Good morning!🙋🏼♀️ I’m Nicole Fallert. Cherry blossoms are giving me spring joy. 🌸
Quick look at Monday’s news:
Trump’s biggest round of tariffs to come on ‘Liberation Day’
President Donald Trump has circled April 2 as “Liberation Day,” the of his “American first” trade policy as he seeks to boost domestic manufacturing by making it more expensive for companies to ship products into the U.S.
What it means for you: The president on the campaign trail vowed to lower prices, but some experts warn the blitz of tariffs will ultimately be passed along to Americans.
- Why tariffs? Trump says they measures will apply to nations that charge fees on U.S. exports, promising to match those countries’ duties with tariffs of the same rate.
- Who will feel the effects? Trump’s global trade war has already clobbered the stock market, raised the odds of a U.S. recession and started to push up inflation for American households with the prospect of much steeper price increases ahead.
- Forget those new car dreams. Trump said over the weekend he “couldn’t care less” if his tariffs raise the prices of foreign vehicles for Americans — and U.S. auto dealers are bracing for layoffs.
Next up in elections: Wisconsin and Florida
On Tuesday, Wisconsin voters will go to the polls to decide if Trump-backed judge Brad Schimel or liberal circuit court judge Susan Crawford will fill the vacated seventh seat on the state’s Supreme Court. Florida also has two big races on the ballot Tuesday: One special election will fill the U.S. House seat vacated by Matt Gaetz, who resigned in November when Trump nominated him to be attorney general; the winner of the other will be the replacement for Mike Waltz, who left Congress to become Trump’s national security adviser. Both races are drawing big dollars between Republicans and Democrats.
More news to know now
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Investigators seek answers after Minnesota plane crash
Federal authorities on Sunday were investigating the fiery crash of a small plane into a suburban Minneapolis home that killed all aboard and engulfed the house in flames. The SOCATA TBM7 plane crashed in Brooklyn Park around 12:20 p.m. Saturday, the Federal Aviation Administration said. The aircraft departed Des Moines International Airport and was headed to Anoka County-Blaine Airport in Minneapolis, according to the agency. Authorities said there were no survivors in the plane.
Changes are coming for your mail
You may send fewer letters than ever, but the U.S. Postal Service is still a vital point of connection and national identity across America. But now the agency faces competing priorities: deliver to 165 million addresses six times a week while not losing money. And billionaire Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency are targeting how to stop the service from losing money. Proposed changes, from closing post offices to merging the service with the Commerce Department, or even wholesale privatization like other countries have done, have drawn growing protest from postal workers. And Americans have come to rely on delivery no matter where they live.
Today’s talkers
All number ones in the men’s Final Four
For just the first time since 2008 and just the second time in NCAA Tournament history, the Final Four will be all No. 1 seeds: Florida, Duke, Houston and Auburn. The Gators booked their spot with a memorable Elite Eight comeback against No. 3 Texas Tech. Duke was dominant in shutting down No. 2 Alabama’s top-ranked offense. Houston bullied No. 2 Tennessee and Auburn pulled away from No. 2 Michigan State. It was a bittersweet second weekend for the SEC.
Photo of the day: Thank you, Taylor
Gracie Abrams received the Songwriter of the Year Award at the 2025 Billboard Women in Music awards Saturday. Abrams was the ultimate hype woman to her fellow female artists, thanking “the most wonderful and talented people, the incomparable, Miss Taylor Swift.”
Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at [email protected].