NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-04-2025 6AM EST

Episode Date: March 4, 2025

NPR News: 03-04-2025 6AM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

James Baldwin was an activist, an orator, a style icon, but on NPR's Book of the Day, we'll dissect the thing he was most known for, his writing. That last clause kind of reads like a horror story. Right? There's something deeply, deeply ominous about the way that that opening paragraph closes. Celebrate Black History Month with us as we examine some of his best works on NPR's Book of the Day podcast. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. Six hours ago, some of the tariffs President Trump has long threatened went into force. He's imposing 25 percent across-the-board tariffs on Canada and Mexico, and Trump hit

China with an additional 10 percent tariff on top of existing ones. China is hitting back immediately. It has imposed at least a 10 percent tariff on U.S. agricultural goods and is blacklisting several U.S. firms for trade actions. And bears Emily Fang has more. President Trump imposed tariffs on Canada and Mexico and doubled existing tariffs on China over what he alleges is an influx of fentanyl coming into the U.S. from these three countries. China's Commerce Ministry issued a sharply worded statement in response to the tariffs

saying the US was quote, ignoring the facts, a quote, typical unilateral and bullying act. It cited cooperation between the two countries that began during the Biden administration to catch fentanyl makers in China and said China wanted to resolve differences through dialogue as soon as possible. China also spent the last five years making its own economy more resilient to external economic pressures, like U.S. tariffs. Emily Fang and Pure News, Washington.

The president is also suspending U.S. military aid to Ukraine, according to a White House official. This comes after last week's disastrous meeting between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump is blaming Zelensky for failing to give in to his demands. Maybe somebody doesn't want to make a deal, and if somebody doesn't want to make a deal, I think that person won't be around very long. That person will not be listened to very long.

But Trump's demands mimic those of Russia, such as giving up Ukrainian territory to Russia after it invaded and launched the war. The Ukrainian president is getting strong support from European allies. Some are considering using some $150 billion to boost defense efforts. The U.S. and Mexico face off at the Supreme Court today. Mexico is arguing that American gun manufacturers are aiding and abetting an illegal invasion of guns into its country. And Piers Nina Totenberg has more.

Mexico is suing Smith & Wesson and other gun makers for $10 billion in damages, claiming that they're turning a blind eye to hundreds of thousands of high-powered weapons made in the U.S. and trafficked illegally into the hands of Mexican cartels. Jonathan Lowy, co-counsel for Mexico, maintains that 90% of gun dealers act legally, but the rest do not. Those bad actors sell to obvious cartel traffickers in bulk sales. But Lawrence Keene, counsel for the Firearms Industry Trade Association, counters that manufacturers can't be held accountable for the actions of dealers.

If that was all that was required, Budweiser would be responsible for a drunk driving accident. A decision in the case is expected by summer. NPR's Nina Totenberg. This is NPR. President Trump delivers an address tonight to a joint session of Congress. He's likely to tout his new tariffs and toughness on allies. NPR's Don Gagne reports the Democrats have tapped Michigan Senator Alyssa Slotkin to give the party's response. Slotkin is new to the Senate after representing a Michigan U.S. House district that leans

Republican for three terms. A centrist Democrat with a resume that includes time as a CIA intelligence analyst during both the George W. Bush and Barack Obama presidencies, she campaigned last year saying Americans are tired of divisive politics and said she's ready to reach across the aisle. Still she has delivered pointed criticism of Trump administration policies including the firings of federal workers, tariffs which she says will hurt US automakers, and the president's oval office berating of Ukrainian President Zelensky. Don Gagne, NPR News. An Illinois man pleaded

guilty yesterday in the mass shooting murders of seven people. This happened at a July 4th parade near Chicago in 2022. Robert Cremote III also injured dozens of other people. He entered the guilty plea before opening arguments were to start. He's expected to receive a life prison term. Mardi Gras parades are starting to roll this hour in New Orleans, but some routes have been adjusted or shortened. There's a high wind threat today and powerful storms could rake New Orleans later this afternoon. Some area celebrations ahead of Fat Tuesday have been cancelled. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News.