U.S. stock markets suffered another day of losses on Thursday after President Donald Trump escalated his tariff threats.
President Trump announced Thursday morning that he would impose a 200% tariff on all alcoholic products from European Union nations after a back-and-forth with the EU.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all fell more than 1% on the day. The Dow dropped more than 500 points to close at 40,849, while the Nasdaq declined 345 points.
The S&P 500 also saw a significant decline, sliding nearly 1.4% and pushing the index into its first market correction since 2023. That term is reserved for when an index falls 10% or more from a recent high.
Over the past five days, the Dow and Nasdaq have each lost more than 3.5%, as uncertainty over U.S. economic policy continues to weigh on investors. In recent days, President Trump has threatened tariffs on multiple countries at times walking back those threats.
Its basically like a game of chicken that President Trump and America are playing with these other countries, said Aaron Cirksena, founder of MDRN Capital. Whos going to blink first? Whos going to make a concession first?
President Trump has warned of an economic "transition period" but insists that Americans will ultimately benefit from his trade and economic agenda.
However, a new CNN poll shows that 56% of respondents disapprove of his handling of the economy.
The school's Imagining the Digital Future Center conducted a national survey in January to see how Americans are using AI large language models, referred to as LLMs.
Researchers said the widespread usage represents one of the fastest adoption rates of a major technology in U.S. history.
ChatGPT launched at the end of November 2022 is by far the most used model to this day, according to the survey. But overall, the use of LLMs is becoming widespread.
"Younger, well-educated, relatively wealthy, and employed adults are somewhat more likely than others to be using LLMs now. Yet, it is also the case that half of those living in households earning less than $50,000 (53%) use the tools," the researchers said.
The technology is more popular among Hispanic adults (66%) and Black adults (57%) than White adults (47%), the survey found. It's also slightly more popular among women than men.
How often the LLMs are used varies: 34% said they use them at least once a day, 18% said they use them several times a week and 10% said they use the tools almost constantly.
Half of those who use LLMs like ChatGPT do so for personal use rather than for work. 11% use the models for school purposes, the survey said.
About two-thirds of the people surveyed said they use the LLMs as a search engine, but half of those users look to the technology to help with brainstorming ideas, summarizing documents and planning trips or social gatherings.
Another 18% of users said they've looked up what the models say about themselves and 65% of users said they have spoken conversations or back-and-forth interactions with LLMS making for an almost human-like relationship.
Scientists are keeping a close watch on Alaska's Mount Spurr as the volcano is showing new signs of activity that could mean an eruption is coming soon.
The volcano is about 75 miles away from Anchorage, the state's largest city.
There have been significantly elevated volcanic gas emissions," the Alaska Volcano Observatory said Wednesday, something that was measured during regular monitoring flights.
An eruption at the volcano is likely but not certain and it could be weeks or months before it happens. Thankfully, there are no nearby communities so the civilian population is not in danger.
Mount Spurr is just one of 53 volcanoes across Alaska that have been active over the last two centuries. The last known eruption was over 5,000 years ago.
A group of 20 Democratic state attorneys general filed a lawsuit on Thursday intended to stop President Donald Trump from dismantling the Department of Education.
The suit comes after the Trump administration announced it plans to cut nearly 50% of the department's staff, with the eventual goal of completely shutting down the Education Department.
The attorneys general argue that dismantling the Department of Education would disproportionately affect low-income students and students with disabilities. They say that the Department of Education helps provide states and local school districts with much-needed funding.
This administration may claim to be stopping waste and fraud, but it is clear that their only mission is to take away the necessary services, resources, and funding that students and their families need, said New York Attorney General James. Firing half of the Department of Educations workforce will hurt students throughout New York and the nation, especially low-income students and those with disabilities who rely on federal funding. This outrageous effort to leave students behind and deprive them of a quality education is reckless and illegal. Today, I am taking action to stop the madness and protect our schools and the students who depend on them.
