South Carolina police respond to bomb threat at Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s sister’s home
Police in Charleston, South Carolina, responded to a bomb threat this week at the home of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s sister, according an an incident report dated Monday.
An officer said that when he arrived at the home, he spoke with the husband of Barrett’s sister, who said that his wife, Amanda Williams, had received an email Saturday that detailed the construction of a “pipe bomb,” which the email said was “recently placed” in Barrett’s sister’s mailbox. The pipe bomb’s “detonation will be triggered as soon as the mailbox is next opened. Free Palestine!,” the email stated, according to the report.
Officials said that the threat was a false alarm after inspecting the mailbox, according to the report.
The responding officer also said in the report that Williams recounted that an unidentified person “possibly related to the sender of the email,” had delivered pizza to all residences related to Barrett on Saturday evening.
A spokesperson for the police department said the investigation was ongoing.
Barrett, a conservative justice who Trump appointed to the high court during his first term, has been the target of criticism from Trump-allied figures in the wake of rejecting an effort by the Trump administration to not pay contractors with the U.S. Agency for International Development in compliance with the order of a federal judge.
Chuck Schumer says Senate Democrats won’t provide votes to pass GOP funding bill as shutdown draws near
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Sahil Kapur, Ryan Nobles, Julie Tsirkin and Frank Thorp V
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said today that Democrats won’t provide enough support to pass a government funding bill that Republicans wrote and passed through the House, leaving it uncertain whether Congress can avert a shutdown before Friday night’s deadline.
Schumer’s comments come one day after the House narrowly approved a continuing resolution to keep the government funded through the end of September.
“Funding the government should be a bipartisan effort but Republicans chose a partisan path, drafting their continuing resolution without any input — any input — from congressional Democrats. Because of that, Republicans do not have the votes in the Senate to invoke cloture on the House CR,” Schumer said on the floor, calling for a one-month funding bill that provides more time to negotiate a deal.
“Our caucus is unified on a clean April 11 CR that will keep the government open and give Congress time to negotiate bipartisan legislation that can pass,” he said. “I hope our Republican colleagues will join us to avoid a shutdown on Friday.”
Federal judge temporarily blocks portions of Trump administration’s Perkins Coie executive order
A federal judge just blocked portions of the Trump administration’s executive order called “Addressing Risks From Perkins Coie,” saying the law firm has “met its burden” for a temporary restraining order.
Judge Beryl Howell is enjoining enforcement of Sections 1, 3 and 5 of Trump’s executive order, which sought to block Perkins Coie and its associates from entering government buildings, and prevented government employees in their official capacity from “engaging with Perkins Coie employees to ensure consistency with the national security and other interests of the United States.”
“I am sure many in the profession are watching in horror at what Perkins Coie is going through here,” Judge Howell said when announcing her decision.
During arguments, the plaintiffs explained the issue in stark terms. “It is an immense, already existing problem that is like a tsunami ready to hit the firm,” Plaintiff attorney Dane Butswinkas said. “It will spell the end of the law firm.”
“It sends chills down my spine when you say that if the president in his view has the position that an individual, or an entity, or a company is operating a way that is not in the nation’s interest, he can issue an executive order like this,” Judge Howell said to the government. “That’s a pretty extraordinary power for the president to exercise.”
Immigrant detention centers are at capacity, Trump admin officials say
The Department of Homeland Security says its immigrant detention centers are at capacity, housing about 47,600 individuals.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday on background, DHS officials said they are working with the Marshals Service, Department of Defense and Federal Bureau of Prisons to increase bed space as they ask Congress for more funding.
Arrested individuals are also being released from detention on a case-by-case basis using ICE’s Alternatives to Detention program based on medical or humanitarian concerns, they said.
The senior DHS and ICE officials also provided new arrest data cataloging Trump’s first 50 days back in office. According to DHS data, from Jan. 20 to March 10, 2025 ICE has arrested 32,809 individuals.
