Democrats’ Divide, Tesla’s Contradictions, and Trump’s Actions
Welcome back to Politics Explained! This week, we’ll be covering the government spending bill and the Trump Administration’s many actions including tariffs, cuts to funding, foreign affairs, and a White House Tesla showcase. Let’s get started.
After leading Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer decided to vote with republicans on their stopgap spending bill, we move closer to avoiding a government shutdown. The Republican-written spending bill will fund the government through Sept. 30, as long as it passes a final vote later today. Although he previously stated he would not vote with the GOP, he quickly turned around, causing much backlash and worsening the divisions within the Democratic party. Sen. Schumer argued that a government shutdown would only help President Trump and Elon Musk, giving them more power.
President Trump and Elon Musk continue to make noise. This past Tuesday, the White House became a Tesla showroom as the president publicly inspected multiple models of the company’s cars. Although he cannot drive, Trump expressed his desire to buy a Tesla, calling them “beautiful” and amazed by the computer interfaces. Ironically, Tesla recently wrote a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative's* Office warning them of the negative effects of Trump’s aggressive tariff policies.
Although tariffs on Mexico and Canada have been paused for a month, the stock market continues to take a hit and experts worry about a recession. This past Wednesday, sweeping tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum took effect. This action brings with it worries of retaliatory tariffs. The president has also threatened to put a 200% tariff on champagne and wine from Europe, escalating the already-tense global trade war.
Due to the Trump administration’s funding cuts, Johns Hopkins University announced they will need to cut over 2000 of their job positions. Johns Hopkins University is one of the country’s leading research institutions. On Tuesday, cuts to the Department of Education took place during a time when American youth’s reading and math skills have reached record lows. Stay tuned to keep up with the administration’s continued spending and job cuts.
*Definition of the Week (U.S. Trade Representative): Part of the Executive Office, the USTR develops and coordinates U.S. trade policy, negotiates trade agreements, and represents the U.S. on trade issues. Tesla recently wrote a letter to the USTR, warning of the negative effects Trump's tariffs will have on them and other American companies.
