Special elections to provide a verdict on Trump’s tumultuous early months
Good morning! Welcome to the US politics live blog. I’m Tom Ambrose, here to share the latest news updates over the next hours.
We kick off with reports that several elections today may serve as a pivotal reflection on the chaotic and extreme first weeks of Donald Trump’s second term, as well as the influence of his close associate, Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest individual tasked with overhauling the US federal government.
This could also bring a flicker of optimism for Democrats fresh from an unexpected victory in a local Pennsylvania race last week, suggesting that their divided party might be experiencing a resurgence.
Conversely, should they fail to make significant gains against Republicans, it may further indicate that the party faces a long road ahead with its popularity hitting historic lows in recent polls.
Attention is particularly drawn to two congressional seats in Florida that were formerly Republican-held, both of which are now empty and available.
Mike Waltz departed to assume a cabinet position under Trump, while Matt Gaetz resigned during an unsuccessful attempt to secure the attorney general position. Presently, Republicans maintain a narrow majority in the House, with 218 to 213 over Democrats and four vacant seats.
Republican anxieties about potential shifts in the House dynamics were heightened last week when Trump revoked the UN ambassador nomination of New York congresswoman Elise Stefanik, widely interpreted as an acknowledgment of vulnerable Republican districts.
Waltz’s former district is under the most jeopardy. State senator Randy Fine is trailing in fundraising against his Democratic rival, Josh Weil, amid concerns he may lose the district, although such a defeat is not guaranteed.
For a detailed report on the elections, check out my colleague Richard Luscombe’s article here:
In related news:
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Trump pronounced Wednesday as “Liberation Day,” a day he’ll announce reciprocal tariffs on nearly all US trading partners. Global markets saw a decline on Monday, and investors turned to gold amidst fears of a recession.
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The Trump administration is reviewing federal contracts and grants at Harvard University following allegations of antisemitism.
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Senate majority leader John Thune suggested he thinks Donald Trump may be “just playing” with his recent comments about possible methods to facilitate a third term candidacy.
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Civil rights groups have banded together to file a lawsuit challenging parts of Trump’s executive order that would mandate voter citizenship verification.
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In a new executive order signed today, Trump aims to tackle ticket scalping, directing the Department of Justice and the FTC to take action against ticket resellers engaging in price gouging.
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Tens of millions in funding is being withheld from Planned Parenthood affiliates across the US, as the Trump administration seeks to compel these clinics to adjust their operations.
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A federal judge has paused the administration’s plans to deport hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan immigrants, ruling that protections overturned by administration officials should be reinstated as lawsuits continue.
Key events
Planned Parenthood announced that the Trump administration would reduce federal funding for family planning starting Tuesday, impacting access to birth control, cancer screenings, and other vital services for low-income individuals.
Planned Parenthood reported that nine of its affiliates were notified regarding the funding cuts under Title X, a program supporting healthcare for the impoverished since 1970.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the US Department of Health and Human Services is implementing an immediate freeze on $27.5 million in grants for family planning to organizations including Planned Parenthood.
Planned Parenthood noted that more than 300 health facilities are part of the Title X network, which accounted for over 1.5 million visits in 2023. However, it did not specify the amount of funding being withheld by the Trump administration.
Large majority of Europeans support retaliatory tariffs against US, poll finds
Jon Henley
A substantial majority of Western Europeans would welcome retaliatory tariffs against the US, according to a survey, if Donald Trump goes ahead with sweeping import duties on key trading partners this week.
It seems likely that the US president will announce a series of tariffs varying by country on Wednesday, which he has dubbed Liberation Day. He also indicated last week that a 25% duty on cars exported to the US would take effect the following day.
Many European businesses may suffer considerably, with some, including Germany’s car manufacturers and France’s luxury goods, wine, and spirits sectors, depending on exports to the US for up to 20% of their revenue.
The EU has already committed to a “timely, robust, and calibrated” response to Washington’s proposed tariffs, which experts predict could stifle output, increase prices, and instigate a trade conflict. Global markets and the dollar witnessed a drop on Monday after Trump dashed expectations that the so-called “reciprocal tariffs,” which he claims are necessary due to unfair trading practices, would be aimed solely at countries with significant trade deficits.
A YouGov survey conducted in Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and the UK found that if US tariffs were enacted, large majorities—ranging from 79% in Denmark to 56% in Italy—favored imposing retaliatory tariffs on US imports.
