[CRAIG NIGRELLI]

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SAYS HE WILL ANNOUNCE NEW 25 PERCENT TARIFFS TODAY ON ALL STEEL AND ALUMINUM IMPORTS TO THE UNITED STATES — INCLUDING THOSE FROM TRADE PARTNERS CANADA AND MEXICO. 

IT’S SIMILAR TO A MOVE HE MADE DURING HIS LAST ADMINISTRATION — IN 20-18 HE ANNOUNCED 25 PERCENT TARIFFS ON STEEL AND 10 PERCENT TARIFFS ON ALUMINUM. BUT HE LIFTED THEM ON MEXICO AND CANADA A YEAR LATER. 

WHEN PREVIEWING THE NEW LEVIES DURING AN INTERVIEW ON AIR FORCE ONE EN ROUTE TO THE SUPER BOWL, PRESIDENT TRUMP DID NOT SAY HOW EXPANSIVE THEY WOULD BE OR WHEN THEY MIGHT GO INTO EFFECT. 

IT’S ALSO NOT CLEAR IF THE NEW STEEL AND ALUMINUM TARIFFS WILL BE ON TOP OF THE TARIFFS ALREADY IN PLACE ON EXPORTS FROM COUNTRIES LIKE CHINA. 

THE PRESIDENT BELIEVES HE IS LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD WHEN IT COMES TO TRADE. 

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP 

“I’ll be announcing probably Tuesday or Wednesday at a news conference. Reciprocal tariffs and very simply, it’s if they charge us, we charge them.” 

PRESIDENT TRUMP TOLD REPORTERS THOSE TARIFFS WOULD GO INTO EFFECT “ALMOST IMMEDIATELY”.  BUT HE WOULD NOT GIVE ANY MORE DETAILS — SAYING THEY WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE DURING THE OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT. 

ALSO DURING HIS FLIGHT FROM SOUTH FLORIDA TO NEW ORLEANS, TRUMP SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER DECLARING FEBRUARY 9-TH “GULF OF AMERICA DAY” AS HE FLEW OVER THE BODY OF THE WATER. LAST MONTH TRUMP SIGNED AN ORDER SETTING IN MOTION THE PROCESS OF OFFICIALLY RENAMING THE GULF OF MEXICO.

AFTER THAT THE PRESIDENT MADE HISTORY ON SUPER BOWL SUNDAY — BECOMING THE FIRST SITTING PRESIDENT TO ATTEND THE BIG GAME. 

TRUMP WATCHED THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES TAKE ON THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS FROM A SUITE AFTER FLYING IN WITH A GROUP OF SOME OF HIS CLOSEST REPUBLICAN ALLIES IN CONGRESS, INCLUDING SENATORS LINDSEY GRAHAM AND TIM SCOTT OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 

HOUSE SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON WAS ALSO THERE. 

MANY CELEBRITIES WERE ON HAND INCLUDING POP SUPERSTAR TAYLOR SWIFT — ROOTING ON HER BOYFRIEND — THE CHIEFS’ TRAVIS KELCE — ALONG WITH ACTORS KEVIN COSTNER, PAUL RUDD AND ANNE HATHAWAY — AMONG THE A-LISTERS SPOTTED ON CAMERA THROUGHOUT THE GAME.  

AND WHILE THE PRESIDENT MADE A PRE-GAME PREDICTION THE CHIEFS WOULD SCORE A THREE-PEAT, IT WAS THE EAGLES WHO DOMINATED. 

THEY ROUTED THE CHIEFS 40 TO 22, INTERCEPTING CHIEFS QUARTERBACK PATRICK MAHOMES TWICE AND SACKING HIM SIX TIMES. 

EAGLES QUARTERBACK JALEN HURTS THREW FOR TWO TOUCHDOWNS AND RAN ONE IN HIMSELF — EARNING SUPER BOWL M-V-P HONORS. 

BACK IN PHILADELPHIA, THOUSANDS OF FANS TOOK TO THE STREETS AND THINGS GOT OUT OF CONTROL. 

FANS CARRYING OFF A TOPPLED TRAFFIC LIGHT POLE AND SWARMING A TRASH TRUCK — THEN CLIMBING ON TOP OF IT, IN CELEBRATION. 

AS FOR THE HALFTIME SHOW. 

