Taking on China

Trump’s 10 percent tariff on all Chinese products went into effect today 12:01 a.m, in accordance with the president’s executive order aimed at pressuring China to crack down on fentanyl shipments into the U.S.

The Chinese government retaliated with a series of retaliatory steps, including additional tariffs on liquefied natural gas, coal, farm machinery and other products from the United States. It also said it had implemented restrictions on the export of certain critical minerals, many of which are used in the production of high-tech products.

In addition, Chinese market regulators said they had launched an antimonopoly investigation into Google. Google is blocked from China’s internet, but the move may disrupt the company’s dealings with Chinese companies.

Also making headlines, Trump has ordered USAID, the U.S. agency of 10,000 personnel overseeing foreign aid, to be reformed due to its wasteful and excessive distribution of funds. According to various reports, USAID, will be merged into the State Department with significant cuts in the workforce, but it will remain a humanitarian aid entity overseen by Secretary of State, Marco Rubio. More than 50% of USAID’s personnel are located overseas.

Elon Musk, via the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), spearheaded the effort to look deep into USAID. His team found it to be a maelstrom of feckless spending, and a cash dump into countries who contribute nothing in return. For example, the agency spent over $40 billion in taxpayer funds in 2023 and operates on a $50 billion budget. Top recipients of USAID include Ukraine, Ethiopia, Jordan, Somalia, and the Congo. To make matters worse, as outlined by the White House Press Secretary on Monday, most of the funds supported radical left agendas — many of them focused on progressive gender and DEI programs.

With President Trump’s approval, Musk locked USAID staff out of its headquarters, ordered them not to report to work, and shut down the agency’s website and social media. Two government employees attempting to defy the orders were denied entry by DHS officers, who sealed off the lobby with “do not cross” tape. Thankfully, in total, $181 million of DEI-related programs have now been terminated.

Musk, leading the civilian review of the government, further cemented the point by tweeting: “It became apparent that it’s not an apple with a worm it in. What we have is just a ball of worms. You’ve got to basically get rid of the whole thing. It’s beyond repair. We’re shutting it down. USAID is a criminal organization.”

PLUS…

Musk’s DOGE auditing is also eyeballing the abuses of the Treasury Department. Musk has allegedly found “fraudulent” Treasury payments as reports emerged that DOGE gained access to the federal payment system. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent approved DOGE’s access to the whole system.

The Treasury handles about $6 trillion in annual federal payments, and Musk’s conclusion is that the department is incompetent and negligent, writing on X: “DOGE team discovered, among other things, that payment approval officers at Treasury were instructed always to approve payments, even to known fraudulent or terrorist groups. They literally never denied a payment in their entire career. Not even once.”

In my opinion, Trump is earning his place on Mount Rushmore. When it comes to China, we need to crack down on that country. It is their goal to ruin us. As for USAID, isn’t it incredible that it took roughly one week for a small team of analysts to detect decades of wasteful spending — billions of taxpayer funds have been wasted on crap. It is criminal for our monies to be spent in such a manner — we all deserve a refund.

Below is a brief list of what we’ve paid for:

1. $45 million for business grants in Africa

2. $45 million for "diversity and inclusion" scholarships in Burma.

3. $3 million for an Interactive Dinosaur Park App

4. $2.3 million for an Annual Squirrel Census

5. $1.4 million for Bubble Wrap Stress Release Studies

6. $1.2 million for Artisanal Cheese Tasting Workshops

7. $500,000 for transgender studies in Hawaii

8. $300,000 for Butter Sculpture Carving

MORE ON TRUMP

• In a single day, President Trump secured agreements from Mexico and Canada to deploy 10,000 troops each to bolster security at the U.S. southern and northern borders, showcasing the power of a Trump tariff.

• The CEO of the largest steel producer in the U.S., Nucor Corp., endorsed President Trump’s tariffs on China, Canada, and Mexico.

• Secretary of State Rubio visited El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, following his visit to Panama. They discussed El Salvador’s supermax prison and how it can be used to imprison TdA deportees from the U.S.

• Trump finalized the suspension of all U.S. aid to South Africa over its land expropriation law, which many fear will trigger Zimbabwe-style land seizures. In 2023, South Africa received between $273 million and $440 million in U.S. aid, including AIDS relief funding.

• Cartels from Mexico have authorized weaponized drone attacks against U.S. border agents. CBP has circulated two internal memos warning agents of the cartels’ retaliation tactics in response to increased border enforcement.

• President Trump signed an executive order to establish a U.S. sovereign wealth fund, with TikTok as a potential acquisition. While major sovereign funds are held by China and resource-rich nations, Trump has suggested tariffs could help fund the initiative.

• Elon Musk is getting behind the movement to get President Trump’s face added to Mount Rushmore.

THE CRAZY LEFT

CBS News is complying with an FCC request for the unedited transcript of a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris, which is part of President Trump’s lawsuit against the network. The FCC, led by Trump appointee Brendan Carr, will review the full transcript and unedited footage from the pre-election interview.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy admitted in a recent interview to housing an immigrant with questionable legal status, daring the Trump administration to do something about it. His revelation sparked calls for ICE to arrest him for harboring a possible illegal alien.

Rapper Kanye West, the troubled hip-hop mogul, showed up to the Grammy Awards uninvited with his wife, Bianca Censori. On the red carpet, Censori dropped her fur coat to reveal a see-through dress; they were escorted out.

J.D. VANCE

The Vice President visited the Ohio town previously impacted by an ecological disaster when a train with hazardous chemicals derailed two years ago. Vance spoke to East Palestinians about the cleanup process expectations under Trump; he posted a video to X and wrote the following: “President Trump and I have never forgotten the people of East Palestine, and we will never stop fighting for the cleanup effort in this community to be completed. We are with you for the long haul.”

CONGRESS

Senator Susan Collins announced she will support Trump’s Director of National Intelligence nominee, Tulsi Gabbard, citing her agreement with Gabbard on reducing ODNI’s bloated personnel size. Initially expected to oppose Trump’s choice, Collins surprised many with her support.

DOGE has canceled empty building leases and cut DEI contracts, saving over $1 billion. This sparked a clash with Senator Elizabeth Warren, who ranted that Elon Musk was not elected by the people. This prompted swaths of backlash against Warren.

The FBI Agents Association (FBIAA) sent a letter to Congress warning that decisions to remove senior FBI leadership and the Washington Field Office head by acting DOJ and FBI officials could jeopardize thousands of careers and disrupt bureau operations.

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47 Report is written by Denny Lynch, Ryan Lynch, and DML, with artwork by Ashley Lynch and input from Mary Lynch. Please provide feedback below:

Have a blessed day,
The Lynch Family