Over the past two months, the United States has confronted a bitter truth: President Trump has taken a blowtorch to our country and wielded chaos like a weapon.
Most Republicans in Congress, meanwhile, have caved to his every whim. The Grand Old Party has devolved into a crowd of Trump sycophants and MAGA radicals who seem to want to burn everything to the ground.
As I have said many times, there are no winners in a government shutdown. But there are certainly victims. This week Democrats offered a way out: Fund the government for another month to give appropriators more time to do their jobs. Republicans rejected this proposal.
That leads Democrats to a difficult decision: Either proceed with the bill before us or risk Mr. Trump throwing America into the chaos of a shutdown. This, in my view, is no choice at all.
For sure, the Republican bill is a terrible option. It is deeply partisan. It doesn’t address this country’s needs. But even if the White House says differently, Mr. Trump and Elon Musk want a shutdown. We should not give them one. The risk of allowing the president to take even more power via a government shutdown is a much worse path.
To be clear: No one on my side of the aisle wants a government shutdown. Members who support this continuing resolution do not want that. Members who oppose it do not want that. As bad as passing the continuing resolution would be, I believe a government shutdown is far worse.
First, a shutdown would give Mr. Trump and Mr. Musk permission to destroy vital government services at a significantly faster rate than they can right now. Under a shutdown, the Trump administration would have wide-ranging authority to deem whole agencies, programs and personnel nonessential, furloughing staff members with no promise they would ever be rehired.
Second, In a protracted shutdown, House and Senate Republicans could bring bills to the floor to reopen only their favored departments and agencies while leaving other vital services that they don’t like to languish.
Third, shutdowns mean real pain for American families. For example, a shutdown could cause regional Veterans Affairs offices to reduce even more of their staffs, further delay benefits processing and curtail mental health services — abandoning veterans who earned, and depend on, those resources.
A shutdown could continue to slash the administrative staffs at Social Security offices — delaying applications and benefit adjustments and forcing seniors to wait even longer for their benefits.
A shutdown could further stall federal court cases and furlough critical staff members — denying victims and defendants alike their day in court, dragging out appeals and clogging the justice system for months or years.
Finally, a shutdown would be the best distraction Donald Trump could ask for from his awful agenda. Right now, Mr. Trump owns the chaos in the government. He owns the chaos in the stock market. He owns the damage happening to our economy. The stock market is falling, and consumer confidence is plummeting.
In a shutdown, we would be busy fighting with Republicans over which agencies to reopen and which to keep closed instead of debating the damage Mr. Trump’s agenda is causing.
I believe it is my job to make the best choice for the country, to minimize the harms to the American people. Therefore, I will vote to keep the government open.

In less than two weeks, President Trump has upended global markets by imposing tariffs on imports from several of America's top trading partners.Here's the latest on where things stand with some of America's biggest trading partners:
The European Union
The European Union announced $28 billion in retaliatory measures on Wednesday, including levies on Kentucky bourbon, jeans and Harley-Davidson motorcycles. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU was acting to "protect consumers and business" after the Trump administration's move to place a 25% tariff on imports of steel and aluminum. Starting April 1, the 27-nation bloc will reimpose $4.9 billion worth of tariffs that date back to Trump's first term. On April 13, an additional round of new tariffs will be placed on over $19 billion worth of U.S. goods, subject to approval of EU member states. Some tariffs in this round would specifically target products produced in Republican states.
The United Kingdom
Unlike the EU, the U.K. has taken what British Prime Minister Keir Starmer calls a more "pragmatic" approach, opting not to retaliate against Trump's steel and aluminum tariffs. "Obviously, like everybody else, I'm disappointed to see global tariffs in relation to steel and aluminium," Starmer told lawmakers Wednesday. We are, as [Trump] knows, negotiating an economic deal which covers and will include tariffs if we succeed. But we will keep all options on the table." The U.S. imports more than $450 million of steel from the U.K. annually.
Canada
Canada imposed new retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. on Wednesday, targeting $20.6 billion in U.S. imports. These measures, which took effect early Thursday, include a 25% tariff on $8.8 billion worth of U.S. steel products, $2 billion in aluminum products, and other goods such as sports equipment, cast iron and computers.
This marks the latest development in a dizzying tit-for-tat trade dispute between the two nations, sparked by Trump's 25% tariffs on most imports from Canada and Mexico, which took effect earlier this month. Earlier this week, Ontario Premier Doug Ford imposed 25% retaliatory tariffs on electricity exports to Minnesota, Michigan and New York, and warned that electricity could be cut off entirely if Trump escalated the trade conflict. In response, Trump proposed 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum, but reversed this decision 24 hours later.
Mexico
Mexico had initially planned to impose retaliatory tariffs in response to U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, but President Claudia Sheinbaum suspended these plans ahead of the April 2 deadline. The tariffs on all auto imports and goods compliant with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement were also postponed. Mexico had indicated it would place levies on U.S. goods, but has opted to hold off for now.
China
China has taken a measured approach to the trade conflict. While it has imposed countermeasures in response to the tariffs that have been introduced by the U.S. since President Trump took office, Beijing has generally responded more strategically. Following Trump's new tariffs on all U.S. steel and aluminum imports, China pledged to take "all necessary measures" to protect its interests. In addition to retaliatory tariffs, China has filed a formal complaint with the World Trade Organization.
India
India had been bracing for tariffs from the Trump administration — while also trying to stay ahead of them. But New Delhi is also concerned about the impact on its manufacturing competitiveness. Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Feb. 13 meeting with Trump in Washington, India preemptively cut tariffs on several goods, including Harley-Davidson motorcycles, a move seen as a goodwill gesture. India's trade minister traveled to Washington last week to negotiate exemptions, but walked away empty-handed. Trump singled out India in his recent speech announcing "reciprocal tariffs," signaling that more trade friction could be ahead.
Brazil
Brazil's government has strongly condemned Trump's steel tariffs. As the third-largest exporter of steel to the U.S., Brazil argues the 25% levy ignores long standing economic ties between the two countries. Brazil has opted against immediate retaliation — for now. The Foreign Ministry says it will take steps to protect its steel industry and workers while continuing trade talks. The Brazil Steel Institute also pushed back, noting that under Trump's first term, the U.S. and Brazil had agreed to export caps, which Brazil has honored. The group also pointed out that the U.S. runs a multi-billion-dollar trade surplus with Brazil.
South Korea
South Korea's government declared an "emergency response mode" after the U.S. imposed 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports. The move underscores the Trump administration's focus on reducing the U.S. trade deficit. South Korea, the fourth-largest exporter of steel to the U.S., has sought an exemption. Now, its trade ministry is advising corporations on possible countermeasures, including shifting production to the U.S. or diversifying export markets. In an effort to ease tensions, South Korea has pledged to reduce its trade surplus with the U.S. by increasing energy imports and expanding shipbuilding contracts for American buyers.

