This Month
Trump overplays his hand as US flashes full recession alert
The American economy will be hit hard, but it’s beyond delusional to think anyone will be spared from the upending of global trade.
Trump trade risks go back to the 1890s
The president’s American tariff hero William McKinley shows how this new trade war will go wrong.
Trump unveils 10pc tariffs on all imports, higher for 60 countries
The president used aggressive rhetoric to describe a global trade system that the US helped to build, saying “our country has been looted, pillaged, raped, plundered”.
He’s not kidding. Here’s how Trump could serve a third term
Despite a constitutional amendment limiting the election of presidents to two terms, he raised the idea during an interview this week.
March
Release of Signal texts strains Trump’s bid to quash furore
Efforts to discredit Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg over the war plan messages is failing to gain traction outside the president’s most fervent loyalists.
Musk to clinch lucrative new US deals in ‘horrifying power grab’
The billionaire’s company, SpaceX, is set to secure federal government contracts partly because his allies now hold government jobs. Supporters say he has the best tech.
Trump’s attack on the judiciary: ‘speed and intent is remarkable’
The US president is testing constitutional limits and challenging the courts to stop him. Who will blink first?
Trump shuts down Education Department flanked by school children
Encircled by students seated at desks, the president signed an executive order to dismantle the department in a bid to leave school policy to the states.
US chief justice scolds Trump over judges threat
Justice John Roberts issued a rare statement that described the president’s threat to impeach judges as not an appropriate response.
How Trump plans to use an ‘autopen’ conspiracy to overturn laws
The president claimed multiple pardons issued by Joe Biden were void because he used a robotpen, embracing a baseless right-wing theory.
What will Trump mean for personal wealth?
Pension funds, retail investors and money managers are worrying about the future of US capital markets under the president’s erratic economic management.
Trump’s tariff pullback shows honeymoon may be over
The US president’s backtrack on imposing tariffs on Canada and Mexico shows that political gravity may apply to him after all.
Trump’s glory moment upstages the world
The US president’s address to congress was Donald Trump’s favourite version of reality TV, featuring himself as the star.
Trump vows tariffs on ‘nearly every country on Earth’
In a lengthy speech to Congress, the president also conceded his trade war could cause a “little disturbance” to the US economy.
What to watch for in Trump’s speech to Congress
The US president is expected to promote a laundry list of accomplishments – immigration, tariffs and cuts to spending – and outline his plans for the months ahead.
BlackRock buys Hutchison’s Panama ports in victory for Trump
The president had argued without evidence that China had taken over the critical waterway and that the US was paying too much for the passage of ships.
February
Washington Post in row for rejecting ‘fire Elon Musk’ ads
The Jeff Bezos-owned newspaper told an advocacy group it was pulling the ads, which would have covered the front and back pages of some editions.
US judge clears way for thousands of workers to take Trump buyout
About 75,000 workers have signed up for the buyout, equal to 3 per cent of the civilian workforce, in an unprecedented downsize.
Mission from God: Meet the man behind Musk’s Washington rampage
Budget director Russell Vought believes “trauma” needs to be inflicted on the civil service as he slashes the size of government.
Trump’s tariff plan attacked in Congress as ‘insult to Australians’
At least one US legislator has lambasted the president’s intention to slug Australian steel and aluminum imports into America.