Trump Gives In
The conservative German paper, Die Welt, wrote on April 9:
“US President Donald Trump is defusing the trade war and suspending certain tariffs for 90 days. Except for China. The People’s Republic is to pay even higher rates in the future… Because Beijing showed a ‘lack of respect,’ according to Trump, he increased the tariff on the country from 104 to 125 percent [The White House said that in reality, the new tariffs on China are 145 percent]…
“With this, Trump has done what he and his staff have vehemently ruled out in recent days: giving in. As recently as Tuesday, his spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt insisted that the president was definitely not considering the issue of pausing the tariffs. But Trump had no other choice….
“The fact that the entire global economy was threatening to slide into the abyss in the meantime didn’t bother him. ‘Stay cool,’ he wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday morning, in view of the stock prices that had been plummeting for days… But in the days since, it became clear that this calculation would not work… In the afternoon, Trump confirmed that the bond market had partly influenced his decision… Financial markets reacted with great relief to Trump’s withdrawal on Wednesday. Just seconds after Trump’s announcement, prices skyrocketed…
“But there is no lasting all-clear in the trade war…”
Indeed. On Thursday, the US stock markets again recorded significant losses.
Conservative Fox Moderator and Business Senior Correspondent Charles Gasparini said on April 9 in Fox News’ “America Reports”:
“I mean, let’s be clear what happened, who capitulated here, and why? And, you know, I don’t want to say this, because I am a patriot, I’m an American, but it is the White House who capitulated based on everything I hear, and all of my sources. And the reason why is because of the bond market and what happened last night…
“Japan was dumping bonds because they believed this was not a great place to do business. That forced their hands. Now, what you can say, I think, legitimately here is, Trump decided to take the win… but make no mistake about it, Peter Navarro was talking, as of yesterday, about not taking the win, and now they did. And it’s all because of the bond market… he had no choice, he had no choice. Unfortunately, no choice…. the gun was at his head. What happened last night was very bad.”
The “Daily Beast” added on April 9:
“Fox hosts John Roberts and Sandra Smith tried to highlight Trump’s ‘art of the deal’ mantra when discussing the pause, which came after Trump and his administration vowed to keep the tariffs in place as countries approached him to negotiate. But in multiple appearances on Wednesday, Fox Business correspondent Charles Gasparino had to force his Fox colleagues to face the music….
‘To tell you right now that Donald Trump outsmarted the world,’ Gasparino said. ‘Trust me, I’m an American, I support my president, but that’s not really what happened here.’
“Gasparino highlighted how, despite the administration’s claims that 75 countries have approached the White House to negotiate, it hadn’t actually struck any deals… And they paused it anyway.’”
Of course, without Trump’s “tariffs war,” there would not even be an incentive for all these countries to try to strike a deal. But even if they are “forced” to do this, they won’t love the USA because of that. Especially in light of his comment that they are all kissing his…
The conservative German magazine Focus wrote on April 10:
Trump Is Playing Monopoly
“It’s economically fascinating what Donald Trump is doing to the world right now. He’s reducing everyone to mere pawns. It’s not about approving of it, but one has to think about what’s happening here… Trump has achieved several things with his tweet [of the 90-day tariff pause]: The ten percent tariffs for the United States are being received as a relief, and the stock markets [were] cheering. He’s also passing the buck to China because China doesn’t respect global markets. What a move.
“Trump… realized that they can’t take on China and the entire world at the same time. That’s why they’ve decided to prioritize the trade war with China…
“What few see clearly: Trump is playing Monopoly with the world… The power of Trump’s words is currently gigantic. His words are worth billions on the markets… And no one should believe that everything will be okay now… A trade war is not off the table – and the markets hate uncertainty.
“But how things continue is in one man’s hands. Only one man.”
We are setting forth below the prior developments leading up to the events on April 9.
China Heats Up Trade War With Trump Tariffs Retaliation
The New York Post wrote on April 4:
“Wall Street faces another brutal beating on Friday as stocks plunged after China unveiled stiff retaliatory taxes… threatening a global trade war. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down nearly 1,000 points shortly after the opening bell — a day after suffering a 1,679 drop, its worst session since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020… The White House urged investors to stick behind Trump’s policies. ‘To anyone on Wall Street this morning, I would say trust in President Trump,’ press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an interview on CNN… ‘this is indeed a national emergency… and it’s about time we have a president who actually does something about it.’
“China’s finance ministry on Friday said it will impose a 34% levy on all US imports starting on April 10 — the day after Trump’s reciprocal tariff totaling 54% goes into effect The White House had already hit Chinese exports with a 20% levy earlier this year before Trump announced he was hiking that duty by 34% on Wednesday…
“Bank stocks in the United States dropped further on Friday… Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup all fell around 5% each…”
China Panicking?
Deutsche Welle reported on April 4;
“President Trump continued to post on social media, this time taking a crack at China after it announced it would impose 34% retaliatory tariffs against the US in response to the 34% tariffs Trump announced earlier in the week. ‘China played it wrong, they panicked — the one thing they cannot afford to do!’ he wrote, again in all caps, on his social media platform. In another all-caps post, he wrote his polices would ‘never change.’”
