A deal with India is &#8220;very close,&#8221; Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday, signaling what could be a major breakthrough in negotiations with a significant trade partner.
Many foreign countries, including India, face a 10% baseline tariff after President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause for harsher &#8220;Liberation Day&#8221; tariffs he unveiled at the beginning of April. The tariffs for India could rise to 26%, which was the initial rate, if a deal is not reached.
At a White House press briefing, a reporter asked Bessent if he had anything to share on whether &#8220;something could happen&#8221; this week or the next. He <a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2025/04/29/bessent_trade_talks_with_india_korea_japan.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chose</a> to focus on India.
&#8220;I think we’re very close on India,&#8221; Bessent said. &#8220;India — just a little inside baseball. India, in a funny way, is easier to negotiate with than many other countries because they have very high tariffs and lots of tariffs.&#8221;
He added: &#8220;So, it’s much easier to confront the direct tariffs when, as we go through these unfair trade deals that have been put in over decades, that the non-tariff trade barriers can be much more insidious and also harder to detect. So, a country like India, which has the posted and ready tariffs, it’s much easier to negotiate with them. I think the India negotiations will move well.&#8221;
Last week, Vice President JD Vance travelled to India and met with the country&#8217;s prime minister, Narendra Modi.
Vance <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1914650218940805207" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> the United States and India finalized the “terms of reference” for a trade negotiation, adding that he believed it was a &#8220;vital step toward realizing President Trump&#8217;s and Prime Minister Modi&#8217;s vision because it sets a roadmap toward a final deal.&#8221;
India, along with Japan and South Korea, seem to be making the greatest amount of headway in talks with the United States.
These &#8220;Asian trading partners and allies,&#8221; Bessent said, &#8220;have been the most forthcoming in terms of doing the deals &#8230; Vice President Vance was in India last week. I think that he and President Modi made very good progress, so I could see some announcements on India. I could see the contours of a deal with the Republic of Korea coming together, and then we&#8217;ve had substantial talks with the Japanese.&#8221;
Because Japan and South Korea have elections coming up in the months ahead, Bessent sees an opportunity to reach agreements with them sooner rather than later.
&#8220;I think from our talks that these governments actually want to have the framework of a trade deal done before they go into the elections to show that they have successfully negotiated with the United States,&#8221; Bessent said. &#8220;So, we’re finding that they’re actually much more keen to come to the table, get this done, and then go home and campaign on it.&#8221;
Trump implemented the &#8220;Liberation Day&#8221; tariffs by declaring a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/04/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-declares-national-emergency-to-increase-our-competitive-edge-protect-our-sovereignty-and-strengthen-our-national-and-economic-security/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">national emergency</a> to combat what his administration says are unfair trade practices, protect American workers, and strengthen national security. While most countries received a 90-day reprieve, the United States <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-issues-90-day-pause-on-most-tariffs-raises-chinas-to-125" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increased</a> the overall tariff level on China to 145%. Beijing responded by <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/11/china-strikes-back-with-125percent-tariffs-on-us-goods-starting-april-12.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raising</a> tariffs on U.S. goods to 125%.
Bessent would not say during the briefing whether Trump administration officials have been talking with their counterparts from China about tariffs, but he did <a href="https://grabien.com/story?id=525096" target="_blank" rel="noopener">express</a> the view that, &#8220;over time, we will see that the Chinese tariffs are unsustainable for China.&#8221;

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent

Sorry, China: Bessent Says Deal With Massive Trade Partner ‘Very Close’

