Trump ‘Liberation Day’ live: President to unveil tariff plan from Rose Garden as world braces for its economic impact

It’s unclear what impact President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs will have on the U.S. economy, but if things go badly, members of the administration are reportedly ready to blame one person, as Ariana Baio reports.

Amazon has made a last-minute offer to buy TikTok days before President Donald Trump’s Saturday deadline, according to reports.

The online retail giant offered to acquire the social media platform Wednesday in a letter addressed to Vice President JD Vance and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the New York Times reported.

Those involved in talks to find a new owner for the app do not appear to be taking the bid seriously, the outlet reported.

Amazon declined to comment when contacted by The Independent.

Kelly Rissman reports.

U.S. stock indexes recovered from morning losses to trade modestly higher on Wednesday as investors awaited President Donald Trump's sweeping tariff announcements.

The Dow Jones was up 273 points or 0.65% shortly before 1 p.m. ET.

Volatility has gripped U.S. markets in recent weeks as investors speculate about the scope of tariffs and their impact on the global economy, inflation, and corporate earnings.

Trump has kept the world guessing on the details of the tariff plans, which were still being formulated ahead of a White House Rose Garden announcement ceremony scheduled for 4 p.m. ET.

The president has said that his reciprocal tariffs aim to equalize the comparatively lower U.S. tariff rates with those imposed by other nations. But the format of the duties was unclear, with reports that Trump was considering a 20% universal tariff.

At the close of trading in London, the FTSE 100 fell on Wednesday as investors awaited details of the tariff plans in the latest escalation of a global trade war that has heightened worries about global growth and inflation.

The blue-chip stocks index fell 0.3%, while the midcap FTSE 250 gained 0.3%. Gains in the pound weighed on the export-focused FTSE 100, as the dollar lost ground ahead of the tariff announcement.

The tariffs, which will take effect immediately, are expected to trigger price increases, prompt retaliatory measures from affected countries, and disrupt decades of established trade practices.

However, British finance minister Rachel Reeves said the U.K. would not rush into action to counter any tariffs, as it doesn't want to risk undermining a possible trade deal with Washington.

Reporting by Reuters

As Donald Trump prepares to unveil the latest round of US tariffs – grandly dubbed “Liberation Day” by the White House – the uncertainty surrounding their impact is growing.

While Trump has hinted that all nations will be affected, the specifics remain unclear.

What is certain, however, is that his trade war will have far-reaching consequences for global markets, businesses, and consumers.

The topic has got Independent readers talking, with many sharing their views on Trump’s tariffs.

Here’s what they had to say:

An Ohio 8th-grader’s father has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the boy’s teacher, principal, and school district after he was asked to stop wearing a “Let’s Go Brandon” T-shirt to class — then got detention for ignoring the request, dismissing concerns as “not my problem.”

Justin Rohrlich reports.

National Security Advisor Mike Waltz received emails via his personal email account but has never used that account to send classified material, the White House said after The Washington Post reported Waltz and other National Security Council members used Gmail for government work.

The Post on Tuesday said Waltz and other NSC members used the Alphabet-owned commercial email service to conduct government business, a week after the Trump administration's security practices came under bipartisan criticism following its use of the Signal messaging app to coordinate military action in Yemen.

One Waltz aide used Gmail to share information involving sensitive military positions and powerful weapon systems tied to an unspecified ongoing conflict, it reported, citing documents it reviewed and interviews with three U.S. officials.

Waltz had less sensitive but still exploitable information sent to his personal email, including his schedule and other work documents, the Post said.

Reuters

The U.S. is amassing nuclear-capable stealth bombers on a tiny British territory in the middle of the Indian Ocean just days after President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Iran.

According to satellite images taken by Planet Labs and verified by the Associated Press on Wednesday, at least six B-2 Spirit bombers were spotted on the runway at Camp Thunder Bay in Diego Garcia, the largest island of the Chagos Archipelago.

The photographs surfaced just days after Trump told NBC News Sunday that Iran would see “bombing the likes of which they have never seen before” if Tehran did not reach an agreement with Washington over its nuclear program.

James Liddell reports.