America This Week: What’s Been Going On (April 7 – 13, 2025)

Reading Time: 10 Minutes

| By Scribe | April 13, 2025 |

It’s been yet another wild week in America.

President Donald Trump’s strategic use of “Liberation Day” tariffs has brought many countries to the negotiating table. China tries to hit back but fails miserably.

Leftists genuinely think the rules don’t apply to them when committing hate crimes.

Another leftist punches a pro-life activist in New York for asking a tough question.

Elon Musk and DOGE continue to expose government corruption and saving taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.

Consumer prices dropped in March, which was the first monthly decline in three years.

The Trump administration brings home another American wrongfully jailed abroad by a tyrannical foreign government.

Bill Maher catches fire from fellow leftists for meeting with Trump and letting everyone know Trump is actually a pretty cool guy.

Trump’s Tariff Strategy Might Be Working – And China is Rattled

Early in the week, President Trump’s “Liberation Day” reciprocal tariffs have prompted around 70 countries, including Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam, to seek negotiations, according to Senator Marsha Blackburn. She described the move as part of a “blue-collar bounceback” that could lower inflation and the cost of living, arguing that the post-WWII tariff system has been unfair to American workers.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick echoed these comments, noting that countries are offering deals they never would have considered before, signaling a shift in global respect toward the U.S.

In response, China retaliated with 84% tariffs on U.S. goods and export controls targeting 12 U.S. tech firms, accusing them of selling military technology to Taiwan. Chinese officials warned that the trade war would continue unless the U.S. changes course, whining that Trump’s tariffs are “hegemonic” and “bullying.”

China also called for global support against the U.S. but received little backing. Australia rejected Beijing’s call to align, with Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles stating that Australia would join a common cause with China. Although Australian leaders criticized the 10% tariff, they were included in Trump’s new 90-day tariff pause, thus choosing not to retaliate.

President Trump then increased his tariffs on China to 125%, asserting that it was necessary to address what he sees as China’s economic exploitation of the U.S.

In response, China raised its own tariffs on U.S. goods to 125% and threatened to flood American markets with cheap exports. It also released AI-generated videos mocking American workers, though the imagery ironically resembled conditions in China more than the U.S.

On Saturday, the Trump administration exempted key electronic products—like smartphones, laptops, and semiconductors—from the 125% tariff to support domestic tech interests and encourage onshoring. A 20% tariff still applies broadly to Chinese imports.

The administration says 130 countries are now in talks with the U.S. over Trump’s sweeping trade measures. Also, Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis announced a $23 billion investment to build seven new U.S. facilities and expand others over five years, creating nearly 5,000 jobs. The move follows President Trump’s announcement of upcoming tariffs on imported drugs.

Leftists Seriously Wondering If Hate Crimes Are Still Hate Crimes If Committed by Leftists

Recent incidents of vandalism involving swastikas on Tesla vehicles in New York City have sparked a debate among leftists about how the definition of hate crimes applies to them.

The vandalism targets Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, with swastikas used to express hatred for him and his association with the Trump administration.

Trump haters justify their use of the Nazi symbol to “denounce” Musk as a Nazi. In other words, leftists believe it is acceptable to vandalize the property of innocent strangers with racist Nazi symbols, provided they deny their intentions are race-based.

Current hate crime laws focus on bias against race, religion, or sexual orientation, not political beliefs. The lack of uniformity in hate crime laws across states complicates the issue, creating exploitable ambiguities regarding how these incidents should be handled.

Pro-Abortion Leftist Who Assaulted 23-Year-Old in New York Issues Half-Apology and Faces Charges

Brianna Rivers, the 30-year-old woman accused of punching 23-year-old Catholic pro-life activist Savannah Craven Antao during a video interview in Harlem, issued a non-apology apology online, claiming she was “railroaded” and misrepresented.

In a Facebook post, Rivers wrote, “To Savannah, I sincerely apologize but cannot sit around and allow you to continue pushing this one-sided narrative… She railroaded me into all of this.” Rivers also stated, “She [Savanah] needs to release the unedited footage with her relentless antagonization on a subject that is very touchy.”

The altercation took place on April 3 near W 126 St. and Lenox Avenue during a street interview conducted by Craven Antao for Live Action. The video shows a back-and-forth leading up to the punch. Craven Antao asked, “Do you know what Planned Parenthood does?” to which Rivers replied, “You don’t understand the magnitude of having a child.”

Craven Antao responded, “I’m not the one who admitted they would be okay with killing babies in foster care and killing children that had been abused,” just before Rivers struck her. She later said she “had absolutely no time to see that it was coming.”

Following the incident, Craven Antao received two stitches and filed a police report. The NYPD arrested Rivers on April 11 and charged her with second-degree assault. Craven Antao later posted, “Just got word from detectives Brianna J Rivers was arrested! God is good!”

