March 29, 2025: Donald Trump presidency news

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President Donald Trump said Saturday he doesn’t care if automakers hike prices because of his tariffs. In fact, he encouraged them to.

Asked by NBC News’ Kristen Welker in a phone interview about whether he pressured automakers to avoid raising prices after his 25% tariffs on imported cars and parts go into effect, Trump denied that he told CEOs to control costs.

“No, I never said that,” Trump told Welker. “I couldn’t care less if they raise prices, because people are going to start buying American cars.”

The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that Trump held a call this month with auto CEOs and threatened them with even heftier tariffs if they raise prices because of the import taxes. But Trump on Saturday said he hopes his tariffs lead to higher prices, because it will encourage automakers to build their cars and parts in the United States and persuade customers to buy American.

“I couldn’t care less,” Trump said. “I hope they raise their prices, because if they do, people are gonna buy American-made cars. We have plenty.”

Trump said the message he delivered to the CEOs was to shift production back to the United States. Foreign and domestic automakers assemble many of their cars and parts in the United States, but they also make vehicles and parts in Mexico and Canada. For decades, a free trade zone in North America has effectively treated the US, Canada and Mexico as one big country.

A Department of Government Efficiency staffer who resigned last month over racist social media posts is back at the agency and has access to sensitive government systems, according to court documents.

Marko Elez’s comeback was revealed as part of a lawsuit brought by labor unions that alleges several federal agencies gave “unlawful” access of “protected data” to DOGE workers, listing Elez as one of the employees.

The 25-year-old has been back at DOGE since at least March 5 and has been assigned to the Department of Labor and the Department of Health and Human Services, according to the filing. He has access to multiple sensitive systems at HHS, including the database that helps states enforce child support orders, the filing shows.

Elez’s return, first reported by Politico, comes after President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Elon Musk — who oversees DOGE — called for him to be brought back. Elez, who previously worked for Musk’s company SpaceX, resigned in February on the heels of a Wall Street Journal report that linked him to a social media account with posts supporting racism and eugenics.

That account posted a call to repeal the Civil Rights Act, an endorsement of a “eugenic” immigration policy and repeated anti-Indian screeds within the last year, according to archived posts.

“I obviously disagree with some of Elez’s posts, but I don’t think stupid social media activity should ruin a kid’s life,” Vance said on X at the time.

Prior to his resignation, Elez was designated as a “special government employee” by the executive branch and had access to the computer system used by the Treasury Department’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service to cut more than $5 trillion in checks for the federal government each year, according to lawyers for the Justice Department.

CNN has reached out to the White House and the Department of Health and Human Services for comment.

President Donald Trump arrives on Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Friday.

President Donald Trump said Saturday that he “won’t take anything off the table” to obtain Greenland, including military force, but that there is a “good possibility” it won’t be needed.

“We’ll get Greenland. Yeah, 100%,” Trump told NBC News’ Kristen Welker during a phone interview Saturday.

Trump acknowledged there is a “good possibility that we could do it without military force,” but emphasized, “I don’t take anything off the table.”

The president confirmed he has “absolutely” engaged in serious discussions about the potential annexation of Greenland, which is a semiautonomous territory of Denmark.

Some background: White House officials have argued that the president’s fixation with acquiring Greenland has dual benefits, both economic and for national security. Trump has ratcheted up his rhetoric in recent months, insisting his administration will acquire the territory despite Greenland and Denmark repeatedly making clear the island isn’t for sale.

Trump’s remarks came just one day after Vice President JD Vance’s controversial visit to the island, where residents voiced resistance and local leaders declared the visit unwelcome.

“We want to have good relationships with everybody,” Vance said during a visit to an American military installation high above the Arctic Circle. “But part of having good relations is showing your strength when you have to,” he added at Pituffik Space Base, a US Space Force facility on Greenland’s northwestern coast.

President Donald Trump reiterated some openness to negotiations on tariffs as he plans to unveil significant reciprocal levies on Wednesday.

Asked by NBC News’ Kristen Welker on Saturday whether there was room for negotiation on his planned tariffs, the president said, “Only if people are willing to give us something of great value. Because countries have things of great value, otherwise, there’s no room for negotiation.”

Trump has repeatedly proclaimed April 2 to be “Liberation Day,” promising massive reciprocal tariffs that match foreign countries’ import taxes dollar-for-dollar on a variety of products. The president has long believed in the use — and the threat — of tariffs as a key negotiation tool.

Trump’s Saturday comments come a day after he suggested he could ultimately cut deals on tariffs after they go into place.

Pressed on whether that would happen before the tariffs are announced, he said, “No. Probably later.”

President Donald Trump on Saturday reiterated his support for his top national security officials in the aftermath of the Signal text chain in which almost-certainly-classified information about a military operation in Yemen was shared with Atlantic reporter Jeffrey Goldberg. His message comes as some outlets have reported the president privately mulled firing Mike Waltz, his national security adviser.

