A massive shortage of air traffic controllers causes delays, cancellations, and insecurity. Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney discusses tariffs and U.S. statehood with President Donald Trump in an Oval Office meeting, and a surprising rise in Christianity is occurring in the U.S. and Europe, fueled by young converts.
It’s Wednesday, May 7, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
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<h2>FAA Modernization Efforts</h2>
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Topline: The Trump administration is rushing to modernize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after years of chronic understaffing and a string of accidents and near misses on runways.
We all heard about the deadly crash in D.C. a few months back when a military helicopter collided with a commercial jet – but every week at airports around the country, there are roughly a dozen close-calls that largely go unreported. These incidents are referred to as “runway incursions” by the FAA.
In the last few months alone, two planes at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport were forced to abort landings at the last minute due to a helicopter in restricted airspace. A few weeks before that, at the same airport, two planes clipped wings on a crowded runway. Similar incidents have been reported this year at Chicago Midway, Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. And on April 29, air traffic controllers at Newark International experienced a systems outage that knocked out their radar and left numerous planes essentially flying blind. That incident came amid existing air traffic controller shortages and equipment failures at Newark, which have led to 14 straight days of FAA-imposed delays on flights in and out of the airport.
Part of the problem is an ongoing worker shortage – the FAA says it needs 3,500 air traffic controllers to meet its target goal. For months, existing controllers have been stretched thin, working mandatory overtime shifts and six-day work weeks.
To combat those shortages, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy launched a new initiative to offer new incentives to keep experienced controllers from retiring and fast-track certifications for military veterans. But according to Duffy, the biggest problem plaguing the FAA is outdated technology. Many of the administration’s systems and computers are from the 1980s — many controllers still rely on floppy disks — and because the FAA tech is so old, Duffy says it’s difficult to find technicians who know how to operate on its systems. He’s now calling for Congress to allocate tens of billions of dollars to fund a revolutionary overhaul of the FAA.
Some Democrats say the Trump administration is to blame – they argue the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) project&#8217;s cuts have impacted the FAA’s preparedness. While the Trump administration cut around 400 FAA jobs, that amounts to less than 1% of the department’s workforce. According to a Transportation spokesperson, nearly all of those let go were probationary employees who’d been at the agency for less than two years.
<h2>Tariff Updates With Canada, China</h2>
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Topline: Canada’s new prime minister sits down with Trump after weeks of tough talk on tariffs and Canada becoming the 51st state.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived at the White House on Tuesday for talks on trade, as well as the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia. Carney is one of dozens of world leaders seeking a new trade agreement with the U.S. Canada is the second-largest trading partner for the U.S., behind Mexico, and the U.S. is Canada’s largest trading partner by far.
“We are the largest client in the United States,” Carney said at a joint press conference. “We have a tremendous auto sector between the two of us and the changes we made have been helpful. You know, 50% of a car that comes from Canada is American. That&#8217;s not like anywhere else in the world.”
“We want to make our own cars,” Trump responded.
Meanwhile, another significant U.S. trade partner, China, is starting to feel the impact of ongoing tariffs. According to Goldman Sachs, U.S. tariffs could wipe out 16 million factory jobs in China. Workers are already upset over missed wages and layoffs and have even begun publicly protesting. It’s not clear how much influence this public discontent has on the communist government in Beijing.
A breakthrough in the tariff standoff between the United States and China emerged on Tuesday evening. Treasury Secretary <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0132" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scott Bessent</a> and U.S. Trade Representative <a href="https://ustr.gov/about/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2025/may/ambassador-jamieson-greer-travel-switzerland" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jamieson Greer</a> are poised to meet with Chinese officials in Switzerland over the weekend to discuss trade and economic matters, according to their respective agencies. China reportedly <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/06/business/economy/us-china-trade-talks.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirmed</a> there will be talks.
<h2>Christianity On The Rise</h2>
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Topline: A surprising shift is taking place across the religious landscape of both the U.S. and Europe. According to new data, Christianity is seeing a notable rise in conversions, particularly among young adults.
New data from the Pew Research Center shows that Christian identification in the U.S. has seen a 12% uptick since 2022, with Catholicism up 10%. In some dioceses, the rise is much more pronounced. The Diocese of Fort Worth, for instance, reports a 72% jump in converts just from 2023 to 2024. Meanwhile, when we look at Protestantism, particularly evangelical and nondenominational branches, it’s up 14% overall, and many pastors are reporting that they’re seeing record attendance and baptisms.
This same trend is playing out in Europe, with countries like France and Germany reporting a 15% increase in Catholic conversions and a 10% surge in Protestant affiliations, especially among Pentecostals and Baptists. Catholic pilgrimages, like the Chartres Pilgrimage, have seen record attendance — more than 15,000 participants last year, mostly under 35.
The majority of these converts aren’t older generations returning to faith — they&#8217;re young adults, disproportionately young men, reversing decades-long trends where women were more religious. Sociologist Dr. Ryan Burge has written that young men are rejecting the “feminization” of liberal churches, seeking instead the structure of traditional worship.
Sociologists argue that our culture is experiencing a “post-secular” moment – the rapid pace of political developments has left many people feeling unmoored. And also, conservatives tend to be more religious, and as the country has shifted to the right, this has coincided with this more muscular, public Christianity. For countries like France, England, and the U.S., where citizens feel their cultures are being erased by mass immigration, there also seems to be a desire to bolster the Christian character of their nations.