Earlier this week, the White House said the department will make the following reductions from its more than 4,000 staff:
259 staffers who signed up for deferred resignation 313 staffers who accepted $25,000 voluntary separation incentive payments 1,315 staffers who are now subject to the reduction in force 63 probationary employees who had their roles eliminated in February
The reduction comes shortly after the Senate confirmed billionaire Linda McMahon, President Trump's pick for Education Secretary.
At her confirmation hearing, McMahon said she intended to make the Education Department "operate more efficiently."
But President Trump has promised to eliminate the Department of Education. He has already signed sweeping orders to target diversity programs and transgender accommodations in schools and expand school choice.
President Trump has insisted that he wants states, and not the federal government, running education in the U.S. But largely, states oversee local school districts, with the federal government providing funds for certain programs, such as the free and reduced-cost school lunch program. The federal government also provides oversight in terms of ensuring schools are not violating the civil rights of students.
"We want education to be moved back where the states run education where the parents of the children will be running education where governors that are doing a very good job will be running education," President Trump said earlier this week.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is implementing significant changes that will affect millions of people who rely on the agency's telephone services.
Effective March 29, Social Security beneficiaries will no longer be able to update their bank account information over the phone. Officials stated that this change is part of a broader initiative to reduce fraud.
"SSA continuously investigates and analyzes potential threats to strengthen and secure our programs and protect people who receive benefits," the administration said in a statement. "Approximately 40 percent of Social Security direct deposit fraud is associated with someone calling SSA to change direct deposit bank information. SSAs current protocol of simply asking identifying questions by telephone is no longer enough to prevent fraud."
Social Security beneficiaries must now update their banking information through the "my Social Security" online service, which incorporates two-factor authentication for enhanced security. Alternatively, individuals can visit a local Social Security office to make these changes in person.
The SSA said this new method aligns with most major banks. All other SSA telephone services will remain unchanged.
The Tampa Bay Rays announced Thursday the team will not proceed with a new stadium and surrounding development project, marking the end of a years-long process that the team, city and county thought had been settled last year.
"After careful deliberation, we have concluded we cannot move forward with the new ballpark and development project at this moment," the Rays said on their official X page. "A series of events beginning in October that no one could have anticipated led to this difficult decision."
Pinellas County Commissioner Chris Latvala, who has been vocal about his concerns with the entire situation, said Sternberg should be ready to pay for the now-defunct deal.
The Rays' move was not completely unexpected.
The team repeatedly questioned how the$1.3 billion stadium deal would proceed after delays in stadium bond votes. Those bonds were eventually approved, but the Rays said it took too long.
St. Pete City Council approves Rays-Hines Stadium proposal
At the time, the Rays said the delayed votes would cause cost overruns that the team would not be able to cover.
The news from the Rays also comes just days after reports emerged that at least two groups were interested in purchasing the Rays from owner Stuart Sternberg.
It coincided with a report that MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and other owners were also putting pressure on Sternberg.
2 groups express interest in purchasing Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays' move appears to be the end of a multi-year campaign to get a new stadium and move out of Tropicana Park.
The team, along with St. Petersburg and Pinellas Counties, finally reached a deal on a new stadium deal in 2024, just four years before the team's lease was to expire.
Tampa Bay Rays announce new stadium deal
The announcement, at least for Rays fans, takes everything back to square one. The team now has to answer where it will play.
Tropicana Field's roof was destroyed by Hurricane Milton last year, leaving the Rays without a stadium to call home. The team decided to play regular-season games in 2025 at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, the spring training home of the New York Yankees.
For its part, the City of St. Petersburg did agree to move forward with a multi-million dollar plan to repair Tropicana Field.
St. Pete city leaders vote to repair Tropicana Field
However, with the team pulling out of the new stadium deal, the question is whether the city will continue with the repair plan for Tropicana Field.
Rays fans now have to hope there is a Plan B both from the team and the city/county for both Tropicana Field and a new stadium.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that he supports a 30-day ceasefire with Ukraine, but stressed it should lead to lasting peace in the region.
