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Trump tariff formula misrepresents global trade economics, experts say

(WASHINGTON) -- When President Donald Trump announced his controversial tariffs on virtually every trading partner in the world, he repeatedly called them "reciprocal" -- a response, he said, to those nations that had hit the U.S. with tariffs and hurt the American economy.

But Trump's claim is misleading not only because some of the nations hit with tariffs haven't levied any against the U.S., but also because the math apparently used by the administration to come up the tariffs doesn't hold up, according to several economic experts.

The White House's list of tariffs issued against each location includes different tariff rates. In announcing the tariffs at the Rose Garden on Wednesday, Trump claimed the numbers were calculated based on "the combined rate of all their tariffs, non-monetary barriers and other forms of cheating." Trump added that he was being "kind," and divided that number in half and called it a "discount."

The calculations for almost all of the tariffs was determined by dividing trade deficit of each nation with the value of its imports, according to economic experts' analysis. That number was then divided in half for Trump's "discount" for the final tariff percentage, experts said.

"Before yesterday, 99% of trade economists had never seen a formula like this before," Oren Ziv, an assistant professor of economics at Michigan State University, told ABC News Friday.

Several economic experts and journalists blasted the formula soon after the speech, including James Surowiecki, a financial news journalist and author, who explained it in a post on X.

"So we have a $17.9 billion trade deficit with Indonesia. Its exports to us are $28 billion. $17.9/$28 = 64%, which Trump claims is the tariff rate Indonesia charges us. What extraordinary nonsense this is," he said in his post.

The White House later put out an explanation of its calculations that said it was using the trade deficit and import figures.

"This calculation assumes that persistent trade deficits are due to a combination of tariff and non-tariff factors that prevent trade from balancing. Tariffs work through direct reductions of imports," the White House said in a statement.

National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett told Fox News on Thursday about the administration's thinking behind their policy.

"So what happened was that the U.S. Trade Representative looked at where the trade deficits were and adjusted the tariffs in order to respond to the national emergency that I think we all agree about," he said.

Ziv said this logic does not fit with any modern definition of trade deficits.

"When economists study trade deficiency, they don't find any evidence for this rationale," he said.

Ziv noted that trade deficits are more related to the markets rather than exports and imports and manufacturing.

Ziv said the formula is not very likely to yield the results that the administration is seeking.

"Since World War II, most industrial countries have followed a consistent set of rules of trade policies. Essentially, they learned that trade wars don't help anyone," he said.

Judge orders government to return Maryland man deported in ‘error’ to El Salvador

(WASHINGTON) -- A federal judge in Maryland has granted a preliminary injunction and ordered the government to facilitate the return of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man who was deported to El Salvador in error, by Monday.

"I am going to grant the motion for preliminary injunction I've reviewed, and I'll read this word for word, so that there is no dispute that the oral order is the written order," said U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis at Firday's hearing, making a reference to the Alien Enemies Act court case in which the government failed to carry out another judge's oral order.

"The two defendants are hereby ordered to facilitate the return of plaintiff Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia to the United States by no later than 11:59 p.m. on Monday, April 7, 2025," Judge Xinis said.

Abrego Garcia was sent to El Salvador as part of what the Trump administration described as a $6 million deal with Salvadoran authorities in which they would house deported migrants in exchange for payment. At Friday's hearing, however, the Justice Department attorney denied there was such a contract.

"The way I see the record, though, is that there is an agreement between your clients and El Salvador where your clients are [paying] upward of $6 million to house individuals," Judge Xinis said. "There's nothing to suggest that they're still not in the custody of DHS and immigration."

Erez Reuveni, Acting Deputy Director for the Office of Immigration Litigation for DOJ, replied, "There's nothing in the record that there is a contract."

When Judge Xinis pushed back and said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem have spoken about an agreement between the two countries, Reuveni said he could not speak for them.

"I can't speak to where they got their information from," Reuvani said. "But neither of them said there is a contact."

"They may not have used the word contract, but agreement sounds a lot like contract where we paid $6 million," Judge Xinis replied. "I think I can draw a logicial inference."

Abrego Garcia, despite having protected legal status, was sent to the notorious CECOT mega-prison in El Salvador following what the government said was an "administrative error."