According to officials, of those, 14,111 were convicted criminals, 9,980 have pending criminal charges and 8,718 have only immigration-related violations.
House Democratic leaders tell Senate Democrats to ‘vote no’ on GOP funding bill
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Scott Wong, Kyle Stewart and Syedah Asghar
House Democratic leaders today urged Senate Democrats to vote down what they called the “partisan” Republican funding bill, even though a potential government shutdown is right around the corner.
A day earlier, the six-month funding bill cleared the House on a largely party-line vote, where all but one Democrat voted against the measure.
Kicking off a three-day policy retreat just up the Potomac River from Washington, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., urged Democratic senators to join their House colleagues in rejecting the GOP bill and instead take up a one-month stopgap bill to buy negotiators more time to cut a longer-term appropriations deal.
The two top Democratic appropriators in Congress — Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut and Sen. Patty Murray of Washington — recently introduced that short-term bill.
“There is an alternative for the senators, Democrats and Republicans, to consider: It’s a four-week, clean continuing resolution that gives both the House and the Senate Democrats and Republicans the ability to try to reach an agreement that actually meets the needs of the country and does not hurt everyday Americans,” Jeffries said at the opening news conference in Leesburg, Virginia.
He said he’s having ongoing conservations with Senate Democrats, including Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and other key members. “The House Democratic position is crystal clear,” Jeffries continued, “as evidenced by the strong vote of opposition that we took yesterday on the House floor, opposing the Trump-Musk-Johnson reckless Republican spending bill.”
Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., vice chair of the Democratic Caucus, offered stronger instructions to senators.
“House Democrats are very clear: We’re asking Senate Democrats to vote no on this continuing resolution, which is not clean, and it makes cuts across the board,” Lieu said. “And it’s going to be one of those things where people are going to look at this vote and every bad thing that now happens with DOGE and Donald Trump, Elon Musk, you can go back to this vote.”
Where Senate Democrats stand on shutdown negotiations
Frank Thorp V and Julie Tsirkin
After nearly two hours, Senate Democrats have yet to reveal how they plan to vote on a House-passed Republican bill that would avoid a government shutdown starting this weekend.
Senators emerged from a lunch meeting and largely ignored questions from reporters, though some gave insight into the debate that unfolded behind closed doors. Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., said Democrats “are unified in not wanting to shut down the government, and what we need to do is vote on the short-term CR.”
The short-term CR Smith referenced is a 30-day continuing resolution put forward by the top Democratic appropriator in the Senate, Patty Murray.
Virginia Sen. Mark Warner endorsed the 30-day CR — as did a handful of others, including Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar — but claimed no decisions were made inside the room on the House-passed GOP bill that would fund the government through September.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters to “stay tuned.” Democratic Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois said Schumer would speak on the Senate floor following the current vote series.
Most Senate Democrats, in an attempt to stay on message, told reporters they would not be commenting, or simply ignored questions posed to them.
But Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen said, “At least for now, I don’t see the votes. Based on my reading of the end of the meeting, I don’t see the votes there right now for passing the House Republican CR.”
Judge appears likely to grant request to reinstate thousands of fired probationary workers
Gary Grumbach and Dareh Gregorian
A federal judge in Maryland suggested he might direct that thousands of fired federal workers get their jobs back, at least temporarily, after hearing arguments that their layoffs were unlawful.
“This case isn’t about whether or not the government can terminate people. It’s about if they decide to terminate people, how they must do it,” U.S. District Judge James Bredar said at the hearing today on the abrupt firings of thousands of probationary employees. The government has let go roughly 200,000 probationary employees — workers who are either recent hires or had taken new positions.
“Move fast and break things,” Bredar, referring to a seminal quote from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg that has been used to describe Elon Musk’s efforts to shrink the size of the federal workforce. “Move fast, fine. Break things? If that involves breaking the law, then that becomes problematic,” the judge said.
Trump says no one will expel Palestinians
Trump said in remarks in the Oval Office that Palestinians won’t be expelled from Gaza.
