Trump's week in review: Religious Liberty Commission launched; NPR, PBS to be defunded

1. Trump scales back auto tariffs
In a presidential proclamation published Tuesday, Trump amended a previous presidential proclamation implementing tariffs on automobiles and automobile parts. The tariffs on automobiles went into effect on April 3, while the tariffs on automobile parts were not scheduled to take effect until Saturday.
The March 2025 proclamation, amended by Tuesday's proclamation, established 25% tariffs on automobiles and automobile parts made outside the U.S. The amendments in Tuesday's proclamation reduced "duties assessed on automobile parts accounting for 15 percent of the value of an automobile assembled in the United States for 1 year and equivalent to 10 percent of that value for an additional year."
The proclamation permitted automobile manufacturers who make automobiles in the U.S. to apply for "an import adjustment offset amount equal to 3.75 percent of the aggregate Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) value of all automobiles assembled in the United States" for the next year. The offset amount will drop to 2.5 percent of the suggested retail price in the following year.
Automobile manufacturers seeking the tariff relief must submit "documentation certifying the number of automobiles the manufacturer projects it will assemble in the United States, as well as a list of all plant locations where the projected automobiles will undergo final production" to the Secretary of Commerce.
Trump predicted that his amendments to the tariffs will "more quickly reduce reliance on foreign manufacturing and importation of automobiles and automobile parts" and "strengthen United States vehicle assembly operations by encouraging companies to expand domestic production capacity." He also forecasted increased manufacturing activity, automotive research and development and a higher number of employees in the domestic automotive industry.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com