Daily Mail wrote on April 8:
“Donald Trump is threatening a 104 percent tariff on China after the country refused to lift its retaliatory tariff on the U.S… China blasted Trump’s tariffs as ‘blackmail’ and vowed to ‘fight to the end.’”
After it was announced on Tuesday that the USA will begin collecting steep levies on imported goods from China, starting Wednesday, stocks fell again worldwide. This marks the third day with colossal losses. This trend seemed to continue on Day 4.
CNBC wrote on April 9:
“China has pushed back again on U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff policies by hiking its levies on U.S. imports to [84 %]… starting April 10… “
Japan Faces National Crisis
Deutsche Wele also stated on April 4;
“Tokyo’s stock market looks set to be suffering its worst week in years after the announcement of sweeping tariffs [24%] by the Trump administration. Japan is one of the US’ major trade partners as well as a historically important ally in the Pacific region, however, this was not enough to spare it from Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariff announcement on Thursday…
“Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba described the tariffs as a ‘national crisis.’”
Tariffs Against Israel!
JTA wrote on April 2:
“The United States will impose 17% tariffs on goods imported from Israel under a sweeping new tariffs system… Many imports from the United States have not been taxed under a 1985 free trade agreement. Attempting to avert Trump’s targeting, the Israeli government on Tuesday abolished all tariffs on U.S. goods. It was not immediately clear whether Trump would adjust the tariffs on Israeli goods as a result…
“The decision could raise prices on consumer goods including kosher food and Judaica that are produced in Israel. Israel is also a major exporter of technology, precious stones and medical supplies, sending products valued at more than $22 billion to the United States in 2024.
“Trump argues that the tariffs are needed to reclaim money and respect that other countries have taken from the United States. His critics, including most mainstream economists, say they will wreak havoc on the global economy and translate largely into higher prices for U.S. consumers.”
His tariffs against Israel (!) are really short-sighted, to say the very least.
JTA wrote on April 8:
“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finished his visit to Washington, D.C., without any public commitment by President Donald Trump to roll back the 17% tariff he is imposing on Israeli goods. Asked during a press conference with Netanyahu on Monday whether he planned to adjust the tariff, Trump demurred. ‘Maybe not,’ Trump said…
“And, after weeks during which the Gaza takeover proposal appeared to have receded, Trump brought it back… ‘It’s an incredible piece of important real estate… having a peace force like the United States there controlling and owning the Gaza Strip would be a good thing.’”
It’s Going to Be Expensive For Germany and the EU
Bild Online wrote on April 3:
“US President Donald Trump’s tariff plans threaten to be expensive for Germany. According to calculations by the employer-friendly Cologne Institute for Economic Research (IW), the damage could total around €200 billion over Trump’s four-year term in office… For the European Union, the damage could amount to around €750 billion.
“…Emmanuel Macron [is calling] for investments in the US to be suspended for the time being… Macron described the US tariffs as ‘brutal and useless’… Europe must act ‘reactively, united, and organized’…”
“In response to Trump’s tariffs, Canada is imposing 25 percent import duties on certain US vehicles… [Canada’s prime minister said:] “The US is ‘no longer a friendly partner,’ Canada will defend its interests.”
Worst Economic Error in a Century
The Economist wrote on April 3:
“Donald Trump has committed the most profound, harmful and unnecessary economic error in the modern era. Almost everything he said—on history, economics and the technicalities of trade—was utterly deluded.”
Terminate the Trump Tariffs Before It’s Too Late
Fox News published the following article by Republican Governor from Kentucky, Rand Paul, dated April 4:
“If you think eggs are expensive, just wait until the new tariffs hit cars. Goldman Sachs estimates tariffs on imported vehicles could raise prices by $5,000 to $15,000. That’s because tariffs are taxes on foreign imports that are paid by American consumers. These tariffs apply to almost every conceivable product. As a result, energy will be more expensive, and gas prices in some parts of the country could see as much as a 70-cent increase in the cost per gallon. According to the National Association of Home Builders, the building of a single-family home could become up to $10,000 more expensive because of the tariffs. With the tariffs on aluminum, even beer and hard seltzer are likely to increase in price.
“Unfortunately, these tax increases are on top of the taxes you have already paid when tariffs were imposed during the first Trump administration. The Tax Foundation calculated that tariffs between 2018 and 2023 imposed an additional $1,753 in costs on American families. Now that the tariffs apply to even more products, the tax increases are poised to be even higher this time. The Peterson Institute predicts tariffs could annually cost families $1,200 a year, while Yale’s Budget Lab estimates the tariffs would cost the average American family $4,200 annually…
“Recently, the Secretary of Agriculture indicated the administration was preparing programs to mitigate ‘economic catastrophes’ for farmers harmed by tariffs—a clear admission that tariffs hurt Americans. The first Trump administration authorized $28 billion in farmer bailouts to offset financial losses caused by tariffs…
“Republicans would be wise to rediscover their principles and oppose new and high taxes. The truth is that tariffs are taxes. They don’t punish foreign governments; they punish American families. When we tax imports, we raise the price of everything from groceries to smartphones, washing machines, and every other conceivable product… It’s time to terminate the tariffs.”