China

Executive

Global Politics

India

Japan

Scott Bessent

South Korea

Tariffs

Trade War

World

The White House is making early progress on trade deals with India &#8212; hoping to ease economic tensions stemming from Trump’s tariffs. Marco Rubio announces a major overhaul of the State Department. And, tech stocks rebound as egg prices drop &#8212; what’s the latest on the U.S. economy?
It’s Wednesday, April 23, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/us-india-trade-deal-rubio-revamps-state-dept-4-23-25/id1576594336?i=1000704573915" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2>India And The U.S. Move Toward Trade Deal</h2>
<div id="attachment_910991" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-910991" class="size-large wp-image-910991" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Liberty-Market-Graphic-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Liberty-Market-Graphic-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Liberty-Market-Graphic-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Liberty-Market-Graphic-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Liberty-Market-Graphic-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Liberty-Market-Graphic-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Liberty-Market-Graphic-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Liberty-Market-Graphic-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />(Photo by Anton Petrus via Getty Images)</div>
Topline: The United States and India are reportedly nearing a trade deal. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump met with top CEOs to address their concerns about the trade war.
Shortly after unveiling his “Liberation Day” tariffs, Trump offered a 90-day pause on his proposed tariff hikes to most of America’s trading partners, with the notable exception of China. A baseline rate of 10% is currently being applied to most imports in the meantime. According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, the administration is set to meet with nearly three dozen countries this week to negotiate more favorable terms.
Vice President JD Vance visited India for four days and met with top government officials, including Prime Minister Modi. Last year, trade between the two countries was nearly $130 billion. U.S. imports from India exceeded exports by about $45 billion last year, which is significant since Trump has made it clear that reducing the trade deficit is a key goal of his tariff policy. Negotiations appear to be going well, but if Trump and Modi don’t make a deal, the tariff rate on Indian goods could jump to 26%.
“President Trump and Prime Minister Modi announced in February that our countries aim to more than double our bilateral trade to $500 billion by the end of the decade,” Vance <a href="https://x.com/VP/status/1914664240763257219">said</a> on Tuesday. “Both of our governments are hard at work on a trade agreement built on shared priorities like creating new jobs, building durable supply chains, and achieving prosperity for our workers. In our meeting yesterday, Prime Minister Modi and I made very good progress on all of those points, and we were especially excited to formally announce that America and India have officially finalized the terms of reference for the trade negotiation.”
In general, the Trump administration appears to be dialing back its earlier, maximalist stance on tariffs. On Monday, the CEOs of Walmart, Target, and Home Depot met with the president to air concerns about trade and tariffs. CNBC also reported that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met with top investors on Tuesday about trade with China. Bessent <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/22/bessent-trump-tariffs-china-deescalate.html">reportedly</a> said that he expects “there will be a de-escalation” in the “very near future.” He added that “no one thinks the current status quo is sustainable.”
<h2>Rubio Proposes Sweeping Cuts To State Department</h2>
<div id="attachment_910985" style="width: 737px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-910985" class="size-large wp-image-910985" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/State-Department-Facade-727x576.jpg" alt="" width="727" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/State-Department-Facade-727x576.jpg 727w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/State-Department-Facade-300x238.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/State-Department-Facade-768x608.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/State-Department-Facade-1536x1217.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/State-Department-Facade-2048x1622.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 727px) 100vw, 727px" />(Photo by Nathan Posner/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)</div>
Topline: Secretary of State Marco Rubio just announced a sweeping overhaul of the U.S. State Department, aiming to streamline operations and align diplomacy with the Trump administration’s “America First” agenda. The plan includes significant staff cuts and the closure of numerous offices.
Rubio is not being shy in billing this as an aggressive reform plan. In a department-wide email, he called the State Department “bloated” and “beholden to radical political ideology.” Because of this, he aims to reduce the agency’s U.S.-based staff by 15% and reduce the number of offices from 734 to 602.
“Secretary Rubio is announcing a comprehensive reorganization plan that will bring the department into the 21st century,” State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told the press on Tuesday. “Redundant offices will be removed, and nonstatutory programs that are misaligned with America&#8217;s core national interests will cease to exist.”
There’s also one addition in this plan — Rubio proposes a new Bureau of Emerging Threats that will focus on cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
None of these proposed cuts have gone into effect just yet &#8212; Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau said an internal working group will develop “thoughtful plans” by July 1. But some of these changes may require congressional approval.  A preliminary budget proposal from the White House Office of Management and Budget that bolsters Rubio’s plan by cutting the State Department’s funding by 50% isn’t likely to pass Congress.
The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, which Rubio has criticized for promoting “left-wing agendas” in countries like Poland and Hungary, is currently on the chopping block, as is the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, which allegedly funneled taxpayer dollars to NGOs that facilitated mass migration, including at the U.S. southern border. Rubio said in a new State Department Substack that these bureaus have been misused to push policies that are misaligned with national priorities. He says that for the sake of efficiency, the goal is to refocus diplomacy on “great power competition” and consolidate region-specific functions into regional bureaus.
Some analysts are saying this is going to alienate career diplomats, and Democrats are saying these moves will diminish U.S. influence abroad. But apparently, some are breathing sighs of relief because they were expecting even deeper cuts after a draft executive order circulated last weekend. That document proposed slashing entire bureaus like African Affairs and closing embassies across sub-Saharan Africa. But Rubio says that was “fake news.”
<h2>Economic Update – Eggcellent News</h2>
<div id="attachment_910977" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-910977" class="size-large wp-image-910977" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Eggs-in-hand-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Eggs-in-hand-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Eggs-in-hand-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Eggs-in-hand-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Eggs-in-hand-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Eggs-in-hand-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Eggs-in-hand-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Eggs-in-hand-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />(Photo by Grace Carry via Getty Images)</div>
Topline: Consumers could soon see relief on egg prices while markets attempt to calibrate for Trump’s trade policies.
Markets have been remarkably volatile amid uncertainty over ongoing trade negotiations — the DOW plummeted on Monday, but spiked again on Tuesday. The International Monetary Fund warned on Tuesday that the global economy could be hit hard by tariffs and slashed its forecast for U.S. growth to 1.8% this year, down from the 2.8% it had predicted in January, but it acknowledged the tariff situation is unpredictable due to the Trump administration using them as a negotiating tactic.
Meanwhile, Americans can expect some relief on everyday expenses. Daily Wire White House correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan spoke to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins about the Trump administration’s ongoing effort to lower the price of eggs.
“A couple months ago, we rolled out our big five point egg plan,” Rollins said. “At the time the eggs were, I think, the highest they&#8217;ve been, perhaps since President Trump left office. I know under Joe Biden, they increased 237%. While the cost of groceries has skyrocketed, nothing has skyrocketed more than eggs … since [Trump took office], the cost of wholesale eggs has gone down 58%.”
Rollins also told us that part of Trump’s plan with tariffs is to correct the agricultural trade deficit that widened under Biden. “There&#8217;s now a $50 billion agriculture trade deficit &#8230; that was zero four years ago. So that means that all of that product &#8212; sorghum, wheat, corn, beef that we were moving out and Trump won, somehow that market disappeared and we&#8217;ve got to get it back.”

