Coverage on this live blog has ended.
What to know today
- China raised its total retaliatory tariff on U.S. imports to 125% today after the Trump administration clarified the previous day that U.S. duties on Beijing are now 145% because of earlier fentanyl-related levies.
- Congressional Democrats are questioning the timing of Trump's social media post this week encouraging people to buy stocks shortly before he announced a reduction in most tariffs. A group of Democratic senators asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate whether any financial impropriety occurred.
- Trump, 78, had his physical exam at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center this afternoon. He indicated this evening that the White House will release details about the examination on Sunday.
Trump issues memo authorizing military to use federal lands for border security
Trump issued a memo today aimed at authorizing the Defense Department to use federal lands to bolster border security.
The memo expands on an executive order Trump signed on his first day in office that directed the nation's armed forces to prioritize border security and for the defense secretary to assign USNORTHCOM the task of sealing the borders.
The memo directs the secretaries of defense, interior, agriculture and homeland security to take the necessary steps enabling the Pentagon "the use and jurisdiction" over federal lands for military activities, including building border barriers and installing detection and monitoring equipment.
It also directs that the Defense Department's jurisdiction over federal land to include the Roosevelt Reservation, but it leaves out Federal Indian Reservations. The document orders that the transferred land be designated as "National Defense Areas" as part of a military installation.
Diala Shamas, one of the attorneys representing Mahmoud Khalil, talks with NBC News’ Ellison Barber about the judge’s ruling that Khalil can be deported, the steps his legal team can take to appeal, and why they believe he is not getting a fair hearing.
Trump says he would return Kilmar Abrego Garcia to U.S. if the Supreme Court told him to
Trump said while speaking to reporters on Air Force One tonight that he would return Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the U.S. if the Supreme Court told him to, adding that he has “great respect for the Supreme Court.”
The Supreme Court yesterday said that the Trump administration must “facilitate” the retrieval of Abrego Garcia, whom the administration admitted it mistakenly deported to a prison in El Salvador.
The court told the administration to “share what it can concerning the steps it has taken and the prospect of further steps,” but does not have to immediately try to return Abrego Garcia as a deadline previously imposed by a federal judge had already passed.
Trump said tonight that he would not commit to following a lower court’s orders, however.
"I'm not talking about the lower court, I have great respect for the Supreme Court," the president said. "If they said to bring them back, I would tell them to bring him back."
Abrego Garcia was sent to a notorious megajail in El Salvador last month with men whom the administration claims are Venezuelan gang members. Abrego Garcia, originally from El Salvador, was in the U.S. legally and left his country to flee gang violence, his attorneys have said.
Pennsylvania man charged after allegedly threatening to kill Trump, Musk and other administration officials
A Pennsylvania man was charged with making threats to assault and murder Trump and other administration officials, including tech billionaire Elon Musk, according to court documents filed this week.
An FBI agent said in a criminal complaint that Shawn Monper, 32, of Butler — the town where a gunman attempted to assassinate Trump in July — made a series of threatening statements against Trump in recent months on YouTube, using the account name "Mr Satan" and saying that he was going to "assassinate him myself," and "we just need to start killing people, Trump, Elon, all the heads of agencies Trump appointed, and anyone who stands in the way."
Monper also wrote that he would "open fire" if he came across an armed ICE agent, according to the complaint, which added that Monper had obtained a firearms permit through the Pennsylvania State Police shortly after Trump’s inauguration and wrote in a Feb. 26 post on YouTube that he had “bought several guns and been stocking up on ammo since Trump got in office."
Monper faces four counts of influencing, impeding or retaliating against a federal official and a federal law enforcement officer.
A public defender listed for Monper did not immediately respond to a request for comment tonight.
Trump says countries that think U.S. tariffs are too high 'don't have to do business with us'
Trump said tonight that countries can either pay U.S. tariffs or "choose not to deal with us."
"They can choose not to deal with us, or they can choose to pay it, and that's where we are," Trump told reporters on Air Force One.
A reported had asked about Trump’s negotiations with other countries after his decision Wednesday to scale back most of the tariffs that had taken effect hours earlier.
"If they think it's too high, they don't have to do business with us," Trump said tonight, adding that he didn't anticipate any U.S. trading partners would arrive at such a decision.
Due to the escalating trade war and tariffs between the U.S. and China, much of the trade between the world's two largest economies has become financially unfeasible.
