ACTUAL NEWS: Wednesday, March 26th 2025 Recap
- Olga Nesterova
- Mar 26
- 10 min read
"Today in History" and the Latest National and Global News
QUICK HITS
President Trump speaking at the Women's Event at the White House:
"Hannibal Lecter won us the election"
"I'll be known as the fertilization president, I like it"
"It's gonna be a big beautiful bill, if it's for women it better be big and beautiful"
"Eggs are down, people can finally buy groceries again"
He thanked all women in administration one by one.
White House Spokesperson Leavitt: Elon Musk has offered to put his “tech experts on this” to figure out “how Goldberg’s number got into Waltz’s phone”.
It’s an actual quote.
The founder of Signal releases a response to SignalGate:
“There are so many great reasons to be on Signal.
Now including the opportunity for the vice president of the United States of America to randomly add you to a group chat for coordination of sensitive military operations.”
"In a war with Russia, Poland could only hold out for up to 14 days," says Dariusz Lukowski, head of Poland's National Security Bureau.
With today's level of supplies, Poland would be able to defend against aggression for a week, two - said the head of NSB Gen. Dariusz Lukowski. In an interview with Polsat News, he confirmed reports that “we have ammunition for a few days”, warned that this does not apply to all types of combat vehicles.
TODAY IN HISTORY
1812: Protesting the redrawing of districts to favor incumbents, the Boston Gazette published a satirical cartoon depicting the districts as a mythical creature, the “Gerry-mander,” introducing the term gerrymander into the American lexicon.
1885: The first clash of the Riel Rebellion in Canada took place in Duck Lake, Saskatchewan.
1927: The Mille Miglia, the famed automobile race across Italy, was inaugurated.
1930: Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to serve as a U.S. Supreme Court justice, was born in El Paso, Texas.
1971: Members of the Awami League set up a government-in-exile in Calcutta (Kolkata) and declared Bangladesh an independent state.
1979: Israel and Egypt signed a historic peace treaty brokered by U.S. President Jimmy Carter, following the Camp David Accords negotiated by Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat in 1978.
1992: Heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson was sentenced to six years in prison following a rape conviction in Indianapolis, Indiana.
1997: Police discovered the bodies of 39 members of Heaven’s Gate, a religious group that believed in UFOs. They had committed mass suicide, believing a spaceship would take them to a better place.
2000: Russian intelligence officer and politician Vladimir Putin was elected president of Russia.
QUICK ACTUAL NEWS
NATIONAL
The Trump administration has abruptly cut more than $12 billion in federal grants that were funding critical state health services, including tracking infectious diseases, mental health programs, addiction treatment, and other urgent healthcare initiatives.
The U.S. Space Force announced on Wednesday that it has cleared Boeing and Lockheed Martin’s Vulcan rocket to launch national security satellites for the United States. SpaceX was the first company to handle such missions.
A U.S. judge—whom President Donald Trump has called for impeaching after blocking his use of wartime powers to deport Venezuelan migrants—is set to preside over a new lawsuit regarding administration officials’ use of the messaging app Signal to share highly sensitive military plans.
The U.S. government could risk defaulting on portions of its $36.6 trillion debt as early as August—or possibly even by late May—unless Congress raises the nation's debt ceiling, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projected on Wednesday.
Inflation risks in the U.S. have increased, with concerns that it may stall above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target or even rise further in the near term. Rising import taxes could contribute to persistent price pressures, St. Louis Fed President Alberto Musalem warned on Wednesday.
U.S. stock futures edged lower on Wednesday as investors exercised caution ahead of key economic data and awaited further details on the Trump administration’s new tariffs set to take effect next week.
European stocks declined on Wednesday, while the U.S. dollar strengthened slightly, as traders remained on edge awaiting clarity on President Trump’s trade policy and the upcoming tariff rollout.
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited a mega-prison in El Salvador on Wednesday, where Venezuelans deported by the U.S. are being held. The visit comes amid a high-profile court battle as civil rights groups challenge the deportations.
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on Wednesday in defense of the Federal Communications Commission’s funding mechanism for a multi-billion dollar initiative aimed at expanding phone and broadband access for low-income and rural Americans.
Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other top Democrats sent a letter to President Trump and his administration on Wednesday, urging a Justice Department investigation after a journalist was inadvertently included in a secret group discussion about sensitive war plans.
