U.S. and world news for Feb. 4

China imposes retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports

Although Donald Trump backed down and delayed the possible imposition of new tariffs on goods imported from Canada and Mexico, new tariffs went into effect on imports from China at 12:01 a.m. today. China responded immediately by imposing retaliatory tariffs on certain goods from the U.S effective Feb. 10. The new tariffs include a 15% tax on some coal and liquefied natural gas, crude oil, machinery and cars and pickup trucks imported from the U.S. China also took action to restrict exports of certain minerals and metals to the U.S. It also opened an investigation into Google for allegedly being a monopoly.

Netanyahu is the first foreign leader to visit Trump at the White House in his second term

Today’s visit with Donald Trump at the White House by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is the first by a foreign leader during Trump’s second term. Trump had been claiming credit for the current Israel-Hamas cease-fire and hostage release that was put into place during the Biden Administration. It was widely expected that Trump and Netanyahu would be discussing how to handle the next phase of negotiations that are required to extend the cease-fire and ensure the release of all of the hostages still being held by Hamas.

Raskin warns there’s a coup taking place in the U.S.

Rep. Jamie Raskin, Democrat of Maryland and ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, warned on the Rachel Maddow program on MSNBC last night that he sees all the telltale signs of a coup taking place in the U.S. right now. He defined a coup as the taking of state power by unelected actors who work to take over the critical infrastructure of government outside of the rule of law. Raskin said that billionaire Elon Musk has basically tried to take control of the country’s communications infrastructure, the government’s payments infrastructure, the data infrastructure and has important nodes of the military infrastructure. Musk also has gained access to the U.S. Treasury’s computers and all Social Security, Medicare, tax returns and other information on Americans, companies and organizations. Raskin also charged that Trump wants to centralize power in himself.

CNN quotes industry sources as saying thousands of jobs are being risked by USAID closing

CNN reports this morning that industry sources tell it that the Trump Administration’s freezing of foreign aid and planned closing of the US Agency for International Development is risking thousands of jobs in the U.S. and around the world. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has taken over as acting administrator of USAID and delegated authority to Pete Marocco. Marocco was in the first Trump Administration at USAID and according to CNN was criticized by USAID supporters for working to dismantle the agency. USAID was established by Congress in 1961 and was a key project of President John F. Kennedy.

FCC head begins investigations of NPR and PBS

Donald Trump’s newly-appointed head of the Federal Communications Commission has launched investigations in the Public Broadcasting System and National Public Radio. Trump has long been a critic of PBS and NPR. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr says that the public broadcasting institutions may be violating regulations when it comes to acknowledging funding sources. He says that their identification of funding sources could be commercials, which they are not allowed to air as educational broadcasters. The FCC investigations are viewed by some as part of Donald Trump’s on-going attacks on the news media.

Neo-Nazi group leader found guilty of planning attack on electrical infrastructure

A federal court jury in Baltimore has found Brandon Russell, the 29-year-old founder of a neo-Nazi group, guilty of plotting to attack Maryland’s electrical infrastructure. His former girlfriend Sarah Beth Clendaniel, had previously entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to 18 years in prison. In a previous federal case in Florida, Russell pleaded guilty to charges related to possession of explosives and was sentenced to five years in prison.