FRANCE-US-INDIA-DIPLOMACY-TECHNOLOGY-AI-SUMMIT

Morning Brief: Vance Negotiates India Trade Deal, Rubio Cuts State Dept & Easter Egg Prices

Food

Marco Rubio

Media

Morning Wire

Politics

State Department

Trump Administration

The Trump administration has received 18 trade proposals from foreign governments, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Tuesday, indicating advancements in negotiations following President Donald Trump&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-unleashes-liberation-day-tariffs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">introduction</a> of &#8220;Liberation Day&#8221; tariffs earlier this month.
&#8220;I spoke to our entire trade team this morning. There is a lot of progress being made. We now have 18 proposals on paper that have been brought to the trade team,&#8221; Leavitt told reporters during a White House press briefing.
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a> says the administration has received 18 trade proposals from foreign countries so far — and that officials have trade meetings with 34 countries this week alone. <a href="https://t.co/XyK2LCgoB0">pic.twitter.com/XyK2LCgoB0</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1914733472066785619?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Leavitt said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, and White House Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing Peter Navarro have meetings with representatives from 34 countries this week.
&#8220;We are moving at Trump speed to ensure these deals are made on behalf of the American worker and the American people,&#8221; Leavitt said.
Leavitt said an underreported news story from this week, in which much of the media&#8217;s coverage has been on the death of Pope Francis, was Vice President JD Vance <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1914649244318703818" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announcing</a> that the United States and India have finalized the &#8220;terms of reference&#8221; for a trade negotiation between the two countries.
Vance shared the <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/jd-vance-champions-roadmap-toward-us-india-trade-deal-says-partnership-critical-deterring-dark-time" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news</a> during a trip to India, during which he met with the country&#8217;s prime minister, Narendra Modi.
&#8220;That is a big deal,&#8221; Leavitt said. &#8220;We know, when we look at the numbers, the monetary trade barriers and the non-monetary trade barriers from India — they have been ripping off the United States and American workers for a very long time.&#8221;
She added: &#8220;So the fact that the vice president, with Prime Minister Modi on that trip to India, announced these terms of reference, which is essentially a framework to move the ball forward to sign a good trade deal between our two nations is great progress and it speaks to the work ethic and the real labor that&#8217;s being put into this effort by the president&#8217;s trade team.&#8221;
A little more than a week after &#8220;Liberation Day&#8221; on April 2, Trump announced a 90-day pause on the tariffs for most countries, reverting to a 10% rate, while <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-issues-90-day-pause-on-most-tariffs-raises-chinas-to-125" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increasing</a> levies on China to 145%.
Pressed on whether the new trade proposals were sufficient to extend the pause, Leavitt said, &#8220;Ask me in July when the deadline hits.&#8221;
Leavitt also provided an update in regard to China, which has <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/11/china-strikes-back-with-125percent-tariffs-on-us-goods-starting-april-12.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raised</a> tariffs on U.S. goods to 125% and vowed to implement <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/china-vows-to-punish-countries-that-agree-to-trump-trade-deals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;countermeasures&#8221;</a> against countries that agree to trade deals with Trump &#8220;at the expense&#8221; of its interests.
&#8220;I asked the president about this before coming out here. And he wanted me to share with all of you that we are doing very well in respect to a potential trade deal with China,&#8221; Leavitt said. &#8220;As I mentioned, there have now been 18 proposals and more than 100 countries around the world who are wanting to make a deal with the United States of America, and the president and the administration are setting the stage for a deal with China.&#8221;
She continued: &#8220;So we feel everyone involved wants to see a trade deal happen, and the ball is moving in the right direction.&#8221;

