Friday, April 11, 2025

April 11, 2025

Good morning,

Welcome to the news for independent thinkers

Leading the News . . .

China increases tariffs on US imports to 125% from 84% amid ongoing trade war . . . China announced on Friday that it will hike tariffs on American imports from 84% to 125%. The move represents the latest escalation of an ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China, which is led by the Chinese Communist Party. China indicated that it made the move in response to the U.S. raising tariffs, but indicated it does not plan to retaliate against any potential additional U.S. tariff increases. Fox Business

Who cares? What do we sell to China?

Trump threatens tariffs and sanctions on Mexico for 'stealing' water from Texas farmers

Politics

'Assassination culture': Liberal acceptance of political violence puts Trump, Musk in crosshairs . . . A recent survey found that about half of liberal-leaning U.S. residents could justify the assassinations of President Trump and his government efficiency adviser, Elon Musk. More than half of liberals say that destroying Tesla dealerships is acceptable. They also support Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old man accused of gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, according to the survey by the Network Contagion Research Institute. Washington Times

Trust Unshaken: Trump Voters Are Sticking With Their Guy . . . The prospect of economic upheaval hasn't disturbed the personal bond between the president and the MAGA movement: 'There's a method to his madness. Wall Street Journal

Trump Orders Probes Into First Term 'Anonymous' Leaker, Ex-Cyber Chief . . . President Donald Trump targeted a pair of former administration officials from his first term in office for investigations by the Department of Justice. The president signed two executive actions on Wednesday ordering probes into the conduct of Miles Taylor, a former senior Department of Homeland Security official, and Chris Krebs, the former head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). The memos also strip Taylor, Krebs, and others of security clearances. Daily Wire

Gretchen Whitmer angers Dems with Trump meeting at White House: 'F—ing disaster' . . . Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is under fire from fellow Democrats after appearing alongside President Donald Trump during a White House signing ceremony, sparking accusations that she was used as a political "prop." "Just a f—ing disaster," said one Democratic operative, who usually supports Whitmer but spoke anonymously to NBC News. "It feels like it removes some of the momentum she had as a politically savvy swing-state Dem." New York Post

Everybody is coming to French kiss the ring.

FEC Opens Probe of Rep. Jasmine Crockett Donations . . . The Federal Election Commission opened an investigation into firebrand Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, regarding donations to her 2024 campaign made through ActBlue, a Democrat fundraising powerhouse organization. The complaints reference a specific suspect donor reported to have given 53 separate donations totaling $595 to Crockett's campaign through the ActBlue portal. The suspect donor was a 73-year-old Texas resident named Randy Best, according to the FEC complaint. Daily Signal

Texas AG Paxton Announces 2026 GOP Primary Challenge Against Sen. Cornyn . . . Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced this week his long-expected 2026 Senate primary challenge against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. Both politicians cast long shadows in the Lone Star State. In his announcement, Paxton characterized the run as bolstering support for President Donald Trump in the Senate. Daily Signal

House GOP adopts Trump budget blueprint after last-minute scramble . . . House Republicans on Thursday adopted the Senate's framework that will be used to enact key parts of President Trump's legislative agenda, getting the blueprint over the finish line after a last-minute scramble to win over conservatives who had spent days railing against the measure. The largely party-line 216-214 vote marks a big win for Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.). President Trump, who endorsed the legislation and lobbied those on the right flank to get on board. The Hill

Culture

Netflix miniseries taps nonbinary actress to play iconic Jane Austin character . . . "Pride and Prejudice" will star an actress who identifies as nonbinary as one of the best, most complicated and insightful female characters of literature. Emma Corrin, who played Princess Diana in "The Crown," has been tapped to be the next Elizabeth Bennet in a new Netflix miniseries. Corrin, who updated her pronouns on social media to "her/they" in the summer of 2021 before deciding later she was only OK with "they/them," has previously posted photos of herself wearing chest binders, fabric designed to flatten a woman's breasts. Daily Signal

I'd say, "What's next, a male trans actor playing Juliet to Romeo? Except, I'm sure it's already happened.