The S&P 500, a key US stock market index, closed in correction territory on Thursday as the volatility of Donald Trump’s trade wars rattled investors. The index closed more than 10% down from its 19 February peak as Wall Street approaches the end of a second week of pressure. The technology-focused Nasdaq Composite also closed in correction last Thursday, while the Dow is over 9% down from its peak in December
On Thursday, after Canadian and EU leaders hit back on American tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, the US president threatened a new 200% tariff on European alcohol, in response to a 50% EU tariff on American bourbon imports. Canadian and European leaders have vowed to not back down to Trump, even as he promises to slap on even more tariffs in response to any pushback. “We will not give in to threats,” said Laurent Saint-Martin, France’s foreign trade minister. “Donald Trump is escalating the trade war he chose to unleash.”
Trump and those within his administration have played down concerns about the lasting impacts the tariffs will have on the US economy. US treasury secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC on Thursday that the administration was focused on the “long-term gains in the market and long-term gains for the American people”. “I’m not concerned about a little bit of volatility over three weeks,” Bessent said.
The US stock market saw a brief moment of reprieve on Wednesday after February’s inflation report showed that price increases weren’t as bad as expected. But stocks started to drop again after Canada and the EU placed tariffs on American exports.
Amid uncertainty around Trump’s trade policies, officials with the US Federal Reserve are expected to hold interest rates steady at their upcoming meeting next week, which is unlikely to improve sentiment on Wall Street.

In remarks on the Senate floor, Chuck Schumer, the Democratic minority leader, just indicated that he and other Democrats will vote for the continuing resolution passed by House Republicans, without Democratic input, to avoid a government shutdown.
“Republicans’ nihilism has brought us to the brink of disaster,” Schumer said. “The most vulnerable Americans”, he added, would suffer most from a government shutdown.
Schumer condemned the Republicans for refusing to work together on a funding bill, but said that: “It’s not really a decision. It’s a Hobson’s choice.”
“While the CR bill is very bad, the potential for a shutdown has consequences for America that are much, much worse,” Schumer said. “For sure, the Republican bill is a terrible option. It is not a clean CR. It is deeply partisan. It doesn’t address far too many of this country’s needs. But I believe allowing Donald Trump to take even much more power via a government shutdown is a far worse option.”
“A shutdown would give Trump and Elon Musk carte blanche to destroy vital government services at a significantly faster rate than they can right now,” he added.
“I believe it is my job to make the best choice for the country to minimize the harms to the American people”, Schumer said. “Therefore, I will vote to keep the government open and not shut it down.”