The Senate has confirmed Martin Makary as the head of the FDA and Jay Bhattacharya as director of the National Institutes of Health. Both appointees have been vocal critics of the medical establishment.
President Trump signed an executive order requiring proof of U.S. citizenship to vote in federal elections.
Trump also pardoned Devon Archer, a former business associate of Hunter Biden who testified in the Republican-led investigation into the Biden family. Archer had been convicted in a fraud case.
The Trump administration has barred 80 additional firms—primarily from China—from purchasing American technology, citing national security concerns.
The U.S. Air Force is establishing its first five Deployable Combat Wings and is seeking volunteers, Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin announced on March 25.
The U.S. Navy is expected to announce this week which company will build its next-generation carrier-based stealth fighter, a program worth hundreds of billions of dollars over its lifespan and a critical component of U.S. efforts to counter China, according to sources familiar with the decision.
The U.S. Space Force will keep the names of commercial companies participating in its new space reserve program confidential to protect them from potential adversary threats. Commercial satellites are playing an increasingly vital role in military operations.
Anduril President Christian Brose expressed optimism about the Trump administration’s defense policies, noting that the AI-powered defense startup—whose founder left Facebook over his early support for Trump—is encouraged by the administration’s push for innovation in the defense sector.
The U.S. Treasury Department’s financial crimes unit announced on Wednesday a new rule narrowing a key provision of the 2021 Corporate Transparency Act, a law designed to combat illicit financial activity.
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Biden-era regulation on Wednesday targeting largely untraceable “ghost guns.” The decision affirms the regulation’s consistency with a 1968 federal law and represents a significant step in the efforts to curb the proliferation of unregistered firearms in crimes nationwide.
Paul Atkins, President Trump’s nominee to lead the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, pledged in prepared Senate testimony on Wednesday that regulations under his leadership would support the crypto sector and prevent political interference from stifling capital formation.
GLOBAL
President Trump has signed an Executive Order to impose a 25% tariff on all automobiles beginning April 2nd. These tariffs come in addition to already imposed tariffs.
President Trump also announced additional tariffs on pharmaceuticals to be introduced soon.
Four U.S. soldiers and a tracked transport vehicle went missing yesterday during military exercises near Lithuania’s border with Belarus. Today, they were found dead. The circumstances and cause of death are currently under investigation.
Russia has sentenced 23 members of Ukraine’s Azov Batallion to prison terms ranging from 13 to 23 years for defending their home.
The Armenian Parliament has adopted a bill in the final reading to begin the process of the country's accession to the EU.
The European Union has reached its highest-ever approval rating, with 74% of respondents in the latest Eurobarometer survey believing their country benefits from EU membership.
President Donald Trump's administration plans to cut U.S. funding for Gavi, an organization that provides vaccines for children in low-income countries, and scale back efforts to combat malaria. These cuts are part of a broader cost-reduction plan outlined in a document prepared by the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Speaking to reporters in Jamaica, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio encouraged Europe to consider lifting sanctions against Russia, along with the US.
European sanctions against Russia will be lifted only if it returns to Ukraine's internationally recognized borders, — President of France Macron
France is providing Ukraine with an additional €2 billion in military aid, President Macron announced.
The support package includes missiles, armored personnel carriers (APCs), air defense systems, and ammunition. Additionally, funds will be allocated to support military production within Ukraine.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer held "candid" talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on trade issues during an introductory meeting. The discussions come as President Donald Trump prepares to further increase tariffs on Chinese imports, Greer’s office said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio did not raise concerns about arrests and protests in Turkey during his meeting with his Turkish counterpart in Washington, despite later stating otherwise in a social media post, a Turkish diplomatic source said Wednesday.
Italian wine and spirits exports to the U.S. have stalled due to uncertainty over potential tariffs that President Donald Trump may impose in the coming weeks, according to the trade group Federvini.
The U.S. government announced Wednesday that it may seek the death penalty for alleged Mexican drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero following his surprise expulsion from Mexico last month to face sweeping drug charges.
A Taiwanese deputy defense minister will visit the United States this week to attend a ceremony marking the completion of a new F-16 fighter jet for Taiwan—the first publicly acknowledged visit of its kind since President Donald Trump took office.