Asked by NBC News’ Kristen Welker whether he has confidence in Waltz and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Trump said, “I do and I think it’s just a witch hunt and the fake news.”

Those comments run counter to reporting in The New York Times, which said Saturday that Trump has polled allies and advisers inside and outside the White House this week on Waltz, asking, “Should I fire him?”

Trump, The Times reported, has been unhappy with coverage of the situation but did not want to be seen as caving to media.

CNN has reported that the entire episode has frustrated Trump, who believes it has marred a strong start to his second term, which has otherwise had a unified and robust messaging operation.

Hundreds of “Tesla Takedown” demonstrations are taking place in the United States, Canada and Europe as activists ramp up their opposition to CEO Elon Musk’s efforts to slash federal government staffing and budgets.

A demonstration that began late this morning outside a Tesla showroom in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC, drew a crowd of more than 100 people for a “Tesla Takedown Dance Party.” Attendees carried anti-Musk signs and danced to disco music as cars drove by honking in support.

Co-organizers Sara Steffens and Melissa Knutson have helped put together similar protests since Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency started its work with the Trump administration.

James Decherd, a DC native, was also at the protest to show his support for federal workers.

At another Tesla showroom in nearby Arlington, Virginia, 56-year-old Ed Grass, who has muscular dystrophy, was among a crowd of over 150 protesters.

Grass, who held a sign as he sat in his wheelchair, said he worries about the future of health care research for people like him with life-long conditions.

The US will purchase “badly needed” icebreaker vessels from Finland, President Donald Trump said Saturday, after he spent part of the day golfing with the country’s president, Alexander Stubb.

“President Stubb and I look forward to strengthening the partnership between the United States and Finland,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “That includes the purchase and development of a large number of badly needed Icebreakers for the U.S., delivering Peace and International Security for our Countries, and the World.”

The vessels are critical to Trump’s efforts to increase the US’ presence in the Arctic, as Russia and China have expanded their footprint in the region. The announcement also comes on the heels of Vice President JD Vance’s controversial trip to Greenland and the White House’s push for US control of the semiautonomous Danish territory.

According to a Finnish readout, the meeting, which included breakfast, a round of golf and lunch, was “unofficial.”

“During the visit, the Presidents discussed among other things the relations between Finland and the United States, and current foreign and security policy issues including Ukraine,” the Office of the President of Finland said.

The headquarters of the United States Institute of Peace are seen in Washington DC, on March 18.

Employees at the United States Institute of Peace received termination letters Friday evening as the Trump administration continues to reimagine the role of the US abroad and dramatically dismantle key parts of the federal government.

A vast majority of the non-profit’s staff received termination notices Friday evening, according to a source who was terminated and requested anonymity to speak freely without jeopardizing their severance package.

“Everyone received a personal letter that outlined that they were terminated as of March 28 and that health care would end March 31,” the source said, noting employees would be paid for work done through Friday, as well as for any remaining vacation time.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order in February taking aim at the Institute of Peace, identifying it as a target for his goal of reducing federal bureaucracy.

The role of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency in gutting the institute is the subject of an ongoing legal battle.

About the institute: It was founded during the Reagan administration and “promotes research, policy analysis, education, and training on international peace and conflict resolution in an effort to prevent and resolve violent conflicts, and to promote post-conflict stability,” according to a description on usa.gov. Its official website has been taken down.

Republican Rep. Victoria Spartz faced another testy crowd at a town hall Saturday — just a day after she was grilled by angry voters at a separate event.

At the town hall in Muncie, Indiana, Saturday, attendees confronted Spartz about the Trump administration’s actions and her past vote against aid for Ukraine, as seen on a livestream of the event.

“I just wonder why that you don’t want to support your own people?” one attendee asked the Indiana congresswoman, who is the first Ukrainian-born member of Congress.

Spartz has been an advocate for US support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia, but has been critical of the Ukrainian government and voted against $61 billion in aid for the country last year.

“My number one job as an American congresswoman is to protect interests, American interests, and make sure that your money, when we give it to any foreign power is —” she started to say, before the crowd interrupted her. She continued: “Let me answer the question … that all of the money that we are spending for any causes has a proper strategy.”

Spartz was repeatedly interrupted by shouting throughout the rest of the event.

It was the second time in as many days Spartz faced angry constituents. This was the reception at a town hall the previous night in Westfield when she responded to a question about the Trump administration’s Signal chat debacle:

More context: Republican lawmakers across the country have faced a tough reception at an increasing number of town halls, where voters have voiced their displeasure with President Donald Trump’s actions during his first 100 days in office. Democrats have also faced riled-up crowds over what constituents say is a lack of sufficient resistance.

