What to know today
- President Donald Trump held a campaign-style rally in Michigan tonight to mark the first 100 days of his second term. Trump defended his policies on immigration and tariffs, at one point declaring he had ended inflation.
- Earlier in his trip to Michigan, Trump met with Gretchen Whitmer, the state's Democratic governor, and appeared to catch her off-guard when he brought her onstage to speak.
- The White House lashed out at Amazon this morning after the tech giant was reported to be considering adding tariff charges to its retail site. An Amazon spokesman said that although the idea had been discussed, it was never implemented. Trump said later in the day that he spoke to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who he said "solved the problem very quickly."
- The Senate confirmed former Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., as the U.S. ambassador to China, a position he will take on amid rising tensions between the two countries over escalating tariffs.
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Republicans urge battleground Rep. Mike Lawler to pass on a run for New York governor
Republican leaders are trying to persuade Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., to drop his consideration of a run for governor of New York as concerns over protecting his battleground House seat next year mount, according to four senior GOP sources familiar with the situation.
Lawler says he hasn’t made a final decision about whether he will launch a 2026 campaign for governor. But party leaders are already growing nervous about the prospect of his abandoning one of just three GOP-held districts Kamala Harris carried in the 2024 presidential election and have privately urged him to stay in the House as they seek to protect their narrow majority, the four sources said. Some advisers close to Trump also have similar concerns about Lawler’s running for governor, according to two GOP sources familiar with the matter.
Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, who recently met with Trump at the White House, called Lawler an “outstanding” House candidate.
“I would prefer he not run for governor,” Hudson told NBC News. Asked whether he has communicated those feelings to Lawler, he said, “Yes.”
Trump, who promised Day 1 relief and lower prices, talks of a ‘transition period’
Trump insisted today that he had prepared Americans for a tough “transition period,” despite having run a campaign that made explicit Day One promises to bring down prices and restore economic prosperity.
In an interview with ABC News’ Terry Moran, Trump defended his trade policies, which have raised fears of skyrocketing prices and an unstable economy.
When Moran noted that Trump had told Americans to “hang tough” as the stock markets and the business community account for his tariffs on foreign countries, Trump suggested that any resulting hardships should come as no surprise to those who voted for him.
“I said all these things during my campaign,” he said in the recorded interview, which was timed to coincide with the 100th day of his second term in office and broadcast in prime time. “I said, ‘You’re going to have a transition period.’”
Judge orders Trump administration to pay $12M to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
The Trump administration's efforts to dismantle government-funded news outlets under the U.S. Agency for Global Media were dealt a blow tonight when a federal judge ordered the administration to pay Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty the amount of grant funding it was owed for the month of April.
U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth ordered the administration to pay $12,178,590 within 48 hours.
“If the Executive wishes to withhold or reallocate these funds, there is a statutory rescission process in place for them to seek the approval of Congress to do so. This process assures that the will of the people, expressed through their elected representatives, is borne out," he wrote.
"But the defendants have not followed that process here. As I see it, if the defendants are aggrieved by these decisions, their problem is not with the Court, but with Congress and the President, and it is with them that the defendants should seek redress,” Lamberth added.
Steve Capus, the CEO of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, celebrated the ruling in a statement. (Capus is a former president of NBC News.)
“Today’s ruling ordering USAGM to release one month’s worth of the annual funds Congress appropriated to RFE/RL means that our journalists can continue doing their jobs holding dictators and despots accountable,” he said.
Trump shows graphic video of Salvadoran prison
In a striking moment at tonight's rally, Trump showed a minuteslong Salvadoran-produced video of immigrants being deported to the CECOT prison in El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act. The crowd chanted “USA!” in response.
The video included images of people being handcuffed and carried and their heads being shaved.
“We are delivering mass deportation, and it’s happening very fast, and the worst of the worst are being sent to a no-nonsense prison in El Salvador. Why don’t you watch, watch this? Watch this. Take a look,” Trump said before the video started playing.
CECOT is the prison where Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was living in Maryland, was mistakenly deported, according to the Trump administration. He was later moved to a different facility.
House Democrats jockey behind the scenes to become party’s top investigator of Trump administration
Rep. Gerry Connolly’s surprise announcement that he plans to soon step down as the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee has set off a scramble to succeed him that could pit the party’s old guard against an up-and-coming class of progressives who have aggressively opposed Trump.
Connolly, 75, of Virginia, said yesterday that his esophageal cancer had returned after “grueling treatments” and that he would not seek re-election next year. He defeated Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., for the highly visible committee post just four months ago.
If Democrats retake the House in next year’s midterm elections, the ranking member would be in line to chair the committee, with the power to issue subpoenas to the Trump administration.
A senior Democrat on the panel, Stephen Lynch, of Massachusetts, said today that he is taking over as interim ranking member and will handle day-to-day responsibilities as Connolly focuses on his health. And Lynch said Connolly has pledged to endorse him for the role once it formally opens up.
Trump and Mark Carney speak a day after Canada's elections
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's office said today that he spoke with Trump, who congratulated him on Carney yesterday's election results.
According to a readout of the call, the two agreed to meet soon.
“President Trump congratulated Prime Minister Carney on his recent election. The leaders agreed on the importance of Canada and the United States working together — as independent, sovereign nations — for their mutual betterment,” Carney's office said.
A White House spokesperson confirmed that they spoke today.
Trump played an outsized role in the Canadian elections, in part because of his new tariffs and his regularly call for Canada to become the 51st U.S. state.
Milwaukee judge charged with obstructing immigration agents is relieved of duty
The Wisconsin judge accused of obstructing federal authorities who were seeking to detain an undocumented immigrant for deportation was temporarily relieved of her duties today, an order from the state’s high court shows.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court’s order bars Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan from her position while the federal charges are adjudicated.
The court, which said it was acting on its own and not in response to a request from anyone, said the order was intended to protect public confidence in Wisconsin courts.
A criminal complaint shows Dugan was charged with obstructing or impeding a proceeding before a department or agency of the United States, a felony, and concealing an individual to prevent his discovery and arrest, a misdemeanor.
Trump claims his administration has 'already ended' inflation
At his Michigan rally tonight, Trump claimed that price increases for consumers are no more.
“We will end inflation, slash prices. We’ve already ended inflation,” he said.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated last month that while inflation slowed in March over the past year, inflation has risen 2.4%.
Economists warn that the administration's tariffs policy will lead to higher prices for consumers. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has acknowledged the possibility of a “one-time price adjustment” to account for the possible effects of tariffs.
Trump says Pete Hegseth will be a 'very good' defense secretary
Trump said in an interview airing tonight that Hegseth will make a “great” defense secretary.
“He’s a talented guy. He’s young, smart, highly educated, and I think he’s going to be a very good defense, hopefully a great defense secretary, but he’ll be a very good defense secretary,” Trump said in a clip of his interview with ABC News.
Hegseth has been under fire for using the messaging app Signal to discuss sensitive military details, including a group chat that accidentally had a journalist in it.
Trump said he had a “talk” with Hegseth but declined to elaborate what exactly was said. Asked whether he has “100% confidence” in Hegseth, Trump said: “I don’t have 100% confidence in anything, I, anything? Do I have 100% — it’s a stupid question.”
Trump praises Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth: 'Tough cookie'
Trump offered some warm praise for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has been embroiled in controversy in recent weeks over his use of the communication app Signal to discuss sensitive military details.
“I have so much confidence in him. The fake news is after him, really after him, but he’s a tough cookie. They don’t know how tough he is,” Trump said, introducing Hegseth, who was greeted with a roar from the crowd.
