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Today’s edition of quick hits.
* I wonder what Trump would be tweeting if this happened during a Democrat’s presidency: “Major U.S. stock indexes on Thursday saw their worst one-day drawdowns since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. The S&P 500 fell 4.8%, while the Nasdaq fell 6% — both their worst since 2020. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 4%, or more than 1,600 — its worst sell-off since 2022.”
* How he defines ‘well’ is not yet clear: “President Trump on Thursday insisted that the rollout of his new reciprocal tariffs is ‘going really well’ despite markets taking a plunge and foreign leaders appearing rattled by the prospect of a global recession.”
* The inevitable pushback: “The government of Canada will be responding to automotive tariffs from the United States by matching 25% tariffs on all vehicles imported from the U.S. that are not compliant with CUSMA, our North American free trade agreement, and on the non-Canadian content of CUSMA-compliant vehicles from the United States, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced today.”
* In the White House: “A Kremlin envoy met in the White House on Wednesday with President Trump’s senior aide on Russia negotiations, Steve Witkoff, according to a U.S. official in Washington with knowledge of the talks. The Russian envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, said online on Thursday that he had been in Washington to meet with Trump administration officials. Mr. Dmitriev’s visit is the first time in years that a senior Russian official was known to have traveled to the United States for talks with American counterparts.”
* ICC news: “Hungary said on Thursday that it would pull out of the International Criminal Court, announcing its decision just hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel arrived there for a visit despite facing an international arrest warrant.”
* How will Rubio convince U.S. partners not to believe their lying eyes? “U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Trump administration’s new envoy to NATO are seeking to reassure wary members of the U.S. commitment to the alliance. Rubio on Thursday decried ‘hysteria and hyperbole’ in the media about U.S. President Donald Trump’s intentions, despite persistent signals from Washington that NATO as it has existed for 75 years may no longer be relevant.”
* There’s room for conversation about whether this honor is warranted, but it’s the sort of thing that seems likely to bother Trump: “Former Vice President Mike Pence will receive the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for his refusal to go along with President Donald Trump’s efforts to remain in office after losing the 2020 election, Kennedy’s family announced Thursday.”
* As a longtime Eugene Robinson admirer, his departure offers fresh evidence of the Post’s precarious future: “Another Washington Post staffer is ditching the paper over owner Jeff Bezos’ recent changes to its coverage. Eugene Robinson, the longtime political columnist, told staff on Thursday he is leaving WaPo after 45 years due to the ‘significant shift’ Bezos recently implemented, where the opinion section will focus on the ‘two pillars’ of personal liberties and free markets.”
See you tomorrow.