Cherry blossoms are seen during peak bloom along the Tidal Basin of the National Mall in Washington DC on Thursday.

Tourists strolled the National Mall on Saturday as the famous cherry blossoms reached peak bloom. But the trees weren’t the only thing changing, as President Donald Trump sets his sights on the Smithsonian museums and America’s culture wars.

In an executive order signed Thursday, Trump broadened his influence over American arts and cultural institutions, claiming the institution has “come under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology” in recent years.

Trump is also targeting upcoming exhibits related to transgender people coming to the American Women’s History Museum.

Through the executive order, Vice President JD Vance was put in charge of cutting government funding on “exhibits or programs that degrade shared American values, divide Americans based on race, or promote programs or ideologies inconsistent with” federal law.

Museum-goers at the National Mall Saturday expressed differing opinions on the order.

“I would disagree with the administration’s view that there’s ideological division promoted by knowing the full truth of our history,” Todd Shaw, of South Carolina, told CNN’s Brian Todd.

Another attendee, who asked to be anonymous, expressed support for the executive order, saying she doesn’t believe American tax dollars should fund an exhibit about oppression of marginalized groups.

“All lives matter, in my opinion. So that’s a way of just dividing into little pockets against each other,” she said. “And I don’t think we should pay for any of those exhibits as a taxpayer.”

Hundreds of “Tesla Takedown” demonstrations are taking place in the United States, Canada and Europe as activists ramp up their opposition to CEO Elon Musk’s efforts to slash federal government staffing and budgets.

How we got here: Working with the Trump administration, Musk has aggressively pushed policies to reduce spending, curb regulations and downsize the workforce as the head of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, all while repeatedly misleading the public about federal spending.

Today’s protests: More than 200 demonstrations are planned at US Tesla locations on Saturday as part of the “Tesla Takedown” movement, which called for a “global day of action” aiming for 500 protests worldwide. The campaign wants people to sell their Tesla vehicles and their shares of Tesla stock as a way to denounce Musk, the world’s richest man, whose wealth is overwhelmingly linked to his Tesla holdings.

The big picture: Since Musk’s controversial alignment with the Trump administration, Tesla has transformed from an innovative car brand to a symbol of injustice in the eyes of critics — and a prime target for escalating acts of vandalism and violence.

Catch up on the protests here.

President Donald Trump on Saturday shared a video on social media of Faye Hall, the freed American woman who had been detained in Afghanistan by the Taliban since February.

“Thank you for bringing me home. I’ve never been so proud to be an American citizen,” Hall said in the video posted by Trump, expressing her gratitude to the president and saying she was “so glad” he was in office.

Hall also took a moment to acknowledge the women still detained in Afghanistan.

“They’re waiting for you to come and set them free,” Hall said in her message.

“Thank you, Faye — So honored by your words!” Trump’s post read, accompanied by the video of Hall.

Hall was released Thursday “following a court order and with logistical support from Qatar,” which has been mediating on the US’ behalf, a source told CNN. She was detained in the country on charges of using a drone without authorization.

Hall’s release comes after Trump envoy Adam Boehler and former Trump official Zalmay Khalilzad traveled to Kabul to secure the release of American George Glezmann, which was also mediated by Qatar.

CNN’s Alireza Hajihosseini and Tara John contributed reporting to this post.

The White House Correspondents’ Association is reversing course and canceling its plans to have comedian Amber Ruffin headline this year’s annual fundraising dinner in Washington, DC.

Instead, the association says it will celebrate the First Amendment and the free press.

“At this consequential moment for journalism, I want to ensure the focus is not on the politics of division but entirely on awarding our colleagues for their outstanding work and providing scholarship and mentorship to the next generation of journalists,” the association’s president, Eugene Daniels, wrote in a memo Saturday.

Some context: The change is a tacit acknowledgment of the growing tensions between the association — which represents White House correspondents from dozens of news outlets — and President Donald Trump.

The association has been under severe pressure this year as the Trump White House has banned The Associated Press from some events and taken control of press pool assignments, all part of a broader effort to assert power and clamp down on independent news coverage. White House correspondents aren’t exactly in a celebratory mood.

Some members of the association were privately concerned about the fallout if a comedian who is harshly critical of Trump served as the evening’s entertainment, televised and streamed live in prime time.

Read more about the decision here.

A car hauler drives towards Detroit from Ontario, Canada, on March 4.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly proclaimed April 2 to be “Liberation Day,” promising massive reciprocal tariffs that match foreign countries’ import taxes dollar-for-dollar on a variety of products.

Trump already announced this week that a new 25% tariff on all cars shipped to the US would take effect overnight Wednesday into Thursday.

But with the mid-week deadline fast approaching, there is still plenty of uncertainty surrounding the president’s tariff plans.

