Monday Briefing: More Trump tariffs

Plus, Kendrick Lamar at the Super Bowl.

View in browser|nytimes.com February 10, 2025 By Natasha Frost Good morning. We're covering an announcement on tariffs by President Trump and the latest from the war in Gaza. Plus: The Super Bowl halftime show. A steelworker at Steel Speed fabrication shop in Ontario.  Ian Willms for The New York Times Trump to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports President Trump said that he would impose a 25 percent tariff on all steel and aluminum imports as of today and that he would soon announce reciprocal tariffs on America's trading partners. "Very simply, if they charge us, we charge them," he said. Trump has also said in recent days that he plans to impose tariffs on Europe, Taiwan and other trading partners, as well as on a variety of critical industries like copper, pharmaceuticals and semiconductors. Since taking office, Trump has imposed an additional 10 percent tariff on all products from China, and placed — and then delayed — sweeping tariffs on Canada and Mexico that would have brought U.S. tariff rates to a level not seen since the 1940s. In his first term, he also levied tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum, some of which remain in place; it's not clear if the new tariffs will be added to the old ones. Context: The reciprocal tariffs would raise the levies the U.S. charges on certain imports to match what other countries charge on American products, and they could be used as a negotiation tool. But they would also violate U.S. commitments to the World Trade Organization. More on the Trump administration Dozens of lawsuits have been filed in recent days by state attorneys general, unions and nonprofits seeking to erect a barrier against Trump's blitzkrieg of executive orders. Vice President JD Vance yesterday accused any judges who might block the president's orders of acting illegally. On Friday, hours before workers for U.S.A.I.D. were set to be suspended with pay or laid off, a court temporarily blocked the move, leaving thousands of workers in limbo, while millions around the world who rely on the agency watched in disbelief. The Trump administration's crackdown on immigration — both legal and illegal — has resulted in at least 10 lawsuits. Here's a rundown of those and other challenges. Trump will revoke the security clearances of several current law enforcement figures and former national security officials who served under former President Joe Biden, White House officials said. Employees of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a finance watchdog, were instructed to cease operations. These are the first independent images to emerge from the migrant operation that the Trump administration has begun at Guantánamo Bay. A few early traders made tens of millions off a new cryptocurrency unveiled by Trump and his sons. But a far larger number of slower investors lost out. Trump issued an executive order to allow white South Africans to migrate to the U.S. as refugees, arguing that they were the "victims of unjust racial discrimination." Most big technology companies have been boisterous in their courtship of the new administration — but Nvidia and Microsoft have avoided the spotlight. A traffic jam as Palestinians headed north from southern Gaza on Sunday after Israeli troops withdrew from the Netzarim Corridor. Saher Alghorra for The New York Times Israel withdrew from a key corridor in Gaza Israel's military withdrew yesterday from the Netzarim Corridor, leaving nearly all of the territory's north. Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip are now mostly limited to a small sliver of land in southern Gaza, near the Egyptian border, and a buffer zone along the Israeli border. The withdrawal from the corridor, which bisects the Strip, is a condition of a cease-fire deal with Hamas ahead of any negotiations for a longer-lasting truce. It came as the Israeli government sent a delegation to Qatar to discuss the next group of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners to be freed during the deal's initial phase. President Trump's comments that the U.S. could take over Gaza and relocate about two million Palestinians — a plan widely panned by the Arab world — may be a stumbling block in reaching an agreement for the next phase. The latest: In comments to reporters last night, Trump said of Gaza: "Think of it as a big real estate site, and the U.S. is going to own it." He added: "There won't be anybody there. Hamas won't be there. We'll be building through other of the very rich countries in the Middle East, they'll be building some beautiful sites for the people, the Palestinians, to live in." Returning home: Hamas on Saturday released three Israeli hostages, who appeared emaciated and gaunt, in exchange for 183 Palestinians jailed by Israel. Five Thai citizens who were among those kidnapped on Oct. 7, 2023, also returned home. On social media, previously freed hostages have expressed their relief and joy, and offered hints about the torment they endured. Maoist guerrillas, or Naxalites, during an exercise at