Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Sen. Cassidy backs RFK Jr. after vaccine agreement
Sen. Bill Cassidy said he voted to advance Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday after the Trump administration agreed to work closely with him on vaccines and other health matters. Published February 4, 2025
RFK Jr. clears major hurdle before full Senate vote
The Senate Finance Committee voted Tuesday to advance Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services after Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a swing vote, joined other Republicans in backing him. Published February 4, 2025
China angrily retaliates against Trump’s new 10% tariff
Canada and Mexico got a one-month reprieve, but President Trump's new 10% tariff on China went into effect Tuesday, prompting retaliation from Beijing. Published February 4, 2025
Tariffs paused after Canada, Mexico pledge border security boost
Canada and Mexico blinked Monday in their trade standoff with President Trump, agreeing to take steps to strengthen border security and curb smuggling of deadly fentanyl, hours before the U.S. was set to impose crippling tariffs on both countries. Published February 3, 2025
Trudeau: Trump granted 30-day reprieve on tariffs in exchange for border, fentanyl measures
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday said President Trump agreed to delay a 25% tariff on Canada's goods by one month in exchange for stiffer border enforcement and the appointment of a "fentanyl czar" to combat the flow of deadly drugs into the U.S. Published February 3, 2025
Mexico pledges 10,000 guards at border in deal to delay Trump tariffs
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Monday that President Trump agreed to delay tariffs on her country by one month after the pair discussed additional border measures. Published February 3, 2025
Sen. Chuck Grassley seeks fertilizer exemption from tariffs, sparking backlash
President Trump's tariffs on Mexico and Canada will go into effect on Tuesday. Some GOP allies are already looking for a carveout. Published February 3, 2025
Stock markets tumble as Wall Street unpacks Trump’s tariffs
Wall Street stocks tumbled Monday morning upon fears that President Trump's tariffs would cause economic upheaval by disrupting supply chains and inflaming price inflation. Published February 3, 2025
Trump stands pat on North American tariffs, says European Union is next
President Trump shows no signs of relenting in his heavy use of tariffs to get what he wants from foreign partners. In fact, he's just getting started. Published February 3, 2025
Tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China will go forward: White House
The White House says President Trump will impose tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico and additional levies on China on Saturday, fulfilling a major trade threat after weeks of speculation about whether he would follow through. Published January 31, 2025
Chuck Todd quitting NBC News amid media reshuffle during second Trump term
Former "Meet the Press" moderator Chuck Todd says he is leaving NBC News, marking another major departure from a news network during the new Trump administration. Published January 31, 2025
Canada and Mexico brace for Trump’s tariffs with a ‘cool head’
President Trump says he will smack North American neighbors with tariffs on Saturday, while leaders in Mexico and Canada say they are ready to hit back. Published January 31, 2025
Trump says he will proceed with tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico
President Trump said Thursday he plans to proceed with his plan to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico on Saturday. Published January 30, 2025
‘This is a warning’: Airport close calls a common occurrence as air traffic volume soars
Three months before the fatal midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration launched an audit of near misses at the nation's busiest airports after a series of close calls that could have killed hundreds of passengers. Published January 30, 2025
GOP holdouts press RFK Jr. for assurances on vaccines, saying science is clear
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. struggled at times Thursday to reassure a GOP swing vote and other senators about his support for vaccines, the major sticking point in his nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services under President Trump. Published January 30, 2025
RFK Jr. vows to protect vaccine access, says U.S. faces ruin if it doesn’t get healthier
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testified Wednesday he is not a conspiracy theorist and that vaccines are a critical component of health care, using a high-stakes Senate confirmation hearing to defend his "Make America Healthy Again" agenda and accuse Democrats of misconstruing his views or turning on him for partisan reasons. Published January 29, 2025
RFK Jr. says that he is no conspiracy theorist and that he has the receipts
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Wednesday the notion that he is a conspiracy theorist has been proven false, pointing to findings or studies that back him up. Published January 29, 2025
Sen. Mark Warner says fed workers shouldn’t trust Trump to live up to buyout offer
Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia warned federal employees on Wednesday to "think twice" before accepting an unprecedented White House buyout offer that allows workers who resign by Feb. 6 to receive severance paid through Sept. 30. Published January 29, 2025
RFK Jr. says his vaccine statements were misconstrued, vows not to block polio or measles shots
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. worked strenuously Wednesday to clarify his views on vaccines after a top Democrat challenged him on past statements and actions that seemed to suggest he was a blanket opponent of shots. Published January 29, 2025
RFK says he is not ‘anti-vaccine,’ warns America faces debt and ruin if health worsens
President Trump's health secretary nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., on Wednesday said vaccines are a critical component of health care, hoping to push back on the main objection to his nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Published January 29, 2025
