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The Daily Briefing

YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP

Thu Apr 3 2025

Nicole Fallert | Newsletter Writer

@nicolefallert

Good morning!🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert. "Get me to God's country"

Take a look at Thursday's news:

•	President Donald Trump plowed ahead with a risky economic strategy.
•	A mammoth springtime storm began its slow journey across the central U.S.
•	Hopefuls are jumping in line to buy TikTok from its Chinese parent company.

What to know about Trump's long-awaited tariffs

U.S. stock futures pointed to a sharply lower opening on Thursday after the Trump administration announced 10% tariffs on imports from all trading partners outside Canada and Mexico, plus additional reciprocal tariffs on about 60 countries.

Trump says his new tariffs will punish other countries for unfair trade practices. But some economists predict Americans will feel the pain.

•	Your morning coffee, your yoga pants, your car: When accounting for all 2025 tariffs, disposable income is expected to drop 4% for lower-earning households and 1.6% for the highest-earning as Americans make up additional costs for everyday products.
•	The Trump administration is betting the pain will be worth it. A lot of uncertainty remains, including the duration and potential exemptions and exclusions from these tariffs — and the scale of retaliatory threats.
•	But is a recession possible? The White House could provide carveouts, exceptions and subsidies that would allow the U.S. to narrowly avoid a downturn.

U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks on tariffs in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 2, 2025.

Carlos Barria, REUTERS

National Weather Service in Memphis: 'This isn't routine'

The National Weather Service in Memphis, Tennessee, issued a dire warning to residents in the path of the major spring storm, urging them to prepare for major flooding and widespread travel disruptions. "This isn't routine. This is a rare, high-impact, and potentially devastating event," the statement said. The epicenter of the rain and floods is expected to be in the mid-South, forecasters said, with some of the heaviest rain is projected to fall along the Ohio River between Kentucky and Illinois. Here's where forecasters are warning of "catastrophic" flooding.

More news to know now

•	Trump's approval rating fell to the lowest since returning to office.
•	Her husband was banished to El Salvador. Work and worry are all she has left.
•	Did you receive a letter about Social Security overpayments?
•	Here's what to do if you're stopped by border control.
•	The U.S. sent a 2nd aircraft carrier to the Middle East as Trump threatens to bomb Iran.

What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

Who could buy TikTok?

As Saturday is the new deadline for TikTok to be sold off or face a ban, lawmakers are seeking a non-Chinese buyer for the popular video app. Amazon was among the suitors that submitted a bid on Wednesday, according to Reuters and the New York Times. Meanwhile, cryptocurrency foundation Hbar and Zoop, a startup co-led by the founder of OnlyFans, jointly submitted to the White House a plan to buy the app, company representatives confirmed to USA TODAY Wednesday. Here are the other potential buyers as the clock ticks on TikTok.

Your pineapple vape in the nation's highest court

The Supreme Court has unanimously overturned a lower court's decision that the Food and Drug Administration incorrectly blocked companies from selling fruit and candy-flavored vaping products. The decision is a win for the FDA and for public health groups concerned about the appeal of sweet-flavored e-cigarettes to teens. But vaping companies hope they'll find a friendlier regulatory environment under President Donald Trump, who has promised to "save" flavored vaping. But the decision did not resolve the companies' complaint that the FDA didn't consider its proposals to keep its products out of the hands of minors.

Today's talkers

•	Teddi Mellencamp revealed she has stage 4 cancer.
•	The late Val Kilmer sought refuge in his treehouse.
•	Romance author Ali Hazelwood canceled her U.K. tours over doubt she could "safely" return to the U.S.
•	Is Texas the new Tinseltown?
•	Dying for more "White Lotus"? These books are packed with gossip, tension and murder.

These police started a podcast. Then they found a woman's remains after 42 years.

In January, the Elgin Police Department began airing its podcast, "Somebody Knows Something," and highlighted the case of a woman who went missing more than four decades ago. Hosts Cold Case Unit Detectives Andrew Houghton and Matt Vartanian spoke to friends of 23-year-old Karen Schepers, who was last seen around 1 a.m. on April 16, 1983. After weighing multiple theories, the detectives searched a river along the route she may have taken home that day. Investigators found skeletal remains inside a car, which turned out to be a match for the missing woman, police said. Listen to the podcast

Photo of the day: I think we know that guy?!

A Virginia family's cherry blossoms photoshoot in Washington D.C. didn't go as planned after a bystander walked into a frame meant only to include their two toddlers. The photobomber in question was former President Barack Obama.

Former President Barack Obama photobombed a cherry blossoms portrait photo of Portia Moore's toddler son Preston and infant daughter Belle at Washington's D.C.'s Tidal Basin on March 31, 2025.

Briana Smith

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here . Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com.