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt

‘Moving At Trump Speed’: White House Touts 18 Trade Proposals So Far

Donald Trump

Economy

Karoline Leavitt

White House

A man suspected of planning the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks that killed 166 people, including six Americans, was extradited to India to stand trial, the Justice Department announced. 
The DOJ <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/us-extradites-alleged-co-conspirator-2008-mumbai-terrorist-attacks-face-charges-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Thursday that it had extradited 64-year-old &#8220;convicted terrorist&#8221; Tahawwur Hussain Ran, a Canadian citizen and native of Pakistan, to go on trial for 10 criminal charges stemming from the 2008 attack. Rana is accused of aiding Laskhar-e-Tayyiba, a Pakistani Islamic terror group, during the coordinated bombing and shooting attacks it carried out from November 26-29, 2008, in Mumbai. 
“​​We extradited Tahawwur Hussain Rana to India to face charges for his role in planning the horrific 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks. Together, with India, we&#8217;ve long sought justice for the 166 people, including 6 Americans, who lost their lives in these attacks. I&#8217;m glad that day has come,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. 
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We extradited Tahawwur Hussain Rana to India to face charges for his role in planning the horrific 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks. Together, with India, we&#39;ve long sought justice for the 166 people, including 6 Americans, who lost their lives in these attacks. I&#39;m glad that day…
&mdash; Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio/status/1910658998438695253?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The charges against Rana include conspiracy, murder, commission of a terrorist act, and forgery. 
The attacks took place at a variety of locations, including restaurants, a Jewish community center, and the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. Rana is accused of helping David Coleman Headley, an American citizen who was sentenced in 2013 to 35 years in prison over his role in the attack, plan, and scope of the bombings. 
<div id="attachment_906559" style="width: 1122px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-906559" class="size-full wp-image-906559" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-11-at-10.45.50-AM.png" alt="" width="1112" height="686" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-11-at-10.45.50-AM.png 1112w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-11-at-10.45.50-AM-300x185.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-11-at-10.45.50-AM-934x576.png 934w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-11-at-10.45.50-AM-768x474.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1112px) 100vw, 1112px" />Rana being extradited: DOJ.</div>
According to the Justice Department, Rana appointed Headley to a position at the Mumbai office of his immigration business to assess the city&#8217;s vulnerable areas to attack. Rana allegedly helped get Headley into India by submitting fraudulent visa paperwork and documentation. 
The two then met multiple times over two years in Chicago, where Headley discussed plans for the attack with Rana, according to the Justice Department.
In 2013, Rana was <a href="https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/tahawwur-rana-sentenced-14-years-prison-supporting-pakistani-terror-group-and-terror-plot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sentenced</a> to 14 years in federal prison in the United States for providing material support to Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and for plotting to behead several workers at a Danish newspaper. The Denmark attack, which was to be carried out in part by Headley, was thwarted by authorities. 
India first requested to extradite Rana in 2020, but the action has been delayed for years as the case has made its way through the federal courts. On Monday, the Supreme Court denied Rana’s last-ditch appeal to block the extradition.

(FILES) This photograph taken on Novembe

U.S. Extradites ‘Convicted Terrorist’ Accused Of Plotting Attacks That Killed 6 Americans

Department of Justice

Radical Islamic Terror

Terrorism

As the United States and China increase tariffs on each other, President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that companies should move production to America, explicitly calling out Apple.
Trump raised the tariff on China to 104% on Wednesday morning, sparking further retaliation from the communist country, which <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/china-hits-back-with-massive-retaliatory-tariff-after-trumps-104-midnight-tariff-goes-into-effect?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;row=1&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;title=China+Hits+Back+With+Massive+Retaliatory+Tariff+After+Trump%E2%80%99s+104%25+Midnight+Tariff+Goes+Into+Effect&amp;category=News" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hit back</a> and raised its total tariff on American goods to 84%. While the president said on Tuesday that he&#8217;s optimistic about China wanting &#8220;to make a deal&#8221; with the United States on trade, Chinese leaders are doubling down on fighting a trade war &#8220;to the end.&#8221;
&#8220;This is a GREAT time to move your COMPANY into the United States of America, like Apple, and so many others, in record numbers, are doing,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114307832213562859">wrote</a> on Truth Social. &#8220;ZERO TARIFFS, and almost immediate Electrical/Energy hook ups and approvals. No Environmental Delays. DON’T WAIT, DO IT NOW!&#8221;
Among tech companies, Apple has been hit the hardest so far in Trump&#8217;s trade war with China. As investors anxiously watched Trump&#8217;s massive tariff on China go into effect, with no sign of a trade deal coming anytime soon, Apple stock went on a <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/08/apple-slide-puts-microsoft-back-on-top-as-most-valuable-public-company.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">four-day slide</a>, dropping 23 points. The stock was ticking back up in the early trading hours on Wednesday.
For years, Apple has manufactured iPhones in China, relying on the country&#8217;s cheap labor costs, but it has recently moved some of its production to India as it seeks to diversify its production base. Apple is considering ramping up iPhone production in India and shipping the phones to the United States as the trade war with China continues, The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/apple-iphone-production-china-tariffs-6cc37f40" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked if the president wants Apple to make iPhones in the United States.
&#8220;Absolutely,&#8221; Leavitt <a href="https://www.barrons.com/articles/apple-stock-iphone-trump-83e195ce" target="_blank" rel="noopener">replied</a>. &#8220;He believes we have the labor, we have the workforce, we have the resources to do it.&#8221;
Some economic analysts believe that iPhone production in the United States would be impractical and significantly raise the cost of the most popular smartphone on the market, Barron&#8217;s <a href="https://www.barrons.com/articles/apple-stock-iphone-trump-83e195ce" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The iPhone is Apple&#8217;s biggest moneymaker, bringing in around half of its revenue, according to the WSJ.

Apple

Trump Urges Companies ‘Like Apple’ To Move Production To U.S. As China Trade War Intensifies

