INTRO:

• President fires three members of his National Security Council staff on the advice of conservative journalist Laura Loomer. We’ll explain why they had to go.
• If you’re worried about the price of cars going up under President Trump’s new tariffs kick in, we’ve got good news from an American automaker that’s actually cutting prices.
• Communist China vows to strike back at the US in response to President Trump’s new, higher tariffs on Chinese goods entering our country.
• Wall Street responds to the tariffs.
• An American female fencer at a major university refuses to go up against a biological male in a competition and gets disqualified.
• And Russian President Vladimir Putin is calling up another 160,000 troops to serve in the Russian Army, with a goal of having 1.5 million total troops by 2026. Is the world heading to war?

All these stories and more when the Worldview Report begins, right now!

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Good evening and welcome to the Worldview Report.

President Donald Trump reportedly fired three pro-war neocons on his National Security Council shortly after he met with Laura Loomer in the Oval Office.

The president met Wednesday with Loomer, a conservative investigative journalist. Loomer has publicly accused Trump administration staffers of disloyalty and said there have been vetting failures at the NSC and elsewhere through various posts on X.

The New York Times reported Loomer discussed NSC staffers she said were disloyal and whose loyalties lie firmly in the camp of Washington’s neoconservative war hawks. National security adviser Mike Waltz was present at the meeting along with Vice President JD Vance.

SHOW GLENN GREENWALD TWEET

https://x.com/ggreenwald/status/1907819899977699830

Journalist and author Glenn Greenwald posted to X:

“Wild: Laura Loomer got Trump to fire 3 pro-war members of the National Security Council: Daniel Feith, son of the Bush/Cheney über-neocon Douglas Feith; a long-time top foreign policy advisor to Marco Rubio, and another top adviser to Mike Waltz.”

Axios reported that three senior NSC officials were fired after the Loomer meeting at the White House. The firings came a week after the Signal group chat leak, in which the Atlantic’s editor-in-chief was added to a group chat with Waltz and other national security officials by Waltz’s staff.

Loomer began posting about alleged vetting failures after the Signal group chat leak and offered to vet staffers for the Trump administration.

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American consumers will be able to get Ford's employee discount on their vehicles through June 2nd as the company is implementing an initiative called From America, For America.

Ford Motor Company said in a statement, according to Fox News:

“We have the retail inventory to do this and a lot of choice for customers that need a vehicle. From April 3 through June 2, American shoppers will be able to get Ford's employee discount price on 2024 and 2025 hybrid, plug-in hybrid, diesel, and gas-powered Ford and Lincoln cars. The deal does not include the 2025 Expedition and Navigator SUVs or Super Duty trucks and Raptors.”

The company cited uncertain times as well as “complexities of a changing economy” as the reasons for its initiative. 

The announcement comes amid President Trump's announcement of tariffs on various countries as well as a widespread 10 percent tariff on most imports to the US. Markets have dipped in reaction to the announcement.

The Ford statement added:

“We understand that these are uncertain times for many Americans. Whether it's navigating the complexities of a changing economy or simply needing a reliable vehicle for your family, we want to help. That's why we're opening our employee pricing to all U.S. customers… For 121 years, we've put our money where our mouth is, assembling vehicles that Americans rely on and supporting American jobs," the company added. Today, we’re proud to announce a new US initiative that's more than just a promotion. It's a handshake deal with every American.”

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President Trump's late afternoon announcement on Wednesday, Liberation Day, unveiled a far more aggressive tariff policy than Wall Street analysts had anticipated, prompting panic dumping in global equities and futures markets overnight. Stocks plummeted more than 1,200 points Thursday on the news.

Zero Hedge reports that, of particular concern to traders, is Trump's stance toward China. The total effective tariff rate on Chinese imports surged to 54%, a dramatic increase of 34% from the previously imposed 20% in additional levies tied to fentanyl and other issues.

Trump's Liberation Day has drawn swift condemnation from Beijing.

China's Ministry of Commerce was quoted warning that it firmly opposes Trump's tariffs and "will resolutely take countermeasures to safeguard its own rights and interests."

The Chinese Commerce Ministry stated that the reciprocal tariffs, “are based on subjective and unilateral assessments by the United States, are not in line with the rules of international trade, seriously jeopardize the legitimate rights and interests of the parties concerned, and are typical of unilateral bullying.” 