As Donald Trump readies to introduce a series of reciprocal tariffs, global markets are on high alert, with some Republican senators expressing dissent against a strategy that critics argue may spark a global trade conflict and provoke major trading partners like China, Canada, and the EU.
The president noted Monday that he would show goodwill to trading partners when he announces further tariffs this week, potentially by Tuesday evening.
Trump insists reciprocal measures are necessary as the largest economy has been “taken advantage of by countries worldwide,” promising “Liberation Day” for the US.
He may also unveil additional sector-specific tariffs.
When questioned for specifics, he responded: “You will see in two days, possibly tomorrow evening or likely Wednesday.”
However, he added, “We will be very nice, relatively speaking, we are going to be very kind.”
Trump aides draft proposal for at least 20% tariffs on most imports to US, Washington Post reports
White House aides have put together a draft proposal to impose approximately 20% tariffs on most imports to the United States, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday.
The Trump team is considering channeling trillions of dollars generated from new import revenue towards tax dividends or refunds, according to the report citing internal sources.
Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at overhauling the country’s electoral processes faced its first legal challenges on Monday, with the Democratic National Committee and a pair of nonprofits filing two separate lawsuits declaring it unconstitutional.
The Campaign Legal Center and the State Democracy Defenders Fund filed the initial lawsuit on Monday afternoon, soon followed by the DNC, the Democratic Governors Association, and Senate and House Democratic leaders who submitted a concurrent complaint.
Both lawsuits, lodged in the US district court for the District of Columbia, seek to prevent Trump’s order from being enacted and to declare it illegal.
“The president’s executive order represents an unlawful act that threatens to dismantle our established electoral systems and silence the voices of potentially millions of Americans,” stated Danielle Lang, senior director of voting rights at the DC-based Campaign Legal Center.
“It exceeds the president’s authority to unilaterally establish electoral rules, especially those restricting voting access in such a manner.”
The White House has not yet commented on the requests for a response.
Control of the Wisconsin supreme court at stake in record-breaking spending race
The outcome of the Wisconsin supreme court election on Tuesday, which has shattered spending records, will determine majority control of the court and reflects ongoing national political battles, with a candidate supported by President Donald Trump running against a Democratic-backed challenger.
Supporters for Brad Schimel, a former state attorney general, include Republicans like Trump and the wealthiest individual, Elon Musk. Meanwhile, supporters for Susan Crawford, a Dane County judge, include former President Barack Obama and billionaire donor George Soros. Crawford has led legal efforts to protect union rights, abortion rights, and contest voter ID laws.
Being the first major election since November, this race is viewed as a critical measure of voter sentiment regarding Trump’s early months in office and Musk’s involvement, particularly as Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has aggressively streamlined federal agencies, resulting in thousands of job cuts.
Musk campaigned in Wisconsin on Sunday, making a pitch for Schimel and personally distributing $1 million checks to a pair of voters.
On Monday, Trump hinted at the implications of the race’s outcome, highlighting the court’s role in determining election-related laws and resolving disputes regarding future election results.
“Wisconsin is a significant state politically, and the supreme court plays a crucial role in election matters there,” he remarked in the Oval Office. “Winning Wisconsin is vital; therefore, the supreme court election is of great importance.”
Crawford welcomed support from Planned Parenthood and other advocates for abortion rights, airing advertisements that spotlight Schimel’s opposition to the procedure. She also criticized Schimel’s connections to Trump and Musk, dubbing him “Elon Schimel” during a debate.
Oliver Stone to testify at John F Kennedy assassination hearing
Director Oliver Stone is set to testify at a hearing of the US <a href=\”https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/house-of-representatives\”>House of Representatives</a> on Tuesday, which is reviewing thousands of documents related to the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy, recently released by order of President Donald Trump.
Representative Anna Paulina Luna, who chairs the Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets, stated that lawmakers will hear from witnesses on the significance of the documents.
“We aim to investigate the newly released JFK files, consult experts, and track down surviving staff members from various investigative committees, our task force will uncover this mystery and share our findings with the American public,” Luna expressed.
Shortly after beginning his second term in January, Trump signed an executive order directing national intelligence and other officials to quickly devise a full and complete plan for disclosing all records associated with the assassination of President Kennedy.
The collection related to Kennedy’s assassination consists of over six million pages of records, the vast majority of which were already declassified and made public before Trump’s directive. The murder has been attributed to lone gunman Lee Harvey Oswald.
