US: Trump plans 25% tariff on Venezuelan oil buyers

Teachers' unions and civil rights groups in the United States on Monday sued President Donald Trump's administration over its attempts to dismantle the federal Education Department (ED).

Trump promised during his election campaign that he would "eliminate" the agency, which he considers wasteful and responsible for spreading "woke" ideas such as diversity, and signed an executive order to that effect on Thursday.

"These actions are unconstitutional and violate Congress's directives," the union lawsuit read, emphasizing that the department "is charged by Congress with advancing educational opportunity and quality."

Education is a highly political issue in the United States, where conservatives favor local control by faith and private schools, whereas left-leaning voters tend to prefer more substantial state funding for public schools.

The ED provides federal grants for financially struggling schools and administers around $1.6 trillion (roughly €1.48 trillion) in student loans – work which Trump and allies such as billionaire Elon Musk consider superfluous and too supportive of traditionally liberal values such as diversity, equity and inclusion.

Closing down the ED completely, however, would require an act of Congress, for which Trump lacks the votes.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Monday denied texting war plans, after The Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg published a story complete with screenshots of a group chat on Signal about military strikes in Yemen.

"Nobody was texting war plans, and that's all I have to say about that," Hegseth told reporters in Hawaii.

He also said Goldberg was "deceitful" and a "discredited so-called journalist," referring to The Atlantic's critical reporting of President Trump.

United States embassies in at least 17 European countries have posted warnings on social media aimed at potential visa applicants.

The posts feature images of senior US politicians including President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accompanied by warnings not to engage in certain behaviors.

"We don't want people in our country that are going to be committing crimes and undermining our national security or public safety," read a post by the US embassy in Budapest, Hungary, a quote from Rubio.

"When you apply to enter the United States and you get a visa, you are a guest," read another post put out by the US Embassy in Tallinn, Estonia. "Now, if you are in this country to promote Hamas, to promote terrorist organizations, to participate in vandalism, to participate in acts of rebellion and riots on campus, we never would have let you in if we had known that. You lied to us. You're out."

Some of the posts reflect the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration, such as a Noem quote reading: "If you're considering traveling to the United States illegally, don't even think about it."

Asked about the warnings during a regular press briefing on Monday, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said they were "reasonable." 

"It's a visa. It's not an entitlement," she said. "Follow the law, behave yourselves, be a good visitor and you'll be fine." 

The posts come at time when the White House is clamping down on visa-holders who engage in behavior they deem harmful, such as international students or professors who have taken part in campus protests against Israel's military actions in Gaza.

They also come as several European countries have begun issuing advice for their nationals regarding travel to the US, including Germany, after instances of European citizens being denied entry and sometimes even being detained.

President Donald Trump asid he will soon announce new tariffs on cars, aluminum, and pharmaceuticals.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said the United States will need these products in case of problems like wars. 

"We've been ripped off by every country," Trump said during a Cabinet meeting.

It is not clear if this is part of the "reciprocal tariffs" that Trump plans to impose on April 2. These tariffs are meant to match the taxes and policies that other countries apply to American exports.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was available for a call with US President Donald Trump, but would do so "on our terms as a sovereign country."

"I'm available for a call, but you know, we're going to talk on our terms as a sovereign country, not as what he pretends we are," Carney said on campaign stop on Monday.

Relations between the US and Canada, have deteriorated since Trump imposed tariffs on Canada and threatened to annex it as the 51st state.

Carney on Sunday announced a general election will be held in Canada on April 28.

Carney said he was calling the election just nine days into office because of the need for act in light of Trump's policies and threats.

"We are facing the most significant crisis of our lifetimes because of President Trump's unjustified trade actions and his threats to our sovereignty," Carney said

"Our response must be to build a strong economy and a more secure Canada. President Trump claims that Canada isn't a real country. He wants to break us so America can own us. We will not let that happen."

President Donald Trump said he will place a 25% tariff on all imports from countries that buy oil or gas from Venezuela. He will also impose new tariffs on Venezuela itself.

