The Evening: Trump’s vast tariffs

Also, millions of Americans are at risk for tornadoes and "generational" flooding.

View in browser|nytimes.com April 2, 2025 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Wednesday. Trump's sweeping tariffs Tesla's plunge in sales Plus, remembering Val Kilmer President Trump at the Rose Garden today.  Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times Trump unveiled sweeping tariffs on nearly all imports President Trump announced this afternoon that he would impose new tariffs of at least 10 percent on all goods imported into the U.S. from every country other than Canada and Mexico. He also promised steep additional levies on dozens of countries that he claimed had been unfairly taking advantage of America. Here's the latest. Together, the new tariffs are by far Trump's most expansive to date. They include a 34 percent fee on goods from China — on top of the 20 percent already placed on Beijing — as well as a 20 percent fee on goods from the E.U. Once in place, they are likely to upend global trade and incite retaliation. My colleagues are covering the reaction from around the world. "Many people had been expecting the president to announce high tariffs today, but the numbers that he just revealed are stunning," our trade reporter Ana Swanson said. "That will likely force some manufacturing back into the U.S., but also raise costs for American consumers and manufacturers." White House officials said that the 10 percent base line tariffs will go into effect on Saturday, and the additional "reciprocal" rates on April 9. Canada and Mexico will not be hit by the new measures, though they will continue to be subject to a 25 percent tariff that Trump imposed on many of their products last month, in addition to separate global tariffs on steel, aluminum and cars. Trump, who has described tariffs as "the greatest thing ever invented," seemed to relish detailing the high fees. He described the rollout event in the Rose Garden as one of the most important moments in American history. Many economists — even those who say Trump has a point about America's unfair trade relationships — warn that the tariffs could cause substantial collateral damage and backfire on the president's goals for jobs, manufacturing and the economy. The E.U., for example, could strike back against the U.S. service sector. The early market reaction pointed to a further slide in the stock market and a weakening dollar. In other politics news: The Trump administration laid off the entire staff of a program that helps millions of low-income American pay their utility bills. Inside the elite law firms that made deals with Trump, there is discontent among the associates. Senator Cory Booker's 25-hour floor speech struck a chord among his constituents. But doctors don't recommend it. Xavier Becerra, a former Biden cabinet secretary, announced a bid for California governor, potentially clashing with Kamala Harris. Mallory McMorrow of Michigan, a Democrat, became the first prominent candidate to enter the state's U.S. Senate race. Xaviaer DuRousseau once marched in Black Lives Matter protests. Then he started watching PragerU videos, and he transformed into a conservative star. Anti-Musk demonstrators in Green Bay, Wis. on Sunday. Jim Vondruska for The New York Times A tough day for Elon Musk Tesla announced today that its global sales in the first quarter had fallen 13 percent from a year earlier. The decline, which came at a time when electric vehicle sales were rising around the world, reflected potentially serious problems for the company. Tesla's tepid sales were revealed just hours after Brad Schimel, Musk's preferred candidate in a race for a Wisconsin Supreme Court seat, lost to a liberal judge. Musk had spent more than $25 million to support Schimel and declared that "the course of Western civilization" was at stake. What's next: Despite the humiliating political defeat in Wisconsin, two people with knowledge of the president's thinking said that Trump has no intention of cutting ties with Musk. The site of a strike in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. Hatem Khaled/Reuters Israel captured new territory in Gaza Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced today that Israel is seizing territory in Gaza. The move, he said, was meant to push Hamas to return the remaining hostages captured during the Oct. 7 attacks. "The pressure will increase until they hand them over," Netanyahu said. Israel appears to be planning to station troops in captured territory. In Gaza, the Abu Teir family thought the January cease-fire might mean they could start to rebuild their lives. But a new round of Israeli airstrikes dashed those dreams. Here's their story. Don Campbell/The Herald-Palladium, via Associated Press Millions at risk for tornadoes and flooding Extremely strong