Trump commerce chief says he will meet Canada and China halfway on trade tariffs – as it happened
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**Representative Gregory Meeks, the ranking Democrat on the House foreign affairs committee, plans to introduce resolutions to terminate the national emergency declared by the president, which enabled him to impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico.**

As **Elizabeth Goitein**, expert on presidential emergency powers at the Brennan Center  on X, “Trump declared national emergencies and invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act” which gave him legal cover “To get around the normal legal process for imposing tariffs on Canada & Mexico”.

This legal authority, Goitein notes **, is available only to address an ‘unusual and extraordinary threat’ to our ‘national security, foreign policy, or economy.’ So Trump declared that Canada… the country he has mocked as the 51st state… poses an unusual and extraordinary threat to our national security”.

But there is a provision of  that gives any member of Congress the power to move to terminate the emergency, and because that motion is “privileged” it must get an up or down vote.

This is the provision Meeks says he will use to call for an end to Trump’s emergency declarations.

“Donald Trump is not a king. Presidents don’t get to invent emergencies to justify bad policies. Abusing emergency powers to wage an economic war on our closest allies isn’t leadership – it’s dangerous” Meeks said in a statement.

“I intend to introduce resolutions that will stop his tariffs from driving up the cost of living” Meeks added. “My resolutions, consistent with the Congressional authority under the National Emergency Act, terminate the President’s manufactured emergency to stop this abuse of power and protect American families from skyrocketing costs.”

Updated at 16.01 EST

**In addition to the mass firings of federal workers, the Trump administration’s plan to slash the federal government apparently includes a real estate fire sale.**

On its website, the General Services Administration, which manages federal properties, said it has identified , totaling more than 80 million square feet that “are not core to government operations” now “designated for disposal.”

The list of buildings to be put up for sale includes some of the most iconic properties in Washington, including the headquarters of the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Labor Department.

Reuters reports that the agency said sales could potentially save more than $430 million in annual operating costs. The move could, however, put federal agencies at risk of exploitation by private landlords.

The list also includes the Washington headquarters for the Department of Energy, the Department of Agriculture, the American Red Cross building and the Office of Personnel Management. GSA’s own headquarters were also on the list.  
It also includes major office buildings in Atlanta, Cleveland, Los Angeles and Chicago, including the landmark **Chicago Loop Post Office** .

Nonetheless Hoover signed it into law, with some Congress members, realising the vote was quite close, engaging in logrolling to get something for their constituency in return for their support.  
The impact of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act was, as predicted, highly damaging to the United States, with estimates of imported goods, many of which were needed by US industry and commerce, plummeting by nearly half.

The tariffs also caused shock waves to global trade as other nations deployed protectionist policies, resulting in an estimated half of the 25% decline in world trade.

Updated at 14.40 EST

**Ed Davey calls on Keir Starmer to back Canada against Trump attacks**

**Geneva Abdul**,  


Ed Davey calls on Keir Starmer to back Canada against Trump attacks

**House Republicans have just been ordered to stop holding town hall meetings. They can run from their extreme agenda. We will never let them hide.**



Updated at 15.08 EST

**‘Buy Canadian Instead’: businesses vow to fight Trump’s tariffs across the border**

**Leyland Cecco in Toronto**,  


‘Buy Canadian Instead’: businesses vow to fight Trump’s tariffs across the border

**Keir Starmer**,  


Updated at 14.32 EST
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