So the idea itself is correct, and we certainly support it," Putin told a news conference in Moscow, according to The Associated Press. But there are issues that we need to discuss, and I think that we need to discuss it with our American colleagues and partners.
The proposal was developed during discussions between U.S. and Ukrainian representatives in Saudi Arabia this week.
Ukrainian officials said that they would accept the ceasefire if Russia agreed to the same terms.
A delegation of American officials, including President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, was in Moscow on Thursday in an effort to persuade Russia to agree to a 30-day ceasefire with Ukraine, Scripps News learned.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who participated in the talks, emphasized that the ceasefire would provide an opportunity for all sides to negotiate an end to the war, though he acknowledged the process would be challenging.
"I think we're going to have to be flexible and nimble and creative and patient and work hard at it and hopefully turn it into something that's concrete," Rubio said.
The war in Ukraine began in February 2022 when Russia launched a full-scale invasion.
Despite the potential ceasefire, fighting has escalated this week.
Russia claims to have recaptured Sudzha, a key Ukrainian operational hub in Kursk, just hours after President Vladimir Putin visited the region.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials reported Wednesday that Russian missile strikes killed at least five civilians. The attacks came one day after Ukrainian strikes inside Russia.
An Oklahoma grand jury has indicted a former pastor at a Texas mega church on five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child for alleged incidents dating back to the 1980s.
Prosecutors said they have filed charges against Robert Preston Morris, who resigned as a pastor at Southlake, Texas' Gateway Church in 2024. The church is considered to have one of the largest congregations in the U.S.
The indictment indicates that Morris engaged in sexual acts with a then 12-year-old, starting in 1982. The indictment gave descriptions of how Morris allegedly fondled the girl.
The alleged incidents continued for four years, the indictment claimed.
Prosecutors say the statute of limitations does not apply in this case as Morris was not a resident of Oklahoma at the time of the incidents.
There can be no tolerance for those who sexually prey on children, said Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond. This case is all the more despicable because the alleged perpetrator was a pastor who exploited his position. The victim in this case has waited far too many years for justice to be done.
Morris had met with President Donald Trump during his first term, joining the president for a roundtable in Dallas in 2020 on "restoring, rebuilding, and renewing" amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the event, President Trump remarked that Morris, and fellow Gateway Church founder Steve Dulin, were "great people."
"Great people with a great reputation. I have to say that. Great reputation. And Gateway Church the team has been incredible in hosting us," President Trump said.
A Canadian entrepreneur detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said she was arrested while trying to enter the San Diego border to obtain a visa last Monday.
Every single guard that sees me is like 'What are you doing here? I don't understand youre Canadian. How are you here?' Jasmine Mooney said in an interview from the Arizona immigration detention center she is now fighting to get out of.
Mooney told the Scripps News Group in San Diego she is appalled by the conditions inside the private for-profit detention facility in San Luis.
I have never in my life seen anything so inhumane, she said in an interview with Scripps News Group Investigative Reporter Austin Grabish.
Mooney, who previously was working in Los Angeles for a health tonic beverage company on a TN visa, which was revoked, said she went to the border with a new job offer and visa paperwork.
She got her first visa at the San Ysidro border crossing on the advice of a Los Angeles attorney, who met her at the border, she said.
First visa revoked
Mooney, who is the co-founder of the Holy! Water brand said a U.S. border officer at the Vancouver airport in Canada revoked her first visa when she was visiting home.
They told me I was unprofessional because I didn't have a proper letterhead on my paperwork," Mooney said.
Mooney said a border officer told her because she had a prior visa revoked, she needed to go to a U.S. consulate to apply for legal status to work in the country again.
She said the officer refused to allow her to go back to Mexico and ordered her to be detained.
One issue border officers may have had with Mooneys previous U.S. employment is that one drink Holy! Water advertised on its website contains Delta-9 full spectrum hemp.
The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp, including Delta 9-THC, if the product contained no more than 0.3% THC. Anything more is still considered a controlled substance under federal law.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) wouldnt tell the Scripps News Group the reason for Mooneys detention, citing privacy restrictions, but said the agency routinely denies travelers from entering the country on 60 different grounds.
