This Weekend in Politics, Bulletin 62.

… Trump’s Trade War escalates as Canada, Mexico, and China announced that they will retaliate against the US by imposing tariffs and fees on American products in response to Trump’s new tariffs on their countries.

… Canada PM Justin Trudeau: “Tonight, I am announcing Canada will be responding to the US trade action with 25% trade tariffs against $155 billion worth of American goods. This will include immediate tariffs on $30 billion worth of goods as of Tuesday, followed by further tariffs on $125 billion of American products in 21 days’ time, to allow Canadian companies and supply chains to seek to find alternatives.”

… Trudeau said that American alcohol, produce, clothing, shoes, household appliances, furniture, lumber, and much more will be hit with retaliatory tariffs.

… The NYT reported Canada is specifically targeting industries in red states and in industries dominated by Trump allies and donors: Whisky from TN, orange juice from FL, peanut butter from KY, and beer. And Tesla vehicles.

… Canada’s former Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s immediate reaction on X: "If Trump slaps 25% tariffs on Canadian goods, we must hit back—dollar for dollar—starting with 100% tariffs on all Tesla vehicles and U.S. wine, beer, and spirits. We must protect Canadian workers and businesses."

… Freeland later said: "What we need to do is be strong, state that we are not intimidated, and have a retaliation plan, including 100% tariffs on Teslas. That targets the U.S. stakeholders Trump cares about. Canada won’t back down to Trump. These tariffs harm the world's most prosperous trading relationship and one of the great historic friendships between nations. When it came to fighting for our country, previous generations of Canadians did not back down. We won’t either. This action is utter madness.”

… She then went on CNN and said: “It is a betrayal of America’s closest friend — your ally, your neighbor, your best partner in the whole world. It is an act of economic warfare.” Freeland was asked if Canadians were going to boycott American goods: “It is already happening across the country. The path the US is on right now is a lose-lose path and at the end of the day, you cannot defy the laws of economics.”

… Trudeau: “I think Canadians are a little perplexed as to why our closest friends and neighbors are choosing to target us. I don’t think there are a lot of Americans who wake up in the morning saying, ‘Oh, damn, Canada. Oh, we should really go after Canada.’”

… Russian State Media Monitor Julia Davis: “Russian experts often acknowledge that America's alliances are the source of its greatness and strength. They are constantly plotting to undermine them. Trump wants to take a sledgehammer to everything that matters most, that’s why Russia wanted him back.”

…. Vladimir Putin in a new interview with BRICS News on US allies including the EU: “I assure you, Trump with his character, persistence, he will restore order pretty quickly. And all of them will stand at the master’s feet and gently wag their tails.”

… Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston: "First, Nova Scotia will limit access to provincial procurement for American businesses. We will look for opportunities to cancel existing contracts and will maintain the option to reject bids outright because of Trump’s unlawful tariffs. Second, the cost of tolls at the Cobequid Pass will double for commercial vehicles from the US. Finally, we will direct the Nova Scotia Liquor Corp to remove all alcohol from the US from their shelves."

… Canadian hockey fans booed during the US national anthem at multiple games. Former NHL player Akim Olumide Aliu: “When I played, I felt pride hearing our anthems played together. Not after tonight. You picked a fight with us you will regret.”

… Greg Layson, Editor of Auto News Canada: “As a former sports reporter of nearly 10 years, I can also say I had NEVER heard a Canadian crowd boo any anthem, and I heard a lot of them.”

… Canada’s Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, who loves Trump, is in full panic mode with their elections on the horizon: “We must put CANADA FIRST. That is why Common Sense Conservatives condemn Trump’s massive, unjust and unjustified tariffs on Canada’s economy. Canada is the US’s closest neighbour, greatest ally and best friend. We share the longest undefended border and fought alongside Americans in two world wars, Korea, and Afghanistan, where 158 of our brave men and women died helping the US avenge the 9/11 attacks. There is no justification whatsoever for this treatment.”

… But this is what Pierre said the day after our election this past November: “Congrats to Donald Trump on his election! The US is Canada’s best friend and biggest trading partner, and I will work with the President to benefit both countries. My mission: save our jobs.”

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… Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum: “Problems are not resolved by imposing tariffs, but by talking and dialoguing, as we did in recent weeks with your State Dept to address migration; in our case, with respect for human rights. The graph that Trump has been posting on social media about the decline in migration was created by my team, which has been in constant communication with his. I instruct the Secretary of Economy to implement Plan B that we have been working on, which includes tariff and non-tariff measures in defense of Mexico's interests. Nothing by force; everything by reason and right.”