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Morning Brief: Dangerous Air Traffic Controller Shortage, & Christianity Growing Throughout World

Canada

Christianity

Department of Transportation

Donald Trump

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

Mark Carney

Media

Morning Wire

Politics

While President Donald Trump&#8217;s desire for Canada to become the 51st state <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-tells-newly-elected-canadian-pm-never-say-never-to-canadian-statehood" target="_blank" rel="noopener">didn&#8217;t sit well</a> with Prime Minister Mark Carney, the newly elected Canadian leader credited the president with changing Canada&#8217;s outlook on security.
During the first meeting between Trump and Carney in the Oval Office on Tuesday, Carney said that Canada&#8217;s government is prepared to reorient itself on security spending and play its &#8220;full weight&#8221; in NATO. Shortly before Trump welcomed Carney to the White House, the president <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114461575736468146" target="_blank" rel="noopener">questioned</a> why the United States was &#8220;subsidizing Canada by $200 Billion Dollars a year, in addition to giving them FREE Military Protection.&#8221;
&#8220;My government is committed for a step change in our investment in Canadian security and our partnership,&#8221; Carney told reporters in the Oval Office. &#8220;And I&#8217;ll say this as well, that the president has revitalized international security, revitalized NATO and us playing our full weight in NATO, and that will be part of it.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Pres. Trump on Canada becoming 51st state: We&#39;re not going to be discussing that, unless somebody wants to discuss that&#8230;it really would be a wonderful marriage.
Canadian PM Carney: There are some places that are never for sale&#8230;it&#39;s not for sale. It won&#39;t be for sale, ever. <a href="https://t.co/axZSwbeO9C">pic.twitter.com/axZSwbeO9C</a>
&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1919790726583603294?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In 2024, Canada <a href="https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/econographics/whos-at-2-percent-look-how-nato-allies-have-increased-their-defense-spending-since-russias-invasion-of-ukraine/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spent</a> just 1.37% of its GDP on defense, falling near the bottom among NATO allies in defense spending and coming up short of NATO&#8217;s 2% guideline. During his election campaign, Carney <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/canadas-carney-promises-defense-spending-boost-if-he-wins-election-2025-03-25/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">promised</a> to increase defense spending with an &#8220;unprecedented acceleration of investment&#8221; in Canada&#8217;s armed forces, but did not specify what the total increase in spending would be, Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/canadas-carney-promises-defense-spending-boost-if-he-wins-election-2025-03-25/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. While the United States doesn&#8217;t directly fund Canada&#8217;s military or defense, it has <a href="https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1958-60v07p1/d296#:~:text=Canada%20is%20given%20special%20treatment,the%20production%20in%20Canada%20of" target="_blank" rel="noopener">played</a> a key role in information sharing and exchanging defense materials and research and development data.
Carney&#8217;s promise to increase the Canadian government&#8217;s focus on security came immediately after Trump told Carney to &#8220;never say never&#8221; to Canada becoming the 51st state. Trump said that the United States “essentially” provides “free” military support for Canada already.
“Because we’re protecting Canada if you ever have a problem,” the president added, gesturing toward Carney. “It would really be a wonderful marriage because it’s two places that get along very well.”
Carney dismissed any notion of his country joining the United States, but added that a &#8220;partnership&#8221; is important for the future of both nations.

Donald Trump/Mark Carney

Carney Says Trump Revitalized International Security, Vows Canada Will Play ‘Full Weight’ In NATO

Defense

Global Politics

Military

NATO

President Donald Trump met with newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the Oval Office on Tuesday and continued his push for Canada to become the 51st state as he sat just feet away from the country&#8217;s new leader.
The meeting marks the first in-person discussions between the two leaders since Carney and his Liberal Party overcame a massive deficit and defeated the Conservatives, led by Pierre Pollievre, in the election last week. Shortly before Trump met with Carney in the Oval Office, he fired off a <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114461575736468146" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> on Truth Social complaining about the United States &#8220;subsidizing Canada by $200 Billion Dollars a year, in addition to giving them FREE Military Protection.&#8221;
&#8220;We don’t need their Cars, we don’t need their Energy, we don’t need their Lumber, we don’t need ANYTHING they have, other than their friendship, which hopefully we will always maintain,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;They, on the other hand, need EVERYTHING from us! The Prime Minister will be arriving shortly and that will be, most likely, my only question of consequence.&#8221;
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that &#8220;it would be much better for Canada&#8221; to become part of the United States, prompting Carney to shoot back and say that Canada &#8220;won&#8217;t be for sale, ever.&#8221;
&#8220;I believe it would be a massive tax cut for the Canadian citizens. You get free military, you get tremendous medical care, and other things. There would be a lot of advantages,&#8221; Trump said of Canada becoming the 51st state.
&#8220;I do feel it&#8217;s much better for Canada, but we&#8217;re not going to be discussing that unless somebody wants to discuss it,&#8221; Trump continued before adding that the United States &#8220;essentially&#8221; provides &#8220;free&#8221; military support for Canada already.
&#8220;Because we&#8217;re protecting Canada if you ever have a problem,&#8221; the president added, gesturing toward Carney. &#8220;It would really be a wonderful marriage because it&#8217;s two places that get along very well.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Pres. Trump on Canada becoming 51st state: We&#39;re not going to be discussing that, unless somebody wants to discuss that&#8230;it really would be a wonderful marriage.
Canadian PM Carney: There are some places that are never for sale&#8230;it&#39;s not for sale. It won&#39;t be for sale, ever. <a href="https://t.co/axZSwbeO9C">pic.twitter.com/axZSwbeO9C</a>
&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1919790726583603294?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Carney shot back, telling Trump that &#8220;there are some places that are never for sale.&#8221;
&#8220;That&#8217;s true,&#8221; Trump replied.
&#8220;Having met with the owners of Canada over the course of the campaign the last several months, it&#8217;s not for sale, it won&#8217;t be for sale, ever,&#8221; Carney continued. &#8220;But the opportunity is in the partnership.&#8221;
Earlier in the meeting, Trump congratulated Carney on winning the election after trailing Conservatives by more than 20 points in the polls earlier this year. Liberals were boosted largely because of Trump&#8217;s comments on making Canada the 51st state. The party tied its opposition to Trump, riding a wave of Canadians&#8217; anti-Trump sentiments.
&#8220;I think I was probably the greatest thing to happen to [Carney],&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;His party was losing by a lot, and he ended up winning &#8230; probably one of the greatest comebacks in the history of politics. Maybe even greater than mine.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;It&#39;s a great honor to have Prime Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkJCarney?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MarkJCarney</a> with us. As you know, just a few days ago, he won a very big election in Canada.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/pWasbUwLlR">pic.twitter.com/pWasbUwLlR</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1919787527310889170?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Trump Tells Newly Elected Canadian PM ‘Never Say Never’ To Canadian Statehood

Oval Office

White House

U.S. job growth fuels a market rebound with all major stock indexes on the rise, President Donald Trump orders an end to taxpayer funding for NPR and PBS, and political unrest brews in Canada despite a fresh Liberal Party election win.
It’s Monday, May 5, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
 