The agency noted it treats all travelers with integrity, respect and professionalism.
Mooney disagreed and said she was kept in a cold room at the border by CBP before being arrested by ICE, who placed her at the Otay Mesa Detention Center.
I was put in a cell, and I had to sleep on a mat with no blanket, no pillow, with an aluminum foil wrapped over my body like a dead body for two and a half days," she said.
Mooney said the food inside the Otay Mesa Detention Center was awful and claimed in the middle of the night she, along with a group of 30 other women, was rounded up to get transferred to a facility in Arizona.
We were up for 24 hours wrapped in chains, she said.
Core Civic, the private company that owns the Otay Mesa facility, said it provides three nutritious meals a day to inmates.
Menus are reviewed and approved on a regular basis by a registered dietitian to ensure appropriate nutrition is provided to those entrusted to our care, said Brian Todd, a Core Civic spokesman.
The Arizona facility where Mooney is now being housed didnt return a request for comment from the Scripps News Group.
Mooney said she has no idea when she will be released from detention. Her best friend Brittany Kors is trying to put pressure on the Canadian government to intervene.
I just feel like there has to be more that they can do this. This can't be right. It can't be allowed to happen, Kors said in an interview from Vancouver.
Kors contacted the Scripps News Group after seeing our reporting on two German citizens who were detained by CBP and then arrested by ICE after trying to enter the San Diego border.
This just seems like it's such a waste of taxpayer dollars, said Kors, who was surprised to learn her friend was being held in a for-profit private detention center.
Attorney sees spike in detention cases
Kors has been contacting immigration attorneys and trying to round up support for Mooney from Canada.
I just feel really helpless We don't know what the next steps are. We don't even know the reason why they are holding her there.
San Diego immigration attorney Andrew Neitor said theres been an anecdotal increase in the number of non-U.S. citizens being detained by immigration authorities.
Many of the detentions are for reasons that up until a couple of months ago would not have resulted in a person's detention because CBP and ICE have many other options at their disposal, they do not need to detain people, he said.
The Scripps News Group asked ICE for comment on Tuesday, but by Wednesday afternoon, the agency had not responded.
The Canadian government said it is aware of Mooneys detention and is working to gather more information from authorities in Arizona.
Every country or territory decides who can enter or exit through its borders. The Government of Canada cannot intervene on behalf of Canadian citizens with regard to the entry and exit requirements of another country, said Global Affairs Canada spokeswoman Brittany Fletcher.
The White House has withdrawn the nomination of Dr. David Weldon, a former Florida congressman, to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Republican-controlled Senate health committee announced Thursday morning that it was canceling a planned hearing on Weldon's nomination less than an hour before it was scheduled to begin.
A person familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said the White House pulled the nomination because it became clear Weldon did not have the votes for confirmation.
Weldon was considered to be closely aligned with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. health secretary who for years has been one of the nation's leading anti-vaccine activists.
Weldon, 71, is an Army veteran and internal medicine doctor whose main claim to fame was representing a central Florida district in Congress from 1995 to 2009.
He was a leader of a Congressional push for research into autism's causes, which began around 2000. But Weldon rejected studies that found no causal link between childhood vaccines and autism and accused the CDC of short-circuiting research that might show otherwise.
Sen. Patty Murray, who is on the health committee, said she had serious concerns about Weldon after meeting with him.
"I was deeply disturbed to hear Dr. Weldon repeat debunked claims about vaccines," the Washington Democrat said in a statement. "It's dangerous to put someone in charge at CDC who believes the lie that our rigorously tested childhood vaccine schedule is somehow exposing kids to toxic levels of mercury or causing autism."
With a $9.2 billion core budget, the Atlanta-based CDC is charged with protecting Americans from outbreaks and other public health threats.
For decades it enjoyed a sterling reputation as a global leader in disease control and a reliable source of health information, boasting some of the top experts in the world. But the agency came under attack during the COVID-19 pandemic, repeatedly faulted for how it handled communications, masking guidance and others aspects of its pandemic response.