A reporter asked about Trump’s plan to expel Palestinians from Gaza.
“Nobody is expelling any Palestinians. Who are you with?” Trump asked the reporter. She said she was with Voice of America, an international broadcasting network funded by the federal government, and the president said, “Oh, no wonder.”
Last month, the president said that Palestinians wouldn’t be allowed to return to the Gaza Strip as part of his plan for the U.S. to take control of the territory.
Immigrant detention centers are at capacity, Homeland Security officials say
The Department of Homeland Security says its immigrant detention centers are at capacity, holding nearly 50,000 people, and it has reached out to other agencies to find more space.
The department is working with the Marshals Service, the Department of Defense and the Federal Bureau of Prisons to increase the number of beds as they seek more congressional funding, senior DHS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials told reporters.
Some detainees are being released using an alternative ICE tracking program on a case-by-case basis while they make their way through immigration proceedings, the officials said.
In the first 50 days of the new Trump administration, immigration enforcement officials have arrested nearly 33,000 people, the official said. More than 14,000 of those arrested were convicted criminals, nearly 10,000 have pending criminal charges, and nearly 9,000 have immigration-related violations. The arrests include 1,155 suspected gang members and 39 known or suspected terrorists, they said.
The Department of Homeland Security did not provide a figure on how many undocumented immigrants have been deported.
Trump tells Ireland’s prime minister he’s ‘better off’ not knowing Rosie O’Donnell
Trump said during remarks in the Oval Office that Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin is “better off” not knowing actor Rosie O’Donnell.
A reporter asked Martin why he would let her move to his country.
“Did you know you have Rosie O’Donnell? Do you know who she is?” said Trump, who’s feuded with the actor and comedian for years.
Martin didn’t respond and Trump said, “You’re better off not knowing.”
O’Donnell announced on TikTok yesterday that she moved to Ireland and is trying to become a citizen there because of Trump’s presidency.
Trump admin aims to get undocumented immigrants to self-deport with new messaging campaign
Trump says he’ll impose more retaliatory tariffs on the European Union
Trump threatened to impose more retaliatory tariffs on the European Union after the bloc said it would implement tariffs on the U.S. next month in response to tariffs on steel and aluminum by the Trump administration.
“The European Union treats us very badly. They have for years,” Trump said in remarks to reporters while sitting in the Oval Office with Taoiseach of Ireland Micheál Martin. “I had it out with them in my first term. … The European Union has been very tough, and it’s our turn, too. You know, we get a turn at that also, but they have not been fair. They sue our companies and win massive amounts of money.”
Trump said that it creates “ill will” and said: “We’re going to be doing reciprocal tariffs. So whatever they charge us, we’re charging them. Nobody can complain about that. Whatever it is, it doesn’t even matter what it is — if they charge us, if they charge us 25 or 20%, or 10%, or 2%, or 200%, then that’s what we’re charging them. And so I don’t know why people get upset about that because there’s nothing more fair than that.”
The E.U. said today that it would impose tariffs on more than $28 billion worth of U.S. goods in response to the 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports from the E.U.
Trump said that the E.U. was “set up in order to take advantage of the United States,” which he said Ireland has done because U.S. pharmaceutical companies have moved to the European country.
From troublemakers to team players: House Freedom Caucus softens as Trump transforms GOP
Melanie Zanona and Sahil Kapur
WASHINGTON — In the span of two weeks, the House Freedom Caucus made two moves long seen as unimaginable for a band of far-right rebels formed to pressure Republican leaders to shrink the federal government.
First, they all unanimously supported a budget blueprint for President Donald Trump’s agenda that contained a $4 trillion debt limit increase.
Then, they unified to support a six-month government funding bill that largely continued the spending status quo established under President Joe Biden, with modest changes to expand military spending and reduce domestic funding.
The shift was illustrated by the chairman of the Freedom Caucus, Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., appearing alongside Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and his leadership team at a news conference Tuesday before the government funding vote to show solidarity. He drew smiles as he made a joke about how unusual it is to be a Freedom Caucus leader in that setting.
