Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Trump confident he can strike China deal
President Trump on Thursday said he's hopeful the U.S. will strike a trade deal with China despite an impasse between the world's largest economies over tit-for-tat tariffs. Published April 17, 2025
Trump says Fed Chair Powell’s ‘termination cannot come fast enough’
President Trump on Thursday told the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates and even called for the "termination" of Chair Jerome Powell. Published April 17, 2025
Trump, U.S. officials meet with first-in-line Japan on tariff relief
President Trump said Wednesday he met with a delegation from Japan to negotiate "trade fairness" as nations try to avoid the reimposition of hefty U.S. tariffs. Published April 16, 2025
HHS says one in 31 children have autism; Kennedy vows to get answers by fall
Autism is "running rampant" in the U.S., with an estimated one in 31 children experiencing the disorder compared to one in 36 two years earlier, the Department of Health and Human Services said Wednesday. Published April 16, 2025
California to sue over Trump’s trade plan
California is suing to stop President Trump's sweeping tariffs, making it the first state to take the White House to court over its aggressive trade plan. Published April 16, 2025
White House: China needs to make the first move in trade talks
The White House said Tuesday that China must act first in devising a trade deal with the U.S., arguing the Asian superpower is dependent on American consumers and their spending power. Published April 15, 2025
Indiana makes major ‘Make America Healthy Again’ push with candy, soda overhaul
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun issued nine executive orders Tuesday that would overhaul food-stamp benefits, scrutinize food dyes and increase access to locally grown food, firmly aligning the state with the Trump administration's "Make America Healthy Again" agenda. Published April 15, 2025
Tariff lawsuit from small businesses accuses Trump of usurping Congress’ power
A group of small businesses is suing President Trump over his "Liberation Day" tariff plan, saying the White House usurped Congress' power when it claimed that trade deficits with other countries amounted to an emergency under a 1977 law. Published April 15, 2025
Trump sees early wins from tariffs, pledges to be ‘flexible’ on duties on cars, electronics
President Trump said he will not back off his sweeping tariff plan but will be "flexible" in how he taxes imported electronics and car parts, cheering Wall Street investors. Published April 14, 2025
China’s blockade means rare earth minerals vital to U.S. military, microchips just got rarer
China is blocking -- or at least slow-walking -- the export of rare earth minerals used in military equipment, cars and other materials, adding a serious wrinkle to the emerging trade war between the U.S. and China. Published April 14, 2025
‘Coming soon’: Trump readies electronics tariff for Chinese goods
President Trump said to expect a tariff framework for computers, smartphones and semiconductors "very soon," a sign the carveout from China tariffs for certain electronics will not last long. Published April 14, 2025
Trump open to trade talks with China, but first move is unclear
President Trump wants to strike a trade deal with China to stop tit-for-tat tariffs, the White House said Friday, though it offered no sign the U.S. planned to make the first move. Published April 11, 2025
Trade rep: U.S. supply chain needs to ‘accelerate’ move away from China
President Trump's top trade official says China's decision to increase tariffs on U.S. goods from 84% to 125% is "not terribly surprising but certainly unfortunate" as the administration pushes to negotiate with other nations while isolating Beijing. Published April 11, 2025
Markets tumble again over trade uncertainty; tariffs on China keep climbing
U.S. stocks plunged Thursday from worries about increased tariffs on China and overall trade uncertainty, cutting into the midweek rally sparked by President Trump's pause in his reciprocal tariff plan. Published April 10, 2025
China says U.S. is trying to ‘bully’ the rest of the world with tariffs
China accused the U.S. on Thursday of trying to "choke the throat" of other countries, including its own, and said it won't engage with President Trump until he shows the country more respect. Published April 10, 2025
Trump pauses reciprocal tariffs on many nations for 90 days, increases tariff on China
President Trump said Wednesday that he paused his reciprocal tariffs for 90 days, a major reversal of his "Liberation Day" plan that ignited a multifront trade war. Published April 9, 2025
U.S. trade rep says there is no effort to ‘reinvigorate’ trade with Russia
President Trump did not include Russia on his target list for reciprocal tariffs because there is little trade with Russia, and the U.S. already hit Moscow with big sanctions and levies over its invasion of Ukraine, a top trade official said Wednesday. Published April 9, 2025
Wall Street faces more chaos as China, EU retaliate on trade
Wall Street markets opened to another topsy-turvy session Wednesday as China and the EU countered President Trump's aggressive use of tariffs to rebalance trade. Published April 9, 2025
China slaps 84% tariff on U.S. goods; trade war between superpowers intensifies with no off-ramp
The trade war between the U.S. and China escalated Wednesday as Beijing slapped a tariff of 84% on American goods. Published April 9, 2025
Trump forges ahead with 104% tariff on China, no delay in reciprocal tariffs
President Trump will not pause or postpone hefty tariffs that target dozens of countries, and massive new levies on China will take effect at midnight Tuesday, the White House said, sending global markets and negotiations into uncertain territory. Published April 8, 2025
