Sisters Alyssa and Gisele Thompson add to their USWNT list of milestones

• February 25, 2025

Alyssa and Gisele Thompson became the third sister pairing to be called into a U.S. Women’s National Team camp earlier this month for the SheBelieves Cup.

On Sunday, they became the second sister duo to start in a match. Alyssa was subbed out in the 62nd minute and Gisele, who made her senior national team debut on Thursday against Colombia, went off in the 77th minute of Sunday’s 2-1 win against Australia.

“It’s amazing. We’ve always dreamed about doing this together and being able to do it here is kind of surreal. It doesn’t feel real,” Alyssa told U.S. Soccer following Sunday’s game.

The Mewis sisters (Samantha and Kirstie) are the only other duo to have started together. They did it three times.

“It was kind of hard to think about it until we were on the field,” Gisele said. “Once we were playing together, it felt comfortable, so natural. I knew she had my back and I had hers.”

Gisele started at right back and Alyssa on the right wing.

“It’s amazing being out here with her,” Gisele said. “I’m so proud of just getting here at this level.”

The Thompsons will return to Angel City after Wednesday’s USWNT game against Japan at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.

Busy international window

Aside from the Thompson sisters, Angel City has six other players with their respective national teams.

Forward Julie Dufour is with France, forward Claire Emslie is with Scotland, defender Alanna Kennedy is with Australia, defender Miyabi Moriya is with Japan and defender Megan Reid is Canada.

Defender Savy King is also with the American squad, but she is on the training roster.

Angel City continues preparation

Angel City faced Seattle Reign FC in a preseason game on Saturday in Indio. Casey Phair scored a second-half equalizer in the 1-1 draw.

Angel City’s remaining preseason games will be behind closed doors. The regular season opens March 16 at BMO Stadium against San Diego Wave FC.

Mark Parsons gives coaching update

Angel City is less than three weeks away from the season opening. The club still doesn’t have a permanent coach. Sam Laity was brought before preseason training camp as the interim coach.

Mark Parsons, the club’s Sporting Director told Meg Linehan of The Athletic, that “we’ll have someone on March 1 or we’ll have someone in June or July.”

He added that the search is down to four candidates.

“It’s been a very detailed and thorough process,” he said.

Angel City fired coach Becki Tweed after the team missed the NWSL playoffs in her one full season at the helm. The new hire will be the club’s third coach since the club debuted in 2022.

Angel City signs Colombian Maithé López

Angel City acquired 18-year-old forward Maithé López from Real Santander for an undisclosed transfer fee.

López joins on a four-year contract. Angel City will send her out on loan to Lexington Sporting Club in the USL Super League. Angel City says López will return to Los Angeles in the summer months to train.

​ Orange County Register 

Locked, Hit Show coming to Santa Anita for Big ’Cap

• February 25, 2025

The biggest race of early 2025 for older horses in California will feature a pair of heavy hitters from out of state.

Locked and Hit Show, both winners at the Grade II level back east, were assigned co-highweight of 124 pounds in a nine-horse field entered Monday for Saturday’s $300,000, Grade I Santa Anita Handicap.

Locked, a 4-year-old to be ridden by Jose Ortiz for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, won the Cigar Mile at Aqueduct in December and finished second to White Abarrio in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park in January. Hit Show, a 5-year-old with Flavien Prat aboard for Brad Cox, won the Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs in September during a current run of four stakes wins in five starts.

The last horse to ship in and win the Santa Anita Handicap, a 1 1/4-mile race for 4-year-olds and up, was Shaman Ghost for trainer Jimmy Jerkens in 2017. Shaman Ghost was a 6-5 favorite after finishing second in the Pegasus in his previous start.

Here’s the lineup, from the rail out, for the 88th Big ’Cap, the 10th race on a Saturday program that starts at noon: Express Train (Hector Berrios riding), 120 pounds; New King (Mike Smith), 115; Hit Show; JB Strikes Back (Antonio Fresu), 119; Mirahmadi (Juan Hernandez), 116; Katonah (Tiago Pereira), 121; Locked; Midnight Mammoth (Armando Ayuso), 116, and Tarantino (Edwin Maldonado), 118.

In Saturday’s $300,000, Grade II San Felipe Stakes, for 3-year-olds aiming for the April 5 Santa Anita Derby, Michael McCarthy-trained Journalism will challenge Bob Baffert-trained Barnes, Rodriguez and Mellencamp.