“We want to be Trump’s greatest asset, because we’re so aligned,” Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., a Freedom Caucus member, told NBC News. “We want to be the engine that helps his team. We actually agree with Trump and the things that he campaigned on almost universally.”
Steve Bannon says he doesn’t think DOGE can cut $1 trillion in spending
Trump ally Steve Bannon said on California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s new podcast that he doesn’t think Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency will be able to cut $1 trillion in government spending.
“I hope it gets to $1 trillion. I’m his biggest supporter of that,” Bannon said, referring to Musk. “I don’t think we’re going to get there.”
Bannon, a MAGA populist, has staunchly criticized Musk in the past, including over visa programs that the billionaire tech mogul supported.
Bannon acknowledged his criticisms of Musk during his podcast appearance with the Democratic governor without going into details.
Former education secretary says gutting the department will hurt vulnerable students the most
Rebecca Shabad and Jesse Rodriguez
Former Education Secretary Miguel Cardona warned in a letter today of the consequences of the Trump administration’s move to drastically slash staffing at the Department of Education.
The letter addressed to the department’s career employees and other public servants said the administration’s effort is “just one of the strategies aimed at disrupting public education and privatizing a public good.”
“The significant reductions in force at the Department will affect the distribution of Title I funding for students from disadvantaged backgrounds and reduce much-needed resources for our students with disabilities,” Cardona said. “Accountability for predatory institutions in higher education will be diminished. Our most vulnerable students in our country will feel the impacts the greatest. It will also affect the distribution of federal PELL grants which help millions of students have access to college.”
The former secretary, who served under Joe Biden, said that these actions will “undoubtedly hurt students” and said that it’s up to people in his profession to protect public education.
Zelenskyy says a 30-day ceasefire with Russia could be used to draft peace plan
Daryna Mayer and Rebecca Shabad
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said today that the ball is in Russia’s court to agree to a 30-day ceasefire and reiterated that he wants an end to the war.
“For me, it is important to end the war,” said Zelenskyy at a news conference, after Trump recently criticized him and asserted that Zelenskyy doesn’t want to end the war. “And I want the president of the United States of America to see this, for the Americans to see and feel this. And for Europe to all be in alliance, namely in alliance with the fact that everything must be done to force Russia to end this war.”
If Russia agrees to the short-term ceasefire that Ukraine agreed to yesterday, Zelenskyy said the next step would be “cessation of the war.”
Zelenskyy didn’t specify exactly when that could happen when asked for a time frame but indicated that allies need to agree to “certain security guarantees that will be in Ukraine after the end of this war.”
“Today, it all depends on whether Russia wants a ceasefire and silence or whether it wants to continue killing people,” he said. “Today, it depends on this country … because America has demonstrated its steps and its position. Ukraine has demonstrated, responded without any different interpretations, its position very directly. And today, Russia will have to respond to this.”
Zelenskyy said that Ukraine is still ready to sign a framework agreement as a first step that would allow the U.S. access to the country’s rare minerals.
What’s next for the government funding bill
The House has passed the Republican bill to fund the government through Sept. 30, but it’s not clear exactly when the Senate will vote on it.
The Senate will not hold any votes today related to the bill, barring an agreement among all 100 senators.
That’s simply because procedurally they are not able to consider the bill until the day after it is passed in the House, and the first step in that procedure would be Senate Majority Leader John Thune filing cloture on the motion to proceed to the bill, which would happen later today.
Without an agreement of all 100 Senators, consideration of the bill would slide days past the deadline at the end of Friday.
Price growth cooled more than expected in February, before Trump ramped up tariffs nd
Price growth cooled more than expected in February, a welcome sign for markets that have become spooked by the specter of persistent inflation, though evolving U.S. trade policies complicate the outlook.
The consumer price index rose 2.8% in February from the year before, less than forecast and slower than the 3% annual rate in January, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.