Despite the trauma and flashbacks she has endured—“Every time I go on my phone and I open any social media, I see the video of myself being assaulted”—she remains resolute in her activism. “I know that that woman was hurting inside… and that’s why I still want to pray for her.”

Elon and DOGE Continue Uncovering Government Fraud and Saving Taxpayers Money

The Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has reportedly saved U.S. taxpayers $150 billion to date, up from $140 billion in the previous update. This equates to an average savings of $931.68 per taxpayer.

The savings stem from a mix of actions including asset sales, canceled faulty contracts and grants, renegotiated leases, fraud elimination, and regulatory and workforce changes. Currently, only about 30% of the total savings are viewable on the agency’s website, as it continues uploading detailed receipts.

Among the most significant cost-saving measures, DOGE reports 7,279 canceled contracts totaling $25 billion in savings, including a $2.9 billion termination of a Department of the Interior contract with Family Endeavors, Inc. for case management services at an Influx Care Facility for unaccompanied alien children. Additionally, 9,283 grants were terminated, saving $33 billion, along with 676 lease terminations saving another $400 million.

DOGE also exposed widespread unemployment fraud totaling $382 million since 2020, primarily in Democrat-led states: California, New York, and Massachusetts.

According to DOGE, 24,500 people over the age of 115 claimed $59 million in benefits, 28,000 toddlers claimed $254 million, and 9,700 individuals with future birthdates claimed $69 million. California alone was responsible for 68% of unemployment payouts to parolees flagged on the terrorist watchlist or with criminal records.

Consumer Prices Fell in March Despite Media Fearmongering

U.S. consumer prices unexpectedly fell in March, marking the first monthly decline in nearly three years, with the consumer price index dropping 0.1 percent despite forecasts predicting a rise. Core inflation—which excludes food and energy—rose just 0.1 percent, significantly below the 0.3 percent economists expected.

This modest increase in core prices is the smallest since Donald Trump’s first term and represents a political win for him, as he had pledged to reduce prices. “Starting on day one, we will end inflation and make America affordable again,” Trump said on the campaign trail.

The decline was largely driven by a 2.4 percent drop in energy prices, including a 6.3 percent fall in gasoline costs. Prices also fell for airline fares, used cars and trucks, motor vehicle insurance, and recreation, while prices for new cars remained mostly flat year-over-year.

However, food prices rose, with groceries up 0.5 percent and restaurant prices increasing 0.4 percent. Compared to a year ago, overall inflation stands at 2.4 percent—its lowest annual rate since February 2021—while core inflation is at 2.8 percent, the slowest pace since March 2021.

Trump Admin Secures Release of Another American Imprisoned Abroad – This Time from Russia

The State Department confirmed the release of American-Russian dual citizen Ksenia Karelina, who had been sentenced to 12 years in a Russian prison on charges of “treason” for donating to a Ukrainian charity.

The release was part of a prisoner swap deal orchestrated by the Trump administration, which also secured the return of Russian national Artur Petrov, who had been imprisoned in the U.S. for illegally exporting American microelectronic technology. The swap took place ahead of scheduled talks between American and Russian officials in Istanbul, aimed at improving bilateral relations, which had deteriorated significantly under President Joe Biden.

Karelina, a former ballerina from Los Angeles, had been arrested in January 2024 while visiting relatives in Russia. She was sentenced after pleading guilty to “treason” for donating $51.80 to the U.S.-based charity Razom, which provides humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

The swap was seen as a diplomatic gesture prior to the meeting between U.S. and Russian officials, focusing on stabilizing embassy operations rather than addressing the Ukraine conflict directly. By contrast, Karelina’s omission from an earlier prisoner exchange brokered by the Biden administration sparked notable controversy.

Bill Maher Reveals How Relatable and Down-to-Earth Trump Really Is in Person

On Friday’s “Real Time,” Bill Maher shared insights from his meeting with President Donald Trump, noting that Trump was surprisingly receptive to criticism and willing to engage in an open conversation. Maher remarked, “He’s much more self-aware than he lets on in public” and that, unlike other politicians he has interacted with, he felt comfortable speaking his mind to Trump.

Maher even pointed out that Trump asked for his opinion on serious topics, like the Iran nuclear situation, and laughed at jokes, creating a relaxed atmosphere. He expressed, “I never felt I had to walk on eggshells around him,” highlighting the genuine exchange they had.

Maher expressed that Trump’s behavior in private may differ from his public persona, taking it as a positive that such a candid, unguarded conversation was possible. He reflected, “I voted for Clinton and Obama, but I would never feel comfortable talking to them the way I was able to talk with Donald Trump.”

Maher may not agree with Trump’s policies, but sees this interaction as emblematic of a broader disconnect between Democrats and the public. As expected, Maher’s fellow leftists are wildly upset that he broke from the party line of only hating and lying about Trump.

Catch up on what happened last week:

America This Week: What’s Been Going On (March 31 – April 6, 2025)