The Morning Sixpack - March 7, 2025

Tariffs ON! Tariffs OFF, some tariffs ON, but only if... Trump, make up your fucking mind!

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Trump Backs Off Canada, Mexico Tariffs Again—But for How Long?

The Trump administration's erratic trade policies have once again taken center stage as President Trump granted Canada and Mexico a one-month reprieve from hefty 25% tariffs on a range of goods covered under the USMCA agreement.

This latest move, announced after market turbulence and pressure from business leaders, highlights the ongoing uncertainty surrounding U.S. trade strategy. With another tariff showdown looming on April 2, businesses remain on edge, bracing for potential economic fallout.

Trump’s decision to delay tariffs marks the second reversal in just a month, raising concerns about the administration’s inconsistent trade approach. While easing pressure on America’s closest trading partners, the White House continues its aggressive stance on China, escalating duties on Chinese imports and preparing a broader wave of tariffs set to take effect next month.

These shifting policies have strained diplomatic ties and heightened fears of a recession as industries struggle to navigate the unpredictable landscape.

The move follows direct lobbying from companies alarmed by the economic impact of sweeping tariffs.

“The uncertainty is damaging for businesses trying to plan for the future,” said one industry executive.

While the reprieve provides short-term relief, the question remains—will Trump hold the line on April 2, or will another last-minute policy shift send markets into another tailspin?

Source: WSJ

More: Trump’s Tariff Tantrum and Tariffs by Whim Keep Allies Off Balance, but Do the Same to Markets

The cynic in me wonders if Trump and his acolytes are profiting from these whipsaws the various stock markets are suffering. I suspect one could make a substantial fortune just by following all the news closely.

China Strikes Softer Tone on U.S. Tensions, But Trade War Rages On

China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, called for “peaceful coexistence” with the U.S. despite growing trade tensions, offering a more measured stance than Beijing’s combative rhetoric earlier in the week.

Speaking at the annual “Two Sessions” parliamentary meeting, Wang acknowledged deep differences but emphasized the need for cooperation.

“Given the extensive common interests and broad space for cooperation, it is fully possible for China and the U.S. to become partners helping each other succeed,” he said, signaling an openness to diplomacy even as trade disputes escalate.

I seriously think we’d benefit from a mutually beneficial partnership that focuses not just on trade, but on international relations, partnerships, business, the economy, environment, etc. Why not? China is infinitely better than Russia.

The call for stability comes as the U.S. and China continue to exchange economic blows. President Trump’s latest round of 10% tariffs on Chinese imports triggered immediate retaliation from Beijing, which imposed new duties on U.S. agricultural products and tightened restrictions on American companies.

The Chinese Embassy in the U.S. issued a stark warning: “If war is what the U.S. wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war, or any other type of war, we're ready to fight till the end.”

China Throws Down: "Any Type of War" With U.S.? Bring It

Meanwhile, China’s proposed budget reflects an 8.4% increase in diplomatic spending, a sign that Beijing is gearing up for prolonged negotiations and geopolitical maneuvering.

Despite the heated exchanges, Chinese officials hinted at a willingness to return to the negotiating table. Commerce Minister Wang Wentao confirmed that Beijing remains open to discussions, though no formal meetings have been scheduled. With both nations doubling down on their positions, the next move could determine whether this economic standoff escalates further or finds an off-ramp toward de-escalation.

Source: CNBC

SpaceX Starship Blows Up Again, Closes Florida Airports—Because, Why Not?

Florida’s busiest airports found themselves in an unexpected sci-fi thriller Thursday evening as SpaceX’s Starship exploded mid-test flight, scattering debris and forcing the FAA to halt all inbound flights.

Orlando, Miami, Palm Beach, and Fort Lauderdale airports were locked down until 8 p.m. ET, causing travel chaos and delays that rippled up the East Coast. It was the second time in two months that Elon Musk’s massive 403-foot rocket met a fiery demise, proving once again that “rapid unplanned disassembly” is just a fancy way of saying “kaboom.”

According to SpaceX, the test flight was supposed to last an hour and deploy four mock satellites before gracefully re-entering over the Indian Ocean. Instead, the spacecraft spun out of control, lost contact, and—well, no one’s quite sure where it ended up.

“Unfortunately, this happened last time, too, so we have some practice at this now,” said SpaceX flight commentator Dan Huot, likely setting a record for the most casual reaction to a space disaster.

Meanwhile, stranded travelers at Florida’s airports had a little less Zen about their ruined itineraries.

NASA has Starship lined up for a future moon landing, while Musk has even grander visions of taking it to Mars. But first, SpaceX might want to master keeping the thing in one piece. The FAA has already launched an investigation, though given recent history, Florida’s flight boards might want to preemptively add “SpaceX debris delay” as a regular scheduling feature.