"The facts are conceded," Reuvani said during Friday's hearing. "Mr. Abrego Garcia should not have been removed."

Although the government has acknowledged the error, it said in an earlier court filing that because Abrego Garcia was no longer in U.S. custody, the court cannot order him to be returned to the U.S., nor can the court order El Salvador to return him.

Last month, Abrego Garcia, who has a U.S. citizen wife and 5-year-old child, was stopped by ICE officers who "informed him that his immigration status had changed," according to his attorneys. He was detained and then transferred to a detention center in Texas, after which he was sent to El Salvador's CECOT prison, along with more than 200 alleged Venezuelan gang members, on March 15.

Abrego Garcia entered the United States in 2011 when he was 16 to escape gang violence in El Salvador, according to his lawyers. His attorneys say that in 2019, a confidential informant "had advised that Abrego Garcia was an active member" of the gang MS-13. Abrego Garcia later filed an I-589 application for asylum, and although he was found removable, an immigration judge "granted him withholding of removal to El Salvador," the attorneys said.

Abrego Garcia's lawyers say that he "is not a member of or has no affiliation with Tren de Aragua, MS-13, or any other criminal or street gang" and said that the U.S. government "has never produced an iota of evidence to support this unfounded accusation."

On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt -- while acknowledging the government's error in sending him to El Salvador -- called Abrego Garcia a leader of MS-13.

"The administration maintains the position that this individual who was deported to El Salvador and will not be returning to our country was a member of the brutal and vicious MS-13 gang," Leavitt said.

Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, the attorney representing Abrego Garcia, acknowledged at Friday's hearing that his client could have been removed to another county -- just not El Salvador.

"He certainly was removable to many countries on Earth -- El Salvador is simply not one of them," Sandoval-Moshenberg said.

"There was no removal order as to El Salvador," he added. "This was essentially the equivalent of a forcible expulsion."

When asked by Judge Xinis under what authority law enforcement officers seized Abrego Garcia, Reuveni said he was frustrated that he did not have those answers.

"Your honor, my answer to a lot of these questions is going to be frustrating and I'm also frustrated that I have no answers for you on a lot of these questions," Reuvani said.

Following the hearing, Abrego Garcia's wife said she will continue to fight for her husband.

"I want to say thank you to everyone that has helped us, that has supported us in fighting this, and we will continue fighting for Kilmar, for my husband," said Jennifer Varquez Sura.

16 state attorneys general sue Trump administration over NIH grant terminations

Scott J. Ferrell/Congressional Quarterly/Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) -- Sixteen state attorneys general filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Friday over its cancellation of research grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, argues the cancellation of the grants is "unlawful" and the attorneys general "seek relief for the unreasonable and intentional delays currently plaguing the grant-application process."

The defendants named in the suit include the NIH, almost all of the NIH's 27 institutes and centers, NIH director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, the Department of Health and Human Services and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The NIH told ABC News it does not comment on pending litigation. The HHS did not immediately reply to ABC News' request for comment.

"Once again, the Trump administration is putting politics before public health and risking lives and livelihoods in the process," New York Attorney General Letitia James, one of plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said in a statement. "Millions of Americans depend on our nation's research institutions for treatments and cures to the diseases that devastate families every day."

"The decision to cut these funds is an attack on science, public health, and medical innovation -- and I won't stand for it. We are suing to restore these critical funds because the people of New York, and the entire nation, deserve better," the statement continued.

Over the past several weeks, active research grants related to studies involving LGBTQ+ issues, gender identity and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) have been canceled at the NIH because they allegedly do not serve the "priorities" of President Donald Trump's administration.

As of late March, more than 900 grants worth millions of dollars have been terminated, an NIH official with knowledge of the matter, who asked not to be named, told ABC News.

In previous termination letters, viewed by ABC News, they state that, "Research programs based on gender identity are often unscientific, have little identifiable return on investment, and do nothing to enhance the health of many Americans. Many such studies ignore, rather than seriously examine, biological realities. It is the policy of NIH not to prioritize these research programs."

"The premise…is incompatible with agency priorities, and no modification of the project could align the project with agency priorities," the letters continue.