Business

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stood before reporters on Monday and listed off multiple tariffs imposed on American products by foreign nations, arguing that the &#8220;unfair trade practices&#8221; need to come to an end.
Leavitt pointed to massive tariffs from the European Union, Japan, India, and Canada, saying, &#8220;It&#8217;s time for reciprocity.&#8221; President Donald Trump is preparing to announce a round of reciprocal tariffs on April 2, a day he has labeled &#8220;Liberation Day in America.&#8221;
&#8220;If you look at the unfair trade practices that we have: 50% from the European Union on American dairy. You have a 700% tariff from Japan on American rice. You have a 100% tariff from India on American agricultural products. You have nearly a 300% tariff from Canada on American butter and American cheese,&#8221; Leavitt said, holding up a chart on a piece of paper. &#8220;This makes it virtually impossible for American products to be imported into these markets, and it puts a lot of Americans out of business and out of work over the past several decades.&#8221;
Countries often impose tariffs on foreign goods to protect industries that are vital to their economies. As the world&#8217;s largest economic powerhouse, the United States has allowed foreign imports to flood its markets while American exports have been on the receiving end of stiff tariffs. The Trump administration argues that the tariff discrepancy is unfair and hurts American companies and workers. Leavitt promised that Trump will bring &#8220;historic change&#8221; to America&#8217;s trade relationships with his actions on Wednesday.
&#8220;Unfortunately, these countries have been ripping off our country for far too long,&#8221; the press secretary said. &#8220;And they&#8217;ve made their disdain, I think, for the American worker quite clear.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a> details the unfair trade practices that are hurting American business:
&#8211; 50% tariff from the EU on American dairy &#8211; 700% tariff from Japan on rice &#8211; 100% tariff from India on agricultural products
&quot;This makes it virtually impossible for American products to be… <a href="https://t.co/PI9inicgdX">pic.twitter.com/PI9inicgdX</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1906762630498267464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Last week, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tariffs-very-strongly-work-trump-announces-21-billion-hyundai-investment-in-u-s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">credited</a> tariffs for bringing manufacturing jobs to American soil after South Korean carmaker Hyundai announced it will invest $21 billion in the United States over the next four years. Other major foreign companies, such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and Japan’s SoftBank, recently announced multi-billion-dollar investments in U.S. manufacturing.
As Trump gears up to impose more tariffs on foreign trade partners, the White House is trying to calm fears about the tariffs putting more financial strain on Americans. During an interview with Shannon Bream on &#8220;Fox News Sunday,&#8221; White House senior counselor for trade and manufacturing Peter Navarro <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tariff-escalation-wont-cause-inflation-foreigners-will-eat-most-of-it-trump-trade-counselor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that &#8220;foreigners are going to eat most&#8221; of the tariff burden.
&#8220;They have to; we’re the biggest market in the world, Shannon,” he added. “And they have to be here. They have to be here. And so they’re going to cut their prices to absorb that.”

‘It’s Time For Reciprocity’: Leavitt Shows List Of ‘Unfair’ Tariffs Targeting American Products

Canada

European Union

India Prime Minister Narendra Modi is reportedly weighing cutting tariffs on the tens of billions of dollars worth of U.S. goods that come into his country every year in an effort to stave off President Donald Trump&#8217;s reciprocal tariffs that are set to go into place next month.
Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-eyes-tariff-cut-23-bln-us-imports-shield-66-bln-exports-sources-say-2025-03-25/">reported</a> that India was considering cutting tariffs on &#8220;more than half of U.S. imports worth $23 billion.&#8221;
Under the country&#8217;s current tariffs, 55% of goods from the U.S. are subject to a 5% to 30% tariff, the report said. Tariffs on meat, wheat, and dairy products, which range from 30% to 60%, were off the table. Tariffs on other food items could be lowered as could automotive tariffs, which are greater than 100%.
Indian officials specifically were concerned about tariffs on pearls, mineral fuels, machinery, boilers, electrical equipment, pharmaceuticals, and automotive exports.
Indian officials told Reuters that they were open to &#8220;substantially&#8221; reducing tariffs on these items and, in some cases, scrapping them altogether. They made clear that they would only do so if India was spared from Trump&#8217;s tariffs, which go into effect on April 2nd.
The proposed cuts are included in the first phase of a trade deal that is being negotiated between the U.S. and India, the report said.
If the cuts go through, they would be the largest cuts India has made on tariffs in many years.
India hopes to avoid being hit by Trump&#8217;s tariffs — which are specifically aimed at countries that have tariffs on U.S. goods — because the country&#8217;s leaders believe that Trump&#8217;s tariffs would &#8220;hit 87% of its total exports to the United States worth $66 billion.&#8221;
The United States currently has a $45 billion trade deficit with India, something that Trump is looking to balance out.

Donald Trump – Narendra Modi meeting in Washington DC

India Considers Massive Cut On Tariffs Of U.S. Goods To Avoid Trump’s Reciprocal Tariffs

