NPR News Now - NPR News: 04-02-2025 10PM EDT

Episode Date: April 3, 2025

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Hey, I'm Scott Schaefer. And I'm Marisa Lagos. We host Political Breakdown. With the 2024 election over and President Trump in the White House, there's going to be a lot to keep up with this year. Political Breakdown has got you covered. We'll bring smart analysis, a wide range of voices, and even some laughs. Join us for Political Breakdown every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from KQED, part of the

NPR Network. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. At a ceremony at the White House Rose Garden today, President Trump said he will be imposing tariffs of at least 10 percent on virtually all imports into the U.S. As NPR's Tamara Keith explains, it's something Trump's been promising to do for years, despite warnings from many economists. The 10 percent tariff is across the board but in countries with higher trade barriers Trump says the tariff rate will go much higher

for instance 49 percent for Cambodia and 37% for Bangladesh a country that produces a lot of clothing bought by US consumers Trump says the goal is to supercharge manufacturing in the US My answer is very simple if they complain if you want your tariff rate to be zero then you build your product right here in America because there is no tariff if you build your plant your product in America. But building in America is usually more expensive. Economists warn American consumers will likely see higher prices and the economy could suffer.

Tamara Keith, NPR News. Tech giant Amazon has placed a bid to acquire TikTok as a deadline looms for the video app to be sold. As NPR's Bobby Allen reports, another group led by the software company Oracle appears to be favored by the White House. According to a source directly involved in the talks, Amazon has submitted a last-minute proposal to buy TikTok, but Trump officials are not taking it seriously. Instead, a coalition of American companies, including Oracle, appears to have an edge.

The bidding frenzy comes days before Trump's Saturday deadline for TikTok to be sold away from its Chinese owner. Under a proposal being weighed in the White House, TikTok's algorithm could be leased from owner ByteDance, which would still own it in Beijing. If the deal is finalized, the question becomes whether that arrangement satisfies a federal law requiring TikTok to be fully separated from China.

Bobby Allen, NPR News. The Education Department surprised many state leaders when it canceled their ability to spend remaining COVID-19 relief money they'd gotten from the federal government. NPR's Shonaki Mehta reports. U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon told state leaders in a letter COVID-19 relief money they'd gotten from the federal government. In Bioshenoky Meadow reports. US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon told state leaders in a letter that the extensions

they may have previously gotten to spend COVID relief money will no longer be honored. That means states may have already spent money they were promised from the federal government and now might not be reimbursed for it. Secretary McMahon said the spending extensions were not justified quote years after the COVID pandemic ended. State leaders including Democratic Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey have spoken out against the unexpected move. Murphy says more than 20 school districts in his state could see 85 million dollars gone from their budget as a result. Some districts around the country are scrambling to cancel

projects and school initiatives they already had in the works. Janaki Mehta, NPR News. Tornadoes and violent storms are hitting parts of the south and the Midwest tonight. A tornado emergency is in effect in northeast Arkansas. You're listening to NPR News in Washington. The National Retail Federation is forecasting slower spending growth this year. Trade group says retail sales are likely to grow between 2.7 and 3.7 percent, which is in line with growth in the years before the pandemic. Tariffs and other policies remain a huge uncertainty according to retailers.

NPR's Alina Seljuk reports. Retail economists say consumers have carried much of the economy forward thanks to low unemployment and growing wages. But inflation has weighed on shoppers, particularly lower and middle income families. A growing share of spending is being done by wealthier folks, and now those folks could be affected by stock market fluctuations in response to expected tariffs. And in general, economists describe the American consumer as more nervous about the future just because of uncertainty. Same as the companies.

Tariffs get paid by American companies that import things from overseas, so retailers face these costs. Some giants like Walmart are pushing foreign suppliers for discounts to offset. Many, especially smaller retailers, warn they'll have to raise prices. Alina Seluk, NPR News.

So the electric vehicle maker Tesla took a double digit hit during the first three months of the year. Global vehicle deliveries for the first three months of the year falling by 13 percent compared to a year ago. It's just the latest sign of consumer blowback against the brand over the alliance of its CEO Elon Musk with the Trump administration. Musk's active role in the administration and vocal support for far-right parties appears to have hurt sales. Tesla last year reported its first ever annual decline in vehicle deliveries. Stocks gained ground ahead of the Trump tariff announcements today that doused up 235 points. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington.

Cell phones, cars, coffee. How do these goods make their way to us from overseas and what will President Trump's tariffs mean for their price tags? Join the 1A podcast as we explore supply chains and costs associated with some of your favorite products. It's our series, How Did This Get Here, every Wednesday. Listen to the 1A podcast from NPR and WAMU.