USDA suspends Maine university funding after Trump row over transgender athletes
Reuters
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has suspended funding for research and programs at the University of Maine, the school said yesterday, after Trump clashed with Gov. Janet Mills over the state’s refusal to ban 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.
The school said in a press release that it had received $30 million in USDA funding in fiscal year 2024. The USDA did not immediately respond to a request for comment late yesterday.
A Trump critic just won Greenland’s election. But that could benefit the White House.
Canadian officials to visit D.C. tomorrow
Two Canadian ministers and Ontario Premier Doug Ford will travel to D.C. tomorrow to discuss tariffs with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the ministers announced today at a press conference.
Canadian Ministers Dominic LeBlanc and François-Philippe Champagne and Ontario Premier Doug Ford would convey a message about the tariffs “as forcefully as Canadians can do,” Champagne said.
LeBlanc said that tomorrow’s conversation would be about “what can we do to deal with this completely unjustified application of tariffs to steel and aluminum from Canada that came into effect today,” as well as other tariffs on Canada.
“The conversation tomorrow will be around lowering the temperature and focusing on the process that President Trump set up where Secretary Lutnick has up to April 2 to determine a series of global tariff decisions,” LeBlanc added, referring to Trump’s promise for reciprocal tariffs.
Canadian foreign affairs minister: Sovereignty is ‘nonnegotiable’
Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly criticized Trump’s comments about wanting Canada to become the U.S.’s 51st state during a press conference announcing new tariffs on the U.S.
“This is much more than about our economy. It is about the future of our country. Canadian sovereignty and identity are nonnegotiable. Canadians have had enough, and we are a strong country.”
Trump referred to the U.S.-Canada border yesterday as an “artificial line of separation.”
“The only thing that makes sense is for Canada to become our cherished Fifty First State,” he said in a Truth Social post.
Jeanne Shaheen won’t run for re-election, opening another Democratic Senate seat in 2026
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., announced today that she will not seek re-election in 2026, kicking off a competitive race to fill her seat.
In a video, Shaheen told her constituents, “Today, I am announcing that I have made the difficult decision not to seek re-election to the Senate in 2026.”
“It’s just time,” she added.
While she plans not to run in two years, Shaheen, 78, added that she would not be leaving her seat early and that, “Believe me, I am not retiring. I am determined to work every day over the next two years and beyond to continue to try to make a difference for the people of New Hampshire and this country.”
It’s the third Democratic Senate retirement in a potentially competitive midterm race so far this election cycle.
Canada to impose 25% tariffs on about $21 billion USD worth of goods
Canada will be imposing 25% reciprocal tariffs on about $21 billion worth of U.S. goods, including steel and aluminum products, Canada’s minister of finance and intergovernmental affairs, Dominic LeBlanc, announced today.
“In addition, we learned yesterday that the United States’ tariffs would also be imposed on steel and aluminum content in certain derivative products,” LeBlanc said. “The government is currently assessing this aspect and may impose, of course, further tariffs in response to this measure as well.”
The Trump administration raised blanket tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to 25% today. The move comes after Trump escalated his tariff threats against Canada yesterday, but then backed away.
Rep. Jayapal says market uncertainty is a ‘huge opening’ for Democrats to go after Trump
Ali Vitali
Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal said that tumult in the markets and spending slashes in the federal government by the Trump administration might provide an opportunity for Democrats on the economy.
“There is a huge opening,” she said during an interview on MSNBC’s “Way Too Early. “Right now two-thirds of the American people are really upset that Trump has done absolutely nothing to lower their costs.”
More than that, Jayapal added: “The things that Trump has done on tariffs — sending the markets into volatility, the increased prices that people are already seeing on groceries, cars. et cetera — combined with eliminating bureaus like the independent agencies, like the Consumer Protection Financial Bureau, which put money back in people’s pockets, he’s doing nothing to lower costs, and people are seeing that.”