In the Long Run, We Are All Dead
The Huffington Post wrote on April 3:
“[Republican Senator John Kennedy from Louisiana] wasn’t concerned enough about President Donald Trump’s steep international tariffs to vote against them Wednesday… but did scold staunch supporters of the policy with a dire warning to multiple outlets. ‘In the long run, we’re all dead,’ he said…. ‘Short run matters, too. Nobody knows what the impact of these tariffs is going to be on the economy…’
“[He] added that he’s heard both favorable and disastrous assessments on the tariffs from economists in Washington, D.C., but said even ‘late-night psychic hotlines’ are more accurate in their predictions — and slammed blind supporters of the policy….”
Ted Cruz Warns
t-online wrote on April 5:
“The tariffs imposed by Donald Trump could have serious consequences for the Republicans, according to Republican Senator Ted Cruz. ‘If we enter a recession—especially a severe one—then 2026 would most likely be a political bloodbath’ [In one and a half years, during the midterm elections, a third of the Senate and the entire House of Representatives will be up for reelection]… In his view, an economic downturn threatens a loss of the majority in the House of Representatives—possibly even in the Senate…
“Cruz declared that because of the tariff package, this week could go down in history as ‘the most consequential in all four years’ of Trump’s second term. There is ‘the potential for positive developments’ but also ‘enormous risks’… He himself is ‘not a fan of tariffs.'”
J.D. Vance was also against them four years ago. Now he’s suddenly in favor of them. On the other hand, Bernie Sanders was for tariffs in the past. Now he is against them.
U.S. Stock Market Has Wiped Out $9.6 Trillion Since Inauguration Day
Market Watch wrote on April 4:
“U.S. stocks have had a rough go of it since President Donald Trump was sworn into office for his second term in January…
“Since Jan. 17, the Friday before Inauguration Day, the U.S. stock market has seen $9.6 trillion in value erased, according to data from FactSet and Dow Jones Market Data. Of those losses, $5 trillion has been erased just over the past two days — the largest two-day loss on record.”
Global Recession Likely
Daily Mail wrote on April 4:
“Nearly £175 billion has been wiped off the UK stock market in just a week – hammering the pensions and savings of millions. As the market meltdown triggered by Donald Trump’s trade war accelerated, the FTSE 100 suffered its sharpest drop since the outbreak of the pandemic…
“As global markets took a £4.4 trillion hit this week, Wall Street giant JP Morgan warned: ‘There will be blood.’ The investment bank said the chances of a global recession have spiked… to 60 per cent…”
Trump: “It’s Going Very Well.”
Daily Mail wrote on April 4:
“Wall Street had its worst day since the height of the Covid crash after President Donald Trump’s tariffs sparked fears of a US and global recession. Trump seems unfazed. Asked about tumbling stocks on Thursday as he boarded Air Force One to attend a golf dinner in Miami — as the Dow Jones was down 1,400 points — Trump said: ‘I think it is going very well.’…
“Trillions of dollars was wiped off the value of US stocks — a blow that will also hit ordinary Americans whose retirement savings, including 401(K) are tied to the market…
“On Thursday morning, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick dismissed the possibility of exemptions for certain countries under the new US tariffs… Lutnick also warned that other nations would be making a mistake if they retaliated with their own tariffs against the U.S…”
Daily Mail added on April 4:
“Wall Street has had its worst two-day wipeout in history – with $6.6 trillion wiped off the value of US stocks (marking the biggest two-day loss of shareholder value ever recorded). After plunging yesterday, stocks crashed again on Friday as it looks increasingly likely that President Donald Trump’s tariffs will cause a global recession (If it does, stock prices will likely come down even more than they have already)… So far there have been few, if any, winners in financial markets from the trade war.”
Musk Against Tariffs
The New York Post wrote on April 6:
“Elon Musk appeared to split from the Trump administration on tariffs overnight — as he lashed out at trade adviser Peter Navarro and said he hoped for a ‘zero tariff situation’ between the US and Europe… The Tesla and SpaceX guru made very public swipes Saturday against Navarro, who is widely seen as one of the top architects of Trump’s tariff regime…
“Navarro hit back at Musk, chiding that [he “doesn’t understand” the situation and that “he sells cars” and that] he’s merely “protecting his own interests as any business person would do.”
NBC News added on April 6:
“‘I hope it is agreed that both Europe and the United States should move, ideally, in my view, to a zero-tariff situation, effectively creating a free trade zone between Europe and North America,” Musk [said]… ‘So that has certainly been my advice to the president.’”
The New York Post wrote on April 8:
“Billionaire Elon Musk escalated his attacks against Navarro on Tuesday… ‘Navarro is truly a moron. What he says here is demonstrably false,’ Musk wrote on X, adding in a subsequent post… ‘Tesla has the most American-made cars. Navarro is dumber than a sack of bricks.’…
“Musk has refrained from criticizing Trump directly, but his dissatisfaction with the tariffs has been apparent… As the stark market has nosedived amid the onslaught of tariffs, Musk’s personal net worth has also sunk nearly $50 billion over the past two weeks.”
German Economics Minister Robert Habeck, on Musk’s proposal, said: This idea is ridiculous and utter nonsense.
EU Retaliates
ntv wrote on April 8:
“US President Donald Trump has rejected an EU proposal to reduce tariffs on industrial goods to zero as insufficient. Asked whether the proposal was sufficient for Trump to reconsider the tariffs, he replied: ‘No, it is not.’”