Here’s the field of six entered Monday, from the inside out, for the 1 1/16-mile San Felipe, the eighth race at Santa Anita on Saturday: Mellencamp (Smith); Journalism (Umberto Rispoli); Barnes (Hernandez); Rodriguez (Prat); Smooth Cruisein (Ricardo Gonzalez) and Berlin Wall (Pereira).

​ Orange County Register 

CIF-SS girls soccer finals: First look at the Orange County matchups, dates and locations

• February 25, 2025

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Quick, lay on your side, place your hands together under your head and pretend to sleep. Orange County girls soccer has a few reasons to let loose and imitate Trinity Rodman’s famous goal celebration for the Washington Spirit.

Orange County will be represented in the CIF-SS girls soccer finals by six schools for the second time in three years.

Santa Margarita, Mater Dei, Troy, Foothill, Sage Hill and Whittier Christian will compete for titles on Friday and Saturday. The latter three schools have each reached the finals for the first time.

Tickets for the matches can be purchased at GoFan.co.

On Friday at El Modena High at 7:15 p.m., Santa Margarita (16-1-3) will face growing rival Corona Santiago (21-2-2) in the Open Division final for the second consecutive year. The Sharks won the clash last season but the Eagles beat the Inland Empire power for a CIF SoCal regional crown the following week.

Santa Margarita features sophomore forward Felicity Nguyen, who leads the squad with 21 goals and four assists.

Mater Dei (13-6-4) and Troy (15-2-2) face off in a somewhat surprising Division 1 final Saturday at El Modena at 6 p.m. The Monarchs finished fourth in the four-team Trinity League while Troy has reached its first final since 2009.

The match will spotlight two strong goalies in Kennedy Briseno of Mater Dei (Chico State commit) and Ava de Leest of Troy (Boise State).

In Division 3, Foothill (12-7-4) will take on Long Beach Poly (14-3-1) on Saturday at Veterans Stadium at 3:30 p.m.

One of Foothill’s top players is junior Hannah Werdel, who is committed to Marquette.

Sage Hill (12-3) will play La Mirada (13-8-3) in the Division 4 final Saturday at El Modena at 10:30 a.m. The Lightning are led by freshman Keila Fukuda, a forward who has 16 goals.

Whittier Christian (14-5-3) faces Thacher of Ojai (13-1-4) in the Division 6 final on Friday at La Habra High at 7 p.m. The Heralds are paced by senior Lauren Gravitt, who is the daughter of coach Christy Gravitt, and senior goalie Madison Torres. Gravitt has 21 goals and 19 assists while Torres delivered key saves in the semifinals.

CIF-SS FINALS SCHEDULE

Open Division

Santa Margarita (16-1-3) vs. Corona Santiago (21-2-2) at El Modena High, Friday, 7:15 p.m.

Division 1

Mater Dei (13-6-4) vs Troy (15-2-2) at El Modena High, Saturday, 6 p.m.

Division 3

Foothill (12-7-4) vs. Long Beach Poly (14-3-1) at Veterans Stadium, Saturday, 3:30 p.m.

Division 4

Sage Hill (12-3) vs. La Mirada (13-8-3) at El Modena High, Saturday, 10:30 a.m.

Division 6

Whittier Christian (14-5-3) vs. Thacher (13-1-4) at La Habra High, Friday, 7 p.m.

​ Orange County Register 

Deadline nears for small businesses, workers to claim L.A. fire grants

• February 25, 2025

A deadline for business owners, nonprofits and workers affected by last month’s wildfires in Los Angeles have less than a week to apply for local financial relief.

The deadline to apply for the LA Region Small Business Relief Fund and LA Region Worker Relief Fund is 5 p.m. Sunday, March 2.

The grants were made available after the January fires in the Pacific Palisades and Malibu area and the Eaton fire in Altadena. Those fires — which destroyed more than 16,000 structures — killed 29 people and burned a combined 37,000 acres in Los Angeles County.

See also: California rules will require more fire resistant homes in Palisades, Altadena

The worker relief fund offers $2,000 cash grants to workers who lost income or their jobs as a direct result of the disasters.

The small business relief fund provides cash grants ranging from $2,000 to $25,000 for businesses and nonprofits that suffered structural damage, equipment or inventory loss, or significant revenue loss due to the wildfires. Priority is being given to businesses that were completely destroyed, the county said.