Democrats have struggled with a cohesive response to the early weeks of the second Trump administration— even the progressive Jayapal allowing that there have been highs and lows. A focus on the economic harm to Americans, though, has been a regular focus for these lawmakers, hoping to use the issue as an early motivator for the 2026 midterms.
Rubio says the U.S. will ‘have contact with’ Russia today
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Abigail Williams, Alexandra Bacallao and Megan Lebowitz
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters this morning that the U.S. would be in touch with Russia today about the push for a ceasefire with Ukraine.
“We’ll have contact with them today,” Rubio said. “There’s already been contacts at different levels with counterparts, different members of the administration, and that’ll continue.”
The U.S. and Ukrainian governments said in a joint statement yesterday that Ukraine “expressed readiness to accept the U.S. proposal to enact an immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire.”
Russia has not said yet whether the country would accept a ceasefire proposal.
U.S. resumes providing commercial satellite imagery to Ukraine
The Trump administration is once again providing commercial satellite imagery to Ukraine after it lifted a suspension in intelligence assistance to Kyiv, a White House National Security Council spokesperson said.
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency had suspended access to the service that provides commercial satellite imagery purchased by the United States as part of a pause in intelligence and military assistance to Ukraine imposed by Trump last week following a tense public exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The suspension was rescinded yesterday after Ukraine agreed to a proposed ceasefire with Russia in talks with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia.
The satellite imagery is a crucial tool for Ukraine to fend off Russian attacks and target Russian forces.
A Munich-based satellite company, European Space Imaging, said Monday that it continued to provide similar commercial imagery to Ukraine, ensuring Kyiv still had access to vital satellite coverage.
That company said it “remains 100% committed to providing satellite imagery intelligence to commercial and government partners in Ukraine, as well as EU intelligence agencies and other security and humanitarian users.”
The company also said its satellite network ensured “seamless access to imagery over Ukraine” and added, “In fact, users may even experience increased capacity in the region”
Judiciary Committee Democrat warns Trump officials about violating court orders
House Judiciary Committee ranking member Jamie Raskin, D-Md., warned in a letter to Trump this morning that his administration officials could face criminal and civil penalties if they violate court orders.
In the letter obtained by NBC News, Raskin told Trump he has “taken several illegal and unconstitutional actions to freeze congressionally appropriated funds, hobble the workforce of congressionally established agencies, remove the heads of federal agencies, and access sensitive government data systems.”
As a result of court challenges, federal judges have issued orders in more than 40 cases to block or limit the administration’s actions, Raskin said. The lawmaker referred to a case brought by states that resulted in a temporary restraining order blocking the administration from freezing congressionally appropriated funds. Raskin said that after states proved the administration had disobeyed the order and failed to disburse the funds, the federal judge required the government to “immediately restore frozen funding.”
“It may therefore behoove you to remind members of your Administration that violating court orders personally exposes them to potential criminal and civil penalties,” Raskin wrote.
“Through civil or criminal contempt proceedings, judges can impose monetary fines on government officials who violate court orders and can ensure that the fines are to be paid by the individual government official, rather than allowing such an individual to be indemnified by his or her employing federal agency,” Raskin wrote. “Judges can even impose terms of imprisonment or confinement.”
The letter notes that Trump may be unable to pardon a federal employee if found in contempt because such an offense may not qualify as an “offense against the United States.” The pardon authority also doesn’t apply to civil sanctions.
The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump officials to meet with advocates for Hong Kong activist Jimmy Lai, his son says
Advocates for the detained Hong Kong media tycoon and democracy activist Jimmy Lai are set to meet with Trump administration officials, his son said, in a case that has caused tension between the U.S. and China.
Sebastien Lai said that with Trump in office he was “a lot more hopeful” for the release of his father, 77, who has spent more than 1,500 days in solitary confinement in the Chinese territory amid a landmark national security trial.
“President Trump was the first president of the United States that mentioned my father by name,” Lai told reporters in Washington, Reuters reported.
He said advocates for his father would meet with officials from the White House National Security Council after meeting earlier this week with officials from the State Department.