CNBC wrote on April 9:
“The European Union on Wednesday voted to approve its first set of retaliatory measures to counter tariffs imposed by the U.S…. duties [will] start being collected from April 15…. the tariffs target a wide range of goods, including poultry, grains, clothing and metals.”
Due to Trump’s turnaround, the EU has put any retaliatory tariffs on hold.
Stock Market Crash Continues
Focus wrote on April 7:
“The stock market crash continues at an accelerated pace at the start of the week. Following the slump in Asia [Bild Online: “Stocks in Hong Kong plunged 13.2 percent – the worst day since 1997“], the DAX [Germany’s leading index] followed suit in the morning, and the US stock markets in the afternoon… The White House dismissed the CNBC report that Trump was considering a tariff pause with China as ‘fake news.’ Subsequently, the stock markets collapsed again completely.”
Trump Undeterred
The Associated Press responded on April 7:
“Trump faces mounting pressure in the financial markets and from business leaders to backtrack on his tariff ambitions, yet he has shown no signs of reversing course or finding a message to calm panicked markets. The White House said Monday that Trump would veto a Senate bill that would mandate congressional approval for new tariffs…”
The Case of the Man Mistakenly Deported to El Salvador Prison
The Associated Press wrote on April 4:
“A federal judge [Paula Xinis] on Friday ordered the Trump administration to arrange for the return of a Maryland man to the United States after he was mistakenly deported to a notorious El Salvador prison. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement expelled Kilmar Abrego Garcia last month…
“The White House has cast Kilmar Abrego Garcia, 29, as an MS 13 gang member and assert that U.S. courts lack jurisdiction over the matter because the Salvadoran national is no longer in the U.S. Abrego Garcia’s attorneys have countered that there is no evidence he was in MS-13. The allegation is based on a confidential informant’s claim in 2019 that Abrego Garcia was a member of a chapter in New York, where he has never lived.
“Abrego Garcia’s mistaken deportation, described by the White House as an ‘administrative error,’ has outraged many… Abrego Garcia had a permit from the Department of Homeland Security to legally work in the U.S., his attorney Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg said… In 2019, a U.S. immigration judge granted him protection from deportation to El Salvador because he was likely to face gang persecution. He was released and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement did not appeal the decision or try to deport him to another country.
“Abrego Garcia later married Vasquez Sura [a US citizen]. The couple are parents to their son [a five-year-old son with disabilities] and her two children from a previous relationship.”
Newsweek reported that the judge ordering Garcia’s return “had seen no evidence he was a member of the MS-13 gang.” She said the case involved “an issue of ‘outright illegality’ on the government’s part” and ordered the return “no later than 11.59 p.m. on Monday, April 7th.”
Deutsche Welle added:
“The US government’s lawyer said that while there’s ‘no dispute’ that the man should not have been deported, the administration argued it has no legal authority to bring him back to the US.
“The Salvadorian man’s lawyers rejected this claim. ‘They put him there, they can bring him back,’ a member of his legal team said in a statement. Judge Xinis agreed. ‘Why can’t the US get [him] back?’ she asked.
“The lawyer representing the US government saying he had asked the administration that question but had not received an answer that he found satisfactory. The ruling was the latest legal setback for the Trump administration’s deportation policies…”
npr added:
“‘From the moment he was seized, it was unconstitutional,’ Judge Xinis said during the hearing. ‘If there isn’t a document, a warrant, a statement of probable cause, then there is no basis to have seized him in the first place. That’s how I’m looking at it,’ the judge said… ‘In a court of law when someone is accused of membership in such a violent and predatory organization, it comes in the form of an indictment, a complaint, a criminal proceeding that then has robust process, so we can assess facts…’”
It was claimed by JD Vance and others that Garcia “was a convicted MS-13 gang member.” According to Austin American Statesman, dated April 3, “Court records and interviews with legal experts agree that Abrego-Garcia has never been convicted of a crime in the U.S., gang-related or otherwise… Vance appears to be referring to two denials of bond requests in which immigration courts used allegations [by a confidential informant in 2019, mentioned above] that Abrego-Garcia was in a gang as a reason for their denial. Abrego-Garcia’s team denies that he’s a gang member and — he has never been put on trial for or convicted of criminal charges.’
Austin American-Statesman concluded in regard to Vance’s statement: “We rate the statement False.”
Judge Paula Xinis is clearly correct, and her order seems to be the only fair, acceptable and legal order in this deeply distressing case. Still, Chief Justice Roberts, in a hard-to understand decision, paused the deadline for the return of Garcia to give the parties more time to address their view points in writing. In the meantime, Garcia, who might very well be innocent, stays in the notorious prison in El Salvador.
Justice Department Places Immigration Attorney on Leave
MSN wrote on April 6:
“The Justice Department suspended a veteran lawyer after he said in court that officials mistakenly deported a man to prison in his home country of El Salvador and conceded that he did not know the legal basis for the expulsion. Erez Reuveni had worked at the Justice Department for nearly 15 years, most recently as the acting deputy director of the Office of Immigration Litigation…”
ABC News added on April 6:
“‘At my direction, every Department of Justice attorney is required to zealously advocate on behalf of the United States,’ Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement on Saturday. ‘Any attorney who fails to abide by this direction will face consequences.’… August Flentje, who was Reuveni’s supervisor, was placed on administrative leave Saturday by officials at Main Justice for ‘failure to supervise a subordinate’…”
So, what was Reuveni supposed to do in order to “zealously advocate on behalf of the United States”? Lie to the court?