These free grants are a form of financial assistance for a specific purpose, and do not need to be repaid.

To qualify for either program, applicants must be at least 18 years old and live in Los Angeles County. Workers must have been employed or self-employed in the county at the time of the fires.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said the grants were created to provide immediate support as the region works toward long-term recovery.

“I want every bit of relief that’s available to wildfire survivors to be accessed,” Barger said. “If you need assistance, help is available — don’t wait to apply.”

A spokeswoman with the Los Angeles County’s Department of Economic Opportunity could not immediately say how many businesses and workers have applied for relief funds, or how much money is left.

“No funds have been distributed yet,” she said. “The first round of disbursements is scheduled to begin in mid-March.”

The funds were made available on Jan. 24 and the application process began on Feb. 6, she said. The department committed $1 million to kickstart the grant funds, with ongoing fundraising efforts to expand the available resources.

Since the fires swept Los Angeles County communities last month, nine major insurers with customers in the burn areas have reported nearly $12.3 billion in property losses. Last week, Allstate became the first insurer to raise its estimates of property losses, projecting $2.47 billion in losses. The new estimate is nearly $500 million higher than the $2 billion the Northbrook, Ill.-based insurer projected earlier this month.

For anyone seeking more information on eligibility requirements of both business-related relief funds, application instructions, and other resources, see laregionalfund.lacounty.gov before the deadline.

Other funding avenues are available through the state to help with mortgage relief.

On Feb. 20, the California Housing Finance Agency approved a $125 million mortgage relief program to benefit victims of recent wildfires and other natural disasters by June 1.

The program, which taps funds from a legal settlement created after lenders were accused of misconduct during the subprime mortgage crisis in 2008, has $100 million to pay mortgages of low- to moderate-income homeowners who face foreclosure due to natural disasters dating to 2023.

An additional $25 million would be used to extend an existing program that provides mortgage guidance on disaster assistance by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The funding would also would help with shelter lodging, pet assistance, prescription medication assistance and food.

​ Orange County Register 

Wildfire recovery costs raise questions about L.A.’s 2028 Olympics priorities

• February 25, 2025

Hosting the Olympics is about more than just stadiums and athletes. It requires thousands of police officers, expanded transit services, security perimeters and infrastructure upgrades—all of which come at a cost.

Los Angeles officials say the 2028 Games will be a ‘no-build’ Olympics, meaning no new venues will be built. But even without new construction, the Games still carry a hefty price tag in public safety, transportation, and operations—costs that are under greater scrutiny as the city deals with mounting wildfire recovery expenses.

The city’s preliminary estimate places the wildfire-related costs at $358 million, but studies show the total economic impact in the region is far greater, with property and capital losses from the Palisades and Eaton fires estimated between $95 billion and $164 billion. Meanwhile, costs continue to climb, ranging from lost tax revenue to long-term rebuilding efforts, further straining a city already in the red.

Some city officials warn that these rising expenses could strain the City of Los Angeles’ ability to absorb Olympic-related costs, particularly for public safety — one of the most unpredictable and expensive aspects of hosting the Games.

“The biggest part of those expenses are going to be associated with the security and some of those related costs that will come in closer to 2028,” said L.A. City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez, who represents Council District 7, an area that includes much of Northeast San Fernando Valley.

While L.A. officials have not yet released a full estimate for public safety costs, past host cities have seen those expenses surge as the Games approach.

The 2012 London Olympics, initially budgeted £282 million (about $450 million in U.S. dollars at the time) for security, but the overall costs rose to more than £1 billion, about $1.6 billion U.S. dollars. The 2024 Paris Olympics reportedly spent approximately €1.14 billion (about $1.21 billion U.S. dollars) on security.

Former L.A. Councilmember Paul Krekorian, now head of the Office of Major Events, which oversees the city’s preparations for the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games disagreed that L.A. will struggle to cover its expenses. He said that from the start city officials have been clear that the city will not fund the Olympics.

“The organizing committee has a $7 billion budget for putting on the games,” Krekorian said, “and we expect that all $7 billion of that will be derived from private sources, from their sponsorships, their advertising, their ticket sales — and not fall on the taxpayers of the City of Los Angeles.”

He said the city is not taking on additional infrastructure costs but is instead reprioritizing existing investments to align with the Games.

“I think everybody recognizes that we don’t have the additional funding to be investing in things that we wouldn’t otherwise be investing in,” Krekorian said. “That’s not realistic and that’s not what we’re doing.”