a temporary base in the state of Chhattisgarh, India, in 2007. Mustafa Quraishi/Associated Press Dozens of Maoist rebels were killed in India, officials said A government operation yesterday in the state of Chhattisgarh, in central India, left 31 Maoist guerrillas and two members of the police forces dead, police officials said. It was one of the deadliest operations in recent years against leftist rebels in the so-called Naxalite movement who have waged an insurgency over several decades. Context: The insurgency began in eastern India in the 1960s, with violence peaking in 2010, when hundreds of civilians and members of the security forces were killed. Politics: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's national governing party swept to victory in an important regional election in New Delhi. MORE TOP NEWS Moscow City Court, via Reuters Ukraine: A retired American teacher was traveling in Ukraine when Russia invaded. He has become an unlikely pawn in an international war. Ecuador: Voters headed to the polls to choose a new president. Violence, unemployment and an energy crisis are some of the top issues. Here's what to know. Italy: The European Court of Human Rights found that Italy had failed to protect citizens in an area where the illegal dumping and burning of toxic waste has long been linked to cancers. Spain: Europe's far-right leaders gathered in Madrid, set aside any trepidation they might feel about Trump's threats and focused on a common enemy — the E.U. Germany: In the waning weeks of an election campaign, the nation's concerns have led to a reconsideration of Angela Merkel, the country's former chancellor. Movies: The film "Anora" won top honors at two award ceremonies that are usually seen as solid predictors for the Oscars. SPORTS NEWS Soccer: Even as it triumphed over Leyton Orient, Manchester City showed that its team was still more vulnerable than an injury-plagued Real Madrid. Football: The Philadelphia Eagles took a resounding victory at the Super Bowl, trouncing the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22. Travis Kelce: Away from the cameras, one of the N.F.L.'s most accomplished players is also one of the most serious. Formula 1: Netflix is considering a bid for the live broadcast rights in the U.S., starting in 2026. MORNING READ Christopher Capozziello for The New York Times Words once too blue to publicly utter have become increasingly commonplace. Timothy Jay, an expert on swearing and professor emeritus of psychology, explains what draws us to profanity — and how to dial it back. Lives lived: Sam Nujoma, the founding president of an independent Namibia, died at 95. CONVERSATION STARTERS Dairy dramas: In America, milk has been a health menace, a patriotic staple and an ethical puzzle, depending on the era. Things are about to get weirder. Giving back: Barbara Kingsolver is using the royalties from her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, "Demon Copperhead," to fund a women's rehab center in the community that inspired the book. Love and money: Fewer couples are combining their bank accounts, but experts say that sharing assets can be good for your relationship. Reel talk: Has social media turned us all into documentarians? ARTS AND IDEAS Kendrick Lamar during the halftime show of Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. Doug Mills/The New York Times 'Not Like Us' at the Super Bowl Kendrick Lamar, the 37-year-old hip-hop artist who was in 2018 the only pop musician to ever win the Pulitzer Prize for music, is currently enjoying a remarkable chapter in an extraordinary career. This year he was widely seen as winning a culture-shaking rap beef with Drake, in which the pair volleyed bitter diss tracks for weeks. That hot streak hit new highs last night, as he performed a medley of greatest hits including "Humble," "Squabble Up" and the smash Drake diss "Not Like Us" to cap the Super Bowl halftime show in New Orleans. It was the first halftime show to be headlined by a solo rapper. Read our coverage. The performance, which lasted around 13 minutes, was a show worthy of the scale of the moment — and Lamar himself was "pure swag," our critic writes. But there were some concessions, including plentiful bleeps of colorful language, including the word "pedophiles," in reference to Drake and his crew, which was replaced by a scream. For more: The surprise breakout star of the show? Bell-bottom jeans. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. RECOMMENDATIONS Linda Xiao for The New York Times Cook: In this warming sheet-pan dinner, winter squash receives the royal treatment. Read: These are the best romance novels of 2024. Listen: Here are nine spellbinding songs about magic, starting with Lady Gaga's "Abracadabra." Conspire: The Stone of Madness, a new tactical-stealth video game, is a Times Critic's Pick. Play the Spelling Bee. And here are today's Mini Crossword and Wordle. You can find all our puzzles here. That's it for today's briefing. See you tomorrow. — Natasha Reach Natasha and the team at briefing@nytimes.com. Need help? 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