BONUS POD: Tariff Tango-China & Japan arrive in DC plus Guantanamo Bay Expansion

And comparing that story to our second one, China is now signaling a readiness for talks quote if the US shows respect amid the numbers gang as some tariffs have gone to two hundred and forty percent. And finally, in a big story, a memo now is revealing US plans to send migrants who are linked to organized crime to Guantanamo Bay. It's the forty seven Morning Update and it starts right now.

success story that's coming out of the White House. President Trump, we are now being told, met with Japanese officials at the White House yesterday to discuss trade negotiations, and his quick reaction on social media afterwards suggested a very positive result quote a great honor to have met with the Japanese delegation on trade, big program. He was also joined by the Treasury Secretary of Scott Mescent and the Commerce Secretary,

Howard Lutnik. The talks were scheduled after Trump announced he would impose tariffs on the island nation Now. Trump previously confirmed that he would attend the meetings and that discussion topics would include the cost of military support, and also quote trade fairness. The United States and Japan have had a decade long military alliance formed in the aftermath of World War II. Thousands of American troops are also stationed on Japanese soil, a majority of them on a military

base in Okinawa. Trump also said last night, quote, hopefully something can be worked out, which is great for Japan and the US. Now. This month, Trump announced a ten percent baseline tariff on nearly every country in the world, but added higher reciprocal tariffs on a number of significant trading partners. This included Japan, Vietnam, the European Union, China,

and others. Later, he announced a ninety day pause on the higher tariffs for every country except China, which was hit with a total rate of one hundred and forty five percent and some categories higher than that overall. Now, the higher tariffs on imports from China were needed, Trump said in his announcement suspending the other duties because the Chinese regime has taken advantage of the United States for

decades on trade. The Chinese regime has responded by imposing higher tariffs on US products, which we'll get to more on that in just a moment in story two. But the big news here is this. Even Bascent had said that there is quote a first mover advantage, given that Washington has stated that more than seventy five countries now

have requested direct talks. Japanese Prime Minister said on April the fourteenth that his country quote won't rush to reach a deal and does not plan to make quote big concessions, although he said he would not impose countermeasures on US tariffs. Well, some of this may be posturing, because what we're seeing coming out of the White House is significant that this country, America, and Japan are clearly looking to get a deal done soon. We also are being told that about fifteen countries so

far have submitted proposals on trade. That is coming from the Press Secretary Caroline Levitt. She also noted that dozens more countries have reached out to the White House and are looking to sit down as soon as possible. Her exact timeline, she said, is as quickly as we can put people at the table, and the proposals that we're

getting are actively being considered. As we've said consistently, there are more than seventy five countries that have reached out, and those that reached out first with the best deals are those that are sitting down with us quickly.

its retaliatory actions from China against US. Now this is going back and forth at a rapid pace. Why does this matter Because the trade war is obviously rattling global markets. Cutting off Chinese imports is complicating American supply chain, and it is also hurting Chinese exporters all but losing the US market is quote a severe blow. And now they are putting pressure on their own government to get a deal done. So here's what we know. Now, there has

been movement from China. Quietly. China has now appointed a new trade negotiator. China pointed demand by the name of Lee Chong as its new trade negotiator on Wednesday, in the midst of its terrifight with the US. Now, this is a significant move that signals a change in the style of their negotiations or lack thereof from Beijing. Now, let me tell you more about Lee that you will

hear nowhere else. Prior to this new appointment, Lee spent about four and a half years as China's ambassador to the World Trade Organization that is, the body that governs global commerce into which Beijing has appealed in its tariff dispute with the US. Lee has also had permanent representative status to the Chinese delegation to the UN Office in Geneva,

as well as other international organizations in Switzerland. We also know that Lee participated in negotiating China's ascension to the WTO known as the World Trade Organization more than twenty years ago. This means there is real movement now, and movement, as it was described by one as saying this quote, there might be another style of negotiations from China. Lee

is an open minded person and supports free trade. That is with the dean of the China Institute for Wto Studies at the University of International Business and Economic sendeness statement to the press. So what are people saying about this in China? Well, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said there is no winner in tariff wars and trade wars, the first time signaling that they may be willing to do a deal. And China, he went on to say, does not want to fight. Let me say that again.

China does not want to fight, but it is by no means afraid to fight again, a major change in the rhetoric coming out of Beijing. President Trump also wrote on True Social nobody is getting off the hook for the unfair trade balances and non monetary tariff barriers that other countries have used, again, especially not China, which by

far treats us the worst. That's what Trump said on True Social On the thirteenth, he said, we are taking a look at semiconductors and the whole electronic supply chain in the upcoming National security tariff investigations. What has been exposed is that we need to make products in the US and that we will not be held hostage by other countries, especially hostile trading nations like China, which will do everything within its power to disrespect the American people.

Which brings us now to the newest headline. As I said a moment ago, things are moving rapidly and this is good news for Americans as well. The newest headline reads like this, China is now signaling a quote readiness to talk if US shows respect amid the numbers game. Again, this is very different than what they were saying just

twenty four hours ago. China is now expressing openness into trade talks the US under certain conditions, even after the White House clarified that China now faces up to a two hundred and forty five percent tariff on imports to the US. This goes back to what Donald Trump said all along, I'm not flinching on countries that are taking

advantage of the American workers, the American people. He also said it was going to be a national security issue, which you just heard them mentioned yet again, and the President said, I'm more than willing to sit down to get a fair deal for the American people. And with China pointing Lee as its new trade negotiator, it signals a major potential shift in the approach to trade discussions, and that is not only good for Americans, but also for the entire world.

you will share this podcast on social media. Also, make sure you have that subscribe or auto download button, because these are the stories you're not going to get anywhere else now. This agreement was signed in early March by top officials from the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense. It sets criteria for detaining migrants based not on criminal history, but rather a nexus to transnational

criminal organizations or criminal drug activity. Officials have defined this connection broadly, which could include paying a criminal group for smuggling services into the United states of a mayor America that would be a game changer. Now. The guidelines also allow for detaining migrants with final deportation orders who have interacted in any way with organized crime, including direct or

indirect interactions. The Department of Defense confirmed the memo. The DoD has highlighted a trol in clarifying operational roles at Guantanamo Bay between the Department of Homeland Security and the DoD. Teresa Cardinal Brown, a former US immigration official, stated that many illegals could have some form of interaction with a crime syndicate. This is due to the territorial control established

by the cartels in Mexico. Now, the Trump administration officials are defending the strategy as vital to quote national security. The White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller set operations at on Tanamo for detaining migrants will proceed without changes. Currently forty two individuals are detained at the base. This story we expect to change, and I promise you we will cover it here for you every step of the way.