Appeals Court Rules Trump Tariffs Illegal, Discusses School Safety Funding and Fed Rate Cuts

Court Ruling on Trump Tariffs

• ⚖️ A divided U.S. appeals court has ruled that most of President Donald Trump's tariffs are illegal.
• ⏳ The court has allowed the tariffs to remain in place until mid-October to give the Trump administration time to file an appeal with the Supreme Court.
• 🗣️ Trump criticized the decision, calling the court "highly partisan" and stating that the removal of tariffs would be a "total disaster for the country."
• 🇨🇳 The ruling specifically addressed "reciprocal tariffs" imposed against China, Canada, and Mexico, but does not impact tariffs issued under other legal authorities.

School Safety Funding Debate

• 🏫 Advocates for non-public and religious schools pushed for additional state funding for security measures in 2023 and again in 2025.
• 🏛️ A proposed program in Minnesota that would have provided security funding did not include eligibility for non-public schools.
• 🇺🇸 Some cities and states, like New York City, have moved forward with proposals to allow more private school security through taxpayer money.
• ⚠️ The idea of investing public money in non-public schools, especially religious ones, often stokes controversy.

Economists on Federal Reserve Rate Cuts

• 📉 President Trump has been pressuring the Federal Reserve to drop interest rates, expressing dissatisfaction with current rates.
• 🏦 The Fed has held interest rates steady since late 2024 due to inflation remaining above its 2% target, and is monitoring the impact of tariffs on consumer prices.
• 📊 Economists suggest there is a case for rate cuts now due to recent weak jobs report numbers, with the Fed potentially open to cuts in September.
• ⚠️ Concerns exist that aggressive rate cuts could lead investors to question the Fed's independence and demand higher rates, potentially increasing long-term borrowing costs for consumers.

Sports and Hurricane Katrina Anniversary

• 🏈 College football season is returning with several top 10 matchups, including Texas at Ohio State and LSU at Clemson.
• 🎾 The US Open continues this weekend with the third round in both men's and women's singles.
• 🌊 The 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina is being marked, with a focus on the resilience and hope of New Orleans residents, including a story from Preservation Hall's creative director.