The university, a leader in scientific research, has been hard hit by the Trump administration’s cuts, which will slash at least $800 million from its budget. Johns Hopkins University, one of the country’s leading centers of scientific research, said on Thursday that it would eliminate more than 2,000 workers in the United States and abroad because of the Trump administration’s steep cuts, primarily to international aid programs.
The layoffs, the most in the university’s history, will involve 247 domestic workers for the university, which is based in Baltimore, and an affiliated center. Another 1,975 positions will be cut in 44 countries. They affect the university’s Bloomberg School of Public Health, its medical school and an affiliated nonprofit.
Nearly half the school’s total revenue last year came from federally funded research, including $800 million from the U.S. Agency for International Development. Johns Hopkins is one of the top university recipients of the funding that the administration is aiming to slash. And it appears to be among the most deeply affected of the major research institutions that are reeling from cuts — or the threat of cuts — to federal money that they depend on for research studies and running labs.
In a statement on Thursday Johns Hopkins said it was “immensely proud” of its work on the projects, which included efforts to “care for mothers and infants, fight disease, provide clean drinking water and advance countless other critical, lifesaving efforts around the world.” In ordering cutbacks in the agency, which amount to a 90 percent reduction in its operations, President Trump said that it was run by “radical left lunatics” and that is was riddled with “tremendous fraud.”
The administration has also sought to reduce the amount of money that the National Institutes of Health sends to university for research, cuts that have been blocked for now in the courts. If they go into effect, those cuts would reduce federal payments to Johns Hopkins by more than $100 million a year, according to an analysis of university figures. The university, which receives about $1 billion a year in N.I.H. funding and is currently running 600 clinical trials, is one of the plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit challenging those cuts.
The cuts at Johns Hopkins involve programs funded by U.S.A.I.D. through which American universities have worked with global partners, largely to advance public health and agricultural research. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said this week that 5,200 of the agency’s 6,200 contracts had been canceled and that the remaining programs would be operated directly by the State Department, eliminating the need for U.S.A.I.D., which is under the State Department.
Research projects that are being eliminated include international work on tuberculosis, AIDS and cervical cancer, as well as programs that directly benefit residents of Baltimore.
What is essentially a shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. has had significant effects at universities around the country. An organization called USAID StopWork, which is tracking the layoffs, said that overall, 14,000 domestic workers had lost their jobs so far, with thousands more anticipated.
Research by the Federal Reserve shows that universities serve as major economic engines in many agriculture regions, from Iowa to Florida, meaning that the impact of the administration’s cuts to science research will be felt in both red states and left-leaning communities like Baltimore. The elimination of a $500 million agriculture project called Feed the Future, which funded agriculture labs at 19 universities in 17 states, means many of those labs must shutter.
Economic ripple effects of the funding cuts are expected to spread through the Baltimore area. Johns Hopkins, which enrolls about 30,000 students, is also one of Maryland’s largest private employers.

Did not we get CPI data out today?
The egg prices in the CPI data showed 59% increase.

Donald Trump has threatened a 200% tariff on wine and champagne from European Union countries, in the latest threat of escalation in the global trade war started by the US president against the country’s biggest trading partners. Trump said in a post on Thursday on his Truth Social platform that the tariffs on all alcoholic products from the bloc would be retaliation for a “nasty” 50% levy on American bourbon whiskey announced by the EU.
The EU’s action against bourbon whiskey – due to come into force on 1 April – was itself part of a €26bn ($28bn) response to Trump’s 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium imports, which came into effect on Wednesday.
Despite starting the trade war, Trump appeared to be infuriated by the EU’s retaliatory measures. He wrote: “If this Tariff is not removed immediately, the U.S. will shortly place a 200% Tariff on all WINES, CHAMPAGNES, & ALCOHOLIC PRODUCTS COMING OUT OF FRANCE AND OTHER E.U. REPRESENTED COUNTRIES. “This will be great for the Wine and Champagne businesses in the U.S.,” he added.
Senior figures in Europe vowed to hold firm. “We will not give in to threats,” the French foreign trade minister, Laurent Saint-Martin, wrote on X. “Donald Trump is escalating the trade war he chose to unleash.” France was “determined to retaliate” and would “always protect our sectors”, he added.
In France, independent winemakers represent 60% of the country’s wine production. They are watching closely to see how the dispute plays out. French winemakers were concerned they could be swept into the broader tariff row, and had feared tit-for-tat measures when the EU announced retaliatory tariffs on some American products, including US whiskey.
European shares fell on Thursday, amid concerns over the impact of a trade war. France’s Cac 40 index gave up morning gains to fall by 0.3%, while Germany’s Dax index fell by 0.6%. Leading European drinks giants came under pressure. Shares in Pernod Ricard fell almost 4% and Rémy Cointreau declined 3.5%. LVMH, owner of Moët & Chandon, slipped 1.4%. The S&P 500 dipped 0.7% after Wall Street opened for trading. Trump’s officials have attempted to brush off days of stock market declines, claiming they are not worried about it.
Trump also repeated a longstanding criticism of the EU, that the trading bloc “was formed for the sole purpose of taking advantage of the United States”, calling it “one of the most hostile and abusive taxing and tariffing authorities in the world”.
Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, the EU’s executive, said on Wednesday that trade between Europe and the US “brought prosperity and security to millions of people, and trade has created millions of jobs on both sides of the Atlantic”.