GOP Keeps House Seats, Tariff Day Announcement, Feds Seek Death Penalty for Luigi: AM Update 4/2

Good morning, everyone. I'm Megan Kelly.
It's Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025, and this is your AM update. Results are in from critical house races in Florida.
We're going to be much nicer than they were to us, but it's substantial money for the country, nevertheless. President Trump set to unveil the administration's tariff strategy in a Rose Garden speech this afternoon.
Every decision made by a judge on behalf of a plaintiff would still go forward, but it would go forward only as to the plaintiff in front of him and not a nation as a whole. The House advances legislation to rein in universal injunctions, and Attorney General Pam Bondi says federal prosecutors will seek the death penalty in the case against Luigi Mangione.
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two special elections in Florida to fill seats vacated by Republican congressmen remaining decisively in GOP control. Decision Desk HQ projecting a 14-point win for Republican Randy Fine over Democrat Josh Wheel in the 6th District.
That's the seat vacated by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.

In the 1st district, Decision Desk HQ projecting a 15-point margin of victory for Republican Jimmy Petranas over Democrat Amy Vallemont. This is for the seat vacated by Congressman Matt Gaetz.
Both races drawing a massive influx of Democrat cash and national attention as Democrats seek to expose discontent with the Trump administration in deep red districts. In the first district, Valamont raising $6.5 million, that's triple the $2.1 million brought in by the Republican.
And in the sixth district, Democrat Wheel raising a staggering $9 million compared to less than $1 million raised by Republican fine. The outcome of these elections further solidifying the Republican majority in the House, now at $220 to $213.
In Wisconsin, several news outlets, including Decision Desk HQ and others, projecting a Democrat victory in the Wisconsin state Supreme Court race. Democrat Susan Crawford defeating GOP rival Brad Schimmel in a hard-fought race that brought national attention and money.
Millions poured in from George Soros for the Dems and Elon Musk, among others, for Mr. Schimmel.
The GOP loss means the state Supreme Court there is now poised to throw out the current GOP-drawn congressional map, which would cost Republicans two seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Mr. Musk campaigned personally in Wisconsin for Mr.
Schemel, but was demonized by Democrats who

ran ads making Elon sound like their opponent. Mr.
Trump won in Wisconsin in November,

but Republicans in swing states have had less luck winning without Trump on the ballot. President Trump announcing Liberation Day for America in a Rose Garden speech this afternoon.
After weeks of buildup, Mr. Trump unveiling a new tariff policy aimed at reigniting U.S.
manufacturing and reinvigorating the middle class, sparking a new golden age for America. Some economic experts remain skeptical, warning of potential market volatility and inflationary reactions.
Wall Street saw substantial losses on Friday, and that drop was driven by worse than expected inflation data and existing anxiety over these pending tariffs.

Stocks slide as the world waits for President Trump to unveil more tariffs on Wednesday. We had Goldman Sachs come out with their expectations for a recession.
They've raised it from 20 percent. Now they see it at 35 percent.
In the first Trump administration, the tax foundation estimating Mr. Trump imposed tariffs on approximately $380 billion worth of imports, with a significant portion of those targeting China.
Democrats criticized the move, but then kept those tariffs in place when Joe Biden took over, later even increasing some of them on electric vehicles, solar parts, and steel. President Trump's first-term strategy focused

primarily on China, but the second time around, he is pursuing a broader, more ambitious trade agenda, reshaping global commerce. Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller on Monday outlining the core philosophy on Fox.
Number one, you can't steal our jobs. Number two, if you want to get preferential treatment, you have to put your factory inside the United States, your auto plant, your manufacturing, your facility, your AI plant, your chip plant, whatever it is.
You want to sell it to Americans on a preferential basis, then you have to make it here. And if you do, you'll get low taxes, low regulations and cheap energy.
But if you sell it to us from overseas, then yes, you will pay a tariff. Reaction from business owners varying sharply across industries.
One Alabama textile business owner applauding the move, saying it levels the playing field after decades of unfair trade. If you look at the rates that it would cost us to send our product to China, India, it's astronomical.
So the reciprocal thing, I think it could help. I think it could supercharge our industry.
Others, particularly those dealing with auto parts, expressing concern. Here's a mechanic from Michigan.
You can only pass so much on to a customer. As a mechanic, our labor rates are a little bit high

