficking flows.
American automaker trade group call for exemption from tariffs for vehicles and parts
The president of the American Automotive Policy Council said vehicles and parts should be exempt from the Trump-imposed tariffs.
“We continue to believe that vehicles and parts that meet the USMCA’s stringent domestic and regional content requirements should be exempt from the tariff increase," the group's president, Matt Blunt, said in a statement this morning.
He continued, "Our American automakers, who invested billions in the U.S. to meet these requirements, should not have their competitiveness undermined by tariffs that will raise the cost of building vehicles in the United States and stymie investment in the American workforce, while our competitors from outside of North America benefit from easy access to our home market."
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was asked about Blunt's statement on CNBC and whether the Trump administration would allow an exemption for car manufacturers. He said that Trump has always thought about that, but said that the new tariffs are "an opioid-related tactic" and the U.S. will re-examine trade policy on April 2.
White House's guests at speech will include family of firefighter killed during first Trump assassination attempt
The office of first lady Melania Trump announced guests invited to join her and the president for tonight's speech.
The guest list includes the family of Corey Comperatore, who was killed in the assassination attempt of Trump in July in Butler, Pennsylvania; the widow of Jonathan Diller, a slain New York police officer; Marc Fogel, who was released from a Russian prison in February; and Payton McNabb, who has advocated against transgender women and girls playing in female sports.
The guest list also includes several family members of victims of crimes allegedly committed by migrants who entered the U.S. illegally, including Alexis Nungaray, whose 12-year-old daughter Jocelyn was killed, and the mother and sister of Laken Riley.
Western Australia premier apologizes after calling Vance a 'knob'
The premier of Western Australia has apologized after he called Vice President JD Vance a “knob” at an event in Perth.
During an appearance today at the West Australian newspaper’s Leadership Matters event, Premier Roger Cook was asked to finish the sentence, “JD Vance is a …” Cook responded with the offensive slang term, to laugher and applause from the crowd.
“Sorry. You’ve got to have one unprofessional moment, don’t you? That was it,” said Cook, who is seeking a third term in office for his center-left Labor Party in Saturday’s state election.
Cook later told reporters, “It was a light-hearted, nonprofessional moment and I didn’t mean any offense,” the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.
“When I made the comments there was a lot of applause around the room so perhaps some people enjoyed the fun that came with it.
“Other people might have been offended and I apologize.”
Trump puts tariffs on thousands of goods from Canada and Mexico, risking higher prices
Trump has moved forward with a plan to put sweeping tariffs on all goods coming into the U.S. from Canada and Mexico, threatening a trade war with its closest trading partners — and higher prices for Americans on thousands of consumer goods.
The U.S. was scheduled to begin collecting a 25% tariff on nearly all goods from Mexico and Canada starting at 12:01 a.m. today, according to a draft public notice of the rules posted yesterday. Canadian energy products would be levied at a lower rate of 10%.
Businesses ranging from automakers to alcohol producers have warned that the added costs for companies to import goods from Canada and Mexico will have wide-ranging implications across the American economy. While some companies will look to source their goods from other countries or move production to the U.S., those moves could take years.
Trump trades public attacks for a behind-the-scenes approach to influence Congress
Reporting from Washington
As Trump traveled to visit natural disaster areas in North Carolina and California shortly after his inauguration, his team was concerned about a possible political disaster back in Washington. To defuse it would require a type of political dexterity he hadn’t always displayed during his first term.
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., had raised concerns about defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., who had communicated them to the White House. Hegseth couldn’t afford to lose Tillis’ vote, and Trump and his political team knew it.
Walking into an Air Force One cabin filled with members of North Carolina’s GOP congressional delegation, Trump mused, “I hear your man Thom might not be with us,” according to a person who heard the remark. Trump then openly speculated, “Maybe someone will primary him. ... Do we have any takers?”
The threat wrapped in a joke was never deployed publicly. Instead, Trump took a different tack. Before the comment, his political team had set up meetings for Tillis with Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance. The behind-the-scenes pressure campaign then culminated with a meeting between Trump and Tillis the day of Hegseth’s confirmation vote.
Elon Musk to attend Trump's joint address
Elon Musk will attend Trump’s joint address, a White House official told NBC News. Musk has spearheaded DOGE’s efforts, despite not being the acting administrator.
Congressional Democrats are bringing guests who they hope will highlight the effects of the DOGE cuts. A spokesperson for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the senator asked his caucus to bring guests who “have suffered under the Trump administration’s policies.” Schumer’s office announced yesterday that two of his guests include fired federal workers.
Trump to deliver prime-time address before Congress as policy shake-ups test key alliances
Trump, in a joint address to Congress tonight, is expected to lay out his efforts to rapidly slash the size of the federal government in ways critics warn overstep his authority and threaten lasting damage.
The speech comes as Trump is making a sharp break from the previous administration, both on the international and domestic fronts. On Friday, Trump and Vice President JD Vance had a heated confrontation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, rocking international relations and prompting concerns from critics that the White House is moving away from a democratic ally and hewing closer to Russia, an authoritarian adversary.
Today’s speech — Trump’s first address to Congress of his second term — gives him the opportunity to further justify the shake-ups, both at home and abroad, to lawmakers and the public, and to preview what’s coming next.
Trade tensions heat up as China and Canada retaliate against U.S. tariffs
Reporting from Hong Kong
HONG KONG — China and Canada moved swiftly today to retaliate against newly imposed U.S. tariffs, announcing their own levies on U.S. goods that could further disrupt the United States’ trade with its top three trading partners.
A 25% U.S. tariff on almost all goods imported from Canada and Mexico took effect just after midnight, along with an additional 10% tariff on goods from China. The three countries together accounted for more than 40% of total U.S. imports last year and are also the top three U.S. export markets.
China will impose additional tariffs of up to 15% on some U.S. goods, its government said, while Canada vowed tariffs of up to 25%. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is expected to announce her response at a news conference in Mexico City on Tuesday morning, the country’s economy ministry said.
The new Chinese levies, which take effect March 10, include a 15% tariff on chicken, wheat, corn and cotton and a 10% tariff on sorghum, soybeans, pork, beef, fruits, vegetables, and dairy and fish products. Chinese state media had reported earlier that U.S. agricultural products would be targeted.
Schumer's guests for Trump's speech focus on job cuts and benefits of government programs
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., will host five guests for Trump's joint address to Congress tonight: two who were fired from the federal government, two who are Medicaid recipients and one who relies on funding for medical treatment.
The guests, according to his office, are:
- Emma Larson, a 12-year-old from Long Island who received lifesaving treatment after she was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy as a baby from a lab that receives tens of millions in indirect reimbursements from the National Institutes of Health.
- Alissa Ellman, a disabled Army veteran who served in Afghanistan and was fired from her job at the Department of Veterans Affairs in Buffalo last week. She was diagnosed in 2018 with a rare cancer linked to exposure to toxic burn pits during her military service.
- Tiffany Ramos, who worked for the Agriculture Department in Syracuse helping farms and rural businesses secure financial support, and was recently fired amid DOGE cuts.
- Ana Medina Garcia, a Medicaid recipient and home health care worker who mostly takes care of other Medicaid beneficiaries.
- Jessica Martinez, a cancer survivor who has multiple sclerosis and is a Medicaid recipient, funding she depends on to live independently and care for her family.
Here's Trump's schedule for today
Trump is scheduled to head to the Capitol tonight to deliver his joint address to Congress.
The speech is scheduled to begin at 9:10 p.m. ET, and the White House has him leaving the Capitol at 11:20 p.m.
He does not have other items on his public schedule for the day, according to the White House.