Tariffs on dozens on countries take effect and Kremlin confirms Trump-Putin meeting: Morning Rundown

NBC News

3 days ago

Sweeping tariffs on dozens of countries have taken effect. A doctor fears that a rift with UnitedHealthcare could bankrupt her clinic. And a conservative community fights to keep a beloved teacher from being deported.
Here's what to know today.
Trump's tariffs take effect, affecting everything from food to cars from around the world
After months of threats, delays and extensions, President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs took effect overnight, raising the overall average tariff rate to more than 17%, its highest since the Great Depression. Everything from European Union appliances and Japanese cars to food, furniture and toys from China TVs from South Korea will be hit. However, selected oil and gas imports, along with some smartphones and goods covered by a pre-existing trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, are not affected.
Trump has indicated his trade offensive won't stop. The president said he still plans to impose import taxes on pharmaceutical products and semiconductors. Amid that pressure, Apple said it plans to invest $600 billion in the U.S. over the next four years amid pressure from Trump to shift its supply chain to American soil.
Meanwhile, Trump hiked the tariff rate for India to 50% because of the nation's purchases of Russian oil, and he said he could raise the European Union's tariff level to 35% from 15% if it reneges on an investment commitment.
The Trump administration has already insisted tariffs are working, pointing to billions raised in new monthly revenues for the federal government. While the White House says nations have pledged hundreds of billions of dollars in investments, it hasn't released details of how that money will be spent.
While the full effect of the tariffs is yet to be felt, the U.S. economy appears to be on much shakier ground than at the start of the year. Price growth has continued to pick up, employment growth in manufacturing has flatlined and other non-manufacturing sectors are feeling the pinch.
The Kremlin said Thursday that a meeting between presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin has been agreed in principle and will happen in the 'coming days,' teeing up their first in-person encounter of Trump's second term.
At the same time, Moscow all but dismissed Trump's proposal for a three-way summit involving Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, continuing the Kremlin's longstanding resistance to such a sit-down.
Trump's efforts are part of his campaign promise to resolve Russia's war in Ukraine, and his wider 'America First' pledge to end involvement in foreign conflicts altogether.
'At the suggestion of the American side, an agreement in principle was made to hold a bilateral meeting at the highest level in the coming days,' Putin's longtime foreign policy aide, Yury Ushakov, said in an audio statement.The idea of a Trump-Putin-Zelenskyy meeting 'for some reason was mentioned by Washington yesterday' but 'not specifically discussed,' Ushakov said. The Russian side had 'left this option completely, completely without comment.'
The Trump administration is currently still set to impose secondary sanctions on Russia this week, despite a meeting yesterday between U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Putin. An administration official said secondary sanctions 'are still expected to be implemented on Friday.'
Zelenskyy said he spoke to Trump after Witkoff's meeting and reiterated the country's insistence on defending its independence. Putin's longtime foreign policy aide, Yury Ushakov, said the talks were 'very useful and constructive,' adding that Russia has 'forwarded some signals ... on the Ukrainian issue.' Read the full story here.
More politics news:
As the fight in Texas over redistricting plays out, take a look at who draws congressional maps and how they do it. Also, review how nearly a decade of Supreme Court rulings have given states more redistricting power.
National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard declassified a document on Russia's 2016 election interference with relatively minimal redactions despite objections from CIA officials.
Trump said he's considering a federal takeover of Washington, D.C.'s local police force.
The Trump administration is scaling back the State Department's annual Human Rights Report, which is widely read around the world.
A Republican running to succeed Mitch McConnell is leaning into the same anti-establishment sentiment that sent JD Vance from the private sector to the vice presidency.
Texas surgeon fears insurance dispute may force her into bankruptcy
Dr. Elisabeth Potter said she was midway through performing a breast reconstruction surgery when she got a call from a UnitedHealthcare representative who wanted to talk about the patient on the table. During the call, Potter said the representative wanted more information on why the patient needed an overnight hospital stay, even though the surgery had been approved. 'If they can ring me in the operating room, not for something urgent, just for that, and to ask me to justify her staying overnight ... we have lost our way,' Potter said in a TikTok video that has racked up nearly 6 million views.
Potter said UnitedHealthcare denied coverage for the hospital stay. An insurance spokesperson said the stay was approved but there was an error with a separate request.
Now, Potter believes UnitedHealthcare is retaliating against her because of her social media posts but not allowing her clinic in Austin, Texas, to join their in-network list of providers. Without being able to accept UnitedHealthcare patients in network — the second biggest player in the market, according to the Texas Department of Insurance — Potter said she likely won't be able to stay in business.
Experts say the dispute is one example of ongoing tension between insurers and health care providers. Potter's dispute, in particular, comes as UnitedHealth Group comes under intense scrutiny.
A new CDC report is the first to provide estimates about how much ultra-processed foods make up Americans' diets. It's more than half.
A federal prison camp in Texas where Ghislaine Maxwell was transferred has increased security measures in response to her arrival. And while there, Maxwell will be barred from participating in a puppy training program.
The Trump administration has suspended $584 million in federal grants for UCLA, the first public university whose funding has been targeted over allegations of civil rights violations.
Scientists want to stop AI from turning evil. Their solution? Teaching the models some bad behavior.
I am endlessly fascinated by the stories of people dealing with the effects of major political decisions, such as the overhaul to America's immigration policy. I was especially interested in this incredible story from Daniela Pierre-Bravo about a Haitian immigrant who has become a beloved fixture in his Ohio community, where 83% of voters backed Trump last year.
Science teacher Marc Rocher saw serious violence in Haiti. After a close friend was kidnapped and killed was the final straw, he left for the U.S., finding his way to Putnam County under temporary protective status. While it may be a reliably Republican corner of the state, Putnam County's church-goers, students and community members realized that losing Rocher to the country's immigration policies, which they helped put in motion as Trump voters, would mean losing a pillar of the community.
Now, the pastor of a conservative church is standing up for Rocher. High school students are sending letters pleading with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to let him stay. And a family with adopted Haitian children say Rocher has helped their sons heal from the trauma inflicted in their home country. To them, Rocher puts a human face on a polarizing political issue. — Michelle Garcia, NBC BLK editorial director
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