US Supreme Court Decides For Trump in Immigration Case
npr wrote on April 8:
“The U.S. Supreme Court [allowed] the administration to continue deporting what it says are Venezuelan gang members. The vote was 5-to-4, with conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett joining the three liberals in dissent. At issue in the case was the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, a controversial law invoked only three times in U.S. history, always during wartime, which allows for the detention and deportation of foreign nationals from countries actively invading the United States. The Trump administration argued that the law applied to Venezuelan gang members who were deemed to be invading the nation [by arguing that the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua is a ‘hybrid criminal state.’]
“In an unsigned opinion Monday night, the court’s conservative majority didn’t rule on that question. But it gave the Trump administration all it needed to continue with the deportations, with one caveat. It said that from here on in, the alleged gang members need to be given notice of deportation, and the opportunity to contest the deportation. The court, however, said there is only one way to do that. And that is by challenging their detentions on a case-by-case basis… In practice it means that an imprisoned individual has the right to challenge his detention or deportation, but only for himself, and only, the court said, in the places where deportees were being detained. In this case, the named plaintiffs were being held in Texas, a state, where, as the dissenters observed, judges are not likely to be sympathetic.”
Breitbart added on April 7:
“While the ruling from the Supreme Court is a win for President Donald Trump and his administration, it was described as ‘narrow and focused on the proper venue for the cases, rather than on the administration’s use of a centuries-old law to justify its decision’ to deport suspected illegal alien gang members, according to the New York Times. Per the outlet, in a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court justices found that ‘the migrants had improperly challenged their deportations in Washington, D.C.,’ when they should have challenged them in Texas, ‘where they were being held.’
“The justices did not address the question of whether the Trump administration improperly categorized the Venezuelans as deportable under the Alien Enemies Act…”
pbs agreed, adding on April 8:
“The Supreme Court’s ruling did not address the constitutionality of the act or the migrants’ claim that they don’t fall within the category of people who can be deported under the law.”
Still, this very ambiguous decision raises more questions than it answers.
Persecution of Germans in the USA?
Die Welt wrote on April 4:
“In the USA, the number of cases of foreign nationals being detained upon entry is increasing. Even a Green Card no longer seems to protect the holder from US authorities, as the case of Fabian Schmidt shows…
“According to his relatives, a German citizen living in the USA has been in US deportation detention for four weeks. Fabian Schmidt, who lives in the state of New Hampshire, was detained at the Boston airport upon entry on March 7 and is now in a detention center in the state of Rhode Island…
“The background to the case is unclear. According to his mother, Schmidt has been living in the USA since 2007 and, with his so-called Green Card, has unlimited residency, which largely equates him with US citizens. He accuses the authorities of mistreating him. Among other things, he was shouted at during questioning at the airport and forced to undress. He became ill while in custody and was taken to a hospital, where he was confined to a bed… He shared a deportation prison with criminals who had ‘committed heinous crimes’…
“The background to the US authorities’ actions could be an old drug offense. According to his mother, Schmidt’s questioning repeatedly revolved around a cannabis offense from almost ten years ago. The case was dismissed.
“In recent months, there have been several other cases, including those involving German citizens, who were arrested upon entering the US. In some cases, the victims were held in deportation centers for days or weeks.”
Many feel that this is perhaps Trump’s revenge against Germans and Europeans for allegedly mistreating the US in economic matters.
Trump’s Popularity in the Rocks
On April 3, Bild Online published the following commentary by Franz Josef Wagner in his daily column, entitled “Dear Trump-America”:
“… as if in a religious ceremony, your president raises the plaque of punitive tariffs. This happened in the Rose Garden of the White House. In front of him are men and women on folding chairs, all silent with reverent faces. The high priest speaks.
“What an America Trump has created after 70 days in office. A student who wrote a critical article is arrested on the street, professors are considered enemies.
“If I were French, I would demand the Statue of Liberty back. The French gave it to the Americans in 1886. Because America was a land of open arms. The statue stands on Liberty Island, the island of freedom.
“We see Trump with his still peroxide-blonde hair. He is an old angel. Which makes one despair: Why isn’t the other, good America standing up? Hemingway would have stood up, Gary Cooper. In the White House Rose Garden, a proven liar is acting like the master of the world. Wake up, my old America.”
A Third Term?