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If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
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<h2>Trump Touts Economic Comeback</h2>
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Topline: President Trump takes a victory lap as the economy shows signs of improvement. 
After a tumultuous month, stocks are rallying following a better-than-expected jobs report and optimism about trade deals. In the last week or so, markets have taken a bullish turn. On Friday, the DOW, NASDAQ, and S&amp;P 500 all jumped about a point and a half – the S&amp;P saw its ninth straight day of gains, the longest streak in twenty years. Overall, the DOW is now within 2% of where it was when Trump kicked off his &#8220;Liberation Day&#8221; tariffs, while the S&amp;P 500 and NASDAQ are higher than before. Markets have been fickle — there’s always a chance those gains are erased in a day or two — but this is a remarkable recovery so far.
Meanwhile, the April jobs report showed considerably more growth than projected. Economists expected 133,000 new jobs last month, but the number came in at 177,000 — 33% higher. Unemployment also held steady, and hourly wages saw a 4% increase from the same month last year. 
It’s worth noting who those new jobs are going to: Under President Joe Biden, foreign-born workers added nearly four and a half million jobs, but over the same timeframe, the number of American-born workers fell. But in April, the number of foreign-born workers decreased, meaning the net job growth last month was concentrated among workers born in America. Job growth was also concentrated in the private sector, as government employment declined for its third straight month due to the efforts of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) project.
Markets also seem to be buoyed by reports that China may be willing to strike a deal with the United States to end the escalating tariff hikes that followed Trump’s Liberation Day announcement last month. Early last week, China was projecting an apparent willingness to dig in for a protracted trade war and weather the economic storm – the Chinese Communist Party said it was prepared to increase payouts for the unemployed, subsidize new housing projects, and incentivize its people to buy more domestic products. But on Friday, we saw our first major sign that Beijing was open to de-escalation, with the country’s commerce ministry saying, “If [The U.S.] wants to talk, our door is wide open.” 
As a sign of that new willingness to strike a deal, the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/03/world/asia/us-china-tariffs-fentanyl.html">Wall Street Journal</a> reported that Beijing is weighing a potential crackdown on fentanyl production as a show of goodwill, and has been reaching out for details on what the White House is looking for on that front.
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<h2>Trump Orders Elimination Of Funding For Public Broadcasters</h2>
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Topline: NPR and PBS threaten legal action after Trump ends their taxpayer funding.
President Trump signed an executive order Thursday to eliminate about $535 million in annual funding to NPR, PBS, and other public media. NPR and PBS vowed to fight the order in court.
President Trump has made it clear for some time that he is no fan of public broadcasting. Recently, he said, “Republicans must defund and totally disassociate themselves from NPR and PBS, the radical left monsters that so badly hurt our country.” He’s also said that taxpayer funding of media networks is “outdated and unnecessary” and “corrosive to the appearance of journalistic independence.”
In a statement on Friday, Patricia Harris, president and CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, immediately shot back, saying that the private nonprofit authorized by Congress is not “subject to the President’s authority.” Harris said Congress authorized the funding, so only Congress can revoke it. 
Paula Kerger, president of PBS, also issued a statement calling Trump’s order “blatantly unlawful.” 
“This is probably the most difficult and serious threat in the time that I&#8217;ve been in public broadcasting,” Kerger told PBS News Hour. “This idea that funds that had already been put aside for public broadcasting would be taken away.”
<h2> Oh Canada&#8230;</h2>
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Topline: Canada&#8217;s election season might be over, but the political drama is just beginning. Last week, Mark Carney led his Liberal party to a stunning comeback but <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/federal-election-2025/article/how-did-the-federal-election-change-canadas-representation-in-parliament/">fell just short</a> of a majority.
The Liberal Party of Canada has been in power for nearly ten years. Last week marked its fourth consecutive win, with Mark Carney as Prime Minister.  However, the party isn&#8217;t nearly as popular as that showing would lead you to believe – especially in the “prairie provinces,” where voters favored the conservatives by more than <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/canada/canada-election-2025-how-each-province-voted-liberal-fortresses-and-conservative-strongholds/articleshow/120733997.cms?from=mdr">2:1</a>. Carney’s predecessor, Justin Trudeau, was so unpopular that he had to step down to avoid a total electoral blowout. 
The Liberal surge in the polls happened around the same time Trump started floating the idea that Canada should become America’s 51st state. Many Canadians, particularly in Canada’s more densely populated east, rallied around Carney as “the best man to take on Trump,” but recent polling suggests that some Canadians would rather be part of the United States – or their own independent country – than remain in Canada under a Liberal government. According to polling from Angus Reid in early April, three-in-10 voters from Alberta and roughly 1-in-3 from neighboring Saskatchewan said that they would support leaving the country if Carney won – at least 20% in each province would have supported secession even if he lost. 
For reference, Quebec – a province with a large, influential openly separatist party – also reported 30% support for secession from Canada. Québécois separatists have existed for centuries, and the Bloc Québécois has been a major force in Canadian politics for decades. By contrast, Western separatism is younger and less organized, and so far, it has been more of a grassroots phenomenon, but as of now, it appears to be just as intense. 
Canada’s prairie provinces are <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/444816/canada-median-age-of-resident-population-by-province/">younger</a>, <a href="https://economicdashboard.alberta.ca/dashboard/gdp-per-capita/">wealthier</a>, less densely populated, and more dependent on resource extraction – mining, drilling, exporting oil. That’s put them into conflict with the federal government, which has taken steps to restrict the construction of pipelines and refineries. Former Prime Minister Trudeau went so far as to argue for phasing out the production of fossil fuels entirely before Western outcry forced him to walk that position back. Carney has also been a vocal advocate of <a href="https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/mark-carney-investing-net-zero-climate-solutions-creates-value-and-rewards">net-zero policies</a> and was a leading figure in the ESG movement (Environmental, Social, and Governance) when he worked in the financial sector. He was also an economic advisor to Trudeau, leading many skeptics to fear his government would be more of the same.
Last week, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith put forward legislation that would significantly lower the signature threshold for citizen-led referendums – as of now, that legislation has been tabled, and Smith and Carney are currently in talks, which are <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/smith-carney-first-step-1.7525714">reportedly</a> going well. However, the possibility of secession appears to be a piece of leverage, and as of now, it’s still on the table.