AWARD-WINNING RAPPER KENDRICK LAMAR HEADLINED WITH APPEARANCES FROM SZA AND HOLLYWOOD STAR SAMUEL L. JACKSON. 

AND THERE WAS A BIT OF CONTROVERSY. 

POLICE DETAINED ONE OF THE PERFORMERS WHO WAS AMONG THE 400-MEMBER CAST, ON THE FIELD, AND THAT PERSON COULD FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES AFTER UNFURLING A COMBINATION SUDAN-PALESTINIAN FLAG WITH “SUDAN” AND “GAZA” WRITTEN ON IT. 

NEW ORLEANS POLICE SAID IN A STATEMENT THEY’RE “WORKING TO DETERMINE APPLICABLE CHARGES IN THIS INCIDENT.” 

THE PERFORMER STOOD ON A CAR, USED AS A PROP, FOR LAMAR’S PERFORMANCE AND HELD UP THE FLAG. 

THE N-F-L SAID THE PERFORMER HAD THE FLAG HIDDEN BEFOREHAND AND “NO ONE INVOLVED WITH THE PRODUCTION WAS AWARE OF THE INDIVIDUAL’S INTENT.”

PRESIDENT TRUMP ALSO TOUCHED ON VARIOUS TOPICS DURING AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH FOX NEWS THAT AIRED DURING THE SUPER BOWL pre-show. 

THE PRESIDENT PUSHED FORWARD ON HIS PREVIOUS COMMENTS ABOUT THE U-S TAKING OVER CANADA IN RESPONSE TO FOX NEWS ANCHOR 

 BRET BAIER ASKING TRUMP ABOUT RECENT remarks MADE BY CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU. 

BRET BAIER | FOX NEWS CHANNEL HOST 

“He said that your wish for Canada to be the 51st state is a, quote, real thing. Is it a real thing?” 

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP 

“Yeah, it is. I think Canada would be much better off being a 51st state because we lose $200 billion a year with Canada, and I’m not going to let that happen. It’s too much. Why are we paying $200 billion a year, essentially in subsidy, to Canada? Now, if they’re a 51st state, I don’t mind doing it.” 

IN THE INTERVIEW — TRUMP ALSO DEFENDED THE WORK OF BILLIONAIRE ELON MUSK, WHO LEADS THE DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY — OR DOGE. 

DOGE HAS BEEN DRAWING CRITICISM  FROM DEMOCRATS AS MUSK MOVES TO SHUT DOWN GOVERNMENT AGENCIES THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION BELIEVES ARE UNNECESSARY AND WASTE OF TAXPAYER MONEY,  AS WELL AS OFFER BUYOUTS TO  THOUSANDS OF FEDERAL WORKERS. 

[CRAIG NIGRELLI]

LAST WEEK — MUSK AND TRUMP ATTEMPTED TO PUT THOUSANDS OF WORKERS FROM THE U-S AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON LEAVE. 

HOWEVER,  A JUDGE TEMPORARILY BLOCKED THAT EFFORT ON FRIDAY. 

TRUMP SAID MUSK HAS  “BEEN TERRIFIC,” AND WILL TARGET THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE MILITARY NEXT — SAYING HE EXPECTS MUSK TO FIND “BILLIONS” OF DOLLARS OF ABUSE AND FRAUD IN THE PENTAGON. 

MEANTIME A NEW POLL OUT SUNDAY, FROM CBS NEWS, SHOWS 53 % OF AMERICANS APPROVE OF THE JOB DONALD TRUMP IS DOING IN  HIS FIRST COUPLE OF  WEEKS IN OFFICE, WHILE,  47% DISAPPROVE.

A FEDERAL COURT HAS BLOCKED THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FROM SENDING THREE VENEZUELAN IMMIGRANTS TO GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA FOR DETAINMENT. 

IN A LEGAL FILING  — LAWYERS FOR THE MEN, WHO ARE NOW  HELD IN NEW MEXICO, SAID THEY “FIT THE PROFILE OF THOSE THE ADMINISTRATION HAS PRIORITIZED FOR DETENTION IN GUANTANAMO” SINCE THEY WERE BEING HELD ON CHARGES OF CONNECTIONS WITH THE GANG TREN DE ARAGUA. 

THEY ASKED A U-S DISTRICT COURT FOR A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER BLOCKING THEIR TRANSFER — SAYING THE U-S GOVERNMENT HAS CREATED UNCERTAINTY SURROUNDING THE AVAILABILITY OF LEGAL PROCESS AND COUNSEL. 