The plaintiffs argue that the terminations, "if left unchecked," could cause "direct, immediate, significant, and irreparable harm to the plaintiffs and their public research institutions. "

The attorneys general are seeking a preliminary and permanent injunction asking the defendants to review delayed applications and barring them from carrying out terminations of grants.

Earlier this week, researchers who had millions of dollars' worth of grants terminated by the NIH sued the agency, the HHS, Bhattacharya and Kennedy in the hopes of stopping any further research cancellations.

Adversaries attempting to recruit laid-off government workers as spies: Intelligence

(WASHINGTON) -- Foreign adversaries including Russia and China are targeting government workers who have been laid off amid the Trump administration's attempt to downsize to recruit as spies, according to new intelligence.

"New intelligence indicates agents from China, Russia, and other countries have set their sights on recently fired probationary workers, or those with security clearances, hoping to obtain valuable information about U.S. critical infrastructure or national security interests," according to intelligence distributed by the U.S. Coast Guard to its workforce.

"These foreign intelligence officers actively search LinkedIn, TikTok, Reddit, and Chinese social media site Xiaohongshu -- known as RedNote -- for potential sources," it added. "In at least one instance, a foreign agent was instructed to create a company profile on LinkedIn, post a job listing, and actively track federal employees who indicated they were 'open for work.'"

The Coast Guard did not develop the intelligence but rather distributed it as a warning to Coast Guard officials around the world.

"Posting about your frustration, status as a recently fired employee, or any other OPSEC sensitive information could make you a target," the notice said. "Our adversaries have successfully preyed on upset and disgruntled government workers during past furloughs."

Military members can be attractive targets, according to the intelligence, because of the information they may have access to.

The notice comes as two active-duty soldiers were recently charged with conspiring to sell classified material to China.

The Coast Guard said a telltale sign of foreign agents attempting to recruit former government officials is something that is too good to be true, noting that it probably is.

"Your contact might overly praise or focus on your skills/experience, especially if your government affiliation is known," it said in the notice, adding that a sense for urgency might be an indicator as well.

Here’s how Texas Catholic schools could get a big boost under Greg Abbott’s $1B voucher plan

HOUSTON – The Houston Chronicle reports that the Holy Spirit had blessed St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church, businessman Clarence Kahlig declared last fall at the groundbreaking of the church’s new $24 million school in Boerne, north of San Antonio. The blessing was all the donations that had poured in from the congregation, including a plot of land and $5 million from Kahlig, a parishioner who runs a local auto sales empire. He vowed the school would pass it on, in keeping with the Catholic tradition to serve the poor by educating even those who struggle to afford its tuition bill. “If they want a Christ-centered education, we’re going to give it to them,” Kahlig said. Soon, Catholic schools around the state could receive a much larger blessing from the Legislature: a $1 billion school voucher program, possibly growing by billions more in the years to come. Of all the private schools that could soon enroll students paying tuition with taxpayer dollars, Catholic schools are among those that stand to gain the most.

The 250 some Catholic schools in Texas enroll 64,000 students — more than 20% of all private school enrollment in the state. Catholic schools typically charge less than other private, religious schools, with an average $8,000 tuition on elementary schools and $12,000 for high schools. That’s in line with the approximately $10,000 savings accounts that lawmakers are considering creating for students across the state. Under a voucher program, schools run by the church would be poised to quickly begin receiving hundreds of millions from the state — money that could be a lifeline for some, as several Catholic schools have shuttered in recent years under financial strain. “From a Catholic school standpoint, this is one of those things where they’re either going to have something like this, that will give low-income parents access and pay tuition, or those schools will close,” said Leo Linbeck III, a Houston businessman and Catholic school booster. “That’s the harsh reality.”

Students protest Education Department closure in ‘Hands Off Our Schools’ rally

(WASHINGTON) -- Hundreds of college and high school students representing student governments from some of the largest schools in the Washington, D.C., area will rally outside the Department of Education on Friday to oppose the administration's gutting of the agency.

The "Hands Off Our Schools" rally is expected to turn out over 500 students, according to a spokesperson, who added that the rally has been working to increase its permit size to accommodate north of 1,000 participants.