MorningWire-0505

Morning Brief: Trump’s Good And Bad Economy & Canada In Crisis

National Public Radio (NPR)

Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)

Stock Market

Tariffs

Trade War

General Motors will cut back on production at a truck plant in Oshawa, Ontario, eliminating a shift this fall due to President Donald Trump&#8217;s auto import tariff.
GM said that an &#8220;evolving trade environment&#8221; and lower demand led to the decision to end the shift at the plant, which produces Chevrolet Silverados, The Detroit News <a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/general-motors/2025/05/02/gm-cuts-shift-oshawa-plant-canada-tariffs/83407596007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> on Friday. The move will result in around 750 employees getting laid off, <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/oshawa-general-motors-plant-cutting-jobs-union-says-1.7524665" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the union representing affected workers.
&#8220;These changes will help support a sustainable manufacturing footprint as GM reorients the Oshawa plant to build more trucks in Canada for Canadian customers,&#8221; the Detroit-based automaker said in a statement.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford <a href="https://x.com/fordnation/status/1918274284260122701" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the news from GM is &#8220;extremely tough for the workers in Oshawa and their families.&#8221;
&#8220;These are hardworking people who have helped build Ontario’s auto industry,&#8221; Ford added. He then blamed Trump&#8217;s tariffs for causing &#8220;economic uncertainty and chaos.&#8221;
The Oshawa plant stopped producing new cars in 2019, but GM revitalized it just two years later and began making new trucks there.
&#8220;GM Oshawa was reopened thanks to the hard work of our members and significant investments by the federal and provincial governments based on a promise to maintain good jobs and production. We will not sit idly by as that promise is eroded one shift at a time,&#8221; said Chris Waugh, the chairman of Unifor, the Canadian general trade union.
Trump&#8217;s 25% tariff on auto imports has sent car manufacturers scrambling to move production to the United States or cut back on production costs. Last month, GM <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gm-to-increase-truck-production-in-u-s-as-trumps-auto-tariff-goes-into-effect?row=0&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;author=Zach+Jewell&amp;title=GM+To+Increase+Truck+Production+In+U.S.+As+Trump%E2%80%99s+Auto+Tariff+Goes+Into+Effect&amp;category=News" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> to its staff that it would ramp up production of light-duty trucks at its assembly plant in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The increased production at the Fort Wayne plant promises to add more temporary jobs and increase overtime opportunities for employees.
Foreign car makers are also looking to boost manufacturing and investments in the United States. German automaker Mercedes-Benz announced on Thursday that it will <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mercedes-says-it-will-make-another-car-in-the-u-s-after-trump-tariffs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">build</a> another car in the United States, adding a “core vehicle segment” to its factory in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-01/mercedes-will-move-output-of-key-model-to-us-to-counter-tariffs?srnd=homepage-americas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Trump has credited tariffs for bringing more manufacturing jobs back to the United States. After South Korean car manufacturer Hyundai announced a $21 billion investment in the United States over the next four years, Trump said that &#8220;tariffs very strongly work.&#8221;