… Sheinbaum said Trump’s justification for the tariffs are BS: “We categorically reject the White House's slander against the Mexican government of having alliances with criminal organizations, as well as any intention of intervention in our territory. If such an alliance exists anywhere, it is in the US armories that sell high-powered weapons to these criminal groups. In 4 months, our government has seized more than 40 tons of drugs, including 20 million doses of fentanyl. It has also arrested more than 10,000 people linked to these groups.”

… Editor of 'Mexico Today José Díaz Briseño suggests that one way Scheinbaum could retaliate is to allow migrants to head freely to the US border: “One BIG question for Mexico’s President is if ‘non-tariff’ retaliation measures include scaling back on migration enforcement cooperation with the Trump Administration.”

… Economic Times reports that China’s Ministry of Commerce said the imposition of tariffs “seriously violates” World Trade Organization rules: “China will file a complaint with the WTO, and will take corresponding countermeasures to resolutely defend its rights.”

… After claiming during the campaign that he will bring prices down on day one, Trump posted this morning that there may be “some pain” felt by Americans from his tariffs: “THIS WILL BE THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICA! WILL THERE BE SOME PAIN? YES, MAYBE (AND MAYBE NOT!). BUT WE WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, AND IT WILL ALL BE WORTH THE PRICE THAT MUST BE PAID. WE ARE A COUNTRY THAT IS NOW BEING RUN WITH COMMON SENSE — AND THE RESULTS WILL BE SPECTACULAR!!!”

… Sen. Rand Paul disagrees: “Tariffs are simply taxes. Conservatives once united against new taxes. Tariff lovers will be forced to explain the persistence of high prices.”

… Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers to CNN: “If we were able to cause substantial economic pain in Mexico, do they believe that that would reduce immigration flows into our country? I would imagine it would have the opposite effect. This will encourage the Mexicans to invite Chinese producers into Mexico. This is a ‘stop or I'll shoot myself in the foot’ kind of threat policy. It defies economic logic. It means higher prices for consumers. It means much more expensive inputs for American producers.”

… CNN spoke to several industry groups about the Trump tariffs. John Murphy, US Chamber of Commerce: “The imposition of tariffs under IEEPA is unprecedented, won’t solve these problems, and will only raise prices for American families and upend supply chains. The Chamber will consult with our members, including Main Street businesses across the country impacted by this move, to determine next steps to prevent economic harm to Americans.”

… Jay Timmons, National Association of Manufacturers: “The ripple effects will be severe, particularly for small and medium-sized manufacturers that lack the flexibility and capital to rapidly find alternative suppliers or absorb skyrocketing energy costs. These businesses—employing millions of American workers—will face significant disruptions. Ultimately, manufacturers will bear the brunt of these tariffs, undermining our ability to sell our products at a competitive price and putting American jobs at risk.”

… Distilled Spirits Council of the US, and their Mexican and Canadian counterparts issued this joint statement: “We are deeply concerned that U.S. tariffs on imported spirits from Canada and Mexico will significantly harm all three countries.”

… The American Petroleum Institute, which represents Big Oil and natural gas companies, said fuel prices would rise on the $14.4 billion of oil and natural gas imported each year from Canada.

… Rep. Jasmine Crockett: “HOLD UP. Did Trump just say he will put tariffs on medications? Americans already pay more for prescription medications than anywhere in the world - and he wants us to pay EVEN MORE? Americans want cheaper drug prices. Trump is giving us higher taxes instead.”

… When Trump invoked “emergency powers” to provide a legal basis to impose tariffs, he cited border security. But a post he made today gives the game away on what this is really all about: “We don’t need anything they have. We have unlimited Energy, should make our own Cars, and have more Lumber than we can ever use. Without this massive subsidy, Canada ceases to exist as a viable Country. Harsh but true! Therefore, Canada should become our Cherished 51st State. Much lower taxes, and far better military protection for the people of Canada — AND NO TARIFFS!”

… Last year, the US imported over $400 billion worth of oil, autos, auto parts, lumber, food, and other goods from Canada.

