Jordan's King In Washington, New Tariffs, NYC Mayor's Corruption Charges
Feb 11, 2025
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King Abdullah of Jordan meets with President Trump, rejecting a controversial proposal about Palestinians. New tariffs on steel and aluminum are announced, raising concerns about their impact on various industries. Legal troubles loom for NYC Mayor Eric Adams as the Justice Department pushes to dismiss corruption charges against him, despite allegations of accepting illegal perks. The podcast explores the diplomatic tensions and complex relationships at play between the U.S. and Jordan during this critical time.
King Abdullah's rejection of Trump's Palestinian relocation plan underscores Jordan's existential concerns over its refugee population and regional stability.
President Trump's new tariffs on steel and aluminum aim to protect American companies but risk job losses in manufacturing sectors reliant on these materials.
Deep dives
Tensions Between Trump and Jordan's King Abdullah
The meeting between President Trump and King Abdullah of Jordan is expected to be fraught with tension due to Trump's controversial proposals regarding Palestinian displacement. Trump has suggested relocating Palestinians from Gaza to Jordan and Egypt, a plan that has been universally rejected by both countries. Jordan, which already hosts a significant number of Palestinian refugees, views this issue as existential and stands united against such a proposal. The Jordanian Foreign Minister has even stated that pushing Palestinians into Jordan would breach their peace treaty with Israel, highlighting the gravity of the situation.
Impact of New Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum
President Trump's latest imposition of a 25 percent tariff on steel and aluminum imports is designed to protect American companies but raises concerns for various industries reliant on these materials. While American steel and aluminum companies may benefit, manufacturing sectors such as aircraft and automotive may suffer job losses due to increased costs. Experts warn that retaliatory tariffs from other countries could exacerbate the situation, hurting U.S. exports and further undermining job security in affected sectors. The administration's approach lacks the exceptions seen in previous tariff strategies, which complicates the economic outlook further.
Legal Troubles for New York City Mayor Eric Adams
The Justice Department has directed prosecutors to drop the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who faced charges related to luxury travel perks and illegal campaign contributions. The order cites the timing of the charges as an issue, suggesting they were filed too close to the mayor's re-election campaign, as well as the impact of the pending case on Adams's ability to address immigration issues effectively. Despite this development, the case is not entirely resolved, as the acting U.S. attorney must decide whether to follow the directive and the possibility of the charges being refiled remains. Adams continues to deny wrongdoing and maintains that the case was politically motivated.
Jordan's King Abdullah will meet with President Trump in Washington after rejecting Trump's plan to move Palestinians out of Gaza. President Trump announced new tariffs on steel and aluminum, and the Justice Department has asked prosecutors to dismiss corruption charges against NYC Mayor Eric Adams.
Today's episode of Up First was edited by Nishant Dahiya, Roberta Rampton, Gerry Holmes, Janaya Williams and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from David Greenberg. And our technical director is Carleigh Strange.