Trump Live Updates: Thousands Rally Nationwide at ‘Hands Off’ Protests Against Trump and Musk’s Agenda

Ariana Baio reports from New York.

More than 500 law firms have endorsed a legal brief criticizing Donald Trump’s targeting of Perkins Coie and other firms, expressing deep concern over the Republican president’s ramping up of attacks on the legal profession.

Firms signed the brief, submitted to Washington-based U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell, understanding the risks of incurring Trump’s anger. Among the 504 signatories were Arnold & Porter, Davis Wright Tremaine, and Fenwick & West, while many top firms abstained from signing.

“While we do not take this course of action lightly, our unwavering commitment to maintaining the integrity of the American legal system compels us to unite,” the brief stated.

The brief supports a lawsuit filed by Perkins Coie, a Seattle-founded firm, on March 11 to challenge Trump’s executive order against the firm relating to its diversity policies and prior legal work for Hillary Clinton’s campaign during the 2016 presidential election.

“The impending threat posed by the executive order at hand, and similar ones, is not lost on anyone practicing law in this country today: any controversial representation opposing actions of the current administration (or even those it disapproves of) now carries the risk of severe repercussions,” the “friend of the court” brief emphasized.

The White House has defended Trump’s directives as lawful exercises of presidential power.

Automaker Jaguar Land Rover announced it would be pausing shipments from the U.K. to the U.S. as it assesses how to deal with Trump’s 25 percent tariffs on imported vehicles.

“While addressing new trade conditions with our partners, we’ve decided on some short-term measures, including a shipment pause in April, as we develop our medium to long-term strategies,” the company stated to Reuters.

Trump’s tax on imported vehicles came into effect on April 3, following his announcement of sweeping tariffs during “Liberation Day.”

This announcement follows Stellantis, parent company of Jeep, Chrysler, and Dodge, declaring it will cease production at two factories in Mexico and Canada due to the 25 percent tariff, along with the temporary layoff of 900 U.S. employees.

However, prior to endorsing Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs, Vance had openly criticized these policies and rebuked Trump when similar measures were discussed during his first term, according to an analysis from UJ’s KFILE.

The Trump administration argues that these tariffs will incentivize companies to relocate manufacturing jobs back to the U.S., a claim Vance previously dismissed entirely.

Josh Marcus reports from San Francisco.

The Washington Post has reported on President Donald Trump’s “swift decision to disrupt global trade,” stating he chose to follow his instincts, supported by senior officials around him.

His focus remains on fulfilling his campaign pledge of imposing “reciprocal” tariffs on U.S. trading partners, as the Post explains that Trump was given a range of options regarding how to proceed.

Rather, Trump personally opted for a simplistic formula based on two factors: the trade deficit with each nation and the total export value to the U.S. According to sources, while the exact proposal’s origin is unclear, it closely resembles a framework previously published by Peter Navarro, Trump’s zealous economic adviser during his first term. This approach drew ridicule from economists after its unveiling in the Rose Garden, coinciding with a steep drop in market performance.

The Post indicates that the market-threatening decision wasn’t finalized until roughly three hours before its public revelation in the Rose Garden of the White House on Wednesday afternoon after U.S. markets had closed.

Sources for the Post reported that Trump remains indifferent to negative press and international criticism, resolutely choosing to heed his own voice in an effort to cement what he perceives as his political legacy.

“He’s reached a point of complete disregard for negative feedback,” remarked a White House official familiar with Trump’s mindset. “Negative stories? He doesn’t care. He’s set on following through with what he promised on the campaign trail.”

The Post added that those in the room with Trump while deciding on the tariff plan included:

Scott Bessent, treasury secretary; Howard Lutnick, commerce secretary; Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative; Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff for policy; Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council; and Vice President JD Vance. Chief of Staff Susie Wiles also participated in the meetings, although Hassett was not present during the final discussion on Wednesday.

Trump rolled out his expansive tariff initiative on Wednesday, which he labeled “Liberation Day,” alarming investors worldwide.

Despite the turmoil, Trump posted on social media Saturday morning: “China has endured far greater damage than the USA, by a wide margin. They, along with many nations, have treated us disproportionately poorly.”

Continuing, he stated: “We have been the foolish and vulnerable ‘whipping boy,’ but that will change. We are recovering jobs and businesses at unprecedented rates. To date, more than FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS IN INVESTMENT has been achieved, and it’s continuing to grow! THIS IS AN ECONOMIC REVOLUTION, AND WE WILL EMERGE VICTORIOUS. STAND FIRM, as the journey will be challenging, but the outcome will be monumental. We will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!”

On Saturday, demonstrators convened at the National Mall and outside state capitols nationwide in opposition to President Donald Trump and senior adviser Elon Musk’s sweeping reforms to the federal government.

“This is a nationwide mobilization to halt the most audacious power grab in modern history,” organizers proclaimed. “Trump, Musk, and their billionaire associates are orchestrating an all-out assault on our government, our economy, and our fundamental rights—further enabled by Congress constantly.”

Demonstrations are occurring in over 1,200 locations nationwide today.

This marks the most severe week for the stock market since 2020, and only the fourth instance in history where the Dow lost 2,000 points in a single trading day. Total losses across markets over the past two days now total a staggering $6.4 trillion, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Friday opened poorly for the Dow, suffering a 1,000-point drop upon opening bell. The fall continued throughout the day, with the NASDAQ concluding the day down 962 points after also dropping over 1,000 points on Thursday—a day marked by historical losses.

The Dow now hovers near “correction” territory, which is defined as a market losing 10% of its value from its peak.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell cautioned that President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs could trigger inflation spikes and hinder economic growth.

Powell, nominated by Trump to lead the central bank in 2018, made these comments on Friday at the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing conference.