Key Events (10)
Trump announced tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico of 25% and 10% on Chinese imports, set to take effect Saturday. Canada's Prime Minister Trudeau pledged a 'forceful but reasonable' response to the tariffs, which are expected to have significant impacts on continental trade.
Top FBI officials in five cities have been notified of demotions or transfers, and dozens of agents who worked on Trump investigations face potential termination. Trump officials have also fired January 6 prosecutors and plan a broader FBI purge as part of efforts to remove perceived political enemies from federal law enforcement.
An American Airlines passenger jet with 64 people aboard collided with a military Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington DC, killing 67 people in the deadliest U.S. aviation tragedy since 2001. Cockpit voice and flight data recorders from both aircraft have been recovered for investigation.
Trump baselessly blamed diversity policies and Democrats for the Washington DC plane crash, making unproven claims about the cause before investigation was complete. The incident sparked criticism from commentators who said the president was using a tragedy for political purposes.
Trump ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to take down government websites referencing the climate crisis. The Forest Service website and other federal agency pages were affected as agencies scrambled to comply with the directive.
Trump's special envoy Richard Grenell flew to Venezuela to meet with President Nicolás Maduro, prompting speculation about a potential rapprochement between Washington and Caracas after years of tensions and sanctions.
Trump stated that he and Russian President Putin could accomplish something significant toward ending the war in Ukraine, raising questions about potential peace negotiations. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Rubio is visiting Central America with migration and Panama Canal issues on the agenda.
Trump's administration has ordered federal agencies to delete mentions of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) from websites. The Internal Revenue Service handbook containing references to taxpayers' 'inequity' and 'inclusion' have been wiped, according to reporting.
Trump's freeze on foreign aid has shut down the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (Fews Net), a globally recognized 'gold standard' famine-monitoring system. Experts warn that without the system, which is vital for preventing food crises, people will die in vulnerable regions worldwide.
A January 6 Capitol riot attacker who was previously pardoned by Trump has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for a fatal drunk-driving crash in Missouri. Emily Hernandez, 24, killed Victoria Wilson, 32, and injured her husband in the 2022 wreck.