Rather than seek new funding, city officials are focused on maintaining the city and making it more livable — improving mobility and prioritizing existing investments, whether the Olympics were happening or not, he said.

On the topic of public safety, Krekorian noted that the 2028 Games were designated as a National Special Security Event (NSSE) by the federal government earlier than any other event of its kind, meaning the U.S. Secret Service is leading the security planning.

He said security efforts are being coordinated with federal, state, and local agencies, including LAPD, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, California’s Office of Emergency Services, the California Highway Patrol, the U.S. State Department and the Department of Homeland Security.

To get ready for transportation needs, the Games Mobility Executives (GME)—made up of Metro, Metrolink, LADOT, Caltrans, and other agencies—is coordinating travel routes, venue access, and public transit improvements to ensure smooth transportation during the Games, Krekorian said.

He stressed that these plans have been in place for years and that instead of seeking additional funding, the city is prioritizing and reorganizing existing resources to meet the demands of the Games.

“That’s the sort of thing that we should be doing for the taxpayers of Los Angeles in any event,” he said. “The Games just provide us with an opportunity for greater urgency in getting that done.”

An economic boost, but at what cost?

Even if the city isn’t directly paying for the Olympics, the broader question remains: Will the Games generate enough economic benefits to offset the financial pressures?

Supporters argue that the Olympics will bring billions in revenue, boosting tourism, creating jobs and generating new business activity.

An economic study commissioned by the city from Beacon Economics, a research and consulting firm, projects that the Games will have a $14.2 billion economic impact, largely due to the “multiplier effect”—where every dollar spent circulates through the economy, driving additional economic activity.

“Actually the last Olympics that was profitable for any city was the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984, so all of the other Olympics since then, (those cities) lost money,” said Stafford Nichols of Beacons Economics. “Now, that doesn’t mean it’s not good for their economy, because a lot of people are spending money there,” Stafford said.

The Beacon Economics study estimates that $8.9 billion will be spent overall, with about $1.6 billion going toward preparations, including setting up venues and athlete housing, Nichols said.

Another $5.3 billion is expected to be spent during the Games, while visitor spending is projected to reach $2 billion. Because of the multiplier effect, the $8.9 billion in direct spending is expected to generate $14.2 billion in total economic output. In addition, the Olympics is estimated to support about 77,000 jobs.

A majority of the Olympic costs will be covered by LA28, a privately funded nonprofit organizing committee, Nichols said. LA28 receives financial support from corporate sponsors, licensing deals, ticket sales, hospitality services, and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The construction of new sports venues and infrastructure upgrades, such as roads, airports, and railways, as well as security and transportation, fall outside the Olympic organizing committee’s budget and are typically managed by local authorities.

But unlike many past Olympics host cities, Los Angeles is taking a different approach—one that supporters say will help keep costs low. L.A. has committed to a “no-build” Games, relying on existing venues instead of constructing new ones.

This city’s strategy is rare. Host cities typically spend billions on new infrastructure, often leading to budget overruns and long-term maintenance costs. But Los Angeles officials argue that by avoiding major construction, the 2028 Games won’t place a significant financial burden on taxpayers. The city plans to rely on existing facilities and infrastructure such as Crypto.com Arena and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

“We don’t have to build big, expensive, new capital projects like that because we already have world class facilities here in Los Angeles and the surrounding area that are as good as any place else in the world,” Krekorian said.

Los Angeles used a similar approach in 1984, hosting what many consider the only truly profitable Olympics. As the sole bidder, the city secured favorable terms with the IOC and used existing venues instead of building costly new facilities.

Despite criticism for its reliance on existing facilities and corporate sponsors, the Games turned a $223 million profit and became a model for future Olympics.

Krekorian said he hopes Los Angeles can replicate that success.

While he acknowledged that recent wildfires were among the most expensive natural disasters in U.S. history, he argued that investing in major events like the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics can help drive economic growth and generate new tax revenue—resources that could support wildfire recovery and strengthen the city’s financial foundation.

“And that’s the sort of thing that the World Cup next year and the Olympics in ’28 and the Paralympic Games in ’28 can provide us,” he added.

But some experts argue that relying on the Olympics as an economic boost is more symbolic than a real solution, particularly when a city is already facing financial strain.