President Donald Trump will hold a press conference on tariffs Thursday ahead of his meeting with India&#8217;s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Modi will arrive at the White House at 4:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, and immediately attend a bilateral meeting with Trump at the White House. About an hour later, Trump will host a press conference with Modi.
Several hours before that press conference, Trump will hold a news conference at 1:00 p.m. at the White House. The president announced the news conference in a Thursday morning Truth Social post that read: &#8220;NEWS CONFERENCE ON RECIPROCAL TARIFFS TODAY, 1:00 P.M., THE OVAL OFFICE. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!&#8221;
Trump <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/india/trump-calls-india-a-tariff-king-a-title-modi-wants-to-shed-03943a85">has called</a> Modi the &#8220;tariff king&#8221; in the past, and has pushed India to accept deportations of illegal immigrants from the United States. Modi is said to be eager to lose that title, and has already been working with the Trump administration to take back migrants — India <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/illegal-indian-immigrants-from-us-second-batch-land-amritsar-punjab-saturday-2679585-2025-02-13">accepted 104 illegals</a> from the United States flown back on an American military plane earlier this month, and a second flight will head to India on Saturday, <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/illegal-indian-immigrants-from-us-second-batch-land-amritsar-punjab-saturday-2679585-2025-02-13">according to India Today.</a>
Senior Trump administration officials said on a press call Thursday morning that Trump is proud of his relationship with Modi and his record of strengthening ties between the United States and India. The meetings will include discussion on key areas of defense, trade, energy, infrastructure, and regional partnerships, a senior Trump administration official said, adding that Trump is &#8220;looking forward to continuing to build on the bonds of friendship between our two countries.&#8221; 
 &#8220;We will aim to build on defense sales to India to ensure they are prioritizing the use of American technology,&#8221; the official shared. &#8220;The president is also focused on unleashing American energy to the rest of the world and will prioritize India as a key importer of America&#8217;s natural resources to power their economy. The two leaders will discuss how we can improve our trade relationship that brings down our bilateral trade deficit and ensure an expanded fair trade relationship.&#8221;
Asked by The Daily Wire how China&#8217;s <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/02/10/nx-s1-5292017/china-tariffs-us-retaliation-trump">retaliatory response to Trump&#8217;s tariffs</a> impacts India&#8217;s relationship with the United States, a senior Trump administration official responded:  &#8220;I think this heightens the opportunity set for the Indians to be a part of strengthening supply chains, ensuring that critical supply chains and technologies cannot be weaponized against free societies. I think they take that opportunity seriously, and it could be an opportunity for the bilateral to continue to expand and evolve.&#8221;
Modi also met with Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday in France, where the two leaders discussed &#8220;topics of mutual interest, including how the United States can assist India in diversifying its energy sourcing through investments in clean, reliable U.S. nuclear technology.&#8221;

INDIA-US-DIPLOMACY-TRUMP

Trump To Hold Press Conference On Tariffs Before Meeting With India’s Prime Minister

Vice President JD Vance and his family spent the day in France, where Vance met with world leaders and delivered remarks at the Artificial Intelligence Summit.
In his <a href="https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1nAKEgmlPBgJL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">remarks,</a> Vance portrayed the United States as the global leader of “one of the most promising technologies we have seen in generations.&#8221;
&#8220;This administration will continue to ensure that American AI technology continues to be the gold standard worldwide,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And we are the partner of choice for others, foreign countries, and certainly businesses, as they expand their own use of AI.”
French President Emmanuel Macron, outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also attended the conference, along with several tech executives. Vance stressed in his speech that the Trump administration is striving to make America the “gold standard” of AI, fight excessive AI regulation, prevent political bias in the field, and advocate for American workers as AI technology develops.
The vice president and his wife also met with Macron and his wife, Brigitte, at the Élysée Palace on Tuesday, where they &#8220;held a productive discussion on a range of issues, including ensuring balanced trade between the United States and France,&#8221; according to the vice president&#8217;s office. The two world leaders also discussed ending the war in Ukraine and how the United States and France can collaborate on Artificial Intelligence models.
<div id="attachment_875415" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/vice-president-jd-vance-meets-with-world-leaders-in-france/emmanuel-macron-receives-american-vice-president-jd-vance" rel="attachment wp-att-875415"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-875415" class="wp-image-875415 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198909607-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198909607-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198909607-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198909607-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198909607-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198909607-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198909607-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198909607-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>(Photo by Antoine Gyori &#8211; Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)</div>
Also on Tuesday, Vance met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas at the U.S. Ambassador’s Residence in Paris. The three leaders discussed how to peacefully resolve global conflicts, including in Ukraine, the vice president&#8217;s office said in a release.
&#8220;The Vice President emphasized the importance of fair and reciprocal trade between the United States and the European Union,&#8221; the release said. &#8220;The Vice President also discussed the Trump Administration’s efforts to unleash American energy.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_875411" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/vice-president-jd-vance-meets-with-world-leaders-in-france/france-us-india-diplomacy-technology-ai-summit" rel="attachment wp-att-875411"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-875411" class="wp-image-875411 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198340039-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198340039-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198340039-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198340039-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198340039-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198340039-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198340039-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198340039-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>(Photo by LEAH MILLIS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
Modi wished a happy birthday to Vance&#8217;s son Vivek and gave presents to all the Vance children. Vance&#8217;s wife, Usha, joined the two leaders as they drank coffee and discussed &#8220;topics of mutual interest, including how the United States can assist India in diversifying its energy sourcing through investments in clean, reliable U.S. nuclear technology.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Had a wonderful meeting with US <a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JDVance</a> and his family. We had a great conversation on various subjects. Delighted to join them in celebrating the joyous birthday of their son, Vivek! <a href="https://t.co/gZpmt1jg5M">pic.twitter.com/gZpmt1jg5M</a>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1889373282937585875?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
On Tuesday evening, the Vance family enjoyed a tour of the Louvre Museum, per the press traveling with the vice president. The Louvre is closed to the public on Tuesdays.
The Vance family also drew attention upon their arrival in France on Tuesday morning, when photographers captured pictures of the family departing Air Force 2. Commentators on social media were quick to appreciate that the sleepy Vance children were clad in pajamas and winter coats after their long flight across the Atlantic.
<div id="attachment_875407" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/vice-president-jd-vance-meets-with-world-leaders-in-france/france-us-ai-summit-diplomacy" rel="attachment wp-att-875407"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-875407" class="wp-image-875407 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198092395-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198092395-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198092395-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198092395-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198092395-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198092395-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198092395-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198092395-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>(Photo by Ian LANGSDON / AFP) (Photo by IAN LANGSDON/AFP via Getty Images)</div>