The demonstration is organized by the student governments representing over 130,000 students at several colleges in the region, including Georgetown University, American University and Howard University, as well as along the Interstate 95 corridor up to Temple University, according to the organizers.

The coalition is a "historic alliance" standing against the "assault on education," including campus free speech and student financial aid programs, according to a release by organizers.

It has a list of four demands for congressional leaders: preserve and strengthen the department; ensure all students are protected; oppose anti-diversity, equity and inclusion actions that restrict classroom autonomy; and reject the targeting of individual students and academics for expressing their political views.

"The recent executive orders undermine the bedrock of our nation and limit opportunities for children of all backgrounds to learn and achieve their full potential," the organizers wrote in a statement. "By making educational spaces more restrictive and unwelcoming, these policies are set to leave lasting, harmful impacts on our generation and those who follow."

President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to abolish the department and return education control to the states. The department has already let go of nearly half its workforce to start downsizing the agency.

Critics say college students will especially be affected if the president follows through with rehoming the Federal Student Aid Office's responsibilities, such as the $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio, and terminating the federal workers who administer funds for higher education.

The rally is expected to run from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and have about a dozen speakers. Organizers are also expecting Washington, D.C., high school state board of education representatives and former progressive Rep. Jamaal Bowman, a former principal, among the list of speakers. Organizers said they have reached out to additional lawmakers and are working to confirm the final list of speakers.

The event follows about a month's worth of Friday demonstrations taking place at the department, including an "ED Matters" rally, "study-ins" and "clap-outs" for terminated federal workers.

More recently, lawmakers on Capitol Hill have been condemning the changes at the department. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., launched a "Save Our Schools" campaign this week against the administration's attempt to dismantle the department. Her campaign will include investigations, oversight, community engagement and lawsuits, according to the senator.

"The federal government has invested in our public schools," Warren said in an exclusive interview with ABC News. "Taking that away from our kids so that a handful of billionaires can be even richer is just plain ugly, and I will fight it with everything I've got."

Meanwhile, McMahon shocked about a dozen House Democrats on Wednesday when she crashed their press conference outside the department after she met with them in a closed-door meeting at the agency.

Beloved Catholic priest fatally shot at church in Kansas

(SENECA, Kan.) -- A man has been arrested in the murder of a Catholic priest, who was shot Thursday outside the residence at his church in the small town of Seneca, Kansas.

Gary Hermesch, 66, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was charged with first-degree murder on Friday. He is being held on $1 million bond, according to Nemaha County Attorney Brad Lippert.

A 911 call was made at around 3 p.m. on Thursday to report shots fired at the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

Deputies arrived on the scene to find Father Arul Carasala, 57, outside the church residence, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, according to the KBI.

Carasala twas transported to the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital, but died due to his injuries, according to the KBI.

Kansas Highway Patrol troopers responded and helped secure the scene. Shortly after, deputies from the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office and officers from the Seneca Police Department took Hermesch into custody, the KBI said.

He was booked into the Nemaha County Jail but has not yet been formally charged, authorities said.

Kansas City Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann said he was "heartbroken" by the news of Carasala's death.

"This senseless act of violence has left us grieving the loss of a beloved priest, leader, and friend. Fr. Carasala was a devoted and zealous pastor who faithfully served our Archdiocese for over twenty years, including as dean of the Nemaha-Marshall region," Naumann said in a statement on Facebook.

"We are in shock and disbelief. Please allow our parish community to process. We will release official information as it becomes available," Saints Peter and Paul Parish said in a statement on Facebook.

Carasala was ordained in March 1994 in his home Diocese of Cuddapah, India, according to the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas.

"He ministered at Sts. Peter and Paul for nearly 14 years and also served as dean of the Nemaha-Marshall deanery. His deep faith, pastoral care, and generous spirit touched the lives of so many," the archdiocese said in a statement on Facebook.

Hermesch is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Friday afternoon.

Weekend Watchlist: What’s new in theaters, on streaming

Ready, set, binge! Here's a look at some of the new movies and TV shows coming to theaters and streaming services this weekend:

Prime Video
The Bondsman: Kevin Bacon hunts demons in the horror-action limited series.