Here’s where things currently stand:

Recent whiplash:

The auto tariffs:

Market unease:

President Donald Trump walks from the Oval Office to board Marine One on Friday.

Federal judges delivered a series of rulings that could challenge President Donald Trump’s agenda, with the decisions coming in quick succession yesterday evening.

If you didn’t catch the news Friday, here’s what you should know:

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday signed a memorandum aimed at shrinking the Department of Defense’s civilian workforce, according to a news release.

The memo states that the reduction in civilian positions will increase resources to areas “where we need them most,” and help “supercharge our American warfighters.”

The move reactivated the deferred resignation program and offered voluntary early retirement for all eligible employees, per the release. Employees were previously offered buyouts and early resignations as part of a program in January.

The memo didn’t specify the number of civilian positions to be cut, but the department announced in February it planned to ultimately let go 5 to 8% of the military’s approximately 950,000 civilian employees.

“Exemptions should be rare,” Hegseth said in the memo. “My intent is to maximize participation so that we can minimize the number of involuntary actions that may be required to achieve the strategic objectives.”

More on Trump’s Pentagon: The president’s major military mission at the southern border, focused on reducing immigration and drug flows, has already cost taxpayers more than $300 million, according to sources briefed on data from the Defense Department, even as the administration pursues its goal of trimming the department’s budget.

Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates Brad Schimel and Susan Crawford are seen before a televised debate on March 12, in Milwaukee.

Megadonors from both parties are directing millions to Wisconsin’s high-stakes Supreme Court race, which is set to decide ideological control of the battleground state’s high court.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk is flexing his growing political influence after his key supporting role in President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign, and the race is viewed as a potential bellwether for how voters are receiving Trump’s return to the White House.

Musk is traveling to the state: Musk says he’ll be in Wisconsin Sunday for an event naming the winners of million-dollar giveaways orchestrated by his super PAC to reward petition signees, reprising a controversial tactic he used in last year’s election. He and groups he’s funded in the past have poured millions into the race.

Musk’s commitment to the Wisconsin contest amounts to a demonstration of the financial firepower he can bring to the 2026 midterms.

Ads shape the race: Ads for the liberal candidate, Judge Susan Crawford, have sought to tie the conservative candidate, Judge Brad Schimel, to potentially unpopular policies linked to the Trump administration, including the overturning of Roe v. Wade and Musk’s role in Trump’s sweeping federal government overhaul.

Schimel and his supporters, meanwhile, have leaned into tough-on-crime messaging and sharp criticism of some of Crawford’s rulings.

Meanwhile, a legal battle: Wisconsin’s Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul is suing Elon Musk’s super PAC over the legality of his million-dollar giveaways under state election law.

In an interesting twist, Crawford was assigned the case in Dane County Circuit Court, but has recused herself given the ongoing contest.

CNN’s Arlette Saenz contributed reporting to this post.

Danish foreign minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen delivers a speech in Copenhagen, Denamrk on March 22.

The Danish foreign minister scolded the Trump administration today for its “tone” in criticizing Denmark and Greenland, saying his country is already investing more into Arctic security and remains open to more cooperation with the United States.

Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen made the remarks in a video posted to social media after US Vice President JD Vance’s Friday visit to the strategic island.

Getting up to speed? Here’s a breakdown of remarks from Vance and President Donald Trump yesterday, which amounted to their most high-profile play to date for control of the semiautonomous Danish territory.

We have a fresh slate of reads for your Saturday morning, with the latest on President Donald Trump’s first 100 days and the reverberations his administration is causing throughout the country.

Click on the links below to read more:

• The cost of Trump’s border military mission: The Trump administration’s major military mission at the southern border, focused on reducing immigration and drug flows, has already cost taxpayers more than $300 million, according to sources briefed on data from the Defense Department.

• Families face deportation after decades in US: In the face of Trump’s immigration crackdown, some longtime US residents who have visas, work permits or green cards face possible deportation. Though they’ve been building a life in the country for decades they might soon leave it all behind.

• Trump grapples with Signal chat debacle: As Trump’s advisers this week took on the unenviable task of informing him a journalist he loathes was inadvertently added to a group chat discussing secret attack plans, one key detail required further explanation: Before Monday, Trump said he had never heard of Signal.

• The hours following a PhD student’s arrest: Tufts University PhD student Rumeysa Ozturk was walking to a dinner where she’d break her 13-hour Ramadan fast when six plainclothes officers suddenly encircled her on the street near her apartment in Somerville, Massachusetts. Read this for a deeper look at the hours that followed for Ozturk, and some context on the administration’s detention of students from prominent US universities.

• Democratic fundraising platform in the crosshairs: ActBlue, a fundraising juggernaut for liberal candidates and causes, is facing stepped-up scrutiny and criticism from Republicans on Capitol Hill and other Trump allies, including Elon Musk.