Trump said in October that he would “100%” get Lai out of China, prompting Hong Kong’s leader to warn Trump not to interfere in the city’s internal affairs.
Lai, founder of the now-defunct pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily, faces possible life in prison on charges of colluding with foreign forces and sedition, to which he has pleaded not guilty. He finished 52 days of testimony last week, with closing arguments set for July.
U.S. Capitol Police chief, who steered agency after Jan. 6, to retire
Frank Thorp V and Megan Lebowitz
U.S. Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger announced he plans to retire on May 2, capping off his time as the head of the agency in the aftermath of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
Manger took the reins of the department after the Jan. 6 attack.
“I am honored to have served with a team that is dedicated to this critical mission,” Manger said in a statement. “It is time for a new leader to continue the success that we started together.”
The Washington Post first reported Manger’s retirement.
The key Project 2025 authors now staffing the Trump administration
Trump disavowed the Project 2025 policy blueprint during his campaign last year as Democrats attacked the document and its contents. Since then, Trump has invited some of the most prominent contributors to the conservative playbook into his administration.
The document, which outlined a vision for a future Republican presidency, generally foreshadowed Trump’s sweeping moves to slash government agencies and cut federal funding in his first weeks in office, though there are also areas of departure.
As the dust settles after a whirlwind of Cabinet nominations, confirmation hearings and early administration actions, here’s where some prominent authors and contributors involved in Project 2025 have landed in the Trump administration.
Ukraine-U.S. ceasefire talks took 7 hours. The hard part will be getting Russia to agree.
Trump to meet with Irish prime minister
Trump will have a bilateral meeting today with Micheál Martin, the Taoiseach of Ireland.
They will then attend a “Friends of Ireland” luncheon at the Capitol.
In the evening, Trump and Martin will participate in a St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the East Room of the White House.
Senate Democrats to huddle and discuss the House-passed GOP funding bill
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Frank Thorp V, Brennan Leach and Zoë Richards
Senate Democrats will meet at lunch today to discuss how they will proceed on the House-passed funding bill, with many still unable to decide whether to vote for the measure that keeps the government funded through Sept. 30 or risk a shutdown starting Saturday.
“We’re never convinced that the House is gonna do anything until they do it, so meeting tomorrow to assess the path forward,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., last night.
Murphy said he would support a “clean” bill for 30 days “to keep negotiating,” but said the existing measure was “a Republican budget.”
While some Democrats have advocated for voting against the legislation, many are saying they disagree with the bill but are unable to say yet how they will vote, including Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., who said “Stay tuned,” and Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., who said she’s “undecided.”
The legislation needs 60 votes to advance in the Senate, and Sen Rand Paul, R-Ky., has said he will vote against it. That means eight Democrats would have to vote in favor of the measure if the remaining 52 Republicans support it.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, has said she will support the bill.
“I just don’t want us to go through the costs and problems that are created by a government shutdown. And for that reason I’m going to be a ‘yes’ vote,” she said.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said the bill “shouldn’t fail.”
“I think we have a chance now the House has passed it if the Democrats will cooperate to fund the government through the end of the fiscal year and avoid a government shutdown,” Thune told reporters. “To me, it’s a pretty simple proposition.”
U.S. imposes 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports
U.S. tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports hit 25% today as President Donald Trump and his administration dig in on trade policies that are roiling financial markets.
The new tariffs were briefly expected to go even higher for Canada. Trump said Tuesday they would jump to 50% in response to Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s threat to impose a 25% surcharge on electricity imports into the United States to match the initial U.S. hike.
Ford backed off his threat after he spoke with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, while Trump indicated a doubling of U.S. tariffs for Canada was no longer likely.
In a statement issued with Lutnick and posted on X, Ford said he and Lutnick would meet Thursday alongside the U.S. trade representative to discuss renewing the U.S.-Mexico-Canada free trade act before Trump’s self-imposed April 2 “reciprocal tariff deadline.”
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