“It’s a temporary palliative, it’s sort of like taking an extra dose of Tylenol,” said Joel Kotkin, the Roger Hobbs Presidential Fellow in Urban Futures at Chapman University. “The headache will come back.”

He notes that while L.A.’s existing infrastructure makes hosting the Olympics easier, it also limits economic stimulus since no new venues will be built. As a result, most of the created job opportunities will be temporary roles in event staffing and transportation and not steady employment.

“My sense of it is that the Olympics is sort of just going to be a show,” Kotkin said. “L.A. can still put together a good show, but can it put together a good city? I think right now it doesn’t look so great for that idea.”

Even with most Olympic costs covered by private funding, will the city avoid spending anything? And will the financial strain from wildfire recovery have little to no impact on the Olympics plans?

Hidden costs of a “no-build” Olympics

Host cities that pledged to keep costs low for the Olympics have often ended up spending far more than expected.

Take the 2024 Paris Olympics: Organizers aimed for a no-build approach, with 95% of infrastructure relying on existing or temporary facilities, but the city still spent $3.2 billion on infrastructure in the Paris urban area, according to a WalletHub analysis.

Its budget also more than doubled from its original bid, going from €3.6 billion (about $3.76 billion) to €8.8 billion (about $9.21 billion), according to a University of Oxford study published in July 2024.

For decades, host cities have used the Olympics as an impetus to upgrade infrastructure, including roads and waterways. But with wildfire recovery taking priority, other major improvement projects may be postponed, including the planned expansion of the Convention Center.

Business leaders have long pushed for the expansion, arguing that L.A. needs a modern convention center to stay competitive. Built in the 1970s, it faces stiff competition from facilities in San Francisco, Anaheim, and San Diego, all of which vie for major conventions and tourism dollars. City leaders have repeatedly tried—and failed—to advance an expansion plan.

Since 2018, the city has worked with Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) and Plenary Group on a possible expansion under a public-private partnership. However, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the project.

Last summer, the City Council approved $54.4 million for pre-design work as part of a push to complete the expansion before the 2028 Olympics, including a 700,000-square-foot New Hall building, which would connect the existing South and West Halls over Pico Boulevard to create a single, continuous space.

The New Hall building would include 193,000 square feet of new exhibit hall space; 60,000 square feet of new meeting rooms; an atrium entrance and lobby along Pico Boulevard; a 98,000-square-foot rooftop multi-purpose hall and a 10,000-square-foot outdoor event space with a view of Downtown Los Angeles.

But at the City Council’s Feb. 4 Economic Development and Jobs Committee meeting, officials acknowledged that ongoing wildfire recovery efforts would make it difficult to complete the project before the Olympics. The City Administrative Officer’s Office is creating a report for the City Council expected in the next couple of weeks.

Krekorian said the Olympics do not require an expansion of the Convention Center, which is scheduled to host fencing and table tennis competitions.

“And in fact, I would take it one step further,” he said. “The biggest concern about the Convention Center in relation to the Olympics was that if we went forward with the project, it might interfere with the Olympics.”

City officials and business leaders had hoped to use the Games as a catalyst to finally break ground on the long-awaited Convention Center project. If the expansion is scrapped again, it’s unclear when, or if, it will move forward.

The city has also approved multiple projects to accommodate tourists and retail activities in 2028, including a new 18-story hotel, which will serve as an addition to the 24-story Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City hotel.

Meanwhile, city resources are being directed toward wildfire recovery efforts—potentially delaying upgrades to streetlights, roads, and other infrastructure that would benefit both the Olympics and L.A.’s residents and businesses.

Not everyone supported the expansion of the Convention Center ahead of other pressing needs. Rodriguez, who cast the lone vote against spending money on pre-design work, warned that the city must balance Olympic preparations with wildfire recovery.

“The beauty and the curse of local government is you’ve got to prepare for all of those things, all at the same time,” Rodriguez said. “And we’re a city that’s capable of doing it, but we have to have the right priorities in place and we’ll be very thoughtful about how we spend resources so that we can take care of all of those different obligations.”

Some warn that the real challenge is deciding where the city’s priorities should be.

“​​The city’s going to have to prioritize what’s the most important. They have an obligation to the Olympics, but they have a deeper obligation to their citizens,” said Joel Fox, an adjunct professor at Pepperdine University’s Graduate School of Public Policy

“Will they be able to fund things necessary to protect and keep the citizens of Los Angeles safe, while deciding how much they’re going to spend on the Olympic Games? And that’s the question that they are going to have to answer,” Fox added.