npr wrote on March 31:
“President Trump has once again floated the idea of testing the Constitution’s presidential term limits by seeking a third term… The 22nd Amendment prohibits a person from being elected U.S. president more than twice… But some legal experts point to plausible strategies for attempting end runs around the 22nd Amendment under unusual scenarios…
“Republican Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee introduced a joint resolution to propose a change to the Constitution so that a person could be elected president three times if they had not been previously elected to two consecutive terms…
“A 1999 Minnesota Law Review article called ‘The Twice and Future President’ explains that a twice-elected president could become vice president and then — if the current president were to be removed from office, resign or die — return as commander-in-chief. The federal government sanctioned record of interpretations of the Constitution also points to the possibility of a former two-term president serving as speaker of the House of Representatives or as another federal officer who could become president…
“All of these hypothetical situations get around a key word in the 22nd Amendment’s restriction — ‘elected.’ Bruce Peabody, one of the law review article’s co-authors, who is now a professor of government and politics at Fairleigh Dickinson University, says Congress chose that term after considering proposals that would have made a twice-elected president not eligible to ‘hold’ the office again…Their word choice, however, has given rise to what Brian Kalt — a law professor at Michigan State University who wrote about a hypothetical two-term president getting nominated to run for vice president in Constitutional Cliffhangers: A Legal Guide for Presidents and Their Enemies — calls a loophole in the 22nd Amendment’s two-term limit…
“… a lawyer could try to argue that being a ‘natural born’ citizen, at least 35 years old and a resident within the U.S. for at least 14 years are the only presidential eligibility requirements specified in the Constitution, says Stephen Gillers, a professor emeritus at New York University School of Law, who proposed in 2004 that Clinton run for vice president…
“A more straightforward possibility that some constitutional scholars have not ruled out is Trump running for a third term as president regardless of what the 22nd Amendment says… Any attempt at a third Trump administration would likely spark lawsuits that end up before the U.S. Supreme Court. And in this polarized political environment, it’s difficult to predict how the court’s conservative supermajority would rule, says Aziz Huq, a constitutional law professor at the University of Chicago Law School… ‘The court has ways of ducking the 22nd Amendment question. And if the court ducks the question, then it would be up to other actors — whether in the states, for example, in the process of nominations and primary votes or Congress at the moment at which it determines who won the Electoral College — to decide on whether the 22nd Amendment had the force of law,’ Huq says.”
But all of this may be moot, if Trump has something else in mind. Note the next article.
What Could Trump’s Plan Be?
ntv wrote on April 4:
“US President Trump’s course contradicts all experience and expert opinions. But what if it’s just part of a completely different plan? Then it would suddenly make a lot of sense…
“Donald Trump’s tariff war is absurd to the point of being self-destructive in every respect. In every respect except one… Trump’s tariffs will drive up prices for everyone. People will become poorer, they will be able to buy less. Only if they absolutely have to will, they accept the higher prices that come with the tariffs…
“Will it prevent those affected from expressing their displeasure at the ballot box? Not in the long run, at least not the swing voters who voted for Trump last time. In short: Economically and politically, what Donald Trump is doing right now makes absolutely no sense…
“But what if one questions the most self-evident of all premises: that there will ever be free and fair elections in the US again? Elections in which anyone could express their displeasure with Trump? What if part of the plan is to cancel upcoming elections until further notice under one pretext or another – so that Donald Trump no longer has to consider the voters?
“Then everything he does suddenly makes a lot more sense. And to become accustomed to a state that is far removed from democracy and even democratic is already underway. It is no coincidence that Trump has so far ruled almost exclusively by presidential decree, and both houses of parliament are not consulted, decide nothing, and have no say. It is no coincidence that Trump bases large parts of his decrees on formal legal grounds, declaring thematic or regional emergencies or states of emergency, including tariffs…
“And escalation could mean: instigating a war on the borders of the United States that could allow him to declare elections impossible or illegal until further notice… that would be a fabricated war, a fabricated reason. But Donald Trump also fabricated the reasons for his tariff war. For example, he accused Canada of flooding vast quantities of fentanyl into the US. In fact, a blatant lie. Regardless. Many kings needed a war to remain king for as long as possible.”
Trump said before, the 2024 elections would be the last ones.
Putin the Laughing Third
t-online wrote on April 6:
“So far, Putin has been playing [with] the US President… not much has happened so far, and Trump is left empty-handed…
“Putin is currently the laughing third. On the one hand, there are no tariffs on his war-torn economy, but last year Russia exported goods worth a total of three billion dollars to the US. A large portion of this was fertilizer and metals. On the other hand, if Trump’s economic policy leads the United States into a recession, the debate will erupt again by summer at the latest as to whether the Americans even want to spend any more money on supporting Ukraine.”
When China Takes Taiwan
Daily Mail wrote on April 5:
“A successful Chinese invasion and annexation of Taiwan presupposes one of two seismic events – a total defeat of the US military in the Indo-Pacific theatre, or Washington abruptly abandoning a decades-long security partnership with Taipei.
