Executive Orders
President Donald Trump signed the following Executive Orders:
EO 14229 Honoring Jocelyn Nungaray
Congress
Trump speaks, Johnson ousts Green
President Trump addressed a joint session of Congress on Tuesday evening.
“Coming in at just under 100 minutes, it was the longest such speech in modern history. And it saw a Democratic member of Congress be kicked out, several other Democrats walk out at various points and a Republican Party firmly and enthusiastically backing their president,” NPR reported.
They added, “There were so many things said that were false and inaccurate, they won’t all fit in this space. NPR did an in-depth annotated fact check of more than 20 things that Trump said that can be found here.”
During the opening minutes of Trump’s speech, Representative Al Green (D-Texas) spoke out in protest and was subsequently removed from the Chamber. It was an unprecedented punishment given that numerous outbursts have been staged by House Republicans during both the Biden and Obama administrations, and none were ever ejected.
The move suggests retaliation, as Green first filed articles of impeachment against Trump in 2017, then again in 2019, though neither of his measures succeeded.
As Trump called his election victory a “mandate,” the 77-year-old 20-year veteran of the US House of Representatives stood up and shouted, “You have no mandate to cut Medicaid.”
Green continued to interrupt, pointing his cane toward the podium, while other representatives cheered and booed, which caused more disruption. The president smiled directly into the camera, his next-in-line shook his head while making “go” hand gestures, and House Speaker Mike Johnson said:
Members are directed to uphold and maintain decorum in the House and to cease any further disruptions.
Members are engaging in willful and continuing breach of decorum and the chair is prepared to direct the Sergeant-at-Arms to restore order to the Joint Session.
Mr Green, take your seat. Take your seat, sir. Take your seat.
As members continue to engage in willful and concerted disruption of proper decorum, the chair now directs the Sergeant-at-Arms to restore order.
Remove this gentleman from the chamber.
Source: US House Speaker Mike Johnson, via C-SPAN
Green was escorted past a row of predominantly white Republican house members lining the aisle, some making dismissive “move along” hand gestures, shaking their heads, and making “crazy” hand signs.
Watch the full clip on C-SPAN:
National
Trump threatens campus protests
On social media Tuesday, Trump threatened to revoke federal funding for schools that allow “illegal protests” on their campuses.
All federal funding will STOP for any College, School or University that allows illegal protests. Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came. American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on the crime, arrested. NO MASKS!
US President Donald Trump, via FIRE
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression responded with a statement that the threat “will cast an impermissible chill on student protests about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”
Protests are protected under the First Amendment of the US Constitution which guarantees the right to free speech and assembly. However, escalating tensions among protesters last fall led to mishandled allegations of discrimination and harassment at some universities, which resulted in disciplinary actions.
In order to pull actual funding of a school that was in violation of anti-discrimination laws, there are certain legal procedures that need to be followed, such as a Congressional hearing. “It is not simply a discretionary decision that the president can make,” they wrote.
“President Trump also lacks the authority to expel individual students, who are entitled to due process on public college campuses and, almost universally, on private campuses as well,” they explained.
Even with these protections, the threat alone will stifle dissent. “Schools will censor first and ask questions later,” they wrote, while issuing an appeal to Trump to be a champion of free speech, “for all views — including those his administration dislikes.”
Government
IRS plans big staff cuts
According to an Associated Press report Tuesday, the Internal Revenue Service is preparing to terminate up to half of its 90,000-person workforce, part of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency extreme cost cutting directives.
The agency already fired approximately 7,000 probationary workers in February. According to IRS data reviewed by the AP, people of color make up 56 percent of the IRS workforce, and women represent 65 percent.
World
Vance angers UK veterans
In an interview on Fox News Monday night, Vice President JD Vance sparked new outrage when he commented on Saturday’s emergency peacekeeping summit held in London by European leaders with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Vance appeared to dismiss their efforts toward deploying peacekeeping troops, suggesting they weren’t enough to secure peace, and that the only “real” guarantee for Ukraine was to sign a proposed minerals deal with the US.
If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine. That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years.
Source: US Vice President JD Vance, Fox News via X
British politicians were quick to defend the UK’s military, including Shadow Defense Secretary James Cartlidge, who said:
Britain and France came to their [US] aid, deploying thousands of personnel to Afghanistan, including my own brother and numerous parliamentary colleagues, past and present. It’s deeply disrespectful to ignore such service and sacrifice.
Source: UK Shadow Defense Secretary James Cartlidge, via X
Johnny Mercer, former Conservative Party MP and British Army veteran who served in Afghanistan, was more direct:
On Tuesday, Vance said it was “absurdly dishonest” to claim he was referring to the UK or France. “I don’t even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond,” he wrote on X.
Celebrities
Media
Economics
Sheinbaum, Trudeau respond to tariffs
Signaling the start of a trade war, Trump’s new 25 percent tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada took effect on Tuesday.
An extra 10 percent duty on electronics, such as computers and smartphones, and other goods from China was also included, adding to the 10 percent tariff Trump announced on February 4.
The policy announcement sent financial markets into a nosedive with the Dow dropping 670 points. Adding to the 650 points lost on Monday after Trump confirmed the tariff plan, the Dow was down more than 1,300 points for the week.