GM Oshawa plant

General Motors To Cut Back On Manufacturing At Canada Plant Over Trump Tariff

Business

Economy

General Motors

The Canadian Liberal Party, led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, won the Canadian election on Tuesday, after the Conservative Party, led by Pierre Poilievre, had held a <a href="https://www.ipsos.com/en-ca/poilievre-opens-25-point-lead-over-trudeau-being-best-equipped-deal-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">25-point lead</a> among decided voters in December.
As of Tuesday morning, the Liberal party won 154 seats with 43.5% of the vote. Despite not winning the election, Poilievre’s Conservatives achieved their best result in years, <a href="https://enr.elections.ca/National.aspx?lang=e">garnering</a> 41.4% of the vote and adding 20 seats. However, Poilievre lost his seat in Parliament, which could jeopardize his role as leader of the Conservative Party.
An Ipsos poll conducted last December found that the Conservative Party garnered 20% of the vote, while the Liberals, led by then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, tied with the New Democratic Party (NDP) at 20%. At the time, the Liberals had the lowest share of the popular vote since 2011. But by mid-April, a Nanos poll showed the Liberals leading by six percentage points.
Poilievre’s lead in the polls shrank as President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Canada and made sarcastic remarks calling Canada the “51st state.” Trump <a href="https://fortune.com/2024/12/04/trump-joking-canada-become-51st-state-canadian-minister/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">referred</a> to Canada as the “51st state” at a dinner with Trudeau at Mar-a-Lago last December after the Canadian prime minister stated his concern about Trump’s proposed 25% tariffs on Canada.
Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc commented, “The president was telling jokes. The president was teasing us. It was, of course, on that issue, in no way a serious comment.”
In late December, Poilievre, seeing Canadians react defensively to Trump’s comments, <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/article/poilievre-to-trump-canada-will-never-be-the-51st-state/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responded</a>, “I have the strength and the smarts to stand up for this country and my message to incoming President Trump is that first and foremost, Canada will never be the 51st state of the U.S.”
In early January, Trudeau resigned, saying he would stay on until a new leader of his party was chosen. After Carney was selected to replace Trudeau in mid-March, he <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g2y7969gyo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">consistently said</a> that Trump &#8220;wants to break us so America can own us.”
After he was sworn in, Trump <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/business/economy/trump-tariff-timeline.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> he would implement an additional 25 percent tariffs on Canadian imports; on February 1, he announced 25 percent tariffs on virtually all imports from Canada. On February 3, he announced a 30-day pause on those tariffs. On February 27, he said the tariffs against Canada would go into effect on March 4 “as scheduled.” On March 5, he said he would pause tariffs on cars coming into the U.S. for one month. On April 9, he said he would pause all reciprocal tariffs for 90 days, and make them 10% across the board.
In mid-March, Trump told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham. “I’d rather deal with a Liberal than a Conservative. The Conservative that’s running is stupidly no friend of mine. I don’t know him but he’s said negative things. When he’s said negative things I couldn’t care less. I think it’s easier to deal, actually, with a Liberal.”
Poilievre responded, “Last night, President Donald Trump endorsed Mark Carney. Why? Because, as Trump said, he’s ‘easier’ to deal with, and knows that I will be a tough negotiator and always put Canada First. Carney is weak and would cave to Trump’s demands, just like he did when he moved his company headquarters from Canada to New York City. Canadians don’t want a weak and conflicted leader. They want a strong Prime Minister who will put Canada First.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Last night, President Donald Trump endorsed Mark Carney.
Why? Because, as Trump said, he’s “easier” to deal with, and knows that I will be a tough negotiator and always put Canada First. Carney is weak and would cave to Trump’s demands, just like he did when he moved his company… <a href="https://t.co/Dv6FgyyLYg">pic.twitter.com/Dv6FgyyLYg</a>
&mdash; Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) <a href="https://twitter.com/PierrePoilievre/status/1902291230035185971?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
On Monday, the day of the election, Trump again <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114415618596069518" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> on Truth Social about Canada becoming a state:
<blockquote>
Good luck to the Great people of Canada. Elect the man who has the strength and wisdom to cut your taxes in half, increase your military power, for free, to the highest level in the World, have your Car, Steel, Aluminum, Lumber, Energy, and all other businesses, QUADRUPLE in size, WITH ZERO TARIFFS OR TAXES, if Canada becomes the cherished 51st. State of the United States of America. No more artificially drawn line from many years ago. Look how beautiful this land mass would be. Free access with NO BORDER. ALL POSITIVES WITH NO NEGATIVES. IT WAS MEANT TO BE! America can no longer subsidize Canada with the Hundreds of Billions of Dollars a year that we have been spending in the past. It makes no sense unless Canada is a State!
</blockquote>
As Canadian voters went to the polls on Monday, Poilievre, a hard-line conservative, wrote on X, “President Trump, stay out of our election. The only people who will decide the future of Canada are Canadians at the ballot box. Canada will always be proud, sovereign and independent and we will NEVER be the 51st state. Today Canadians can vote for change so we can strengthen our country, stand on our own two feet and stand up to America from a position of strength.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
President Trump, stay out of our election. The only people who will decide the future of Canada are Canadians at the ballot box.
Canada will always be proud, sovereign and independent and we will NEVER be the 51st state.
Today Canadians can vote for change so we can strengthen…
— Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) <a href="https://twitter.com/PierrePoilievre/status/1916854056183644583?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
To form a majority in the Parliament of Canada, a party must gather 172 seats. According to <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/federal-election-2025/article/ctv-news-declares-liberal-minority-singh-to-step-down-as-ndp-leader-live-updates-here/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CTV News</a> and the<a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/livestory/canada-election-ndp-leader-jagmeet-singh-announces-resignation-with-liberals-projected-to-win-4th-term-9.6738893?ts=1745892659755" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> CBC</a>, the Liberal Party won enough seats to form a minority government. They will have to unite with the Leftist NDP and the Green Party to form a majority government. As of Tuesday morning, with <a href="https://enr.elections.ca/National.aspx?lang=e">almost all of the votes recorded</a>, the Liberals were projected to win 168 seats compared to the Conservatives 144, the Quebecois Party 23, the NDP seven seats and the Green party one. The Liberals only need four more seats, while the NDP would have the four to give them.

MixCollage-29-Apr-2025-12-20-PM-6405

Canadian Liberal Party Retains Power, Defeats Conservatives

Elections

Pierre Poilevre

The approval of leftist leaders in Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom has surged since President Donald Trump took office in January and began implementing his economic and foreign policy agendas.
The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/trump-world-left-leaders-polling-43095b2f?mod=hp_lead_pos6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> on Thursday that the reaction to the beginning of Trump&#8217;s second administration has given new life to liberal leaders who previously looked destined for defeat in upcoming elections. Trump&#8217;s massive tariffs imposed on nearly every country in the world are the top issue that appears to be driving support for leftist leaders.
The biggest swing following Trump&#8217;s inauguration came in Canada, where the ruling Liberal Party appeared dead in the water until Trump imposed a tariff on Canadian goods and suggested making Canada the 51st state.
Trump&#8217;s policies and attitude toward Canada have appeared to turn the upcoming prime minister election on its head — shifting from a likely flip to the Conservative Party to potentially remaining in the hands of the Liberal Party and leftist Prime Minister Mark Carney. The Conservatives, led by Pierre Poilievre, were ahead of the Liberals by more than 20 points in the polls, but now the Liberals lead by around 4 points, according to the WSJ. Poilievre and his Conservative Party hope to gain back support among Canadians, who will go to the polls on Monday.
In Australia, which is holding elections on May 3, Left-leaning Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is now ahead in the polls by more than 10 points after trailing his conservative opponent, Peter Dutton, by six points in January. The jump in support for Albanese coincides with Australians losing trust in the U.S. government, according to polling results from the Lowy Institute. The think tank found that only 36% of Australians have any level of trust in the United States to act responsibly, the WSJ reported. That was down from 56% last year.
The United Kingdom&#8217;s Left-leaning Labour Party is still struggling with its approval rating, sitting at just 29%, but that&#8217;s an 8-point increase from February. The upward trend in approval for the British Labour Party followed Prime Minister Keir Starmer&#8217;s meeting with Trump at the White House in late February to discuss tariffs and the war in Ukraine. Starmer has <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3ev43vqj49o" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vowed</a> to &#8220;only strike a [trade] deal&#8221; with Trump &#8220;if it&#8217;s in the national interest.&#8221; Earlier this month, an Ipsos poll showed a 17-point drop in the number of Britons who agreed that the United Kingdom has a &#8220;special relationship&#8221; with the United States, down to 30%.
Conservative leaders in Canada and Australia are trying to navigate Trump&#8217;s policies as they seek to regain support ahead of their elections. Poilievre, a popular figure on the Canadian Right, has pushed &#8220;Canada First&#8221; campaign messaging, similar to Trump&#8217;s &#8220;America First&#8221; slogan. The Canadian parliamentarian has also amassed a large following among Canadian and some American conservatives for his viral critiques of the legacy media and former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Despite his similarities to Trump, Poilievre has been careful to differentiate himself from the U.S. president and has strongly opposed Trump&#8217;s tariffs that are now affecting the Canadian economy, calling Trump&#8217;s move &#8220;historic mistreatment of Canada.&#8221; Poilievre&#8217;s strategy is showing signs of success, as the Conservative Party has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/conservative-party-surges-ahead-of-canadian-election-as-concerns-over-trump-seem-to-wane-poll" target="_blank" rel="noopener">regained</a> some ground on the Liberals, according to a CTV News-Globe and Mail-Nanos poll released earlier this week. According to the survey, Conservatives have narrowed the gap from 5.6 points to 3.6 points.
Dutton, the Australian conservative candidate, has pushed policies similar to those implemented by Trump, such as seeking to radically cut government spending. Dutton, however, has called Trump comparisons a &#8220;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/apr/05/donald-trump-in-the-white-house-seemed-like-a-plus-for-peter-dutton-but-after-this-week-maybe-not-so-much" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sledge</a>&#8221; used to attack him, adding that “the government doesn’t have a good story to tell.”