​ Orange County Register 

Universal Studios Hollywood closing old Fast & Furious ride to make room for new coaster

• February 25, 2025

There’s only room for one Fast & Furious ride at Universal Studios Hollywood and that means the Studio Tour attraction that debuted in 2015 will soon close to make room for a new roller coaster coming in 2026 based on the street racing film franchise.

On March 10, Universal Studios Hollywood will close the Fast & Furious — Supercharged attraction that has been part of the backlot tram tour for the past decade.

ALSO SEE: 4 reasons why Universal won’t launch Fast & Furious coaster until 2026

The new Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift coaster will debut in 2026 on the Upper Lot of Universal Studios Hollywood.

The new Fast & Furious coaster will feature 360-degree rotating vehicles designed to look like drifting race cars.

ALSO SEE: Universal Studios Hollywood security bubble will expand to include CityWalk

A replacement for the Fast & Furious — Supercharged attraction will be announced soon as the grand finale for the Studio Tour.

The Supercharged drive-through motion simulator ride features a virtual high-speed 3D chase based on the film franchise that has earned $7 billion at the worldwide box office.

​ Orange County Register 

Trump says Canada and Mexico tariffs are ‘going forward’ with more import taxes to come

• February 24, 2025

By JOSH BOAK, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Monday that his tariffs on Canada and Mexico are starting next month, ending a monthlong suspension on the planned import taxes that could potentially hurt economic growth and worsen inflation.

“We’re on time with the tariffs, and it seems like that’s moving along very rapidly,” the U.S. president said at a White House news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron.

While Trump was answering a specific question about the taxes to be charged on America’s two largest trading partners, the U.S. president also stressed more broadly that his intended “reciprocal” tariffs were on schedule to begin as soon as April.

“The tariffs are going forward on time, on schedule,” Trump said.

Trump has claimed that other countries charge unfair import taxes that have come at the expense of domestic manufacturing and jobs. His near constant threats of tariffs have already raised concerns among businesses and consumers about an economic slowdown and accelerating inflation. But Trump claims that the import taxes would ultimately generate revenues to reduce the federal budget deficit and new jobs for workers.

“Our country will be extremely liquid and rich again,” Trump said.

Most economists say the cost of the taxes could largely be borne by consumers, retailers and manufacturers such as auto companies that source globally and rely on raw materials such as steel and aluminum that Trump is already, separately, tariffing at 25%.

Companies like Walmart have warned about uncertainty, while the University of Michigan’s latest consumer sentiment index plunged by roughly 10% over the past month in part due to fears about tariffs and inflation worsening. In the 2024 presidential election, voters backed Trump on the belief that he could cool inflation that had spiked to a four-decade high in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic during President Joe Biden’s time in office.

But Trump has persistently threatened tariffs and kept up those calls even as Macron, standing beside him, had previously suggested that talks on trade had produced some common ground.

“We want to make a sincere commitment towards a fair competition where we have smooth trade and more investments,” Macron said at the news conference, according to a translation of his French remarks.

Macron said the idea is to help the U.S. and Europe both prosper, saying that further talks would be carried out by their respective teams to flesh out their ideas.

Investors, businesses and the broader public are still trying to determine whether Trump is merely threatening tariffs as a negotiating tool or if he sincerely backs the tax hikes as a way to offset his planned income tax cuts.

Trump already plans to remove the exemptions on his 2018 steel and aluminum tariffs, taxing imports of both metals at 25%.

Despite talks the Trump administration has held with Canadian and Mexican officials, the U.S. president signaled Monday that he would end the 30-day suspension of tariffs that were initially set to take effect in February. Trump plans to tax imports from Mexico at 25% as well as most goods from Canada, with energy products such as Canadian oil and electricity being tariffed at a lower 10%.

Trump is placing tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods with the stated goal of pressuring them to do more to address illegal immigration and the smuggling of illicit drugs such as fentanyl. While relatively little fentanyl comes from Canada, the country announced a czar to address the issue and appease Trump in addition to existing measures. Mexico has relocated members of its National Guard to the border with the United States in addition to existing measures.

Trump also plans to impose new tariffs to match the rates charged by other countries. Set to begin as soon as April, the tariffs could be higher than what other countries would charge as subsidies, regulatory barriers and the value added tax — which is akin to a sales tax common in Europe — would be included in the calculations.