This week, the chair of the Senate Health Committee and other Republican leaders launched a working group to examine potential legislative reforms for the agency, which has been swept up in the government-wide job-cutting push led by the president and his billionaire adviser Elon Musk.
Weldon becomes the third Trump administration nominee who didn't make it to a confirmation hearing. Previously, former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew from consideration for attorney general and Chad Chronister for the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Susan Monarez has been the CDC's acting director since late January and is poised to stay on at the agency after a director is confirmed.
Two other nominees for high-profile federal health positions are on track for confirmation.
On Thursday, the Senate health panel voted to advance Dr. Marty Makary's nomination to become the next commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. Democratic Sens. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire and John Hickenlooper of Colorado joined Republicans in backing the surgeon and researcher. The same committee also voted along party lines to advance the nomination of Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a health economist and Stanford University professor, to lead the National Institutes of Health.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio faces a challenging meeting with G7 allies this week.
Following President Donald Trumps tariffs on steel and aluminum, Rubio arrived in Canada to meet with diplomats from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan, where complaints about U.S. policies are expected.
Discussion over the United States' role in providing aid for Ukraine is also expected to come up.
The G7 is being held in Canada as a rift between the U.S. and its northern neighbors has grown. Rubio will meet with his Canadian counterpart Mlanie Joly, who has been outspoken against U.S. tariff policies in recent weeks.
"The U.S. administrations unjustified tariffs on aluminum and steel will harm industries, workers, and families on both sides of the border," she said on Wednesday. "We did not choose this, but Canada stands strong, and we will fight - one day at a time and as long as it takes to bring back stability and ensure the resilience and prosperity of our economy."
Rubio suggested that it would be in Canada's best interest to join the U.S. as its 51st state, a notion soundly rejected by Canadian leaders. But Rubio said discussions of Canada joining the U.S. will not be among the topics at the G7.
"We wouldn't have to worry about the border and fentanyl coming across because now we would be able to manage that," Rubio said. "(Trump has) made an argument that it's their interest to do so. Obviously, the Canadians don't agree, apparently, but, well, that's not what we're gonna discuss at the G7, and that's not what we're gonna be discussing in our trip here."
The U.S. government also imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports this week, which impacts not just G7 nations but other countries as well. Rubio said that the tariffs were done to protect U.S. economic and national security interests.
"The president's made those decisions; he's explained why," he said. "It's not just against Canada. It's not just against Mexico. It's not just against G7 countries. He's imposed steel and aluminum tariffs now on virtually the entire world, and the reason why is not to punish those countries.
"It's because he has outlined the need to develop a domestic capability. If you don't have steel and aluminum, you can't build warships. You can't build airplanes. And you're not an industrial economy."
Ukraine carried out one of its largest attacks since Russia's invasion in 2022, firing around 300 drones, with at least 70 of them targeting the Moscow region, according to Ukrainian officials.
The attacks, which happened as talks began in Saudi Arabia between U.S. officials and representatives from Ukraine to try to lay out a framework for a peace deal, reportedly hit oil facilities throughout the country.
Officials in Moscow claimed that Ukraine was targeting civilian buildings, but the attacks were mostly averted. However, Ukraine said it managed to hit oil facilities not just in the Moscow region but across the country.
Meanwhile, the U.S.-Ukraine talks may hinge on two key issues. One is the resumption of intelligence sharing, which was suspended following a contentious meeting between former President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is also expected to meet with a top Zelenskyy adviser to assess Ukraines willingness to make compromises to end the war.
It remains unclear what concessions Russia would need to make for a peace deal to be reached.
USAID foreign service officers stationed abroad were informed via email Monday that they are directed to return to the U.S. by April 6.
The email, obtained by Scripps News, details instructions for updating personal information in the agency's system, which agents are required to complete by Thursday.