Emmanuel Macron Receives American Vice President JD Vance

Vice President JD Vance Meets With World Leaders In France

Emmanuel Macron

France

JD Vance

India’s government has signaled that it will work with the incoming Trump administration to take back at least 18,000 citizens residing in the U.S. illegally.
Those illegal immigrants already have been identified by the U.S., Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-21/india-set-to-take-back-18-000-citizens-from-us-to-placate-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>, and India will begin the process of verifying their status and bringing them back overseas. The total number of Indian illegal immigrants living in the U.S. could be far higher, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg.
The move by India comes as President Donald Trump has threatened repercussions if countries don’t take back their citizens who are living illegally in the U.S. Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on countries like China and Mexico if they don’t meet certain U.S. demands. India, for example, was one of the countries Trump threatened to impose tariffs on if it tried to move away from the U.S. dollar, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-threatens-brics-nations-with-massive-tariffs-if-they-move-away-from-u-s-dollar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Trump specifically targeted Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS), which now includes Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Egypt, and Ethiopia.
“The idea that the BRICS Countries are trying to move away from the Dollar while we stand by and watch is OVER,” Trump said in a post on social media. “We require a commitment from these Countries that they will neither create a new BRICS Currency, nor back any other Currency to replace the mighty U.S. Dollar or, they will face 100% Tariffs, and should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful U.S. Economy.”
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India hopes that by cooperating with the Trump administration on illegal immigration, the U.S. will protect the process for Indian citizens to legally immigrate to the U.S. through student visas and the H-1 B program for skilled workers, Bloomberg reported. The outlet noted that three-quarters of the 386,000 H-1B <a href="https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/reports/OLA_Signed_H-1B_Characteristics_Congressional_Report_FY2023.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">visas granted</a> in 2023 went to Indian citizens.
Complying with the U.S.’s immigration demands could also help India’s agreements with other countries, Bloomberg reported. India is currently facing a job shortage. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made migration agreements with multiple countries over the past few years, including Israel, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and others.
“As part of India-US cooperation on migration and mobility, both sides are engaged in a process to deter illegal migration. This is being done to create more avenues for legal migration from India to the U.S.,” Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs, told Bloomberg. “The latest deportation of Indian nationals from the U.S. by a chartered flight is a result of this cooperation.”
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&nbsp;

Donald Trump and Narendra Modi

India Tells Trump It Will Take Back 18,000 Illegal Immigrants To Avoid A Trade War

