TARIFFS IN COURT: The president’s plan-B tariffs will be up for debate today at a hearing of the U.S. Court of International Trade as Democratic-led states and small businesses try to block his new global levy.
The Trump administration instituted a 10 percent duty on all countries in February after the Supreme Court struck down most of his sweeping tariffs that relied on emergency authority.
As The Hill’s Zach Schonfeld reports, Trump is now turning to Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 as a legal basis for tariffs. The law allows the president to unilaterally implement tariffs up to 15 percent for up to 150 days to address “large and serious United States balance-of-payments deficits.”
But critics argue Trump is only focusing on the trade deficit and is ignoring the intake of foreign capital and financial investment that “balance” it.
Two dozen Democratic-led states and two small businesses filed separate challenges to the tariffs; the cases will be heard together. A three-judge panel, comprising of two appointees of former President Obama and one appointee of former President George W. Bush, will hear the case.
While the ruling could be another obstacle to Trump’s tariff agenda, he is pursuing alternative methods to move forward. The White House launched investigations into alleged unfair trade practices involving more than a dozen countries and the European Union last month.
Section 301 of the 1974 act allows the president to implement tariffs in response to other countries’ “discriminatory” trade practices, though those investigations take time.
▪ The Wall Street Journal: Ford asks for tariff relief
▪ NPR: One year after Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs
FLOTUS DENIAL: First lady Melania Trump denied reports suggesting any connection she may have had to Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell in a surprise speech Thursday.
An email, drawn from the millions of documents released by Congress, showed Trump emailing Maxwell in October 2002 to compliment her about an article written about Epstein in New York Magazine. She signed the email “Love, Melania.”
The first lady said in a statement from the White House’s Grand Foyer that the email exchange was a “trivial note” and called for “lies” about her association with Epstein to end “today.”
“The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility and respect,” Trump said. “I do not object to their ignorance, but rather I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation.”
She said she and her husband ran in the same circles as Epstein in New York and Palm Beach, but said she never flew on Epstein’s plane nor visited his private island.
The first lady also called on Congress to allow for testimony from Epstein’s victims and to enter them into the official record.
Her comments come as the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee continues its investigation into Epstein and those he was in contact with. The committee has not held a public hearing with the survivors.
▪ Reuters: A rare public foray for the first lady
ARTEMIS LANDING: The crew of the Artemis II mission is set to return to Earth today, concluding a nearly 10-day journey around the moon and back.
The astronauts started their trip last week after months of delays, first circling the planet before conducting a flyby of the moon. They traveled further from the Earth than any humans ever have, more than 250,000 miles from the surface.
The mission is expected to set the stage for future trips in the Artemis program, including one that will bring astronauts back to landing on the moon as soon as 2028.
▪ NewsNation: What did the astronauts observe during the flyby?
NFL SCRUTINY: The Department of Justice (DOJ) has reportedly opened a probe into the NFL over its agreements with media companies on the right to broadcast games.
People familiar with the situation told The Wall Street Journal that the investigation is focusing on whether the NFL has engaged in anticompetitive practices that harm consumers.
The Hill’s Dominick Mastrangelo notes this comes as members of the Trump administration and Congress and fans have raised concerns about the rising costs of streaming services and cable packages needed to view the NFL’s games.
The Federal Communications Commission signaled in February that it was open to changing its rules on local blackout restrictions for live sports, seeking public feedback on viewers’ experiences.
That was widely seen as a potential precursor to rewriting the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, which grants top sports leagues including the NFL limited antitrust protection on certain “sponsored” telecasts when negotiating with media companies on presenting games.
Last season was the most expensive yet to watch NFL games, as consumers were required to pay up to $1,000 or more to watch games on more than a half-dozen streaming services to see every game.
▪ The Hill: Americans cutting back on streaming platforms
▪ Bloomberg: Top DOJ antitrust litigators leave after Ticketmaster deal
LAST CALL: Trump urged Hungarians to "get out and vote" for his ally, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, ahead of the country's parliamentary elections set for Sunday.
“He is a true friend, fighter, and WINNER, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election as Prime Minister of Hungary — VIKTOR ORBÁN WILL NEVER LET THE GREAT PEOPLE OF HUNGARY DOWN. I AM WITH HIM ALL THE WAY!” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Trump has been openly pushing for Orbán, a fellow right-wing populist who has led the central European country for more than 15 years, to win another term to extend his leadership. Having formally endorsed Orbán in February, Trump's most recent comments come after Vice President Vance traveled to Hungary this week to boost the prime minister heading into the election.
Orbán has been a dominant force in Hungarian politics for years but is facing his most difficult election yet, as independent polls have shown the major opposition party ahead of his own.
