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Today’s edition of quick hits.
* Chinese tariffs: “China raised its total retaliatory tariff on U.S. imports to 125% today after the Trump administration clarified yesterday that U.S. duties on Beijing are actually 145% because of earlier fentanyl-related levies.”
* A closely watched case: “A federal judge in Maryland on Friday ordered the Department of Justice to give her daily updates on steps it is taking to secure the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from an El Salvador prison, where he has been held since being deported last month.”
* Another closely watched case: “An immigration judge has ruled that the Trump administration can proceed with its effort to deport Mahmoud Khalil, a legal permanent resident of the U.S., in a case that Khalil’s attorneys and civil rights experts say has enormous implications for free speech in the U.S.”
* I’ll be curious whether this trend continues: “Tesla’s sales in the United States fell almost 9 percent in the first three months of the year even as the overall market for electric vehicles grew, according to data compiled by a research firm.”
* The future of the ATF is not bright: “The Trump administration told the second-ranking official at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives this week to retire or be fired, according to multiple people familiar with the personnel decision. ... [Deputy Director Marvin] Richardson was forced out the same week that the Trump administration said it replaced ATF’s acting director, Kash Patel, with a new acting director: Army Secretary Dan Driscoll.”
* Burgum was supposed to be one of the less controversial Cabinet nominees: “Popular outdoor equipment retailer REI has issued a public apology for its previous endorsement of Doug Burgum, the man Donald Trump tapped to lead the Interior Department.”
* Bon voyage: “All of the full-time employees in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vessel Sanitation Program are now off the job, multiple officials tell CBS News, gutting the agency’s ability to investigate outbreaks and conduct health inspections on cruise ships.”
Have a safe weekend.