UK Prime Minister Meets With President Trump In Washington

These Leftist World Leaders Saw A Surge In Support After Trump Took Office

Australia

Executive

United Kingdom

Canada&#8217;s Conservative party has narrowed the gap with Prime Minister Mark Carney&#8217;s ruling Liberals to only 3.6 percentage points, just four days before Monday&#8217;s national election.
According to a rolling three-day CTV News-Globe and Mail-Nanos poll, the Liberals hold 42.9% support with the Conservatives at 39.3%.
The 3.6-point gap has narrowed significantly from 5.6 points just a day earlier, a significant momentum shift toward opposition leader Pierre Poilievre&#8217;s campaign focused on economic concerns and public safety under Liberal governance.
&#8220;We can&#8217;t afford a fourth Liberal term of rising costs and crime,&#8221; Poilievre <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/canada-election-race-tightens-conservatives-narrow-gap-with-liberals-poll-says-2025-04-24/">told</a> reporters in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Thursday, pledging to scrap electric-vehicle sales mandates, per Reuters.
His campaign has emphasized domestic issues, while Carney has focused heavily on U.S. tariffs and potential “threats” posed by President Trump.
Paul Thomas, a professor emeritus at the University of Manitoba, suggests the polls may be tightening because of the &#8220;diminished sense of crisis&#8221; regarding relations between the United States and Canada.
He noted that voters&#8217; focus appears to be shifting back to cost-of-living concerns, while Poilievre&#8217;s softening of his campaign tone may also be attracting support.
The Conservative surge follows the release of the party&#8217;s extensive platform and the two candidates’ debates last week.
In recent years, Canada has implemented a federal carbon tax, stricter gun control measures, and substantially increased immigration targets – policies that opposition parties argue have contributed to the country&#8217;s cost-of-living crisis.
While Carney has made United States relations the centerpiece of his campaign, his rhetoric in recent weeks has become increasingly dramatic in an attempt to exploit the fear of American overreach that many Canadians appear to have.
“In this crisis, we have to prepare for America’s threats to our very sovereignty. They want our land, our resources, they want our water, they want our country,” Carney alarmingly <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/19/mark-carney-unveils-plan-to-trump-proof-canada-00299654">declared,</a> per Politico.
Even with a popular vote victory, pollsters caution that the Liberals might secure only a minority government, leaving Carney dependent on smaller parties to govern.
The New Democratic Party, currently polling at 7.2%, could become the kingmaker in a closely contested parliament.
This shift, combined with the Conservative Party&#8217;s recently released detailed economic plan, appears to be resonating with voters concerned about domestic issues.
The election represents a clear contrast between Carney&#8217;s focus on external threats and international relations versus Poilievre&#8217;s emphasis on so0-called kitchen table economic concerns.
With just days remaining before Canadians cast their ballots, both campaigns are intensifying get-out-the-vote efforts in key battleground districts, particularly in suburban areas around Toronto and Vancouver, where elections are typically decided.
The three-day CTV News-Globe and Mail-Nanos poll was conducted among 2,000 eligible voters from April 18 to 21, and has a margin of error of 2.3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, per Reuters.

CANADA-VOTE-POLITICS-DEBATE

Conservative Party Surges Ahead Of Canadian Election As Concerns Over Trump Seem To Wane: Poll

Pierre Poilievre

World

Canadian indie rock band The New Pornographers has reacted to news of their drummer, Joseph Seiders, being arrested for possession of child pornography by immediately cutting ties with him.
A <a href="https://www.riversidesheriff.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=6286">press release</a> from the Riverside County Sheriff’s office said that Seiders was arrested after a call was placed on April 7, asserting suspicious activity at a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Palm Desert, California. Officers took a statement from an 11-year-old boy who told them that an “unknown male adult” had recorded him on a cell phone while he was using the bathroom.
Then, on April 9, a man was seen entering and exiting the restroom at the same Chick-fil-A, accompanied by juvenile males.
“Believing the male was the suspect from the previous incident, law enforcement was contacted. Upon arrival, deputies located the suspect, identified as 44-year-old Joseph Seiders of Palm Desert, and took him into custody,” the release said. 
Officers conducted an investigation and served search warrants on Seiders’ residence, vehicle, and cell phone, where they reportedly found evidence implicating Seiders in both incidents at the fast food restaurant and “additional crimes,” including the possession of child pornography.
Seiders was booked into the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio, California, for possession of child pornography, annoying/molesting a child, invasion of privacy, and attempted invasion of privacy, the press release said. The drummer is being held at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility with bail set at $1 million. He is scheduled to appear in court on April 22.
The band The New Pornographers addressed the incident on Instagram, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DIkred2RbaJ/">writing</a>, “Everyone in the band is absolutely shocked, horrified and devastated by the news of the charges against Joe Seiders — and we have immediately severed all ties with him. Our hearts go out to everyone who has been impacted by his actions.”
The New Pornographers are a Canadian indie rock band formed in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1997. They&#8217;re known for their power pop sound, harmonies, and collaborative approach, which often includes multiple lead singers. Despite their name, their songs are usually not risque, but rather use wordplay to convey deep emotion.