… Nick Timiraos, Chief Economic Reporter for WSJ, made this observation about Trump’s Treasury Secretary: “One year ago (almost to the day), Scott Bessent wrote to his investors: ‘Tariffs are inflationary and would strengthen the dollar—hardly a good starting point for a US industrial renaissance. The tariff gun will always be loaded and on the table but rarely discharged.’”

… Immigration expert Reichlin-Melnick said Trump’s move to terminate the temporary legal status of 300,000 Venezuelans with pending asylum claims is going to to make this even worse: “This will render them undocumented and force them to lose their jobs and all stability they had. Combined with tariffs, this will be another huge blow to the economy; nearly all are working legally now.”

On my off day yesterday we took a trip on an old steam train in Wiscasset, Maine to Alna. Then we went on a sleigh ride to through the snow to SeaLyon farm where we had fried clams and hot cocoa by a bonfire. We bought a bunch of stuff from local farmers who had little booths set up. I believe very strongly right now that everyone should support their local community in every way we can.

… WSJ reports that hedge fund managers have been placing big bets lately that the stock market will crash based on Trump’s recent policies, which would devastate 401ks and pensions. A Goldman Sachs report showed a dramatic surge in 'short' positions against US stocks - a move that signals a belief the market is headed for a crash. In January, investors placed 10 times more bets on American stocks falling than rising.

… Reuters reports that fuel trading experts predict that gas prices are likely to go up in the US after Trump’s tariffs on Mexican and Canadian oil. The U.S. imports 4 million barrels per day of Canadian oil, 70% of which is processed by refiners in the Midwest. It also imports over 450,000 bpd of Mexican oil, mainly for refiners in Texas and Louisiana. GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan: “I expect fuel prices will rise noticeably.”

… LA Times reports that Trump’s idiotic PR stunt to order the release of water from two dams in CA could hurt farmers this summer. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released a massive amount of water from two dams into river channels along farms in the San Joaquin Valley. Trump posted a photo this weekend on Truth Social: “Photo of beautiful water flow that I just opened in CA. Today, 1.6 billion gallons and, in 3 days, it will be 5.2 billion gallons. Everybody should be happy about this long fought Victory! I only wish they listened to me 6 years ago — There would have been no fire!”

… The two reservoirs hold water for agricultural irrigation districts, and winter is not the time when farms in the area need water so it is no use to them right now. Water scientist Peter Gleick told The Times: “I don’t know where this water is going, but this is the wrong time of year to be releasing water from these reservoirs. It’s vitally important that we fill our reservoirs in the rainy season so water is available for farms and cities later in the summer. I think it’s very strange and it’s disturbing that, after decades of careful local, state and federal coordination, some federal agencies are starting to unilaterally manipulate CA’s water supply.”

… Water consultant Dan Vink said farmers were counting on that water to be available for summer irrigation: “This is going to hurt farmers. This takes water out of their summer irrigation portfolio.”

… WaPO reports that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent approved access to the Treasury’s payments system on Friday to Elon Musk’s team. Acting Secretary David Lebryk, who served in nonpolitical roles at Treasury for several decades, had refused to turn over access to Musk. Trump then placed Lebryk on administrative leave, which then caused him to announced his immediate retirement.

… From the story: “The sensitive systems control disbursement of over $6 trillion a year in federal funds. Tens of millions of people across the country rely on the systems. They are responsible for paying Social Security and Medicare benefits, salaries for federal personnel, payments to government contractors and grant recipients, and tax refunds, among tens of thousands of other functions. Typically, only a small group of career employees control the payment systems, and former officials have said it is extremely unusual for anyone connected to political appointees to access them.”

… The report also said Musk is installing his loyalists in the Office of Personnel Management and the General Services Administration. DOGE is now housed in a White House office formerly known as the U.S. Digital Service - now called the U.S. DOGE Service, and is now able to access technology across the government.

… Reuters reported that lawyers at the Securities Exchange Commission have been told they now need to seek permission from the politically appointed leadership before beginning any new investigations.

… CNN reports that Elon Musk spent over $290 million on the 2024 election according to new federal filings.

… Ken Martin won the election for DNC Chair by a substantial margin. Martin was definitely the DNC insider candidate in the race, as he has served at the higher echelons of the party for over a decade and tapped into his personal relationships forged over that time period with committee voters. Wisconsin Democratic Party chair Ben Wikler finished second over 100 votes behind Martin.