Netflix
Love on the Spectrum U.S.: Watch people search for true love connections in season 3.

Devil May Cry: The animated series is based on the popular video game franchise.

Pulse: A young ER doctor is promoted to chief resident in the new series.

Hulu
Dying for Sex: Michelle Williams stars in the true story about a woman who explores her own desires after she's diagnosed with cancer.

Movie theaters
A Minecraft Movie: Jack Black stars in the live-action adaptation of the bestselling video game of all time.

That’s all for this week’s Weekend Watchlist – happy streaming!

Fed Chair Powell says he expects Trump’s tariffs will hike inflation and slow growth

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) -- Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Friday he expects President Donald Trump's tariff policy will hike prices and slow economic growth, while noting that key indicators "still show a solid economy."

Policy changes implemented by the White House have contributed to a "highly uncertain outlook," Powell said, making the remarks as stocks plummeted amid an escalating global trade war.

Despite the murky outlook, Powell said Trump's tariffs would likely increase consumer prices.

"While tariffs are highly likely to generate at least a temporary rise in inflation, it's also possible the effects will be more persistent," Powell told the audience at the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing conference in Washington, D.C.

Minutes before Powell was set to speak, Trump sharply criticized the Fed chair, calling on him to reduce interest rates.

"This would be a PERFECT time for Fed Chairman Jerome Powell to cut Interest Rates," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Trump also claimed without evidence that political considerations have played a role in Powell's decision-making on interest-rate policy.

On Friday, Powell declined to directly respond to Trump. Still, Powell strongly rebuked concern about his political independence.

"I don't respond to political remarks," Powell said, adding that it would be inappropriate for the central bank to comment on U.S. trade policy.

"We try to stay as far as we can from the political process," Powell said. "That's what people expect from us."

The remarks from Powell came about two weeks after the Fed opted to hold interest rates steady, even as the central bank said it expected higher inflation and slower economic growth than it had forecast in December.

Despite escalating trade tensions and market turbulence since Trump took office in January, the economy remains in solid shape by several key measures.

The unemployment rate stands at a historically low level. Meanwhile, inflation sits well below a peak attained in 2022, though price increases register nearly a percentage point higher than the Fed's goal of 2%.

A new jobs report on Friday showed a surge in hiring last month, exceeding economists' expectations and defying growing concern on Wall Street of a possible recession.

The U.S. added 228,000 jobs in March, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That figure marked a major increase from 151,000 jobs added in the previous month.

Still, the backward-looking report about the labor market failed to assuage investor fears in the aftermath of sweeping tariffs issued by Trump earlier this week.

On Friday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted 1,600 points, or 4%, while the S&P 500 plunged 4.5%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq declined 4.6%.

The selloff extended losses from Thursday, which marked the worst trading day since 2020.

Addressing the conference in Washington, D.C, on Friday, Powell said it remains too early to determine how the Trump administration's policy changes will impact forthcoming interest-rate decisions.

For now, Powell said, it is "too soon to say what will be the appropriate path for monetary policy."

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Measles outbreak in Texas hits 481 cases, with 59 new infections confirmed in last 3 days

Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

(AUSTIN, Texas) -- The measles outbreak in western Texas has hit 481 cases, with 59 newly identified infections confirmed over the last three days, according to new data published Friday.

Almost all of the cases are in unvaccinated individuals or in individuals whose vaccination status is unknown, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).

Three of the cases are among people vaccinated with one dose of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine and seven cases are among those vaccinated with two doses.

At least 56 measles patients have been hospitalized so far, the DSHS said.

Children and teenagers between ages 5 and 17 make up the majority of cases, at 180, followed by children ages 4 and under, who account for 157 cases, according to the data.

Gaines County, which borders New Mexico, remains the epicenter of the outbreak, with 315 cases confirmed so far, DSHS data shows.

"We're continuing to see a rise, and so it certainly does tell us that we're not quite in a place yet where the outbreak has been contained," Dr. Sapna Singh, chief medical officer for Texas Children's Pediatrics in Houston, told ABC News in reference to the state data.