because cars are more complicated to work on, to diagnose. So we try to help a customer by getting

parts at a discount. Now with these 25% going up, it's not much we can help.
And we're scared that

customers will put off their repairs, hopefully not too long, but we just don't know what's going to happen. Details on the strategy itself shifting in the lead up to the big announcement.
President Trump initially promising fully reciprocal tariffs, meaning if a country applies a 25 percent tariff on imported U.S. goods, then the U.S.
would respond in kind. Mr.
Trump suggesting on Sunday night the final version now may be more flexible. The tariffs will be far more generous than those countries were to us, meaning they will be kinder than those countries were to the United States of America over the decades.
They ripped us off like no country's ever been ripped off in history. And we're going to be much nicer than they were to us, but it's substantial money for the country, nevertheless.
Since taking office, Mr. Trump increasing tariffs on China by 20 percent, raising tariffs on steel and aluminum by 25 percent, and engaging in back-and-forth battles with Canada and Mexico.
Adversaries and allies alike watching closely in recent days for clues on what today's announcement might look like. President Trump on Monday remaining tight-lipped.
Have you settled? Well, you're going to see, I've settled, yeah, actually a long time ago. But we talk about it.
We talk about it a lot. And we want to do what's right for the country, and even the world.
You know, it affects the world, not just this country. This has been the piggy bank for the entire world.
So it really does affect the world, and that's important to me also. In anticipation of the announcement, several countries preemptively announcing a reduction on their tariffs against us.
On Monday, Vietnam slashing duties on cars, liquefied gas, and some agricultural goods. India offering a wide range of cuts on farm imports and manufacturing materials.
And on Tuesday, Israel eliminating all remaining tariffs on U.S. goods.
Coming up, the House of Representatives set to vote on legislation aimed at reining in universal injunctions from federal district court judges. And A.G.
Pam Bondi

announcing federal prosecutors will seek the death penalty against Luigi Mangione,

accused of killing the CEO of UnitedHealthcare. What are you doing this Easter to celebrate with

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The House of Representatives set to vote on the No Rogue Rulings Act as early as next week. The bill, introduced by Republican Congressman from California, Daryl Issa, aimed at reining in a single judge's ability to affect nationwide policy.
Federal judges slapping President Trump with at least 15 universal injunctions since he took office in January. Some of the frozen policies including the president's initiative to end birthright citizenship, ban transgender individuals from military service, and deport suspected illegal foreign terrorist operatives under the Alien Enemies Act.
On Tuesday, Congressman Issa describing the bill in a hearing about judicial overreach. The No Rogues Ruling Act does not eliminate the ability of judges to make decisions.
In fact, every decision made by a judge on behalf of a plaintiff would still go forward, but it would go forward only as to the plaintiff in front of him and not a nation as a whole determined by one judge, neither elected nor appointed to a position of sufficient power to speak on behalf of the entire nation. Universal injunctions, a flashpoint in the second Trump administration, fueling intense debate on Capitol Hill.
Conservatives accuse left-leaning advocacy groups of launching coordinated legal offensives, hand-picking districts to block Trump's agenda in the courts before the policies even get off the ground. Lifting a nationwide injunction can take several months to even years to go through a full appeals process.
The House will likely advance Congressman Issa's bill. Republican Senators Josh Hawley of Missouri and Chuck Grassley of Iowa introducing companion legislation in their respective chamber.
Any legislation to this effect is likely to die in the Senate, as Republicans do not have enough votes to overcome a filibuster. The latest Ivy League universities targeted by the Trump administration, Harvard and Princeton.
On Monday, the Trump administration announcing a review of about $9 billion in federal grants and contracts to Harvard. The Trump administration claiming the university may be in violation of federal compliance standards surrounding unlawful acts of anti-Semitism on campus.
In response to the October 7th Hamas terror attack on Israel, more than 30 Harvard student groups signed on to an open letter holding Israel, quote, entirely responsible. Then-President Claudine Gay testifying about concerns of illegal demonstrations of anti-Semitism on the Hill in December 2023.
You understand that this call for intifada is to