The ministry did not discuss specifics on the countermeasures. 

But, as Zero Hedge noted, it's just a matter of time before China mounts a countermeasure against the US, whether that's targeted tariffs, export controls, or other measures, such as targeting US Big Tech, which uses chips that come from China and Taiwan.

A spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged Washington to resolve trade differences through talks. 

President Trump tried that with the Chinese Communist Party in his first term with the so-called Phase One agreement. Beijing committed to purchasing $200 billion of additional US exports. But the phase one deal with the CCP was derailed by Covid disruptions. 

The Trump administration's goal with reciprocal tariffs against literally the entire world, including some cases of near triple-digit reciprocal tariffs that will lead to a historic emerging markets shock, is to reverse a half-century or more of de-industrialization policies in the US. Those policies have hollowed out the nation's industrial core and produced a national security threat as the world fractures into a bipolar state. 

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Senator Bernie Moreno (R-OH) delivered a masterclass in responding to questions from the dishonest press about the Trump tariff initiative and the larger objectives embedded within Liberation Day. 

The Republican senator explained how cars compliant with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement won’t be subjected to tariffs, so there’s a wide swath of products that are available to the American consumer that won’t be affected. Customers will see price spikes in cars if the vehicles, transmission, and other electronics are manufactured in Europe.

WATCH VIDEO (clip first 2:11)

https://x.com/teammoreno2024/status/1907782536643662009

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European automakers are hiking prices and shifting production to the U.S. in response to Trump’s auto tariffs. Volkswagen will add import fees to vehicle prices, while Volvo and Mercedes-Benz are considering expanding U.S. manufacturing to avoid the 25% duties, according to Bloomberg.

German brands like BMW, Porsche, and Mercedes are especially exposed, but strong U.S. demand, particularly for SUVs, keeps the market attractive despite the rising costs.

Trump’s tariffs, which took effect Thursday, mark a “fundamental turning point in trade policy,” said Hildegard Müller, head of Germany’s auto lobby. She warned the move would create “only losers,” including U.S. consumers facing “rising inflation and a reduced choice of products.”

The Bloomberg article says that Volkswagen notified U.S. dealers it will add import fees and temporarily pause shipments from Mexico and Europe, according to Automotive News. 

The tariffs have already shaken the industry, buyers are rushing to make purchases, and shares of German automakers dropped sharply Thursday. Mercedes and Volkswagen fell over 3%, while BMW slipped as much as 4.3%.

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Russia was excluded from President Donald Trump’s sweeping new tariffs because existing US sanctions have already severely restricted trade between the two countries, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said.

Speaking to Fox News on Wednesday following the announcement of broad import duties, Bessent explained that Russia, along with Belarus, Cuba, and North Korea, were not targeted under the new measures as the US “does not trade meaningfully with these countries.” 

In Russia’s case, he emphasized that “the sanctions are already doing the work that tariffs would.”

Trump on Tuesday unveiled new tariffs ranging from 10% to 50% on imported goods from dozens of countries. They include 34% for Chinese imports, 20% on EU products, and 24% on goods from Japan. According to the president, the move is part of a broader strategy to promote American industry and correct what Trump described as “grossly unfair trade imbalances.”

The exclusion of Russia from this list raised questions from the media, given the ongoing Ukraine conflict and Washington’s sanctions policy against Moscow. However, administration officials have argued that restrictions imposed since 2022 have already diminished trade to the point where tariffs would have little additional effect.

American imports from Russia fell to approximately $3 billion in 2024, down 34.2% from the previous year, according to US government data. 

To put that in context, the US imported $427 billion in goods from China during the same period, underscoring the limited scope of US–Russia trade.

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New York City Democrat Mayor Eric Adams said he will run for reelection as an independent.

The mayor announced his plan in an interview with the news outlet Politico on Thursday.

He said he was "handcuffed" by the bribery charges against him that were dismissed Wednesday.

Adams was charged with federal bribery, conspiracy, and campaign finance offenses in September, but pleaded not guilty to all charges. He was accused of accepting illegal campaign donations from the Turkish government. 

The Department of Justice formally requested in February that the corruption charges be dropped.

He said, “I’m in the race to the end. I’m not running on the Democratic line. It’s just not realistic to turn around my numbers and to run a good campaign (from) where we are right now.”

A survey from Quinnipac University found that Adams had a 20% approval rating.