Trump says more law firms have agreed to provide pro bono services
Five prominent law firms became the latest in the legal industry to strike deals with the Trump administration by agreeing to provide millions of dollars in pro bono and other legal services after the White House questioned their employment practices.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said that the law firms Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Allen Overy Shearman Sterling US LLP, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, and Latham & Watkins LLP, had each agreed to provide $125 million in services during his administration "and beyond."
In an earlier post, he said the firm Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, LLP has pledged to provide at least $100 million in pro bono legal services.
The law firms also agreed that they "will not engage in illegal DEI discrimination and preferences," Trump wrote.
He also shared statements attributed to executives at the law firms confirming the deals.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s acting chair Andrea Lucas issued letters to 20 law firms last month seeking details about their employment practices tied to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Some of the firms issued letters were also named in executive orders last month, including WilmerHale, a law firm that employed Robert Mueller, who led the Russia investigation after the 2016 election. WilmerHale this week sued to permanently block the Trump administration from enforcing the order.
Trump indicates his medical exam results will be released Sunday
Trump said aboard Air Force One tonight that he thinks the results of today's annual physical exam at Walter Reed will be released on Sunday.
The president said he faced a barrage of tests, “every test you can imagine,” including a cognitive examination.
Asked by a reporter whether he had been given any advice for habits he needed to change, Trump said: "A little bit," but said that overall he was "in very good shape."
Trump has declined to disclose detailed medical reports in the past. During the 2024 campaign he vowed to release health records before the election but did not do so. He later told NBC News, in December, that he had “no problem” with releasing his full medical reports.
Republican lawmaker claims in lawsuit that Capitol Police targeted him after he criticized their actions on Jan. 6
Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, filed a lawsuit requesting $2.5 million in damages over allegations that the U.S. Capitol Police retaliated against him due to his criticism of their leadership following the Jan. 6 riot.
Nehls claimed in the suit filed yesterday that an officer unduly entered his office in November 2021 and took photos of a whiteboard with notes about legislation. The officer wrote in a report at the time that the whiteboard contained “suspicious writings mentioning body armor” along with outlines of congressional office buildings, according to court documents.
Nehls called the incident a “violation of his privacy and constitutional rights,” a violation of the speech and debate clause provided to members of Congress, and said it was retaliation due to Nehls’ criticism of USCP leadership following Jan. 6. The suit particularly pointed to Nehls’ previous criticism of the officer who shot Jan. 6 rioter Ashli Babbitt, and provided a link to a Facebook video featuring an interview between Nehls and commentator Tucker Carlson.
Nehls claims he has suffered “mental and emotional distress, anxiety, and humiliation” as a result of the incident.
A spokesperson for U.S. Capitol Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment tonight, but a 2022 inspector general’s report into the incident found no wrongdoing with the officer’s actions.
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. district court in the Southern District of Texas.
A spokesperson for Nehls did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit tonight or clarify why Nehls sued the government in Texas as opposed to Washington, D.C., where Nehls’ office is located.
Trump administration directs State Department staff to report 'anti-Christian' bias within the department
The Trump administration has directed staff at the State Department to report any instances of “anti-religious” bias, according to a copy of an internal notice obtained by NBC News.
The announcement was titled “Implementing the President’s E.O. on Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias in the Department of State,” and provides an anonymous form dedicated for employees and contractors to report instances of “anti-religious bias during the last presidential administration” by April 18.
People who complete the form can also submit recommendations to the Secretary of State to “remedy any anti-religious bias at the Department.”
A task force, established by Trump’s executive order, will meet on or around April 22 to discuss the initial findings, and an interagency report is due on June 6.
The notice also states, “Although the E.O. focuses on anti-Christian bias, targeting anyone for their religious beliefs is discriminatory,” and is contrary to the Constitution and other federal laws.
A State Department spokesperson said, in part, that Secretary of State Marco Rubio "supports the President’s goal of eradicating anti-religious bias and welcomes input from the workforce."
A wild week of tariff swings leaves consumers and Wall Street on edge
Tariffs were on, then they were off. At least temporarily, and only some of them — but not for China, which got hit with steeper duties and promptly hit back. Wall Street reeled, then rebounded to its strongest weekly gain in well over a year.
The past week has seen a head-spinning series of U.S. trade policy changes that economists, investors and ordinary consumers increasingly worry will drive up inflation or even trigger a recession.