The email says anyone with a "reason to extend their time at their post beyond April 6" must make a request to do so. Those requests may be based on "compelling reasons" such as medical necessity or existing school term schedules. Employees will have to supply supporting documentation.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Monday 83% of USAID programs have been eliminated in the wake of a six-week review by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency. The remaining programs will be moved to within the State Department.
Shuttered USAID programs "spent tens of billions of dollars in ways that did not serve, (and in some cases even harmed), the core national interests of the United States," Rubio said. "In consultation with Congress, we intend for the remaining 18% of programs we are keeping ... to be administered more effectively under the State Department."
The State Department faces multiple lawsuits for its rapid shutdown of USAID, challenging its cutoffs of funding and alleging that the administration is working without Congress' approval.
One seeks a temporary restraining order directing the government to reverse actions and stop steps further dissolving the agency, alleging that none of the actions have received the necessary congressional authorization.
Another ruling forced the Trump administration to end a funding freeze on USAID programs, which it had put in place without approval from lawmakers.
Ontario, Canada's most populous province, has enacted a 25% tariff on electricity that it exports to the U.S. in response to President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canadian goods.
Electricity from Ontario powers some 1.5 million homes and businesses in Minnesota, New York and Michigan.
Speaking at a news conference Monday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the widely expected new tariffs were a specific response to President Trump's tariff decisions.
"Believe me when I say I do not want to do this. I feel terrible for the American people who didn't start this trade war. Its one person who is responsible, its President Trump," he said.
But Ford warned that Ontario would maintain and even intensify its tariffs if President Trump did anything to deepen the abrupt trade war.
I will not hesitate to increase this charge. If the United States escalates, I will not hesitate to shut the electricity off completely," he said.
President Trump plunged the U.S. into a trade war with North American allies Canada and Mexico when he used an economic emergency declaration to enact 25% tariffs on nearly all goods from Canada and Mexico, and 10% tariffs on energy-related imports from Canada, including oil, natural gas and electricity. In a separate order, President Trump also increased the tariff on all goods imported from China to 20%.
All three countries quickly announced they would take retaliatory action against the tariffs. The volatility has sent stocks plunging, eliminating all gains made in the S&P 500 benchmark index since President Trump took office in January. Trade experts and retail CEOs have warned that U.S. consumers will now pay higher prices, potentially in a matter of days.
"There'll be a little disturbance, but we'll be okay with that," President Trump told Congress last week.
The Trump administration plans to cut upwards of 80,000 jobs within the Department of Veterans Affairs as it seeks to downsize the federal government.
Many of those jobs are held by veterans who spent years protecting the country. Amid concerns about veterans losing their jobs, Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins said on Monday that the cuts will be made in a "deliberative way."
However, in an interview with Scripps News, former Democratic Congressman Max Rose called the plan "disastrous."
"The thing with the VA that everyone has to understand is that there's no such thing as a non-essential employee," said Rose, who now serves as a senior adviser for VoteVets, a veterans advocacy group." "First, at the front desk, the person working care coordination, the person cleaning the hallways, the medical technician, the people supporting surgeries they all are part of what makes this institution so amazing."
Rose believes that there are inefficiencies within the VA, but he claims that the cuts being proposed by the Trump administration aren't solely targeted at fixing those inefficiencies
"There are consultants where the only thing they do is take minutes during executive meetings. I'll be the first one to raise my hand to support those entities being fired or let go," Rose said.
He added, "I believe in my heart of hearts, the veterans across America are not beholden to any political party, are not fully owned subsidiaries of any political party and they will hold Donald Trump accountable for this."
Watch Scripps News' full interview with Rose in the video above.
The U.S. stock market started the week with a major sell off across multiple sectors as President Donald Trump warned of an economic "transition period" ahead.
The S&P 500 was down 2.7%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 2.08% and the Nasdaq Composite index sank 4%.
Tesla skidded 15% in its worst daily performance since 2020. Nvidia stock was down 4.88% and other tech stocks across the board also saw losses.
President Donald Trump's tariffs and tariff threats have introduced new volatility to the markets, which administration officials have indicated may continue for some time.
