A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPM’s Morning Memo. Sign up for the email version.
Make America Gilded Again
President Trump’s determination to impersonate William McKinley and return America to the turn of the last century conveniently writes women and people of color out of public life and celebrates the extreme inequality of the robber baron era. But it also perversely papers over the dawn of an American imperialism that – as deeply flawed as it was – led ultimately to the creation of a global economic and security order that has been highly favorable to the United States.
The disastrous tariffs that Trump proudly unveiled in the Rose Garden take a sledgehammer to the tentpoles of a U.S.-centered trade and financial system that accrued often invisible benefits to American consumers, businesses, diplomats, and war fighters.
Make America Great Again somehow means in Trump’s mind returning to a time before America stood astride the world stage. His lack of awareness mirrors the country’s chronic obliviousness to how good we have had it in the post-WWII era. A key element of privilege is not recognizing it.
The damage will be so vast and foreseeable that it’s hard not to veer into wondering about Trump’s motives in unleashing this much destruction on his own country. But as with the simultaneous destruction of American science and medicine, research and development, and civic and governmental capacity, taking away things in order to extort more power, privilege, and baubles remains the best explanation for Trump’s rampage. There is no public good, only what is good for Trump.
Thread Of The Day
Those trying to understand the tariffs as economic policy are dangerously naive. No, the tariffs are a tool to collapse our democracy. A means to compel loyalty from every business that will need to petition Trump for relief. 1/ A 🧵 to explain his plan and how we fight back.
— Chris Murphy (@chrismurphyct.bsky.social) April 2, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Wall Street Finally Wakes Up?
Overnight and into this morning, the financial markets reeled at the tariffs.
The headlines were blunt:
- Trump Tariffs Aim to Bring Down Curtain on Era of Globalization
- Trump’s Tariffs Aim to Create a New World Economic Order
- A third global recession in 20 years looms
The only hint of good news was mostly symbolic: A handful of Senate Republicans joined with Democrats to pass a resolution reversing Trump’s 25% tariff on Canadian imports. It has no chance of passing the House and would be vetoed by the president if it did.
Russia Didn’t Make The List
While American allies were hit with tariffs, Russia (along with some other but not all countries sanctioned by the U.S.) was left off the tariff list.
Brazen Corruption
The Trump DOJ’s corrupt dismissal of the prosecution of NYC Mayor Eric Adams is complete. Finding his own hands tied, U.S. District Judge Dale Ho of Manhattan did what he could: ordered the dismissal with prejudice so that the Trump administration couldn’t hold a potential re-indictment in the future over Adams’ head. In a scathing but not overheated opinion, Ho carefully documented the pretextual reasons for the dismissal offered by the Justice Department and directed no small amount of scorn toward the conduct of Trump DOJ officials. Ho ultimately concluded no judge has the power to order the executive branch to continue a prosecution.
Related: Adams is skipping the Democratic primary and will run for reelection as an independent.
The Trump II Clown Show
President Trump is nominating defense attorney Stanley Woodward for the No. 3 position at the Justice Department. Woodward has represented Trump co-defendants, a passel of Jan. 6 rioters, and several MAGA figures. Woodward has no prior experience in government.
Senate Dems Zero In On Ed Martin
After Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) put a hold on the nomination of Ed Martin as U.S. attorney for D.C., Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee demanded a confirmation hearing for Martin rather than allowing his nomination to go straight to the Senate floor.
Big Law Preys On Itself
Another major law firm – Milbank – capitulated and struck a deal with President Trump to avoid being unlawfully targeted by one of his executive orders.
Meanwhile, Perkins Coie – one of the firm’s already targeted – filed a beautifully written memo (if you’re into that kind of thing) in its challenge of Trump’s executive order.
None of the nation’s top 10 biggest law firms has signed on to a draft brief in support of Perkins Coie, the NYT reports.
Good Info
If you’ve wondered why the same three D.C. Circuit judges heard so many Trump-related appeals in March, here’s the explanation. It’s actually looking worse for April.
The Destruction: CDC Edition
In addition to purging CDC staff, DOGE has demanded a 35% cut to the agency’s spending on contracts by April 18.
D’oh
National security adviser Mike Waltz’s team set up at least 20 Signal group chats for crises across the world, Politico reports.
Naval Academy Banned Books Before Hegseth Visit
The Naval Academy removed some 400 books from its library that it concluded somehow violated President Trump’s anti-DEI executive order. The timing seems related to a visit this week to the Naval Academy by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to the WaPo: “The examination of the Naval Academy’s library collection began last week, the U.S. official said, and concluded with the removal of the books Monday night and Tuesday morning, ahead of a planned Tuesday visit by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.”
Slippery Slope
TPM’s Kate Riga reports on the Supreme Court oral arguments over whether South Carolina can kick Planned Parenthood off Medicaid.
Wow
Even on the wacky Wisconsin Supreme Court, Justice Rebecca Bradley has always been way out on the fringe:
Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley on Crawford: "I think the way Judge Crawford ran her race was disgusting…I'm not looking forward to working with her. She's bought and paid for by the Democratic Party." Via Vanessa Kjeldsen
— The Bulwark (@thebulwark.bsky.social) April 2, 2025 at 11:15 AM
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