Tuesday Briefing: Averting a trade war

U.S. tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods were postponed for 30 days.

View in browser|nytimes.com February 4, 2025 By Natasha Frost Good morning. We're covering Iran's nuclear ambitions and deals to avert a North American trade war. Plus: What is the "silver tsunami"? President Trump made deals with President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada on Monday. Luis Antonio Rojas for The New York Times; Eric Lee/The New York Times; Justin Tang/The Canadian Press, via AP Trump pauses tariffs on Mexico and Canada President Trump and the leaders of Mexico and Canada struck last-minute deals yesterday to postpone by 30 days the imposition of punishing tariffs on goods exported to the U.S. A 10 percent tariff on Chinese goods took effect just after midnight in the U.S. The frenzy of last-minute maneuvering demonstrated Trump's willingness to use tariffs as a source of leverage against the most important U.S. trading partners, in what he called an effort to curb drug smuggling and illegal immigration. Imports from Mexico, Canada and China account for more than a third of the products brought into the U.S. each year. China: China was still preparing its response to the tariffs yesterday. Trump's aggressive "America First" foreign policy holds both promise and peril for Beijing, as it seeks to strengthen ties with alienated U.S. allies. Europe: Tariffs "will definitely happen with the E.U.," Trump told the BBC on Sunday, and they are coming "pretty soon." He doubled down on the threat yesterday, complaining about deficits in auto and farm products. What to know: Trump is wielding a strong U.S. economy like a weapon. That approach has potential upsides — but also some costs, economists say. More on the Trump administration Trump said he wanted to strike a deal with Ukraine, whereby the U.S. exchanges its aid for rare earth minerals. Elon Musk is creating major upheaval as his team sweeps through agencies, in what has been an extraordinary flexing of power by a private individual. Here's what to know. Democratic lawmakers joined a protest outside the offices of the U.S. Agency for International Development, which has been targeted for closure by Musk. (Our reporters explain what U.S.A.I.D. is, and why Musk wants to close it.) The State Department has fired about 60 contractors who work for its democracy, human rights and labor bureau. Guantánamo Bay is preparing to receive as many as 30,000 deportees. Trump accused the South African government of confiscating land and threatened to cut off aid. President Cyril Ramaphosa rejected the false claim. The Senate Intelligence Committee is scheduled to vote today on Tulsi Gabbard's bid to be the next director of national intelligence. A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from imposing a sweeping freeze on trillions of dollars in federal grants and loans. The C.D.C. purged from its website thousands of pages with terms such as "transgender," "L.G.B.T." and "pregnant person" to comply with an executive order barring any material that promoted "gender ideology." A mural in Tehran depicting Iran's first hypersonic ballistic missile. Arash Khamooshi for The New York Times Iran is considering a nuclear shortcut, U.S. said Iran's engineers are exploring how to rapidly turn stockpiles of nuclear fuel into a workable, but perhaps crude, atomic weapon, should the country's leaders decide to race for a bomb, U.S. officials said. Their findings, based on intelligence collected in the final months of the Biden administration, suggest that Iran's military is feeling diminished. The country's proxy forces have been eviscerated, and its missile attack on Israel failed last year. Tehran's military is now seriously exploring new options to deter an Israeli or U.S. attack. What's next: The new evidence will almost certainly be a part of discussions today in Washington between Trump and Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Middle East: As Israel and Hamas prepare for negotiations to extend their truce, four rival models for Gaza's future have begun to take shape. The aftermath of the bombing in Moscow. Tatyana Makeyeva/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images A Ukrainian separatist was killed in Moscow Armen Sarkisyan, the founder of a separatist battalion fighting in eastern Ukraine, was killed yesterday when a bomb exploded inside a gated residence in Moscow, Russian media said. Ukrainian officials did not comment on the blast. Delays: A standoff between Ukraine's defense minister and the official who oversees weapons procurement is disrupting contracts and could cause future shortages in army supplies, defense companies say. MORE TOP NEWS Al Drago for The New York Times U.S.: Salvage crews in Washington began pulling the wreckage of an American Airlines plane from the Potomac River. France: The director Christophe Ruggia was convicted of sexually assaulting the actress Adèle Haenel when she was a minor. Greece: The island of Santorini was rattled by hundreds of minor and moderate earthquakes. Syria: A car bomb killed 15 agricultural workers in a city near the border with Turkey. There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the blast. Serbia: The state broadcaster, long a propaganda tool for President Aleksandar Vucic, has suddenly shifted gears and begun reporting on protests against the leader. India: The chief minister of the southern state of Tamil Nadu is offering $1 million to anyone who can decipher the script of the ancient Indus Valley civilization. SPORTS NEWS Soccer: Luis Rubiales, a former soccer official in Spain, went on trial over the forced kiss he gave a star player at the Women's World Cup. N.B.A.: The basketball world is still in shock from the Luka Doncic trade. We took an inside look at the negotiations. Tennis: The tie between Cristian Garin and Zizou Bergs at the Davis Cup descended into farce over default rules. Football: How Tom Brady became the Super Bowl's $375 million star. MORNING READ Tara Todras-Whitehill for The New York Times Kenya's pink-clad "Boda Girls," women who drive motorcycle taxis, are often harassed by passengers and the male drivers who dominate the industry. But many say the income has made a real difference for their families, and that they've found satisfaction in helping others — like pregnant women who need rides to the hospital. Read the story. Lives lived: Marion Wiesel, who was a translator and strategist for her husband, the Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel, died at 94. CONVERSATION STARTERS High art: Cannabis paraphernalia is joining the world of home décor. Isn't that special?: Here are 50 things we say because of "Saturday Night Live." 10-minute challenge: Spend some time with Bruegel's "Hunters in the Snow," and let us know what you think. Age and dance: The daring choreographer Florentina Holzinger is back with "Tanz," featuring an 83-year-old dancer. ARTS AND IDEAS Cristina Spanò Blame it on the boomers? It's increasingly convenient — and not without some merit — to pin much of the credit or blame for the U.S. economy on the generation born in the roughly two decades after World War II. Now, analysts and researchers are preparing for the "silver tsunami": the impending flood of boomers — an estimated 73 million in the U.S. — who will soon depart the work force, upending life, work and retirement. Some see the change as an unstoppable demographic disaster caused by the confluence of a wave of retirees and a relative dearth of young people. Others see a chance to pounce. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. RECOMMENDATIONS Christopher Testani for The New York Times Cook: Garlic-braised chicken can be made in one pot in just an hour. Read: In "Three Days in June," a socially inept mother faces hurdles in her personal, professional and family lives. Shop: Here are the 10 best retro sneakers to buy now. Stretch: Anyone can do Pilates. Here are tips for beginners. 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? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Morning Briefing: Europe Edition from The New York Times. To stop receiving Morning Briefing: Europe Edition, unsubscribe. 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