"What it does not tell us is how many undiagnosed cases we are potentially missing," she continued. "I suspect that there are greater numbers of patients out there who have infections but may not be seeking out testing and or medical care for symptoms that may not require it."

Singh said the low number of rare breakthrough cases show how effective the vaccine is, and that there are many reasons breakthrough cases might occur, including someone who has a condition that causes their immunity to wane over time.

"Even in those cases, we know that those patients are less likely to develop severe infection, they're less likely to have complications, and they're also much less likely to be the spreaders of the infection, and that is very important in terms of community protection and the protection of vulnerable people in the population," she said.

It comes as the CDC has so far confirmed 607 measles cases in at least 21 states: Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont and Washington.

This is likely an undercount due to delays in states reporting cases to the federal health agency.

About 12% of measles patients in the U.S. have been hospitalized, mostly among those aged 19 and under, according to CDC data.

Among the nationally confirmed cases by the CDC, about 97% are in people who are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown, the agency said.

Of those cases, 1% are among those who received just one dose of the MMR inoculation and 2% are among those who received the required two doses, according to the CDC.

The CDC currently recommends that people receive two doses of the MMR vaccine, the first at ages 12 to 15 months and the second between 4 and 6 years old. One dose is 93% effective, and two doses are 97% effective against measles.

"This is an unfortunate part of just declining vaccine rates, not just within the country, but internationally as well," Singh said. "Many of these other cases that you're seeing in isolated areas, not necessarily large outbreaks, are coming from international travel. … But it is certainly of concern to see the number reach this this high,"

Last year, just 285 cases were confirmed during the entirely of 2024, according to CDC data.

Singh says having more than double the cases in just the first three months of 2025, is "of significant concern" and said it's important to educate people on the importance of vaccination.

"Our greatest defense against the infection is vaccination" she said. "Texas Children's pediatrics, we are really encouraging families to come in speak with their pediatricians if they think their child needs a vaccine, if they think they are due for an additional dose or are unsure about their vaccine status. Your physician, your pediatrician, is going to be the best source for you to get your concerns and questions answered."

David Rancken’s App of the Day 04/04 /25 – Sky Guide!

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Loomer urged Trump to remove NSA director and others across multiple agencies: Sources

(WASHINGTON) -- The director of the National Security Agency, Gen. Timothy Haugh, was among the numerous officials far-right activist Laura Loomer urged President Donald Trump to remove during her official Oval Office meeting earlier this week, citing evidence of disloyalties, multiple sources tell ABC News.

In her Oval Office meeting, Loomer presented the president with printed files of research she compiled on various government officials -- not only from the NSA and National Security Council, but also from other federal agencies, including the State Department, sources said. She urged the president to take action against those she claimed were disloyal or were appointed during former President Joe Biden's administration, the sources added.

Haugh, who is the director of the NSA and also heads U.S. Cyber Command, and his civilian deputy Wendy Noble, were both removed from their positions, according to a U.S. official. Their firings came after Loomer's meeting with the president on Wednesday.

Loomer appeared to confirm her involvement in a post on X, writing, "NSA Director Tim Haugh and his deputy Wendy Noble have been disloyal to President Trump. That is why they have been fired ... Thank you President Trump for being receptive to the vetting materials provided to you and thank you for firing these Biden holdovers."

Trump on Thursday acknowledged that Loomer has made recommendations to him and that he sometimes listens, but claimed that she was not involved in the NSC firings following their meeting on Wednesday.

"So Laura Loomer is a very good patriot. She is a very strong person, and I saw her yesterday for a little while. She makes recommendations of things and people, and sometimes I listen to those recommendations, like I do with everybody. I listen to everybody, and then I make a decision," Trump said.

In a separate post Thursday night, Loomer said she reported names of "disloyal people" in the NSC to Trump. On Friday, she wrote on X that she planned to release "more names of individuals who should not be in the Trump administration due to their questionable loyalty & past attacks on President Trump."

Asked about these recent X posts from Loomer, the White House referred ABC News to Trump's previous comments about her making recommendations.

Loomer's involvement comes after weeks of both public and private pressure, sources said, as she raised concerns about the administration's vetting process and the inclusion of officials she perceives as disloyal to the president.