Illegal Immigration

Immigration

As the new Trump administration proposes sweeping cuts to the federal budget, progressives are <a href="https://www.latimes.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/story/2024-12-26/please-president-elect-trump-dont-cut-funding-to-the-un-population-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener">begging</a> the president to continue <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/11/opinion/columnists/family-planning-women.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">subsidizing</a> the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
But considering the UNFPA’s dark history of sponsoring draconian population control policies, slashing U.S. funding should be a top priority of the Trump administration, especially as fertility rates decline to <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)00550-6/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sub-replacement levels</a> and the “population bomb” becomes an obsolete doomsday prophecy.
Trump cut UNFPA funding in 2017, following a long tradition of Republicans since Ronald Reagan who have regarded the UNFPA as unqualified to receive U.S. government support under the 1985 <a href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R46962/2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kemp-Kasten Amendment</a>. This ruling prohibits U.S. funding for “any organization or program which, as determined by the president of the United States, supports or participates in the management of a program of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization.”
The Democrats have restored UNFPA funding each time they’ve returned to the White House since Kemp-Kasten. When the Biden administration <a href="https://www.state.gov/prioritizing-sexual-and-reproductive-health-and-reproductive-rights-in-u-s-foreign-policy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> it would reinstate U.S. support in 2021, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the UNFPA is “essential to the health and well-being of women around the world.”
While the UNFPA prides itself as a <a href="https://www.unfpa.org/about-us#:~:text=The%20goal%20of%20UNFPA%20is,care%20and%20comprehensive%20sexuality%20education." target="_blank" rel="noopener">champion</a> of women’s health and “reproductive rights and choices,” its history is tainted by sponsorship of the most egregious violations of human dignity.
Founded in 1969, the UNFPA has spearheaded the global <a href="https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674034600" target="_blank" rel="noopener">campaign</a> to reduce fertility, particularly in developing countries. The U.S. has served as one of its largest annual <a href="https://www.unfpa.org/donor/united-states-america" target="_blank" rel="noopener">donor</a> countries, except under recent Republican administrations.
Population control programs backed by the UNFPA, euphemistically described as “family planning,” have often been coercive and tyrannical. It supported China’s brutal <a href="https://www.cato.org/policy-analysis/neo-malthusianism-coercive-population-control-china-india-overpopulation-concerns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one-child policy</a>, which terrorized the Chinese population with forced abortions and involuntary sterilizations for over three decades.
In 2004, then-UNFPA executive director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/abandoned-un-population-policies-to-get-cash-boost/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, “We endorse the one-child policy in China,” arguing that UNFPA family planning programs helped reduce China’s abortion rate.
Because of the one-child policy and the Chinese cultural preference for sons, China faces a massive <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3282574/chinas-35-million-leftover-men-spark-foreign-brides-idea-tackle-gender-imbalance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sex ratio imbalance</a>, with nearly 35 million more men than women.
In 1983, China’s National Family Planning Commission Chairman Qian Xinzhong was presented with the first <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/1973563" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Nations Population Award</a>, along with Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who enacted similarly coercive <a href="https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/6/5/18629801/emergency-in-india-1975-indira-gandhi-sterilization-ford-foundation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">population policies</a> in India — at the behest of the Rockefeller and Ford foundations.  
The old-guard “Rockefeller Republicans” of the “eastern establishment,” such as Gerald Ford and Henry Kissinger, were enthusiastic <a href="https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/sites/default/files/pdf_documents/library/document/0054/4525564.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proponents</a> of population control, including through the UNFPA.
In 1974, Kissinger penned a classified memo titled <a href="https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/pcaab500.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Security Study Memorandum 200</a>, which argued that suppressing developing countries’ populations was necessary for U.S. national security and economic interests.
He recommended that these population activities should be carried out in partnership with the UNFPA, the WHO, UNICEF and the World Bank, and his memo even considered withholding food aid to developing countries that refused to implement family planning programs.
To downplay accusations of imperialist motivations for U.S. population policies directed at developing countries, Kissinger suggested “repeatedly asserting” that such policies are concerned with “the right of the individual couple to determine freely and responsibly their number and spacing of children.”
Machiavellian language wrapped up in colorful appeals to human rights can often disguise nefarious and genocidal intentions.
The Biden administration <a href="https://www.unfpa.org/donor/united-states-america" target="_blank" rel="noopener">supported</a> the UNFPA with nearly $112 million of U.S. taxpayer money. In 2025, The Trump administration must not overlook this important budget cut, especially with pro-natal voices such as Elon Musk involved in the administration.
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It is not the threat of overpopulation, but rather depopulation, that could undermine economic prosperity and imperil the future of civilization this century. As the working-age population shrinks, countries may experience a dearth of resources to provide health care, pensions and other services to a significantly larger retirement-age population.
The U.S. government should permanently cease funding the UNFPA due to its controversial activities promoting neo-Malthusianism and coercive anti-natal policies that jeopardize human dignity, freedom and the progress of civilization.
* * *
Aidan Grogan is a history PhD student at Liberty University, a contributor with Young Voices and the donor communications manager at the American Institute for Economic Research (AIER). His work has been published in The American Spectator, The Washington Examiner and AIER’s The Daily Economy. Follow him on X @AidanGrogan.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Daily Wire.
This article has been edited for clarity. A previous version used the phrase president-elect which is no longer valid.

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Japan&#8217;s government says it was &#8220;unfortunate&#8221; that President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/joe-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Biden</a> called Japan, a U.S. ally, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-labels-japan-xenophobic-for-not-following-his-lead-in-importing-hordes-of-third-worlders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;xenophobic&#8221;</a> in remarks last week.
During a campaign reception in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Biden lumped Japan in with U.S. adversaries Russia and China while arguing that immigration can help to create strong economies.
&#8220;One of the reasons why our economy is growing is because of you and many others. Why? Because we welcome immigrants. We look to — the reason — look, think about it,&#8221; Biden <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2024/05/01/remarks-by-president-biden-at-a-campaign-reception-7/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
&#8220;Why is China stalling so badly economically? Why is Japan having trouble? Why is Russia? Why is India? Because they’re xenophobic. They don’t want immigrants,&#8221; he added.
&#8220;Immigrants is [sic] what makes us strong,&#8221; Biden continued. &#8220;Not a joke. That’s not hyperbole. Because we have an influx of workers who want to be here and just contribute.&#8221;
Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/japanese-government-responds-biden-claim-japan-xenophobic-unfortunate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> on Saturday that the Japanese Embassy had given a response to Biden, alluding to a <a href="https://twitter.com/WarMachineRR/status/1786076693909619126" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defense</a> of the president given by White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in speaking to reporters.
&#8220;We are aware that the U.S. government has clarified that President Biden&#8217;s comment was made in the context of explaining that the U.S. is a nation of immigrants and that immigrants make the U.S. stronger, and that his comment was not made with the intent of undermining the importance and permanence of the Japan-U.S. relationship,&#8221; the embassy said.
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&#8220;It is unfortunate that some of the comments were not based on an accurate understanding of Japan&#8217;s policies, and we have raised this point to the U.S. government and explained Japan&#8217;s positions and policies once again,&#8221; Japanese officials added.
India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also <a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-japan-immigration-xenophobic-india-modi-biden-b7a488366c583454ed5f6b16f1c56d01" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rebuffed</a> Biden on Saturday, touting his country&#8217;s GDP growth while insisting that India is a welcoming place during an event organized by the Economic Times newspaper in New Delhi, according to the Associated Press.
&#8220;I haven’t seen such an open, pluralistic, and diverse society anywhere in the world. We are actually not just not xenophobic, we are the most open, most pluralistic and in many ways the most understanding society in the world,” Jaishankar said.

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‘Unfortunate’: Japan Responds To Being Called ‘Xenophobic’ By Biden

'Unfortunate': Japan Responds To Being Called 'Xenophobic' By Biden

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