commit genocide against the Jewish people in Israel and globally, correct? Can you not say here that it is against the code of conduct at Harvard? We embrace a commitment to free expression, even of views that are objectionable, offensive, hateful it's when that speech crosses into conduct that violates our policies against bullying, harassment. Does that speech not cross that barrier? Does that speech not call for the genocide of Jews and the elimination of Israel? Ms.
Gay resigned less than one month later amid massive backlash over her performance and accusations of plagiarism. In January 2024, Harvard establishing two task forces, one focusing on combating anti-Semitism, one on combating anti-Muslim, anti-Arabias.
In January of this year, as part of a settlement with Jewish student groups, Harvard adopting an official definition of anti-Semitism to apply in disciplinary hearings. While it's threatening, the Trump administration has not yet frozen or canceled any federal funds granted to Harvard.
On Tuesday, however, it did pause dozens of grants to Princeton University, part of a broader review into whether the school is in violation of federal civil rights laws tied to anti-Semitism on campus. President Christopher Eisgruber on Tuesday, writing in an email to the Princeton community, quote, we are committed to fighting anti-Semitism and all forms of discrimination, and we will cooperate with the government in combating anti-Semitism.
Princeton will also vigorously defend academic freedom and the due process rights of this university. Mr.
Eisgruber saying the frozen grants come from the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and NASA. Princeton Financial reports indicating the university takes in more than $455 million in federal grants and contracts.
How much has been frozen, not yet clear. Federal prosecutors will seek the death penalty against Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi writing on Tuesday, quote, Luigi Mangione's murder of Brian Thompson, an innocent man and father of two young children, was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination

that shocked America. On December 4th, around 6.45 a.m., security footage of the incident showing a masked suspect calmly waiting outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel, then ambushing Mr.
Thompson, shooting him in the back and the leg before fleeing on an electronic bicycle. Five days later, Pennsylvania police arresting Mr.
Mangione at a McDonald's nearly 300 miles away. Authorities say Mr.
Mangione was in possession of a 3D printed pistol, a suppressor, zip ties, duct tape, and a handwritten manifesto expressing rage with the American healthcare system. In a bizarre twist, news of of the assassination inspiring a strange fan base for Mr.
Mangione. This Ivy League hottie named Luigi is the Robin Hood that we never knew that we needed.
I listened to Luigi's manifesto this morning three times and I cried. Honestly, it's beautiful and I agree with him.
At least he a very powerful message, and he highlighted how terrible the health care system is in America. I think he'll go down as a hero in history.
Mr. Mangione's court appearance is packed with adoring fans of the suspected killer, one even slipping him a heart-shaped love note.
Shortly after the arrest, the feds charging Mr. Mangione with murder and interstate stalking, the suspect yet to enter a plea in that federal case.
Mr. Mangione also facing a laundry list of state charges in both New York and Pennsylvania.
New York prosecutors indicting Mr. Mangione on first-degree murder in the furtherance of terrorism, a crime carrying a maximum penalty of life in prison without parole.
Mr. Mangione pleading not guilty to all the New York charges, his legal team attempting to have the Pennsylvania charges dismissed.
It is permissible for federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty, even in states that do not allow capital punishment in their state prisons, but it's rare. Typically, juries in these districts are not inclined to

support this ultimate punishment, leaving the prosecutors with an uphill legal battle.

And that'll do it for your AM Update. I'm Megan Kelly.
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