The possibility of retaliatory tariffs planned by Canada, Mexico and Europe could lead to a broader trade conflict that sabotage growth. In February, the Yale University Budget Lab estimated that the Canadian and Mexican tariffs could depress average U.S. incomes by $1,170 to $1,245 a year.

​ Orange County Register 

Trump’s Cabinet members have already backtracked on some promises made before being confirmed

• February 24, 2025

By MEG KINNARD, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — As they mustered support for their confirmations by the U.S. Senate, some of President Donald Trump’s appointees made statements from which they’ve already distanced themselves upon taking office.

From the leadership of the FBI to vaccine schedules and Russia sanctions, here’s a look at some of those promises and the subsequent action in their own words.

Requests for comment with all four agencies on their chiefs’ remarks were not immediately returned Monday afternoon.

Kash Patel, FBI director

WHAT HE’S SAID: According to Natalie Bara, president of the FBI Agents Association, Patel agreed last month — before becoming FBI director — that the agency’s No. 2 position should be held by a career agent as has been tradition for the nation’s premier federal law enforcement agency.

Bara wrote in an internal newsletter to members sent Feb. 23 that Patel had agreed during a January meeting with her that the FBI deputy director “should continue to be an on-board, active Special Agent as has been the case for 117 years for many compelling reasons, including operational expertise and experience, as well as the trust of our Special Agent population.”

WHAT HE’S DONE: Patel cheered Trump’s decision to go the opposite direction.

Later Sunday, after Bara’s internal newsletter with Patel’s comments, Trump announced in a post on his Truth Social platform that Dan Bongino, a former U.S. Secret Service agent who ran unsuccessfully for office and gained fame as a conservative pundit with TV shows and a popular podcast, had been chosen to serve as FBI deputy director.

“Tremendous news for law enforcement and the future of American justice!” Patel wrote Feb. 24 in a social media post welcoming Bongino. “His leadership, integrity, and deep commitment to justice make him the ideal choice to help lead the FBI at this critical time. He’s a cop’s cop.”

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., health and human services secretary

WHAT HE’S SAID: During his Senate confirmation hearings, Kennedy promised Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., that he would not change the nation’s current vaccination schedule.

“I recommend that children follow the CDC schedule, and I will support the CDC schedule when I get in there if I’m fortunate enough to be confirmed,” Kennedy told senators Jan. 30.

WHAT HE’S DONE: Speaking for the first time to thousands of U.S. Health and Human Services agency employees, Kennedy on Feb. 18 vowed to investigate the childhood vaccine schedule that prevents measles, polio and other dangerous diseases.

“Nothing is going to be off limits,” he said, adding that pesticides, food additives, microplastics, antidepressants and the electromagnetic waves emitted by cellphones and microwaves also would be studied.

Scott Bessent, treasury secretary

WHAT HE’S SAID: During his confirmation hearing, Bessent called for stronger sanctions on Russia, saying that former President Joe Biden wasn’t “muscular” enough on sanctioning Russian oil because he was too scared of driving the cost of oil up during the elections.

“I believe the previous administration was worried about raising U.S. energy prices during an election season,” he told senators Jan. 16.

WHAT HE’S DONE: As Trump’s tone on Russia changed, however, Bessent said the U.S. is prepared to either ramp up or take down sanctions on Russia depending on Russia’s willingness to negotiate an end to the war.

“That’d be a very good characterization,” Bessent told Bloomberg Television on Feb. 20, in response to a question about the potential for adjustments of sanctions on Russia, in either direction. “The president is committed to ending this conflict very quickly.”

Brooke Rollins, agriculture secretary

WHAT SHE’S SAID: “It is one of my top four priorities on day one, putting the right team in place to ensure that what you discussed and outlined is happening,” Rollins told senators Jan 23, in response to a question as to how she would stem the spread of avian flu.

WHAT SHE’S DONE: In comments to agency staff, Rollins said Feb. 14 that she was “proud to invite the Department of Government Efficiency here into USDA,” saying she welcomed the effort “with open arms.”

Four days later, the department scrambled to rehire several workers who were involved in the government’s response to the ongoing bird flu outbreak that has devastated egg and poultry farms over the past three years, but who were among the thousands of federal employees eliminated on Musk’s recommendations.

Associated Press writers Fatima Hussein and Amanda Seitz in Washington contributed reporting.

Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP

​ Orange County Register