“Both scenarios would be catastrophic for America, and by extension, Western interests in the highly strategic region… an American defeat, or refusal to uphold its security commitments to Taiwan in the face of a Chinese attack, would dispel any notion that the US remains the world’s dominant political and military power. National populations in Japan and South Korea, let alone Philippines, Indonesia and elsewhere would likely shift their opinion in favour of China due to the massive shift in power this would entail…”
EU Wants to Fight Musk
Breitbart wrote on April 4:
“EU regulators are gearing up to impose massive fines exceeding $1 billion on Elon Musk’s X for alleged violations of a landmark law aimed at censoring online discussions…
“The decision to impose such hefty fines comes as EU regulators weigh the risks of further antagonizing Musk and U.S. President Donald Trump amid ongoing trans-Atlantic disputes concerning trade, tariffs, and the war in Ukraine. The fine, expected to be announced this summer, would be the first issued under the Digital Services Act, a law designed to compel social media companies to censor their services… Musk has been critical of European policies and is expected to contest any regulation…
“The law has become a point of contention in the trans-Atlantic debate about free speech, with U.S. Vice President JD Vance comparing EU regulation to digital censorship… The European Union’s aggressive stance on regulating American tech giants is not limited to X. Regulators are also expected to announce penalties against Meta and Apple for violating the Digital Markets Act…”
Europe’s Lust For War Explodes
Report 24 wrote on April 4, 2025:
“Europe appears to be losing its mind. A new wave of war obsession has swept the continent’s political elites, driving them into a dangerous frenzy reminiscent of the darkest chapters of the 20th century…
“The European leadership has spiraled into a militaristic hysteria that lacks any strategic rationality. Instead of diplomacy and a prudent security architecture, politicians are opting for rearmament at any cost – a course that not only plunders state coffers but also undermines the continent’s democratic foundations. Germany, in particular, stands out: Here, terms like ‘belligerence’ are thrown around as if the lessons of history have been forgotten…
“Politicians and self-proclaimed ‘military experts’ are outdoing each other in belligerent tones. Last week, Germans were told on television that the coming summer would be their last in peace – after which a Russian attack [would occur], disguised as maneuvers in Belarus… The term ‘Kriegstüchtigkeit’ – the ability to be good at war – is being used excessively by German officials. A retired brigadier general recently had to point out that this represents a dangerous departure from the previous concept of ‘defensive capability’… At the same time, calls are being made for the reintroduction of conscription – including for women – accompanied by complaints that German youth are too effeminate for combat…
“The consequences of this course are already being felt – and they are hitting citizens hard. In Germany, the Bundestag is loosening the debt brake in the Basic Law to finance rearmament… On March 6, the EU member states approved a loan of 150 billion euros for defense purposes, even though the EU Treaty expressly prohibits military spending. The member states are to raise a further 650 billion…”
Austria’s Borders Are Closed
Report 24 wrote on April 5:
“There is an invisible divide in the European Union: Hungary and Slovakia, two countries that often politically oppose the Brussels mainstream, are repeatedly exposed to pressure. Now Austria has introduced border controls with both neighbors – officially because of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). But the timing and the political situation raise questions: Is this a protection against an animal disease or a means of disciplining dissenters?…
“Since March 2025, Hungary and Slovakia have reported outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease, a highly contagious animal disease. Austria reacted promptly: from April 5, 2025, 24 smaller border crossings were closed… But the measures – including mobile controls and a ban on imports of animals and meat – coincide with political tensions, such as Hungary’s and Slovakia’s stance on aid to Ukraine. Critics are asking why the disease, after decades of absence, is flaring up now in ‘unadapted’ countries…
“Media like Heute (April 2, 2025) report that the closure of border crossings should apply until May 20, 2025, while large crossings like Nickelsdorf will remain open but will be controlled… [The] FPÖ criticizes: ‘This is reminiscent of Corona panic’ (April 3, 2025)…
“The EU preaches open borders, but resorts to controls when it is opportune. Austria’s measures, supported by the armed forces (April 4, 2025), risk exacerbating tensions with its eastern neighbors…”
Hungary’s and Slovakia’s Foot-and-Mouth Disease
EuroNews wrote on April 6:
The foot-and-mouth disease… which poses no danger to humans, mostly affects cattle and other cloven-hoofed animals like swine, sheep and goats. Infected animals experience fever and mouth blisters as part of the symptoms of the disease. Outbreaks often lead to trade restrictions and culls of some livestock.”
Express added on April 6:
“Human contraction is very rare and usually occurs through direct contact with infected animals, and there is no evidence of person-to-person transmission.”
CDU vs. AfD
Bild Online wrote on April 6:
“In our current Sunday poll, the CDU/CSU and AfD are tied for the first time at 24 percent! And I can’t find anyone who disagrees when I say: The far-right squad of Weidel, Chrupalla, and Höcke will soon overtake the Merz and Söder CDU/CSU…
“Donald Trump is implementing his dangerous and destructive campaign promises against the rest of the world. Friedrich Merz is abandoning his campaign promises even before he takes office. I wish it were the other way around: Merz would keep his promises and Trump wouldn’t.”
Further Calls for Conscription
ntv wrote on April 6:
“The president of the German Reservist Association, Patrick Sensburg, is… calling for a mass army for the Bundeswehr… ‘[This] would require 300,000 to 350,000 soldiers… Without conscription, we would fail to achieve our self-imposed goals and would lose a war…
“‘Anyone who fails to credibly convey the Bundeswehr’s [situation that] it only has three days of ammunition or too few soldiers will not achieve a deterrent effect…”
Coalition Agreement in Place in Germany
Die Welt wrote on April 9:
“A key relief measure for war refugees from Ukraine is to be reversed. They will no longer receive citizen’s allowance in the future… The coalition partners want to introduce a new, initially voluntary military service model. The conditions for military registration and monitoring should be created this year.”
Now: AfD Most Supported Party in Germany
Breitbart wrote on April 10:
“The… Alternative for Germany (AfD) has topped a national poll for the first time in the party’s history, as support for the incoming government continues to slide.