Joe Seiders

‘The New Pornographers’ Drummer Arrested For Child Porn, Band Cuts Ties

'The New Pornographers' Drummer Arrested For Child Porn, Band Cuts Ties

California

Child pornography

Crime

Entertainment

U.S.

California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is aggressively courting Canadian tourists, painting the state as a safe haven from the Trump administration.
Newsom launched a tourism campaign targeted at Canadians on Monday as the state attempts to bring back tourists who have canceled vacations in the United States over President Donald Trump&#8217;s treatment of Canada. In one video message, Newsom said California and Canada &#8220;have always shared so much in common.&#8221;
“Sure, you-know-who is trying to stir things up back in D.C., but don’t let that ruin your beach plans,” the governor added. “California is the ultimate playground — over 2,000 miles from Washington and a world away in mindset. From our iconic beaches and national parks to world-class wine, food, and outdoor adventure — there’s something here for everyone.&#8221;
<iframe loading="lazy" title="#California Launches #Tourism Campaign Welcoming #Canadians  #shorts #visitcalifornia #canada #news" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6b_p6TMduT8?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“Here in California, we have plenty of sunshine and a whole lot of love for our neighbors up north,” Newsom stated at the end of the video.
As Trump hits Canada with a 25% tariff and repeatedly suggests that the nation should become the 51st state, some Canadians are nixing their plans to travel to the United States. Last year, nearly two million Canadians visited California, spending around $3.7 billion in the Golden State, the governor&#8217;s office stated, according to The Los Angeles Times.
Canada has also started a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/canada-buys-ads-in-a-dozen-states-against-trumps-tariffs?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Canada+Buys+Ads+In+A+Dozen+States+Against+Trump%E2%80%99s+Tariffs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">billboard campaign</a> in the United States against Trump&#8217;s tariffs. According to Global Affairs Canada spokesman John Babcock, the billboards are part of an “educational campaign to inform Americans” about the costs of tariffs.
Earlier this month, the Canadian government retaliated with a 25% tariff on over $20 billion worth of U.S. goods.
Despite President Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/we-agree-on-many-things-trump-had-extremely-productive-call-with-canadas-new-liberal-pm?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98We+Agree+On+Many+Things%E2%80%99%3A+Trump+Had+%E2%80%98Extremely+Productive+Call%E2%80%99+With+Canada%E2%80%99s+New+Liberal+PM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying</a> he had an &#8220;extremely productive call&#8221; with Canada&#8217;s new Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney, the trade war between the two countries has shown no signs of cooling down in the near future.
In the meantime, Newsom — who is expected to run for president in 2028 — is reaching out to Canadian tourists and seeking to further develop economic and political relationships with Canada. On Monday, the governor <a href="https://x.com/CAgovernor/status/1911871226504790514" target="_blank" rel="noopener">met</a> with British Columbia Premier David Eby &#8220;to discuss opportunities for expanding California&#8217;s partnership with British Columbia on climate &amp; trade.&#8221;
&#8220;As tariffs threaten jobs &amp; businesses on both sides of the border, California remains a steady, reliable partner open for business,&#8221; Newsom said.

Gavin Newsom/Canadians

‘So Much In Common’: Newsom Courts Canadians With New Tourism Campaign

Gavin Newsom

Tourism

Longtime MSNBC host Chris Matthews appeared baffled by President Donald Trump&#8217;s implementation of tariffs against Canada, asking how Americans were supposed to work around the fact that the United States imports a lot of lumber from its northern neighbor.
&#8220;We get so much of our lumber, our two-by-fours from — from Canada,&#8221; Matthews said during a Wednesday appearance on MSNBC&#8217;s &#8220;Morning Joe.&#8221; &#8220;What are we going to do? Have more lumber made in the United States now?&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Chris Matthews on MSNBC: 
&quot;We get so much of our lumber, our two by fours from from Canada&#8230;.What are we going to do? Have more lumber made in the United States now?!&quot;
&quot;What is our plan now&#8230;? We&#39;re going to create more wood. Is that it?!&quot;
&quot;Are we going to make more wood in… <a href="https://t.co/cVlvJ6SvEu">pic.twitter.com/cVlvJ6SvEu</a>
&mdash; Townhall.com (@townhallcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/1909966727754268917?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;This other thing — I watched on the evening news last night, one of the other networks, and I watched the issue of lumber,&#8221; Matthews explained. &#8220;Now, you see, we get so much of our lumber, our two-by-fours from — from Canada. That&#8217;s where we get it from. Canada! We get our newsprint from up there, for newspapers. The fact is, we get — what are we going to do? Have more lumber made in the United States now?!&#8221;
&#8220;What is our plan now?&#8221; Matthews continued in the same vein. &#8220;Oh, we&#8217;re not going to import wood, so we&#8217;re going to make more wood? We&#8217;re going to create more wood. Is that it?! I don&#8217;t think we&#8217;re in a position to simply replicate the imports coming into this country with our own products. It can&#8217;t always be done. And I think — wood&#8217;s an example of that. Wood. Are we going to make more wood in this country because of our trade deal?! I don&#8217;t think so.&#8221;
Social media hit back, reminding Matthews of an Executive Action from the Trump Administration dated March 1, kickstarting the &#8220;Immediate Expansion of Timber Production&#8221; in the United States.
&#8220;That’s the idea,&#8221; an X post read.
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That’s the idea <a href="https://t.co/XiWPAfWyeD">https://t.co/XiWPAfWyeD</a> <a href="https://t.co/K5wtirWlpy">pic.twitter.com/K5wtirWlpy</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1909983848609329222?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Chris Matthews is unaware of the existence of trees in the United States,&#8221; Jim Verdi posted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Chris Matthews is unaware of the existence of trees in the United States. 🤡🤡 <a href="https://t.co/MCpflHWcIm">https://t.co/MCpflHWcIm</a>
&mdash; Jim Verdi (@jjverdi) <a href="https://twitter.com/jjverdi/status/1909989218761220558?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Townhall&#8217;s Matt Vespa added, &#8220;Market illiteracy is one thing. I don’t know what this is … we impose tariffs and libs think wood vanishes. Globalist mind rot is a thing.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
market illiteracy is one thing
I don’t know what this is … we impose tariffs and libs think wood vanishes 
Globalist mind rot is a thing <a href="https://t.co/TBin8FqwNc">https://t.co/TBin8FqwNc</a>
&mdash; Matt Vespa (@mVespa1) <a href="https://twitter.com/mVespa1/status/1910002611639496862?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Chris Matthews