In an interview on Fox News Sunday, President Trump did not directly answer questions about whether there would be a recession or what effect his tariffs would have but he said the market and the economy as a whole should now expect a "period of transition."
What I have to do is build a strong country, Trump said. You cant really watch the stock market.
White House spokesman Kush Desai echoed those remarks on Monday following the close of trading.
Since President Trump was elected, industry leaders have responded to President Trumps America First economic agenda of tariffs, deregulation, and the unleashing of American energy with trillions in investment commitments that will create thousands of new jobs. President Trump delivered historic job, wage, and investment growth in his first term, and is set to do so again in his second term.
Economic experts who spoke with The Associated Press forecast that growth in the market would be lower this year due to the volatility of President Trump's tariff policy.
Goldman Sachs analyst David Mericle told the outlet a recession was possible, but the risk could be moderated because "the White House has the option to pull back policy changes" if they appear to have a negative effect.
Authorities in South Carolina believe the recent wildfire that has burned more than 2,000 acres near the coastal resort town of Myrtle Beach began in the backyard of a home.
Officials said AlexandraBialousow,40, has been arrested for allegedly igniting yard debris on fire, which then got out of control and quickly spread. She faces two charges of negligence allowing fire to spread to other land or property and unlawful starting of a fire without taking proper precautions.
"Witnesses reported seeing Bialousow intentionally start a fire in a backyard fire pit that was in close proximity to a tree line within Covington Lakes Subdivision on March 1," the South Carolina Forestry Commission said in a statement.
"According to the arrest warrant, the suspect 'did not have an appropriate water source readily available, 'nor did she 'have any garden tools on hand to control the fire, thus allowing the fire to spread to land owned by Walker Woods HOA," the commission added. "This incident was witnessed by several neighbors."
Officials say a burn ban has been in effect in South Carolina since the end of February due to the dry conditions. If convicted, Bialousow faces up to 30 days days behind bars for each charge, or a fine of up to $200.
A measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico has grown to 208 confirmed cases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. 198 of the cases are in Texas and 10 are in New Mexico.
One person in Texas and one person in New Mexico has died as part of the outbreak.
The CDC also warns it is likely the outbreak will lead to more cases before it subsides.
Overall, there have been 222 confirmed measles cases in the U.S. this year across twelve states or jurisdictions: Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington. The overwhelming majority of cases, 201, have occurred in New Mexico and Texas as part of the outbreaks there.
Three collections of cases meet the CDC definition of a measles outbreak, which is three or more cases in relation to each other. 93% of all cases this year have been associated with one of the outbreaks.
The CDC says it is currently on the ground in Texas, collaborating with local health officials to combat the growing outbreak.
The CDC said the partnership referred to as Epi-Aid represents a "rapid response" by the health agency's Epidemic Intelligence Service to prevent measles from spreading. The CDC said EIS officers will provide support to local health officials for a period of one to three weeks.
The CDC warns that clinicians should keep up public health messaging and vaccination efforts during the travel season over Spring and Summer months.
The overall risk from measles to the American public remained low, the agency said.
President Donald Trump said Thursday if it was needed, "I'd probably get an extension" on the deadline his administration has given ByteDance to sell social media site TikTok.
An executive order signed in January gives Chinese company ByteDance until early April to divest from its TikTok operations in the U.S., or it will otherwise be banned.
President Trump said Thursday an immediate extension of that deadline wasn't necessary because there was still a month to go. But he also said he could push the date down the road if required.
President Trump signed the executive order to postpone TikTok's U.S. ban just hours after he was inaugurated.
That order called for a 75-day hold on the law to give the incoming Trump administration time to determine a course forward that protects U.S. national security while avoiding shutting down TikTok. President Trump has also directed the attorney general to not enforce the law during that time period. TikTok has remained active since then.
The president has also floated the idea of a deal where the U.S. government could take partial ownership of TikTok so it could remain operational in the U.S.
"You'd take 50% of TikTok for the approval that TikTok can continue in business," he said.
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