… Martin after the election: "The role of the party is not just to go out there and build the infrastructure. It's also to make sure we're defining them and we're out there making sure the American people know what the stakes of not only these coming elections are, but what's happening in this country.”

… He also told RNC members: “I’ve always viewed my role as a Chair of the Democratic Party to take the low road, so my candidates and elected officials can take the high road, meaning, I’m going to throw a punch. This is a new DNC. We’re taking the gloves off.”

… When asked what he was going to do first, he said that he wanted to do a complete assessment of why the party recently lost the presidency, House and Senate: “The reality is, what we need to do right now is really start to get a handle around what happened last election cycle. We know that we lost ground with Latino voters, we know we lost ground with women and younger voters, and of course working-class voters. We don't know the how and why yet."

… Barack Obama: “Congrats to our new DNC chair, Ken Martin. Ken has done outstanding work in MN, and will bring that same energy and drive to this new role. Together, we need to build a bold, responsive Democratic Party that can tell a compelling story about who we’re fighting for and where we need to go as a country. I am grateful to all who are stepping up to engage. Lots of work ahead!”

… A DNC member source who backed Ben Wikler told Politico that Martin brings “institutional knowledge,” but is “part of the same group of people who have always been here, who don’t want to leave the room, and who haven’t yet made it better. We are so bound up by people whose only quest for relevance is the DNC title.”

… But National Democratic Redistricting Committee President John Bisognano told Politico he thinks Martin is the guy: “Minnesota Nice has two sides: Minnesota Nice is a pleasant, earnest ability to engage with people publicly, and it is also a private ruthlessness and a coldness that only comes when you’ve lived in 10-degree-below weather half your life. Ken will cut you if he has to, but that ruthlessness is what we need to achieve electoral success.”

… Former DNC National Field Director Adam Parkhomenko: “This isn’t going to be politics as usual. I know Ken. I’ve worked with Ken. And I can tell you right now—this man is a fighter. He’s not some DC insider. He’s been in the trenches, running one of the most successful state Democratic parties in the country. He knows how to win tough elections. He knows how to build grassroots power. And he knows that beating Trumpism isn’t about playing nice—it’s about fighting like hell to save this country.”

… Variety reports that staffers at CBS News are furious that parent corporation Paramount Global may settle the frivolous $10 billion lawsuit filed by Trump against “60 Minutes” because they edited the Kamala Harris interview the same way they do every other interview. CBS is willing to settle the lawsuit essentially as a bribe because Paramount is seeking to be acquired by Skydance Media, which would make Paramount’s controlling owner Shari Redstone billions.

… CBS News staffers told Variety that Paramount and Redstone could seek a settlement to ensure the Skydance deal goes forward without substantial delay. Their source: “We’re helpless to whatever Shari and the bosses decide to do. But it’s a real shame to think the news division is a bargaining chip in this broader deal.”

… CBS News and Stations CEO Wendy McMahon and “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens both told Paramount corporate that they don’t believe the suit should be settled. Many CBS News employees believe that a settlement would result in intense blowback by some of CBS News’ most prominent anchors and personalities.

… Axios reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio presented an ultimatum to the President of Panama this weekend on his trip to that country about the Panama Canal: "Absent immediate changes regarding Chinese influence, the US will take measures necessary to protect its rights under the Treaty."

… WaPo reports that Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino called the demand “impossible” and denounced as 19th-century-style imperialism. Political leaders in Central American believe Trump is threatening this to ultimately leverage lower fees for U.S. shipping passing through the canal.

… JD Vance was asked on Fox if the US is going to take over Greenland: “I think it’s possible. It’s really important to our national security. Denmark is not being a good ally. If that means that we need to take more territorial interest in Greenland, that is what President Trump is going to do because he doesn't care about what the Europeans scream at us.”

… Sen. Tina Smith to Meidas Touch on Musk’s memo offering all 2 million federal workers 8 months pay if they resign: “First of all, that’s almost certainly illegal. But how would you feel if you were one of those millions of employees? I got a message from a man at the MN VA Hospital. He said, ‘I don’t know what to do. I’ve devoted my life to serving veterans at the hospital. I’ve processed thousands of labs, taken care of hundreds of vets, and now I’m scared. If I take this, will I ever get paid? If I don’t take it, are they going to see me as an enemy?’ I think they are creating this chaos on purpose. It’s a power grab.”