Mexico
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Tuesday there was “no motive, reason, or justification for this decision that will affect our peoples and nations.”
We condemn and strongly deny the White House statement issued on the night of Monday, March 3, for being offensive, defamatory and without support against the Government of Mexico.
Source: Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, via YouTube
She then outlined many recent successes Mexico has had toward border security:
We have several security results:
For example, fentanyl seizures by the US government at the border have dropped by 50 percent.
In addition, the 15 percent reduction in intentional homicide in our country is the result of the seizure of more than 6,000 firearms, 75 percent of which come from the United States.
Added to this is the seizure of more than 100 tons of drugs, the arrest of more than 13,000 people for high-impact crimes and the transfer of 29 accused of serious crimes.
The United States must take charge of the fentanyl consumption crisis and act against the criminal groups that sell and distribute it, as well as those who bring precursors into its territory.
We must not forget that 80 percent of those arrested for fentanyl trafficking at the country's entry points are American nationals, as are 81.9 percent of those prosecuted for drug trafficking.
Mexican President Claudia Sheunbaum, via YouTube
(Translated using Google Translate)
Sheinbaum confirmed that Mexico will be responding with “tariff and non-tariff measures” to be announced on Sunday. She said it was “inconceivable that no thought was being given to the damage it will cause” to US citizens and companies because of price increases on Mexican goods, stating that “nobody wins with this decision.”
[Translation: I invite you on Sunday, March 9 at 12 noon to the Zócalo in Mexico City for an assembly in which we will present our actions against the unilateral decision of the United States government to raise tariffs on Mexican exports by 25 percent. Our strength is the people; together we always get ahead.]
Canada
In a statement released Monday night, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, “Let me be unequivocally clear – there is no justification for these actions.”
He detailed actions the country has taken to reduce fentanyl transport, and said, “fentanyl seizures from Canada have dropped 97 percent between December 2024 and January 2025 to a near-zero low of 0.03 pounds seized by US Customs and Border Protection.”
Then on Tuesday, Trudeau held a press conference to outline Canada’s response to the new tariffs.
Today the United States launched a trade war against Canada, their closest partner and ally, their closest friend. At the same time, they are talking about working positively with Russia, appeasing Vladimir Putin, a lying, murderous dictator. Make that make sense.
Source: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, CBC News
Trudeau said Canada “will be implementing 25 percent tariffs against $155 billion dollars worth of American goods,” and that Canada will be “challenging these illegal actions” by filing disputes at the World Trade Organization and the USMCA, and through other measures within the country to demonstrate that “there are no winners in a trade war.”
Trudeau then spoke directly to the American people:
We don’t want this. We want to work with you as a friend and ally. We don’t want to see you hurt, either. Your government has chosen to do this to you. As of this morning, markets are down. Inflation is set to rise dramatically all across your country.
Your government has chosen to put American jobs at risk at the thousands of workplaces that succeed because of materials from Canada or because of consumers in Canada, or both. They’ve chosen to raise costs for American consumers on everyday essential items like groceries and gas, on major purchases like cars and homes, and everything in between.
They’ve chosen to harm American national security. Impeding access to the abundant critical minerals, energy, building materials, and fertilizers that we have and the United States needs to grow and prosper.
They’ve chosen to launch a trade war that will, first and foremost, harm American families.
Source: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, CBC News
Trudeau addressed Trump’s allegations that Canada is unwilling to help in the fight against illegal fentanyl, saying, “Well, that is totally false.”
He specified many controls that Canada has implemented, including using AI tools, stronger information sharing with American agencies, deploying more drones and agents to the border, designating drug cartels as terrorists, and a $200-million investment for law enforcement agencies to coordinate intelligence.
Trudeau then addressed Trump directly:
Now, it’s not in my habit to agree with the Wall Street Journal. But Donald, they point out that even though you’re a very smart guy, this is a very dumb thing to do. We two friends fighting is exactly what our opponents around the world want to see.
Source: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, CBC News
He ended with a commitment of support for Canadian citizens and businesses:
We will relentlessly fight to protect our economy. We will stand up for Canadians every single second of every single day. Because this country is worth fighting for.
Source: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, CBC News
Business
Eutelsat steps up for Ukraine
Reuters reports that Eutelsat shares have surged on the prospect that its OneWeb satellites could replace Elon Musk’s Starlink operations in Ukraine. The rally follows Friday’s US-Ukraine diplomatic breakdown, which prompted the European Commission to propose an $800 billion euro investment in defense spending.
Culture
String Board Notes
Further Reading
119th Congress brings new growth in racial, ethnic diversity to Capitol Hill; Pew Research Center; January 21, 2025.
Elvira Fans Say She’s ‘Even Cooler’ After Sending Pointed Message to Elon Musk ; Parade; March 4, 2025
10 Minute Actions
- UNITED24, the official fundraising platform of Ukraine, is holding an online raffle for Ukraine war efforts. Those who make a donation of $24 or more have a chance at winning one of 100 T-shirts with Zelenskyy’s now famous retort, “I’ll wear the costume when this war is over.” Given the outpouring of global support in the comments, we think they need more shirts. Slava Ukraini!