'Look How Devilish the Jews Are': Biden DHS Approved Grant to Mosque Tied to Prominent Anti-Semites . . . The Department of Homeland Security recently awarded anti-terrorism grants to a Florida mosque linked to pro-terror Islamic clerics, 9/11 conspiracy theorists, and an anti-Semitic pastor who claims "the Jews" conduct "secret rituals" at holy sites in Jerusalem. DHS gave nearly $300,000 to the Deen Center, Inc. on Jan. 31 as part of its Nonprofit Security Grant Program, according to the federal spending database USASpending. The grants to the Tampa-area mosque were approved by the Biden administration in October. Washington Free Beacon

National Security

Admiral warns lawmakers of 'unprecedented aggression' by Chinese military near Taiwan . . . Adm. Sam Paparo testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee that his forces are strong enough to deter Chinese military action in the region but discouraging future Chinese aggression will require a buildup of American power. "China's unprecedented aggression and military modernization poses a serious threat to the homeland, our allies and our partners," Adm. Paparo said during an annual posture hearing. Washington Times

Senate Confirms Dan Caine to Lead Joint Chiefs of Staff

Space Force Commander is fired after sending email to staff about JD Vance's Greenland visit . . . Colonel Susannah Meyers, who runs Pituffik Space Base and was photographed with Vance and his wife Usha during the visit, sent out an email to staffers appearing to rebuke the vice president's comments. 'I do not presume to understand current politics, but what I do know is the concerns of the U.S. administration discussed by Vice President Vance on Friday are not reflective of Pituffik Space Base,' Meyers wrote. On Thursday, the Space Force sent out a press release announcing that Meyers 'was removed from command.' Daily Mail

International

Maryland immigrant wrongly deported to El Salvador must return to US, Supreme Court rules . . . The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a lower court's decision to facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national living in Maryland, from an El Salvador prison where federal officials sent hundreds of suspected criminals and gang members in March. Abrego Garcia, 29, was deported to the El Salvadoran megaprison last month for being an alleged MS-13 gang member, but his attorneys maintain he does not have any gang ties. Fox News

Money

Swiss Pharma Company Announces $23 Billion U.S. Investment . . . Pharmaceutical company Novartis announced plans to build seven facilities in the United States and expand others in a $23 billion investment over five years on the heels of President Donald Trump's announcement of forthcoming tariffs on imported drugs. "This commitment enables Novartis to expand across the country with 10 facilities, including 7 brand new facilities, creating nearly 1,000 new jobs at Novartis and approximately 4,000 additional US jobs." Breitbart

Trump is accused of breaking the laws of economics. So apparently this must be a new theory: If you make it more expensive to produce products for Americans overseas, companies will produce them here. What a radical notion!

You should also know

Family killed in Hudson River helicopter crash were celebrating the birthday of one of their children . . . The Spanish family of five aboard the doomed tourist helicopter that plummeted into the Hudson River on Thursday was in New York City to celebrate the birthday of one of their three young children, report said. Agustin Escobar, his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, and their three kids — ages 4, 5 and 11 — were killed along with the unidentified pilot when the chopper went down into the murky waters of the Hudson. New York Post

We'll Know Causes of Surge in Autism by September, RFK Jr. Vows . . . Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made a bold claim at a Cabinet meeting Thursday with President Donald Trump, promising that his department will uncover environmental causes of autism by September. "We've launched a massive testing and research effort that's going to involve hundreds of scientists from around the world," Kennedy told Trump in front of reporters. Daily Signal

Guilty Pleasures

Trash cleared from N.J. beaches includes vampire teeth, bathroom sink . . . Some of the more unique items included a set of vampire teeth, a rubber foot, an unopened can of ravioli, a punching bag, a full container of Wawa brand sausage and eggs, a gallon of maple syrup, an Invisalign retainer, a message in a liquor bottle, a Victoria's Secret bra, a jar of marijuana, an inflatable hot tub, a bedpan, multiple uncooked hams, a boat cabin door and a bathroom sink. UPI

So that's where my rubber foot went!

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