Trump Threatens Canada with Aircraft Tariff Amidst Other Developments
Washington – President Trump threatened Canada with a 50% tariff on aircraft sold in the U.S., escalating his trade war with America's northern neighbor, according to CBS News on Thursday. The threat came in response to Canada's refusal to certify jets from Savannah, Georgia-based Gulfstream Aerospace. Trump announced his intentions via Truth Social, stating that the U.S. would decertify all Canadian aircraft, including planes from Quebec-based Bombardier, its largest aircraft maker. "If, for any reason, this situation is not immediately corrected, I am going to charge Canada a 50 Tariff on any and all Aircraft sold into the United States of America," Trump said.
In other news, the Senate reached an agreement to move forward with a government funding package while negotiations continue over immigration enforcement reforms. This follows a fatal shooting by federal agents in Minneapolis last weekend, CBS News reported. Lawmakers plan to remove a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from a broader package of six spending bills. Funding for DHS would then be extended at current levels for two weeks, according to a Senate Democratic source. The agreement faced a snag as at least one Republican senator pushed back. Funding was set to lapse at 12 a.m. Saturday for the parts of the government funded by the six appropriations bills.
Meanwhile, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey expressed skepticism regarding a possible drawdown in Operation Metro Surge, despite White House border czar Tom Homan signaling such a move Thursday morning. "We need Operation Metro Surge to end," Frey told CBS News Thursday afternoon. "It is not about creating safety in Minneapolis. If the goal was to find an antidote to chaos, there would be a very straightforward answer, which is to end Operation Metro Surge, remove the federal agents." Homan replaced Greg Bovino of the U.S. Border Patrol, who had been the on-the-ground face of operations in Minnesota until earlier in the week. As of Thursday, Homan had not clarified how many agents remained in Minnesota.
President Trump also announced that he would reveal his nominee for Federal Reserve chair Friday morning. He told reporters late Thursday that he had "chosen a very good person to head the Fed," putting pressure on the Fed to cut interest rates. Describing his pick as an "outstanding person" who is "very respected" and "known to everybody in the financial world," Trump did not disclose the nominee's identity. He had previously indicated that White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett and former Fed board member Kevin Warsh were front-runners.
In Mississippi, communities were still struggling to recover from a historic ice storm. The Gravestown Fire Chief Kenny Childs told CBS News that his community had been without power and running water for five days. "We're very grateful for them," Childs said of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the dozens of generators that have been distributed statewide. "We had no water, no power, no nothing. So, you know, it is great." Childs said he was informed that it would be another seven to 15 days before his community gets power restored.
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