The Headlines - Trump’s Dramatic Tariff Plan, and a Cease-Fire Takes Shape in Lebanon

Episode Date: November 26, 2024

Plus, Matt Gaetz’s new gig.   Tune in every weekday morning. To get our full audio journalism and storytelling experience, download the New York Times Audio app — available to Times news subscribers on iOS — and sign up for our weekly newsletter.Tell us what you think at: [e-mail]. On Today’s Episode:Trump Plans Tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China That Could Cripple Trade, by Ana Swanson, Matina Stevis-Gridneff and Simon RomeroJack Smith Seeks Dismissal of Two Federal Cases Against Trump, by Alan Feuer, Charlie Savage and Devlin BarrettNetanyahu Signals Openness to Cease-Fire With Hezbollah, Officials Say, by Ronen Bergman, Patrick Kingsley and Jack NicasPakistan Deploys Army in Its Capital as Protesters and Police Clash, by Salman MasoodOzempic Could Crush the Junk Food Industry. But It Is Fighting Back, by Tomas WeberWho Needs Congress When You Have Cameo?, by Joseph Bernstein

From the New York Times, it's the headlines. I'm Tracy Mumford. Today's Tuesday, November 26th. Here's what we're covering. Last night, Donald Trump announced dramatic plans to impose tariffs on all products coming into the U.S. from Canada, Mexico, and China, a move that could upend the global economy. The president-elect said the tariffs would kick in on his first day in office, and products from Mexico and Canada would face a 25% surcharge.

Products from China would be subject to an additional 10%. Together, the three countries account for more than a third of goods shipped in and out of the U.S. The tariffs could scramble supply chains and add huge new costs for companies that do business across those borders, in particular carmakers, farmers, and food packagers. Prices for consumers could also spike. For Trump, the plan is an ultimatum. In his social media posts, he accused Canada and Mexico of allowing drugs and migrants into the U.S., saying the tariffs would be in place, quote,

until such time as drugs, in particular fentanyl, and all illegal aliens stop this invasion of our country. He also accused China of shipping illegal drugs to the U.S. Trump did impose some tariffs during his first term, but he also used the threat of them as a bargaining chip in negotiations before later backing down. News of his plan has already set off alarm bells in Canada, Mexico, and China, and a spokesman for the Chinese embassy in D.C. said, quote, No one will win a trade war. Special counsel Jack Smith has moved to effectively shut down the federal cases he brought against Donald Trump. He filed requests with judges in DC and Atlanta to dismiss them, one related to the mishandling of classified documents, the other over Trump's alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

The move was expected. Smith made clear that his decision was not based on the merit of the cases, which he said, quote, the government stands fully behind, but instead on the Justice Department's longstanding policy to not pursue charges against a sitting president.

Smith didn't close the door on the cases entirely. He asked for them to be dismissed without prejudice, leaving open a chance the charges could be refiled after Trump leaves office. Trump still faces charges for election interference in Georgia, though it's unclear if that case will move forward. And in Manhattan, where he was convicted of falsifying business records to cover up a sex scandal, his sentencing has been delayed. The prosecutor signaled that he's willing to freeze the case until Trump finishes his

second term. Meanwhile, inside of Trump's transition team, allegations are swirling around one of his top advisors. The president-elect's legal team found evidence that Boris Epstein asked potential nominees in the upcoming administration to pay him to promote them for the roles. Their internal review found that Epstein proposed a $30,000 to $40,000 a month fee to Scott Bessent, Trump's eventual pick for Treasury Secretary. He also asked for $100,000 a month from a defense contractor who was being considered

for a position. Neither man paid him. In a statement, Epstein called the claims false and defamatory. Trump's legal team has recommended that Epstein's close access to Trump should be terminated, but it's unclear what the fallout from the investigation will ultimately be. Israel is nearing a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is meeting with his cabinet today to discuss a proposed agreement, which U.S. officials have been pressuring him to finalize. Under the proposal, Israel would withdraw troops from Lebanon within 60 days, while

