Trump Softens Tariff Threats, Eases Fed Chair Firing Rumors

April 23, 2025, 8:20 am

President Trump shifted gears by suggesting potential tariff cuts on Chinese imports while backing off his earlier, more bombastic rhetoric about firing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. The relaxed tone helped calm jittery markets, as futures rallied and gold slipped, defusing fears of erratic policy moves.

Political & Legal Fallout: Critiques and Court Battles Unfold
Businesses on Edge: Tariffs Disrupt Supply Chains and Pricing
Tariff Policy Pivot: Negotiations, Exemptions and Trade Deals
Markets React: Fed, Stocks and Futures in Focus

Reddit: r/politics

Bluesky: @arrjayteatoo.bsky.social, @ohorrorohorror.bsky.social, @arstechnica.com

Political & Legal Fallout: Critiques and Court Battles Unfold

theverge.com / Did Tim Cook finagle a special tariff deal? Senator Warren wants to know

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) sent Apple CEO Tim Cook a letter asking for information regarding Cook and Apple’s conversations with President Donald Trump’s administration about tariffs and any special exemptions from the tariffs, Bloomberg reports. Warren’s letter, obtained by Bloomberg,...

appleinsider.com / Senator Warren asks if Apple CEO Tim Cook's Trump playbook is blatant corruption

It's no secret that Apple and other big tech companies have been making moves to earn President Trump's favor, but Senator Warren wants details on these interactions to determine if lines were crossed.Senator Warren sends Tim Cook a letterPresident Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs have been a...

zerohedge.com / A Recap Of Trump's First Three Months

A Recap Of Trump's First Three Months Authored by Greg Collard and James Rushmore via Racket News, Following Trump 2.0 is a difficult task. There has been no calm in President Trump’s first three months. He even generated controversy on Easter Sunday (then again, so did Joe Biden...

zerohedge.com / US International Trade Court Denies Companies' Bid To Block Trump's Tariffs

US International Trade Court Denies Companies' Bid To Block Trump's Tariffs Authored by Aldgra Fredly via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), The U.S. International Trade Court on April 22 denied a request by five U.S. small businesses to block President Donald Trump’s decision to...

zerohedge.com / If You Believe The Trump Pivot Story, "Clearly You Enjoy Fairy Tales"

If You Believe The Trump Pivot Story, "Clearly You Enjoy Fairy Tales" By Michael Every of Rabobank And They All Lived Happily Ever After(?) Once again, an awful lot just happened, even by 2025 standards, and while some might be away with the faeries as a result, I still things as...

Businesses on Edge: Tariffs Disrupt Supply Chains and Pricing

tomshardware.com / PC shipments up 6.7% YoY in Q1 2025, likely caused by buyers worried about tariffs

PC shipments have jumped by 6.7% year-on-year for the first quarter of 2025 as companies stock up on new models to avoid the worst of the tariffs.

reuters.com/business / Tariffs restrain US business activity, boost asking prices for products - Reuters

Tariffs restrain US business activity, boost asking prices for products Reuters

tomshardware.com / Top PC OEMs reportedly planning Saudi Arabia plants to avoid US tariffs — Lenovo, HP, Dell exploring options as panic continues

Lenovo, HP, and Dell are all in various stages of talks to establish manufacturing plants in Saudi Arabia, as fears of tariff insecurity continue to heighten.

zerohedge.com / "West Coast On Tipping Point": Los Angeles Port Set For Steep Drop In Traffic

"West Coast On Tipping Point": Los Angeles Port Set For Steep Drop In Traffic The Trump administration is likely monitoring sliding scheduled import volumes at the Port of Los Angeles—the largest container port in the Western Hemisphere—amid President Trump's overnight remarks...

tomshardware.com / Custom keyboard maker stopping US sales entirely due to tariffs — Keyboardio cites tariffs, axed de minimis rule

Keyboardio has sent an email confirming they plan to stop orders to the US starting April 23rd, 2025 due to the impact of tariffs on Chinese imports.

gizmodo.com / Anker USB-C Charger Is Still at Its Record-Low Price, Secure Yours Before Tariff Hikes Hit

Charge your phone, tablet, or laptop with this affordable charger from a brand that won't let you down.

Tariff Policy Pivot: Negotiations, Exemptions and Trade Deals

zerohedge.com / Trump To Exempt US Carmakers From Some Tariffs: Report

Trump To Exempt US Carmakers From Some Tariffs: Report Exactly two weeks after Trump delayed tariffs on most non-China countries by 90 days, and a week after the president exempt most Chinese consumer electronics exports from US duties, the FT reports that Trump is set to spare...

www.ft.com/ / Donald Trump to exempt carmakers from some US tariffs - Financial Times

Donald Trump to exempt carmakers from some US tariffs Financial Times

reuters.com/business / Bessent says China tariffs are not sustainable as US signals willingness to de-escalate - Reuters

Bessent says China tariffs are not sustainable as US signals willingness to de-escalate Reuters

arstechnica.com / Trump is “desperate” to make a deal—China isn’t, analysts say

China apparently gains upper hand, while TikTok's fate hangs in the balance.

zerohedge.com / Reuters Pours Cold Water On WSJ Tariff Report, Says Any De-Escalation Steps Would Not Be Unilateral

Reuters Pours Cold Water On WSJ Tariff Report, Says Any De-Escalation Steps Would Not Be Unilateral Update 10:15am ET: Just minutes after the WSJ report (below) sparked another boost to stocks shortly after the close, Reuters has poured cold water on risk sentiment reporting that any...

zerohedge.com / Watch Live: Bessent Discuses Tariffs, Global Financial System

Watch Live: Bessent Discuses Tariffs, Global Financial System Days after Scott Bessent dazzled JP Morgan with closed-door comments (aka not Main Street) that the tariff standoff with China is unsustainable, the US Treasury Secretary is set to deliver comments on Wednesday at the IIF...

techinasia.com / Trump suggests he may reduce tariffs on China

Trump's tariffs on Chinese imports have reached as high as 145%, causing significant trade tensions.

Markets React: Fed, Stocks and Futures in Focus

bloomberg.com/technology / Powell Attempts Balancing Act as Trump Tests Fed’s Autonomy - Bloomberg.com

Powell Attempts Balancing Act as Trump Tests Fed’s Autonomy Bloomberg.com

cnbc.com / Tesla stock pops after Trump comments on China tariffs and Powell, despite weak earnings

Tesla shares popped 5% after CEO Elon Musk suggested that he will spend more time at the company and tariff optimism lifted broader investor sentiment.

zerohedge.com / Futures Surge After Trump Tones Down Rhetoric On China, Powell

Futures Surge After Trump Tones Down Rhetoric On China, Powell US futures jumped and the dollar stabilized after president Trump said he has no intention of firing Powell, easing some fears on the Fed’s independence, while he also plans to be “very nice” to China in trade talks...

reuters.com/business / Gold slips as Trump backs off threats to fire Fed chair, lifts tariff hopes - Reuters

Gold slips as Trump backs off threats to fire Fed chair, lifts tariff hopes Reuters

techinasia.com / US stocks end higher as Trump signals tariff relief

Markets opened positively after Trump's comments on easing tariffs.

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Related Tags

Trump Softens Tariff Threats, Eases Fed Chair Firing Rumors

Political & Legal Fallout: Critiques and Court Battles Unfold

Businesses on Edge: Tariffs Disrupt Supply Chains and Pricing

Tariff Policy Pivot: Negotiations, Exemptions and Trade Deals

Markets React: Fed, Stocks and Futures in Focus

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