Wednesday morning news: April 9, 2025

Reciprocal tariffs take effect » U.S. reciprocal trade tariffs are now officially in place … effective 12:01 this morning. President Trump says the amounts of those tariffs are unique to each country, based on the duties they apply to U.S. goods.

Agriculture Sec. Brooke Rollins says this had to be done.

ROLLINS:  At the end of the day, in the long term, free trade I think is perhaps the goal, but right now we are so unfairly treated and have been for years.

Democrats, though, say the tariffs will fuel inflation. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries:

JEFFRIES:  President Donald Trump promised that costs will go down on day one. He lied to the American people.

The president says his trade policies will ultimately bring costs down and wages up.

And the White House says it’s open for business … telling trading partners around the world … let’s make a deal.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says more than 70 countries have already reached out.

Talks are underway with South Korea and Japan among others.

LEAVITT:  I have maintained this position. The entire administration has always said that President Trump is willing to pick up the phone and talk.

China trade war » That is, unless the caller ID reads ‘Beijing.’

The president says there’s nothing to talk about until or unless China drops a new 34% tariff on US goods. The Chinese government introduced that import tax after Trump’s tariffs announcement last week.

President Trump, in turn, announced another 50% tariff on China … bring the total tariff on Chinese goods to 104%.

The world’s two biggest economies now locked in an all-out trade war.

John Lee is chief executive of Hong Kong, which is now controlled by China’s communist government:

LEE:  The U.S. no longer adheres to free trade, and ruthless is ruthless behavior damages global and multilateral trade.

But the White House says China has been the most ruthless of them all … cheating, stealing, and gaming the trade system in every way imaginable.

White House advisor Steve Miller:

MILLER:  This is about the president of the United States defending the core national security interests of the United States.

China says it will fight a trade war to the end.

SCOTUS blocks order to reinstate fed workers » The Supreme Court has temporarily blocked a lower court order … that would have forced the Trump administration to reinstate thousands of federal workers. WORLD’s Benjamin Eicher has more.

BENJAMIN EICHER: Those 16,000 employees were let go as part of an effort to downsize the federal government … and federal spending.

A federal judge in California said the firings may have violated federal law, and ordered the administration to reinstate those workers while the case plays out.

But in a 7-to-2 ruling … the Supreme Court disagreed—for now.

Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented.

The justices did not rule on whether the firings were legal. They instead focused on whether the groups suing had the right to bring the case.

Many of the fired workers will stay on paid administrative leave, pending the resolution of a separate lawsuit.

For WORLD, I’m Benjamin Eicher.

SOUND: [White House ceremony]

Trump energy executive order » At the White House … President Trump welcomed a group of coal miners and other industry workers in the East Room … as he prepared to sign four new executive orders.

TRUMP: Thank you very much. This is a very important day because we’re bringing back an industry that was abandoned.

Under the orders, Trump will use his emergency authority to allow some older coal-fired power plants set for retirement to keep producing electricity.

The orders also direct all relevant agencies to identify coal resources on federal lands and lift barriers to mining and leasing on those lands.

Some environmental groups are blasting the move, accusing the president of championing an old, dirty, and unreliable energy source.

Weather, flooding » In Kentucky … after days of driving rain pushed rivers to near-record levels, life won’t return to normal quickly … even for many not directly impacted by the floods.

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said the city had to cancel an annual airshow and fireworks display.

GREENBERG:  On Saturday when Thunder over Louisville was originally planned to be, the Ohio River is still expected to be at around a 30 foot level, which is 18 feet higher than normal. 

And with many evacuated residents anxious to get back to their homes … Gov. Andy Beshear is urging patience … and warning residents not to drive through water.

Inundated rivers are the latest threat from the storms that have killed at least 23 people.

Iran nuclear talks » Iran’s foreign minister is confirming that the U.S. and Iranian officials will hold nuclear talks this weekend. But he is refuting part of President Trump’s announcement this week. WORLD’s Christina Grube reports:

CHRISTINA GRUBE: President Trump on Monday said a U.S. delegation will set down with negotiators from Iran on Saturday in Amman, Jordan.

And Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says that is true. But Trump also said the two sides would engage in direct talks.

And Araghchi insists that will not happen … as long as Washington continues to exert its policy of maximum pressure against Iran.

He says this weekend’s talks will be indirect. That likely means Jordaese mediators will shuttle between the two parties.

For WORLD, I’m Christina Grube.

Iran-Israel » President Trump has given Tehran two months to negotiate a new deal … to avoid possible military action by the U.S. to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran.

And the U.S. is sending a not-so-subtle signal to Iran that it means business … sending aircraft carriers to the region … and deploying at least six B-2 bombers have been deployed within range of Iran.

Those are the bombers that carry the so-called ‘bunker buster’ bombs … designed to penetrate deep below the earth.

I'm Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: tariffs and third terms on today’s Washington Wednesday. Plus, the demand for live chicks has skyrocketed after this winter’s spike in egg prices.

This is The World and Everything in It.

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