Hezbollah's militia forces would move north, farther from the Israeli border. The Lebanese army would then be deployed to create a buffer zone. Netanyahu has indicated he's open to the deal, and Hezbollah's biggest backer, Iran, has urged the group to accept a ceasefire. Hezbollah began firing rockets at Israel over a year ago in solidarity with Hamas. The conflict escalated when Israel invaded southern Lebanon and began carrying out widespread airstrikes, decimating Hezbollah's leadership. Thousands have been killed in Lebanon, and about a million people have been displaced.

In Israel, nearly 100 people have been killed, and 60,000 displaced. In Pakistan, the country's capital is under lockdown, as thousands of protesters have marched to the city to demand the release of the country's capital is under lockdown, as thousands of protesters have marched to the city to demand the release of the country's former prime minister, Imran Khan, who's been imprisoned for over a year on corruption charges. Today, the country deployed its army with orders to shoot protesters if needed. Islamabad looks like a city under siege.

Major roads have been barricaded with shipping containers, and the internet and cell service have been disrupted. This is the latest in a series of protests since Khan was removed from power in 2022. He's remained hugely popular and influential from behind bars, despite attempts by the current military-backed government to suppress support for him. Salman Masood, who covers Pakistan for the Times, spoke with some of the protesters. They're saying that they are here till they manage to secure the release of Imran Khan, no matter what. And they're willing to sit in the capital for days and weeks. That's what they're saying. The Times has been looking at how the rise in ozempic and other weight loss drugs like it has the junk food industry trying to figure out its next move. The drugs, commonly called GLP-1s, send signals to your brain that you're full, affecting how and what people eat.

One of the fascinating things that people kept telling me was they are not just eating less food, but they're eating different kinds of food. People seem to be eating less ultra-processed food, which I think is going to worry the industry. Thomas Weber spoke to weight loss drug users who said they now crave fresh produce, that celery suddenly tastes flavorful, and that processed food tastes plasticky. There's a big question about why these taste changes are happening. Some scientists are speculating that the drug interacts with the brain's reward system to turn down the dopamine

hit. And that's why experiments have shown that it's also easier to resist alcohol and cigarettes and even cocaine while you're on these drugs. And so many of the kind of ultra processed foods have been engineered specifically to target that part of the brain that the drugs then regulate. Sales of sweet baked goods and snacks are already down. And while the pool of Ozempic users is too small to account for that, Thomas says companies aren't standing by watching the numbers slump. They're determined to do their own research to find snacks that will still appeal to people even on GLP-1s.

For decades, right, big food has been trying to hack our taste buds in order to get us to eat more of their products. And right now, the industry is busy trying to figure out what kinds of foods people on these drugs will crave. Thomas had the chance to taste test what one company is trying to cook up. His full reporting is at nytimes.com. And finally. What's up, Chris?

This is Matt Gaetz. I know you're bummed out. I'm not gonna be taking out the garbage at the Department of Justice. And finally, just days after his bid to become attorney general collapsed, Matt Gaetz has picked up a new gig. He's selling videos of himself on Cameo, the site that lets people buy personalized messages from the famous and the infamous. In the videos, Gates has acknowledged that this isn't where he thought he would be. His path to the AG's office was cut short by allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use.

But the CEO of Cameo says there's no better time to hit record. He told the Times, quote, it's important to strike while the iron is hot when you're having your moment. Gates is far from the only politician to join the thousands of reality stars and others on Cameo. Former New York Representative George Santos started making videos right after being expelled from Congress last year. He said he predicts Gates will rake it in. Gates is currently charging $500 per video. Those are the headlines. Today on The Daily, a deep dive into Pete Hegseth, Trump's pick to run the Department

of Defense, and how his military deployments shaped the way he sees the Pentagon. That's next in the New York Times audio app, or you can listen wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Tracy Mumford. We'll be back tomorrow.