“According to the Ipsos survey, 25 per cent of the public now back the populist anti-mass migration party [AfD], an increase of three points over last month. Conversely, the formerly Merkel-led establishment ‘conservative’ Union (CDU) saw its support fall by five points over the past month to 24 per cent…
“The lengthy coalition negotiations, which finally concluded on Wednesday, have not only seen support for the Union decline but also clearly shaken public confidence in Merz… The EU-US Forum think tank commented: ‘After getting power, the CDU abandoned the very promises that got them elected. Now, the AfD is leading in Germany for the first time ever — and it’s no coincidence. The people want their country back.’”
Scandalous Judgment in Germany Censoring Free Speech
Breitbart wrote on April 9:
“Germany has been accused of violating basic Western values yet again, as a news editor in Germany faces a hefty fine and a seven month prison sentence for posting a meme mocking the government’s ‘hatred’ of free speech.
“The Bamberg district court in Bavaria sentenced Deutschland-Kurier editor David Bendels this week to seven months in prison on probation and a fine of nearly sixty per cent of his annual income, or 210 ‘daily rates’, for posting an image on social media of Interior Minister Nancy Faeser holding an altered sign. The common meme tactic of changing the words on signs held by politicians for satirical purposes was used to make Faeser’s sign read: ‘I hate freedom of speech’.
“Bendels was initially convicted in November, and the ruling was confirmed on Monday, finding that he had committed ‘defamation directed against people in political life,’ Die Welt reported on Tuesday…
“The ruling has… been criticised by opposition political figures [and legal experts], with the influential regional leader of the populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in Thuringia, Björn Höcke saying: ‘German politicians… made Germany a laughingstock of the world. They armor themselves and attack freedom of speech again and again, ending our constitutional democracy. We have been warned by Donald Trump and Elon Musk: The enemies of freedom are found within the EU-governments!’…”
Robots Are Coming…
Archive Today wrote on April 4:
“Artificial intelligence is already driving cars, writing essays and even writing computer code. Now, humanoids, machines built to look like humans and powered by A.I., are poised to move into our homes…
“Investors have poured $7.2 billion into more than 50 start-ups since 2015… The humanoid frenzy reached a new peak last year, when investments topped $1.6 billion. And that did not include the billions that Elon Musk and Tesla, his electric car company, are pumping into Optimus, a humanoid they began building in 2021.”
Indy 100 wrote on April 2:
“Elon Musk is no stranger to a wild idea, but his latest remarks have sparked concern – as he thinks robots could soon outnumber humans… Tela vows to produce 10,000 of the [humanoid] robots by the end of 2025, having launched the first version in 2021. ‘Long-term, I think there will be more… the ratio of humanoid robots will be more than one to one. There might be two humanoid robots or more, maybe 10, for every one human’, Musk said in a video confirming their mass production would be coming. ‘Which means there will be well in excess of 10 billion humanoid robots’…
“Optimus is described as ‘a general-purpose robotic assistant designed to perform tasks that are repetitive, dangerous, or undesirable for humans. Powered by advanced AI, it can walk, climb stairs, lift and carry objects, as well as manipulate items autonomously… Everything we’ve developed for our cars — the batteries, power electronics, advanced motors, gearboxes, the software, AI inference computer — it all actually applies to a humanoid robot.’
“He’s previously disclosed that soon, ordinary people will be able to own their own Optimus, starting at $20,000-$30,000….”
The military will undoubtedly be interested in having humanoid robots at their disposal which carry out “dangerous” tasks. The prophecy that 200 million “of the army of the horsemen” will attack from the Far East comes to mind (Revelation 9:16). Commentaries suggest that the riders on those “horses” are evidently not merely human hosts.
The Stars… and Time Travel Into the Past?
Daily Mail wrote on April 5:
“When you look up at the stars, you’re looking at suns from other solar systems, most of which have their own set of planets orbiting around them. The most distant stars are located billions of light years away – meaning the light from them has been travelling for billions of years to reach our eyes… So when we see a star in the sky, we are actually seeing a snapshot of what it looked like thousands of years ago, not how it is now.
“Essentially, by looking up at the stars we are transporting ourselves thousands of years into the distant past. And it may seem unbelievable, but because a star’s light has been travelling for such a long time, by the time it reaches us that star may not even exist anymore…
“Stars are giant balls of hot gas – mostly hydrogen, with some helium and small amounts of other elements. Every star has its own life cycle, ranging from a few million to trillions of years. Astronomers estimate that the universe could contain up to one septillion stars (a one followed by 24 zeros). Our Milky Way alone contains more than 100 billion, including our most well-studied star, the sun.
“Just like we can only see objects because light has reflected off them, we can only see stars because light has traveled from them, through the vast galaxy and into our eyes… As an example, a bright star called Deneb can be seen in the constellation of Cygnus, a prominent cross-shaped constellation in the northern sky. Deneb is an estimated 2,600 light years away, meaning its light has travelled for 2,600 years to reach us. When light from Deneb started its journey, it was the 6th century BC – around the same time the Roman monarchy was overthrown and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were built.
“Another star system visible to the naked eye, Eta Carinae (made up of two stars in orbit around each other), which is 7,500 light years away… Earendel, the farthest star ever detected, is 28 billion light years away – although due to a quirk of our ever-expanding universe its light has travelled for 13 billion years to reach us. Detected by the Hubble Space Telescope in 2022, Earendel is ‘surely long gone’, because a star’s typical lifetime is much less than this…”
Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:
These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.
