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The Daily Briefing

YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP

Tue Feb 4 2025

Nicole Fallert | Newsletter Writer

@nicolefallert

Experts say American consumers will ultimately pay for any tariffs on foreign imports that are put in place. Campaigns across the country seek to highlight the labor contributions of immigrants. Super Bowl Opening Night delivered hype for the big game.

🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Rats are on the rise.

Tariffs could be coming for Americans' wallets

U.S. consumers and retailers took a brief breath of relief Tuesday after Mexico and the United States reached a one-month agreement to stave off tariffs and a looming trade war. Trump also announced late Monday that he was pausing tariffs on Canada for at least 30 days. But China on Tuesday said it would impose fresh tariffs on U.S. imports in swift retaliation to new U.S. duties that came into effect on Chinese goods.

So what do this tariff war mean for your wallet?

•	"Another form of inflation, just spelled differently": Tariffs on imported items mean American consumers can expect to pay an additional $2,500 to $7,600 a year per household, according to estimates. For example, experts say a $50 pair of athletic shoes would cost $59 to $64.
•	Cost could go up, but American wages are going down. USA TODAY analysis found wage growth has slowed for all Americans as both pandemic-related labor shortages and consumer demand have eased.

'Day Without Immigrants' shows solidarity amid Trump's crackdown

From Florida to Ohio to Oklahoma, Americans across the country Monday, pockets of shops and restaurants were closed and some children were held out of school amid "A Day Without Immigrants," a social media-driven protest against President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown. Read more

•	Meanwhile, combat forces are amassing at the border. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made an uncommon visit to the U.S-Mexico border on Monday, meeting with active-duty military members.

People gather in support of immigrants in Southwest Detroit, Michigan on February 3, 2025.

JEFF KOWALSKY, AFP via Getty Images

More news to know now

•	Marco Rubio says he's the acting director of USAID as Trump and Musk move to shut the foreign aid agency down.
•	UnitedHealthcare will pay $2.5M in settlement claims. Are you eligible?
•	A new lawsuit blames seven deaths on the 2023 East Palestine train derailment.
•	The White House is mulling the Education Department's future.
•	A judge extended a pause on Trump's federal funding freeze after finding the administration has not complied.

What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

Watchdogs and Dems attack Elon Musk Treasury Department takeover

House Democrats and Republicans reconvene on Tuesday, following reports that over the weekend Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) operatives were at the Treasury Department, going through payment systems and effectively ousted the top civil servant at the agency, David Lebryk, after he refused to grant access to Musk's emissaries. Now, Democratic lawmakers and government watchdog groups are pledging to fight back against Musk's takeover of the federal government's payment system, which they say may be the biggest privacy and security breach in American history. Read more

•	Related: The DOJ threatened legal action against "anyone who impedes" Musk's DOGE work.

Crews lift first pieces of wreckage from Potomac River

Salvage crews on Tuesday continue removing wreckage from the Potomac River after the collision of an American Airlines passenger jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter killed 67 people in the deadliest air disaster in more than two decades. Large pieces of the aircraft are expected to be transported to a hangar, where they will be assessed as part of a National Transportation Safety Board investigation. Here's what's next in the investigation into the plane-helicopter crash.

A crane retrieves part of the wreckage from the Potomac River, in Arlington, Virginia, on Monday.

Eduardo Munoz, REUTERS

Today's talkers

•	AP apologized for abruptly ending their Grammys Babyface interview.
•	Here's how to win hearts on Valentine's Day on a budget.
•	Auburn and Duke lead the USA TODAY Sports men's basketball poll.
•	You might have a spoon's worth of microplastics - in your brain.
•	Major League Baseball fired an umpire for violating its gambling policy.

Super Bowl 59 festivities are officially underway

The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles are resting on Tuesday after their first full exposure to the Super Bowl spotlight. Both teams headed to the Caesars Superdome Monday night to greet fans and stir up support. The Eagles were first up, with the likes of Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and A.J. Brown drawing sizable crowds. But they paled in comparison to the swarm of media that flocked to Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Andy Reid. USA TODAY reported live from the Superdome.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce are introduced during Super Bowl LIX Opening Night.

Kirby Lee, Imagn Images

Photo of the day: Caitlin Clark returns to Iowa

Iowa great Caitlin Clark returned to the Carver-Hawkeye Arena, where her No. 22 jersey was hoisted to the rafters.

Ncaa Womens Basketball Southern California At Iowa

Former Iowa Hawkeyes player Caitlin Clark looks on after the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena against USC on Sunday.

Jeffrey Becker, Imagn Images

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here . Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com.