Trump levies ‘reciprocal’ tariffs on more than 180 nations

President Donald Trump unveils his list of reciprocal tariffs, provoking mixed reactions from lawmakers in Washington, D.C. And the National Weather Service issues a tornado emergency as severe weather sweeps through southern states. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Thursday, April 3, 2025.

Trump reveals list of countries hit with ‘reciprocal’ tariffs

President Donald Trump officially revealed his list of “reciprocal” tariffs against over 180 countries and territories worldwide on Wednesday, April 2.

The White House posted charts on social media showing all the countries impacted by his new tariffs. The charts illustrate how much the Trump administration claimed countries “charged” the U.S. in tariffs, “including currency manipulation and trade barriers.”

In most cases, the new tariffs are approximately half of what the Trump administration indicated that each country has “charged” and is currently charging the U.S.

Lesotho, an enclave of South Africa, will experience the highest duties of any location on the list at 50%. The enclave primarily exports clothing, diamonds and wool to the U.S.

However, imposing large tariffs leads to a considerable global impact.

As of Thursday morning, April 3, stock futures remain down. It signals that the Dow and S&P 500 might tumble when trading begins.

Straight Arrow News political correspondent Ray Bogan explains why Democrats aren’t the only ones seeking answers in the wake of Trump’s “Liberation Day” here.

Four Republicans oppose Trump’s tariffs on Canada

A group of Senate Republicans diverged from their party to pass a resolution blocking Trump’s tariffs on Canadian products. The Senate voted 51 to 48 in favor of a Democratic-led measure to revoke Trump’s Canadian tariffs.

Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska joined all 47 Democrats in supporting the measure.

“This is a tax, plain and simple. Taxes should not be enacted by one person,” Paul said. “So I will vote today to end the emergency. I will vote today to try to reclaim the power of taxation, the power of the tariff, to where the constitution designated it should properly be, and that is in Congress.”

While the resolution is not expected to progress in the House, it represents a significant break within the Republican Party.

In a Truth Social post, Trump even tried to pressure the four GOP senators. He told them to get on board the Republican bandwagon and penalize Canada for allowing large amounts of fentanyl to be sold in the U.S.

Tornadoes and severe storms rip through Midwest, South

Tornadoes and storms ripped through parts of the South and Midwest on Wednesday, April 2, killing at least one person and injuring more than a dozen others.

The severe weather downed power lines and trees, ripped roofs off homes and sent debris thousands of feet into the air.

The National Weather Service issued dozens of tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings in several states. Arkansas saw some of the worst storms.

Forecasters predict more severe weather in the coming days. They warned of life-threatening flash flooding in the South and Midwest. The storms continue to gain strength as they head east.

The NWS warned that the storm system poses a risk of “significant, life-threatening flash flooding” through Saturday, April 5.

Judge dismisses corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams

A federal judge dismissed the corruption case against New York Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday, April 2.

Judge Daniel Ho said that dismissing the case was the only practical outcome. He added that the Justice Department’s rationale for seeking to have the charges thrown out was “troubling.”

The Trump administration sought to have the case dismissed so that the Democratic mayor could assist Trump in his crackdown on illegal immigration in New York.

The judge also ruled that prosecutors cannot refile the charges after the upcoming mayoral election in November 2025.

He stated that leaving that door open would “create the unavoidable perception that the mayor’s freedom depends on his ability to carry out the immigration enforcement priorities of the administration.”

Rumors have surfaced that Adams may now run for re-election as an independent rather than a Democrat.

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is expected to win the Democratic primary in June 2025.

Straight Arrow News reporter Lauren Taylor provides an in-depth look at the legal saga here.

Update: Since publishing this story, New York City Mayor Eric Adams has confirmed he is running again, but this time as an Independent.

FDA reports reduced inspections of food and drugs due to layoffs

Fewer food and drug inspections will be conducted at the Food and Drug Administration due to support staff layoffs by the Trump administration, according to a few top officials.

Two unnamed federal officials informed CBS News that the Trump administration laid off approximately 170 employees from the FDA’s Office of Inspections and Investigation.

One official said the office must now collaborate with the FDA’s drug, device and food centers to assess workload for the remainder of the year.

Another official said the agency will need to reduce routine “surveillance inspections” in favor of more pressing needs. This includes inspections of companies that the agency has warned about safety risks or follow-up visits to ensure that drug manufacturers and food producers rectify previous violations.

The Department of Health and Human Services stated that the layoffs, ordered by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, will not impact FDA inspectors.

Defending World Series champion Dodgers off to historic start

The defending world champions of baseball are off to a scorching hot start. The Los Angeles Dodgers remain undefeated this season, boasting a record of 8-0.

As of Tuesday, April 1, the Los Angeles Dodgers are the first World Series champions to start a season 7-0 since the 1933 Yankees. On Wednesday, April 2, the team maintained their winning streak against the Atlantic Braves with a walk-off home run, triumphing 6-5.

However, are the Dodgers truly unstoppable?

Straight Arrow News sports reporter Chris Francis has more on who could challenge the Dodgers as the major baseball season picks up steam here.