tornadoes are expected to tear though the middle of the U.S. today, threatening a region that stretches from Texas to Michigan. By tomorrow, forecasters predict that the storm system will stall — causing potentially significant flooding across the same area. The slow-moving storm could drop 10 to 15 inches of rain over the next several days, possibly creating what forecasters call a "generational flooding" event, particularly in northeast Arkansas, western Tennessee, western Kentucky and southern Indiana. See the area. More top news Court: A judge dropped charges against New York's mayor, Eric Adams, bowing to Trump, but said the U.S. couldn't use the charges as leverage. Tech: Amazon put in a last-minute bid to buy TikTok, which has until Saturday to change ownership or face a ban in the U.S. Health: A large new study found that the shingles vaccine can reduce the risk of developing dementia. San Francisco: Mayor Daniel Lurie said that he would place new limits on the city's free handouts of drug paraphernalia. Asia: China has been practicing unusual maneuvers off its coast, involving three new military barges that form bridges to the shore. Homelessness: The Times spent two years with a New York man to see how permanent supportive housing works for people with mental illnesses. New York City: The city's new subway map takes its cues from a 1970s version that was cheered by design connoisseurs and reviled by traditionalists. Music: A rare Beatles audition tape, appearing to be from a failed 1962 tryout, surfaced at a Vancouver record shop. TIME TO UNWIND Val Kilmer in 1994. Michael Tighe/Donaldson Collection, via Getty Images Remembering Val Kilmer Val Kilmer — a homegrown Hollywood performer who was once one of Juilliard's youngest acting students and later became an unmistakable star — died yesterday at 65. He was a leading man during the '80s and '90s; he was Batman in the 1995 film "Batman Forever," an almost perfect artifact of its time. But much of Kilmer's most memorable acting came in supporting roles, including the cocky fighter pilot known as Iceman in "Top Gun." Stream some of his best movies, and check out Kilmer's life in photos. David Hockney at his home in Los Angeles, in 2017.  Nathanael Turner for The New York Times David Hockney is ready for the exhibition of his life When the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris asked David Hockney two years ago about staging a retrospective of his work, he assumed he wouldn't be around to see it. Now, at 87 and under constant medical care, the artist is determined to attend what will be his biggest show ever. "David Hockney 25," which opens next week, features more than 400 pieces. Hockney said he wanted visitors to take away just one thing from the show: "Joy, some real joy!" Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex. Adam Amengual for The New York Times Dinner table topics Cooking with Meghan: The Duchess of Sussex is trying to rebrand herself as a domestic goddess. We visited her real kitchen to talk to her about the change. Digital city: Shanghai is as sophisticated as ever, but now almost everything there is powered by apps. Wedding soundtracks: Some couples create "do not play" lists, for reasons ranging from the personal to the political. Find out: How healthy is your social biome? Take our quiz. WHAT TO DO TONIGHT Vaughn Vreeland and Scott Loitsch Cook: This classic carrot cake is worthy of a celebration. Sip: Good nonalcoholic wine is hard to fine. But a few producers have cracked the code. Watch: "Truelove" explores the complex bonds among a group of aging friends. Read: Here are some of the best new romance novels. Listen: Enjoy five minutes of Billie Holiday. Avoid: These are the worst habits for your back, according to spine surgeons. Scrub: T Magazine has tips for exfoliating. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all of our games here. ONE LAST THING Ariel Fisher Meet Bing, a good boy Naomi Watts and Bill Murray star in the new film adaptation of Sigrid Nunez's award-winning novel "The Friend," now in theaters. But the movie's main attraction is Bing, a 150-pound Harlequin Great Dane who plays a dog named Apollo. He was even given a fancy dressing room trailer. Bing, it should be said, is a very good boy. Sometimes, however, that's not what the filmmakers wanted. In one scene, he was supposed to defy instructions to get off a fancy couch. But Bing, who is well trained, would just get off the couch. Have a well-mannered evening. Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Matthew Philip Pacheco was our photo editor today. We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com. Writer: Matthew Cullen Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The Evening from The New York Times. To stop receiving The Evening, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018