"Venezuela has been very hostile to the United States and the Freedoms which we espouse," Trump wrote on his Truth Social network. 

He said countries purchasing oil from Venezuela will be forced to pay the tariff on all their trade to the US starting April 2.

Venezuela will face a "secondary" tariff because it is the home to the gang Tren de Aragua, he said, claiming, without evidence, that the country is sending gang members to the US. 

Since returning to the White House in January Trump has unleashed tariffs on US allies and foes alike, attempting to strong-arm both economic and diplomatic policy via the financial mechanism.

Trump has promised to impose what he is calling "reciprocal tariffs" to match the levies and other policies that countries impose on US exports on April 2. 

Members of President Donald Trump's cabinet dealing with security discussed secret plans for a military strike on a civilian messaging service and added a journalist to the group.

The Editor of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, on Monday published a story complete with screenshots of the group chat on Signal about military strikes in Yemen.

"I had very strong doubts that this text group was real, because I could not believe that the national-security leadership of the United States would communicate on Signal about imminent war plans," he wrote.

But the White House on Monday confirmed a journalist was accidentally texted classified military information.

The chat apparently included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Trump's national security adviser Michael Waltz, and even his confidant Stephen Miller, the deputy White House chief of staff. Hegseth texted the group hours before the US attacked Yemen.

"Only one word for this: FUBAR," Pat Ryan, a congressman who sits on the Armed Services Committee, wrote on X. "If House Republicans won’t hold a hearing on how this happened IMMEDIATELY, I’ll do it my damn self."

Denmark's foreign minister criticized a planned visit by a US delegation to Greenland on Monday, calling it "inappropriate."

Greenland is a territory that has some self-governance but is still part of Denmark, and it is wanted by US President Donald Trump.

"This shows an appetite among Americans that is inappropriate," the minister, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, told broadcaster TV2.

Second Lady Usha Vance, the wife of the United States Vice President JD Vance, is due to visit the autonomous Danish territory of Greenland this week, the White House said Sunday.

Vance will be accompanied by one of her three children as part of a US delegation that will also include President Donald Trump's National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

Greenland's outgoing Prime Minister Mute Egede called the delegation's visit, which runs from Thursday to Saturday, a "provocation" and said his caretaker government would not meet with it.

"Until recently, we could trust the Americans, who were our allies and friends, and with whom we enjoyed working closely," Egede told local newspaper Sermitsiaq. "But that time is over."

The visit comes as Trump eyes seizing control of the mineral-rich territory, which is strategically located in the Arctic Ocean between Europe and North America.

Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has repeatedly said that he wants the US to take over Greenland for national security reasons, refusing to rule out using force to do so.

"I think Greenland is going to be something that maybe is in our future," he said at cabinet meeting on Monday.

A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from deporting alleged Venezuelan gang members, citing the need for individualized hearings. 

US District Judge James Boasberg ruled there is "a strong public interest in preventing the mistaken deportation of people based on categories they have no right to challenge."

"The public also has a significant stake in the Government's compliance with the law," the judge wrote.

On Monday, he rejected the government's request to set aside a temporary ban on such deportations, which he imposed on March 15.

President Donald Trump called for Boasberg's impeachment after he ordered the ban. 

In response, US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts made a rare statement on the matter. Roberts criticized Trump and said that appeals, not impeachment, are the right way to handle disagreements with court decisions.

A federal appeals court is due to hear arguments later on Monday from government lawyers seeking to halt Boasberg's order.

Welcome to our coverage of US politics on a Monday when lawmakers return to Washington after a weeklong recess.

President Donald Trump initiated a series of actions by announcing a 25% tariff on all imports from any country that purchases oil or gas from Venezuela. He also stated that new tariffs would be imposed on Venezuela itself.

Meanwhile, a federal judge has recently blocked the Trump administration from deporting alleged Venezuelan gang members, citing the need for individualized hearings. 

The same judge rejected the administration's request to set aside the temporary ruling on Monday. An appeals court is scheduled to hear the case later.

The legal battle could test the limits of Trump's deportation powers and the executive branch.