Loomer has frequently spread misinformation. In July, she claimed in a social media post, without citing evidence, that President Joe Biden had a medical emergency after landing at Joint Base Andrews.

She had also started unsubstantiated claims about family members of Judge Juan Merchan in Trump's New York hush money case, including that his daughter posted a fake photo of Trump in jail on social media, which the court has denied. It prompted Trump to share Loomer's posts and spread the rumors.

Loomer accompanied Trump to several campaign events last fall -- a move that prompted criticism from some Republicans at the time.

ABC News' Justin Gomez and Molly Nagle contributed to this report.

Man at large after allegedly gunning down estranged girlfriend and her daughter: LA sheriff

(LOS ANGELES) -- A man is at large after he allegedly gunned down his estranged girlfriend and her daughter in their car, authorities said.

Donte Lamont Brown, 41, of Compton, is considered armed and dangerous, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department warned.

La'von Hall and her daughter, Ma'Laysia Martin, were stopped at a traffic light in Compton around 7 p.m. on Tuesday when Brown allegedly drove up alongside their car and shot them, according to the sheriff's department.

After Hall was shot, she got out of the driver's seat and fell to the ground, authorities said. Her car kept moving until it struck a pole.

Responders found Hall lying on the ground and Martin in the passenger seat, the sheriff's department said. The mother and daughter both died at the scene, authorities said.

"Detectives have exhausted all leads" in their search for Brown and are asking for the public's help to find him, the sheriff's department said.

Anyone with information is urged to call the sheriff's department at 323-890-5500 or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 800-222-TIPS (8477).

David Rancken’s App of the Day 04/03/25 – Weather on the Way!

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Trump says it could take 2 years before tariffs result in American manufacturing boom

Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) -- As markets nosedived and foreign allies recoiled after the unveiling of sweeping tariffs to be imposed by the U.S., President Donald Trump said he was looking toward the future impact of his levies.

In the case of manufacturing growth, a key administration interest in imposing a 10% levy on all trade partners and significantly higher tariffs on certain nations such as China, Trump said it could take years.

"Let's say it's a two-year process," Trump said when asked by a reporter on Thursday how long it will take to get the industry where he wants to see it.

"You know, they start a plant, and they're big plants We're giving them approval to also, in many cases, to build the electric facility with it," he continued. "So, you have electric generation and the plant, and they're big plants. Now, the good news is a lot of money for them, and they can build them fast, but they're still very big plants. I'd always say it would take a year-and-a-half to two years."

Meanwhile, Trump brushed off concerns about the short-term pain economists expect to be passed on to American consumers.

"It's to be expected where this is a patient that was very sick," Trump said, comparing his economic policies to surgery.

"It's going to be a booming country, a very booming country," the president said.

Trump's tariff plan, announced in the White House Rose Garden on Wednesday, includes a baseline 10% tariff against all U.S. trade partners and steeper, more targeted levies against nations that place duties on U.S. imports.

Jay Timmons, the chief executive of the National Association of Manufacturers, released a statement on Wednesday night criticizing the rollout.

"Needless to say, today's announcement was complicated, and manufacturers are scrambling to determine the exact implications for their operations," Timmons said.

Timmons, who oversees the country's largest manufacturing trade association, said the administration should instead make inputs that manufacturers use to produce products in the U.S. tariff-free and try to negotiate "zero-for-zero" tariffs for American-made goods in foreign markets.

"The stakes for manufacturers could not be higher," he said. "Many manufacturers in the United States already operate with thin margins," he added, and "the high costs of new tariffs threaten investment, jobs, supply chains and, in turn, America's ability to outcompete other nations and lead as the preeminent manufacturing superpower."

Fallout continued on Friday to Trump's tariff plan. China hit back with retaliatory tariffs of their own: a 34% levy on all U.S. goods. Markets slipped further in early trading, after recording their worst day since June 2020 on Thursday.

Trump on Thursday signaled an openness to negotiation, despite White House officials throughout the day denying any chance of bargaining on the tariffs.

Then on Friday morning, Trump appeared to only double down, writing on his social media site: "MY POLICIES WILL NEVER CHANGE."