Former New York Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo is also running for mayor. 

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Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered the conscription of 160,000 men by July 15, an increase from previous drafts as Moscow seeks to expand its military ranks.

Russia holds biannual conscription drives, with men aged 18-30 eligible for mandatory service. The Kremlin and Defense Ministry insist conscripts are not sent into combat and that the draft is unrelated to the war in Ukraine.

According to a decree published Monday, this year’s spring draft will call up 160,000 men, up from 150,000 last year and 134,500 in 2022.

Putin also ordered Russia’s military to expand to 1.5 million active personnel by 2026, an increase of roughly 180,000 troops.

“The forthcoming draft campaign is in no way connected with the special military operation in Ukraine,” the Defense Ministry said on social media.

Beyond regular conscription, Russia has recruited hundreds of thousands of contract soldiers for its war in Ukraine, offering high salaries and large sign-up bonuses.

Putin raised the upper conscription age from 27 to 30 last year. This spring’s call-up will run from April 1 to July 15.

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Thursday with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and discussed Hungary’s withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Orbán noted that he was the Prime Minister who signed the documents to join the court in 2000 and now he’s pulling his country out. He said:

"I am an expert when it comes to this matter (the ICC). I just recently signed the document saying we withdraw from the ICC. The reason is that we are convinced that this has become a political court. In the past years, this is not a court of the rule of law; it's a political court. It is not unbiased, and this was made clear by the decisions related to Israel.”

Netanyahu thanked Orbán for the decision, stating: "You've just taken a bold and principled position on the ICC. I thank you, Viktor. This is not just important for us; it's important for all democracies. It's important to stand up to this corrupt organization that has equated a democracy that is challenged for its very existence by the most horrific terroristic powers on earth, but the ICC directs its actions against us, fighting a just war with just means, and not against our tormentors. This is important for all of civilization as we fight against barbarism, and you are the first, I dare to say I don't think the last, but the first state that walks out of this corruption."

Netanyahu also thanked his counterpart for fighting antisemitism in Hungary.

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Democrat members of the Georgia State House staged a walkout at the Georgia State Capitol Wednesday, leaving the chamber in protest as lawmakers debated a bill that would end taxpayer-funded sex-change surgeries for state prison inmates.

The walkout occurred amidst a heated debate over Senate Bill 185, which subsequently passed the House by a 100-2 vote, with all Democrats opting out of the vote through their departure, according to Fox News Atlanta. 

The bill received opposition solely from Georgia Democratic Rep. Regina Lewis-Ward and David Sampson. They cast the only two NO votes while their colleagues walked out in protest. The bill now awaits Republican Governor Brian Kemp’s signature.

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Time now for our nightly Worldview Report commentary.

An American female fencer was disqualified this week for refusing to face a transgender opponent, with fans branding the competition “tainted and unfair.”

According to the Daily Mail, USA's Stephanie Turner initially lined up to face Redmond Sullivan in a tournament at the University of Maryland earlier this week, only to take a knee and remove her mask in protest at being matched against a biological male.

SHOW PHOTO OF STEPHANIE TURNER

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-14567643/female-fencer-transgender-stephanie-turner-redmond-sullivan.html

As a result, she was subsequently excluded from the Cherry Blossom competition and suspended for the remainder of it after being shown a black card. 

Turner had completed four matches before facing Sullivan, who eventually placed 24th out of 39 in the tournament.

After the controversial incident, fans have taken to social media to blast USA fencing for disqualifying a female competitor and allowing a transgender athlete to take part.

One user posted on X: “You allow biological men to compete with women thus stripping women from reaching their dreams. Shame on you!”

This is the type of thing President Trump is trying to end. He issued an executive order on February 5 banning exactly this type of outrageous anti-woman behavior that has taken over women’s sports in this country. 

But many colleges and universities have completely defied the ban while lawsuits are being filed. 

The Democrat-controlled legislature in California voted this week to defy Trump’s ban and keep giving transgendered boys and men the opportunity to compete with the girls.

This is out of control and signals the breakdown of American society.

One man, President Trump, isn’t going to be able to turn it around. Insanity of this nature only gets cured by a change of heart, and America is in desperate need of healing and heart changes. I pray we see repentance and a turn back to God and the Bible.

That does it for this edition of the Worldview Report. Thanks for tuning in and supporting this broadcast.

Until next time…