HOLDING  IMMIGRANTS IN GUANTANAMO IS A KEY ASPECT OF PRESIDENT TRUMP’S CRACKDOWN ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IN THE U-S. 

LAST WEDNESDAY — WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY KAROLINE LEAVITT SAID FEDERAL AGENTS HAVE ARRESTED MORE THAN 8-THOUSAND PEOPLE  

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HAS SAID HIS ADMINISTRATION PLANS TO HOUSE UP TO 30,000 MIGRANTS, SUSPECTED OF BEING IN THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY,  AT THE GUANTANAMO MILITARY BASE IN CUBA.

THE NEW DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, RUSSELL VOUGHT, IS WASTING NO TIME IN HIS NEW POSITION, TAKING AIM AT THE CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU. 

IN A WEEKEND E-MAIL, VOUGHT TOLD THE AGENCY’S EMPLOYEES TO – CEASE ALL SUPERVISION AND EXAMINATION ACTIVITY, PAUSE ALL PENDING INVESTIGATIONS, NOT ISSUE ANY PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS AND PUT A HOLD, ON ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS.” 

HE ALSO INSTRUCTED THEM NOT TO APPROVE OR ISSUE ANY NEW RULES. 

VOUGHT LATER WENT ON X, POSTING THAT HE HAD NOTIFIED THE FEDERAL RESERVE THAT THE CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU WILL **NOT** BE RECEIVING ITS NEXT FUNDING STIPEND, BECAUSE HE DOES NOT BELIEVE ITS NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT THE BUREAU’S DUTIES.  

HE POSTED THAT – “THE BUREAU’S CURRENT BALANCE OF $711.6 MILLION IS IN FACT EXCESSIVE IN THE CURRENT FISCAL ENVIRONMENT. 

THIS SPIGOT, LONG CONTRIBUTING TO C-F-P-B’S UNACCOUNTABILITY IS NOW BEING TURNED OFF. “ 

MASSACHUSETTS DEMOCRATIC SENATOR ELIZABETH WARREN, WHO HELPED CREATE THE BUREAU IN 2008, FIRED BACK ON X – SAYING THAT VOUGHT IS “GIVING BIG BANKS AND GIANT CORPORATIONS THE GREEN LIGHT TO SCAM FAMILIES.”. 

STAFF AND CONTRACTORS AT THE CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU HAVE BEEN TOLD, THE WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS IS NOW **CLOSED THIS WEEK** AND THEY ARE TO WORK FROM HOME. 

THE NATIONAL TREASURY EMPLOYEES UNION — WHICH REPRESENTS EMPLOYEES IN THE C-F-P-B — FILED TWO LAWSUITS AGAINST THE CLOSURE ON SUNDAY. 

ONE SAYING VOUGHT TELLING C-F-P-B EMPLOYEES TO STOP WORKING IS UNLAWFUL AND ANOTHER SAYING THREE DOGE-AFFILIATED STAFFERS WERE ALLOWED IN TO THE BUREAU’S INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM AND THAT VOUGHT INSTRUCTED C-F-P-B EMPLOYEES TO GIVE THE DOGE TEAM “ACCESS TO ALL NON-CLASSIFIED C-F-P-B SYSTEMS.”

FINALLY THIS MORNING — THE PRICE OF SHARING A THOUGHT OR A DAY’S WORTH OF GOOD LUCK MAY SOON RISE — as PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS DIRECTED THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT TO **STOP** MAKING NEW PENNIES. 

IN A POST ON HIS TRUTH SOCIAL PLATFORM LAST NIGHT — THE PRESIDENT SAID IT COSTS THE U-S TWICE WHAT ONE PENNY IS WORTH to EVEN MAKE ONE. 

THE ONE-CENT COINS FELL IN THE CROSS HAIRS OF ELON MUSK’S DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY LAST MONTH. 

THE U-S MINT REPORTED LOSING  85 POINT 3 MILLION DOLLARS IN THE 20-24 FISCAL YEAR ON THE  3 POINT 2 BILLION PENNIES IT PRODUCED. 

AND IT **MIGHT NOT** STOP WITH PENNIES… THE MINT ALSO LOSES MONEY ON THE NICKEL — WITH EACH OF THE FIVE-CENT COINS COSTING NEARLY 14 CENTS TO MAKE.