Source: First Coast News

Speaking of shit the DOGE-gutted FAA oversees:

Philly Plane Crash Probe Reveals Decade-Old Safety Lapse—And an FAA in Freefall

The NTSB’s preliminary report on the deadly Philadelphia medical jet crash has uncovered a shocking failure: the plane’s cockpit voice recorder (CVR)—its so-called “black box”—wasn’t just damaged in the crash; it hadn’t been recording for years.

The Learjet 55, which crashed on January 31, killing seven people, was flying without a functioning CVR, leaving investigators without critical audio from the doomed flight’s final moments. The wreckage, which scattered across Northeast Philadelphia, destroyed homes, businesses, and vehicles, while a 10-year-old boy on the ground was injured by flying debris.

The report paints a grim picture of lax oversight. The CVR was recovered under eight feet of debris but contained no accident audio, and NTSB officials suspect it had been inoperable for several years.

This comes amid a growing wave of aviation safety concerns, many of which have been exacerbated by a gutted FAA, thanks to budget cuts and staff reductions by DOGE’s staff of stupid incels.

The Philly crash adds to a troubling pattern of aviation disasters and close calls recently.

Just days before, an American Airlines jet collided midair with an Army helicopter over Washington, D.C., in what became the deadliest U.S. air disaster in decades.

As lawsuits pile up and victims’ families demand accountability, the FAA—once considered the gold standard in aviation safety—is facing harsh scrutiny. With critical systems failing mid-flight and oversight crumbling, the real question is: How many more warnings will it take before safety takes priority over deregulation?

Source: NBC Philadelphia

Judge Slaps Down Trump’s Firing Spree, Reinstates Labor Board Member

A federal judge delivered a sharp rebuke to President Trump’s attempt to purge the National Labor Relations Board, ruling that his firing of Democratic board member Gwynne Wilcox was unlawful.

The decision, handed down by Judge Beryl A. Howell, reinstates Wilcox to the NLRB and deals a blow to Trump’s efforts to consolidate executive control over independent federal agencies. The ruling comes after Trump’s January decision to remove Wilcox, which left the board paralyzed with only two members—one Republican, one Democrat—effectively grinding labor dispute resolutions to a halt.

In her scathing 36-page decision, Judge Howell rejected Trump’s assertion of unchecked executive authority, directly referencing his 2024 campaign pledge to be a "dictator on Day 1" and an image circulated by the White House of Trump wearing a king’s crown.

“A president who touts an image of himself as a ‘king’ or a ‘dictator,’ perhaps as his vision of effective leadership, fundamentally misapprehends the role under Article II of the U.S. Constitution,” Howell wrote.

She doubled down later, stating, “An American president is not a king—not even an ‘elected’ one.” The administration has already moved to appeal the ruling, setting up yet another legal showdown over Trump’s use of executive power.

Wilcox’s reinstatement comes as part of a broader legal battle over Trump’s ability to reshape independent agencies to his liking. Her removal had not only stalled NLRB operations but also set the stage for a constitutional fight over the limits of presidential authority.

As Judge Howell quipped during Wednesday’s hearing, “this court is merely a speed bump for you all to get to the Supreme Court.”

With this ruling, that speed bump just got a lot bigger. But it’s not insurmountable, so we will, as they say, “see you in (the Supreme) Court.”

Source: NYT

Trump Wants the Declaration of Independence in the Oval Office—Because Nothing Screams ‘Democracy’ Like a Crown

President Trump, fresh off a string of regal-themed AI-generated images of himself in a crown and ermine robe, has reportedly asked advisers about moving the original Declaration of Independence into the Oval Office.

According to sources familiar with the request, some aides were immediately alarmed—perhaps because the founding document is housed in a high-security, oxygen-free case at the National Archives, or maybe because its entire purpose was to reject the exact kind of authoritarianism Trump has been flirting with.

The request comes days after Trump declared, “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law,” a quote often (and dubiously) attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte.

The document, which has survived war, time, and even Nicolas Cage’s cinematic attempts at theft, would be an incredibly difficult, expensive, and historically unprecedented move.

The National Archives keeps the Declaration in a protective case that retracts into a vault at night, and even slight exposure to light risks further damage to the already faded parchment.

But practical concerns aside, some advisers saw the request as symbolic of Trump’s growing obsession with executive power—one that Judge Beryl A. Howell recently rebuked when she ruled that “an American president is not a king—not even an ‘elected’ one.” See above.

It remains unclear if Trump is seriously pursuing the idea or just enjoying the optics of posing as a self-styled monarch. Either way, aides are reportedly trying to steer him toward a more practical solution—perhaps a framed replica from the National Archives gift shop.

Because if there’s one thing the Declaration of Independence really stands for, it’s that no one man, no matter how many gold-plated towers he owns, gets to rule unchecked.

Source: The Atlantic