Denmark on Wednesday "welcomed" the U.S. decision to limit a planned visit to Greenland to a military base. The visit had initially caused tensions between Copenhagen and the White House amid President Donald Trump’s interest in acquiring the island.
American intelligence agencies have reaffirmed that Russia remains a potential threat to the United States, according to a newly released report.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte cautioned the U.S. and Europe on Wednesday against the temptation to "go it alone" on security, warning of growing tensions over the transatlantic alliance and differing views on Russia.
On Thursday, March 27, 2025, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte will travel to Paris, France, to attend a meeting with European leaders and Canada on Ukraine. No media availability is scheduled.
Three people were found conscious after two jets from the French Air Force’s acrobatics team reportedly collided near an air base in northeastern France on March 25, authorities said.
In a rare display of public dissent, Palestinians in Gaza protested against Hamas. "We’ve had enough of the war, destruction, and killing," one demonstrator said.
Wildfires in South Korea have killed at least 24 people and destroyed multiple buildings, including two ancient Buddhist temples.
Sudan’s military bombed a crowded market, killing at least 54 people. Local monitoring groups condemned the attack as a likely war crime.
The U.S. Justice Department on Wednesday backed Donald Trump's effort to move his already-decided hush money criminal case to federal court. This marks the second time in less than a week that the department has stepped in to assist the U.S. president in a personal legal matter.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that he would engage with Jamaica regarding its employment of Cuban doctors to better understand the program. This comes after Washington threatened to revoke visas for officials involved in such programs.
A U.S. appeals court on Wednesday upheld a lower court’s temporary block on the Trump administration’s attempt to deport certain Venezuelan immigrants under a rarely used 18th-century law. The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled against President Donald Trump, who had argued that U.S. District Judge James Boasberg’s two-week ban on deportations under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act interfered with the executive branch’s authority over national security decisions.
CARTOON OF THE DAY
POSTS OF THE DAY
NEWS CLIPS - NO COMMENTARY
Hegseth: I know exactly what I’m doing
MTG spreads disinformation and attacks a UK journalist
JD Vance at Marine Corps Base Quantico
RECOMMENDED READS
Impact of US’ Harassment of Canada on Tourism and Economy
Amid escalating tensions between Canada and the US, triggered by President Trump's tariff threats and comments about Canada “potentially becoming the 51st state”, many Canadians are reconsidering travel to the US.
Data shows a 13% drop in return flights from Canada to the US and a significant portion of Canadians, around 50%, are less likely to visit this year compared to last. The decline is partly driven by (for now) the strong US dollar, making travel more expensive.
The reduction in Canadian tourism poses a serious economic threat to US businesses, potentially costing the economy $2 billion and thousands of jobs. US-bound international travel, in general, is expected to decline by 5% this year due to trade war concerns, impacting tourist spending by an estimated $18 billion.
Additionally, growing visa issues and concerns about detention at the border or upon arrival in the US have further dampened international tourism to the US.
Can border agents search your phone? YES.
ICYMI
On Saturday, a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai was forced to turn around after two hours and divert to San Francisco for an awkward yet relatable reason—a pilot realized they had forgotten their passport. In San Francisco, the plane received a new crew (all with passports in hand) and ultimately arrived in Shanghai about six hours behind schedule.
U.S. consumer confidence has dropped to a 12-year low. For the fourth consecutive month, confidence among American consumers declined, with inflation and concerns over tariffs weighing on economic outlooks, according to a report from The Conference Board. The latest reading marks the lowest level in over a decade and has fallen below the threshold that could indicate an impending recession. “Consumers’ optimism about future income—which had remained relatively strong in recent months—has largely disappeared,” a Conference Board economist noted.
Waymo has announced plans to expand its driverless taxi service to Washington, D.C., beginning in 2026.
Massachusetts regulators are investigating Robinhood over its prediction markets division and the college sports event contracts it offers.
Samsung’s co-CEO, Jong-Hee Han, passed away yesterday from cardiac arrest at the age of 63.
EquityZen and Forge Global, two marketplaces that facilitate trading shares of private companies, have lowered their minimum investment requirement to $5,000.
TODAY'S COVER PHOTO
Berlin, Germany
Greenpeace activists protest in front of the foreign ministry where the Petersberg Climate Dialogue conference is being held
Photograph: Ralf Hirschberger/AFP/Getty Images
That's all from me for now. Thank you for reading.
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