MSNBC’s Chris Matthews Struggles To Wrap His Brain Around The Fact That Trees Grow In America

MSNBC's Chris Matthews Struggles To Wrap His Brain Around The Fact That Trees Grow In America

MSNBC

A <a href="https://adfinternational.org/campaign/support-billboard-chris" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Canadian father</a> recently sat before an Australian tribunal in Melbourne for five days because he shared an article from <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13119521/Sex-secrets-trans-kinky-Australian-bondage-bestiality-nudism-drugs-sex-change.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Mail</a> in an X post last year.
Let that sink in.
Chris Elston, better known as &#8220;<a href="https://x.com/BillboardChris" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Billboard Chris</a>,&#8221; flew halfway around the world to defend not only his own free speech rights, but also those of all people. He is <a href="https://adfinternational.org/cases/billboard-chris-australia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pushing back</a> against an order from Australia’s eSafety Commissioner. The order demanded X censor Chris’ February 2024 post criticizing the appointment of a transgender activist to a World Health Organization panel of experts, citing the Daily Mail <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13119521/Sex-secrets-trans-kinky-Australian-bondage-bestiality-nudism-drugs-sex-change.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">article</a> titled &#8220;Kinky secrets of UN trans expert REVEALED&#8221;
Linking to an article from one of the most-read news websites in the world, the post was <a href="https://x.com/Rob_ADFIntl/status/1906643539754205575" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deemed</a> by eSafety to be “cyber-abuse material targeted at an Australian adult.” X initially resisted pressure to censor the content in any way but later geo-blocked the post in Australia when hit with a formal takedown notice. Billboard Chris, with legal support from ADF International, is challenging that order, and X joined in a separate suit.
This isn’t about one post. It’s about whether governments should be able to censor lawful expression because they don’t like the content — in this case, the rejection of gender ideology. 
The hearing at the Melbourne Administrative Review Tribunal spanned five days and took in over 2,000 pages of documents. Meanwhile, the complainant, Teddy Cook, never even appeared before the tribunal.
<a href="https://x.com/Rob_ADFIntl/status/1906643539754205575" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Day one</a> revealed how thin the complaint truly was. eSafety’s lawyers claimed that part of the problem was that Chris had revealed Cook’s place of work and posted private images. Chris, however, simply reposted the Daily Mail’s piece, which named Cook’s workplace (a detail already publicly available online) and, as anyone who uses social media knows, the featured images were pulled from Daily Mail article, not supplied by Chris. It becomes more ridiculous still. The Daily Mail had obtained the photos from Cook’s own social media. The argument didn’t just collapse under scrutiny — it exposed the flimsy foundation apparently sufficient for this bureaucracy to suppress dissent.
By <a href="https://x.com/Rob_ADFIntl/status/1907084293513318811" target="_blank" rel="noopener">day two</a>, it was clear how detached from reality the process had become. There was no evidence of actual harm. Cook, just nine days after the post, had tweeted: “living my best life.” But here we were, with psychiatrists and professors flown in to dissect whether a single X post could legally be considered “likely … intended to have an effect of causing serious harm”.
Chris testified to the Tribunal about the issue at the core of his advocacy: “It’s damaging to teach children they are born in the wrong body &#8230; children are beautiful just as they are. No drugs or scalpels needed.” Asked whether he was trying to provoke outrage, he responded: “No. I want to provoke discussion.”
That matters. Under Australia’s Online Safety Act, takedown orders can only be issued if content is not only offensive, but also “likely …intended to have an effect of causing serious harm.&#8221; However, eSafety seemed to argue that intent is largely irrelevant. If someone feels offended, even by public information, that alone might justify censorship.
On <a href="https://x.com/Rob_ADFIntl/status/1907754476250792285" target="_blank" rel="noopener">days three and four</a>, several more expert witnesses took the stand. eSafety’s own expert — a digital communications professor — asserted that biologically accurate terms are “harmful,” and that children should be able to choose their gender around age 12. Note Australian taxpayers are footing the bill for this expertise — reportedly more than $10,000 for just this one.
The final day brought closing submissions and a stark contrast in worldviews. eSafety argued the Tribunal should view the post in isolation, ignoring the broader debate, and insisted that Teddy Cook — a WHO-appointed expert and activist — shouldn’t be considered a public figure. Chris’ legal team, along with X, pushed back: any fair assessment must consider the wider social and political context. This wasn’t targeted abuse — it was participation in a critical public conversation.
This case is a warning to all who value free expression. If a Canadian citizen can be silenced in Australia for sharing a news article on U.S.-based platform X, then clearly, censorship is no longer bound by borders. What’s to stop any other government — from Canada to the EU to China — from deciding your speech “harms” someone abroad and demanding it be taken down too?
This is exactly how global censorship metastasizes: bureaucracies leveraging international tech companies to enforce vague, ideological speech codes on people who never voted for them, under laws they never consented to. And the more they get away with it, the bolder they become.
Fortunately, X put up a robust legal defense, and Chris, with the legal backing of ADF International and the Human Rights Law Alliance, was unequivocal in his message: he will not be censored as he fights to put an end to the evils of gender ideology.
Most evidently, gender ideology needs censorship to survive, and that is why Chris has been targeted. He hasn’t gone before this tribunal to protect himself — he’s doing it to protect the right of every person to tell the truth.
This is a test case with global consequences. Billboard Chris’ censorship challenge shows us exactly where we’re headed if we don’t defend free speech: toward a world where bureaucrats silence opinions they don’t like, even from the other side of the globe. It’s a world where truth must be approved, and feelings outweigh facts. That’s not just anti-democratic — it’s dangerous. Because once a government crosses the line of international censorship, there’s no saying where it will stop.
* * *
Robert Clarke is a barrister and director of advocacy for ADF International, which is supporting the case of Billboard Chris in Australia. Follow him on X at <a href="https://x.com/Rob_ADFIntl?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rob_ADFIntl.</a>
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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He Shared A Link On X. Now He’s In An Australian Court.

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