… Sen. Mark Warner told CBS that Musk and Budget Director Russ Vought’s move to get hundreds of thousands of federal workers to quit in exchange for 8 months pay could be a disaster if they take him up on it: "We've got chaos on steroids going on. We heard from Trump's OMB that he wanted to 'traumatize' federal workers. Well, that is happening. And these workers are the folks that inspect our fruit, our milk, our eggs. What happens if they all quit?"

…. Trump was asked if he was concerned that Musk’s move could result in harm to the public: “Everybody is replaceable. We want them to go to into the private sector. It's our dream to have almost everyone working in the private sector.”

… The Senate Finance Committee announced that they will vote on RFK Jr’s nomination this Tuesday at 10:00 AM ET. Republicans only have a one-vote majority on the committee, and many think Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, who is also a physician, could be the vote that results in an unfavorable recommendation if every Democrat also votes against Kennedy.

… CBS asked Sen. Bernie Sanders if he was going to vote for RFK Jr. since many Republicans are speculating that he could help them on the HHS nominee: “They hope for a lot of things. It just may not happen.”

… But RFK Jr. seems to think that Sen. Susan Collins could be the biggest problem for him. His PAC sent out an ad publishing her office’s number, urging all of his supporters to call her.

… Sen. Markwayne Mullin told Fox he trusts Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to get to the truth about what happened with the DC plane crash, so it isn’t necessary for Congress to get involved: “The advantage we have now is we have Secretary Duffy that's going to be leading this investigation. I believe Congress will probably defer to him at this point because we know we can trust this administration.”

… USAID senior officials were put on leave after they tried to stop Elon Musk’s team from accessing their agency’s computer systems. Musk’s team threatened to call the police after they were refused access the security and personnel files. Musk then posted on X: “USAID was a viper’s nest of radical-left marxists who hate America.”

… Aaron Reichlin-Melnick responded to Musk: “USAID is an agency created by Congress and funded for decades. This man is not even a government employee and his minions have been apparently trying to get classified information without security clearances. Only one of these things is illegal.”

… Sen. Chris Murphy: Let me explain why the total destruction of USAID matters so much. China, where Musk makes his money, wants USAID destroyed. So does Russia. Trump and Musk are doing the bidding of Beijing and Moscow. Why? Over the last week, 50% of the Global Health Bureau and 60% of the Humanitarian Assistance Bureau have been fired. Aid programs everywhere have been closed. The US is in full retreat from the world. Dystopian. No good reason for it.”

… Murphy: “The immediate consequences of this are cataclysmic. Malnourished babies who depend on US aid will die. Anti-terrorism programs will shut down and our most deadly enemies will get stronger. Diseases that threaten the US will go unabated and reach our shores faster. And China will fill the void. As developing countries will now ONLY be able to rely on China for help, they will cut more deals with Beijing to give them control of ports, critical mineral deposits, etc. US power will shrink. US jobs will be lost. But why? Why hand a victory to terrorists and China and Russia? Why kill babies intentionally? Who benefits when Trump is so soft on our enemies? Maybe billionaires like Musk who make $ in China? Maybe someone buying all that secret Trump meme coin?”

… Indiana Republican Sen. Todd Young was rumored to be a ‘no’ vote on Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination. Young is a protege of Mike Pence. But Elon Musk mobilized his brigades of right-wing influencers on X to bombard Young this morning attacking him as a Deep State RINO. Hours later, Musk posted this: “Just had an excellent conversation with Sen. Todd Young. I stand corrected. Senator Young will be a great ally in restoring power to the people from the vast, unelected bureaucracy.”

… Reporter Roger Sollenberger noted that Krysten Sinema, despite not running for reelection, used her campaign committee account to pay for $21,000 in hotel charges in Saudi Arabia just before the election. She also spent $2,800 for a private car service in Paris and $1,900 for private car service in London after the election. She also used some of the funds to pay for "aesthetic skincare treatments to restore youthful radiance and reverse the signs of aging, sun damage and scarring."

… Politico reports that Pete Buttigieg is “very seriously focused on a potential run for Senate” in Michigan to replace retiring Sen. Gary Peters.

… Marge Greene was upset when she heard a clip of a reporter with a foreign accent in the most recent White House press briefing asking Karoline Leavitt a question: “How about that accent from that reporter? I think we need to throw out all the foreign press! American media first.”

… Kristi Noem had her latest costume on for the Sunday shows today.