Elon Musk urges Tesla staffers to 'hang onto your stock' even though it has fallen 50%
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Trump tries to save Tesla, recession fears, and dismantling the DOE: Politics news roundup

Trump tries to save Tesla, recession fears, and dismantling the DOE: Politics news roundup

Plus, the trade war is just part of a bigger fight

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Image for article titled Trump tries to save Tesla, recession fears, and dismantling the DOE: Politics news roundup
Graphic: Images: Spencer Platt, Thomas Peter, Win McNamee, Scott Olson / Staff

President Donald Trump’s burgeoning clashes with some of the U.S.’ top trade partners aren’t just trade disputes — they could be part of an economic war, according to one expert. Tariffs — which are set to slam most U.S. industries, including tech and media companies — are just part of that.

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Those duties on imports from foreign countries are also expected to hinder economic growth and potentially lead to a recession, which the president has yet to rule out as a possibility. The Federal Reserve has also raised its forecast for inflation and unemployment, even as uncertainty clouds its economic projections.

Catch up on all that and more — including how the White House is trying to give Elon Musk’s Tesla a helping hand and what Trump’s push to weaken the Education Department could mean for millions of Americans — in this week’s politics roundup.

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Protesters gather outside of a Manhattan Tesla dealership to demonstrate against Tesla CEO Elon Musk on March 08, 2025, in New York City.
Protesters gather outside of a Manhattan Tesla dealership to demonstrate against Tesla CEO Elon Musk on March 08, 2025, in New York City.
Photo: Spencer Platt (Getty Images)

As protests — peaceful and violent — against Tesla (TSLA) and its CEO Elon Musk show no signs of slowing down, the White House is stepping in.

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Trump is waving with his hand partly obscuring his face, he's walking a bit behind Xi Jinping whose right profile can be seen, both men are walking in front of U.S. and Chinese flags side by side
U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet business leaders on November 9, 2017 in Beijing, China.
Photo: Thomas Peter (Getty Images)

In the first few weeks of his second administration, President Donald Trump has followed through — then pulled back — on tariff threats, sending stocks tumbling into correction territory. — Britney Nguyen

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Image for article titled Trump tries to save Tesla, recession fears, and dismantling the DOE: Politics news roundup
Photo: Win McNamee (Getty Images)

With the U.S. Department of Education on the chopping block, the agency is getting more scrutiny than usual. But what does the Department of Education do? Experts lament the impact the Department’s demise will have on some of its lesser-known roles. — Kevin Williams

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Apple products are offered for sale at an Apple store on March 21, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.
Apple products are offered for sale at an Apple store on March 21, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.
Image: Scott Olson / Staff (Getty Images)

President Donald Trump’s ever-shifting trade war could cost the U.S. technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT) industry billions of dollars annually, according to a new PwC report analyzing the impact of ongoing tariffs. With heightened duties — particularly on imports from China — companies are scrambling to assess financial risks and rethink supply chains. — Bruce Gil

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, watch as President Donald Trump walks to Marine One at the White House on March 07, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump
Tesla CEO Elon Musk, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, watch as President Donald Trump walks to Marine One at the White House on March 07, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump
Photo: Anna Moneymaker (Getty Images)

Commerce Secretary Howard Luntick made a direct public recommendation on Wednesday that Americans should buy shares of Tesla (TSLA), the company run by Elon Musk.

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Image for article titled Trump tries to save Tesla, recession fears, and dismantling the DOE: Politics news roundup
Photo: Justin Sullivan (Getty Images)

President Donald Trump’s policies on trade, government employment, and immigration will cause an unnecessary economic recession if they’re fully or almost fully enacted, while also boosting inflation, according to the UCLA Anderson Forecast. — Josh Fellman

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President Donald Trump (right) and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (left) have downplayed the potential negative effects of the White House’s tariff plans.
President Donald Trump (right) and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (left) have downplayed the potential negative effects of the White House’s tariff plans.
Image: Anna Moneymaker (Getty Images)

As Wall Street grapples with the increasing likelihood of a U.S. recession, the Trump administration has gone to bat defending President Donald Trump’s stock market-slamming trade policies.

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Image for article titled Trump tries to save Tesla, recession fears, and dismantling the DOE: Politics news roundup
Photo: Chip Somodevilla (Getty Images)

The Federal Reserve kept interest rates on hold on Wednesday as expected, but it raised its inflation and unemployment forecasts, trimmed its GDP projection, and slowed the pace of the sale of some assets from its balance sheet. The CPI outlooks for this year and next are now 2.7% and 2.2%, respectively. — Josh Fellman

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