CartoonDems

 

Trump Slaps 50% Tariffs on Canada

President Donald Trump on Monday imposed 50% tariffs on most Canadian goods, declaring that Canada has unfairly discriminated against American autos, alcohol, and dairy products.

The move could unleash a new wave of economic chaos, with risks of higher inflation and further fraying of relations between two nations that had been closely woven together before Trump's return to the White House. The administration official previewing the action said Canada was one of the only nations other than China that retaliated against Trump's previous tariffs and must be held accountable.

The official insisted on anonymity on a call with reporters to preview the president's actions and said Trump signed three proclamations to launch the tariffs under Section 338 of the Trade Act of 1930. Several Democratic lawmakers last year proposed repealing the section because they said Trump could use it to destabilize the economy.

The new 50% tariffs would exclude energy products, potash, fish, and critical minerals, but they would include goods that had previously been protected from import taxes by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA. That 2020 trade pact was not renewed by the U.S., triggering a new set of negotiations that could run until 2036.

The White House said in a fact sheet that the tariffs would go into effect in 30 days, meaning there is time for negotiations because Trump has not always followed through on his announced tax hikes on imports.

Still, the tariffs could escalate into a wider trade war as Canada seeks to defend its economy.

“If these tariffs proceed, Canada should respond tariff for tariff, dollar for dollar,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford posted on social media.

The tariffs also pose a threat to other U.S. trading partners, not just Canada, and inject “massive uncertainty” into the global economy, said Scott Lincicome, vice president of general economics at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank.

“We crossed the Rubicon,” Lincicome said. “The invocation of 338 is the nuclear option for Trump tariffs.”

The new tariffs carry serious political and economic risks for Trump ahead of the November midterm elections for control of Congress. His “Liberation Day” tariffs last year in April provoked a financial market meltdown over concerns about inflation and a recession, prompting him to walk back the rates for a period of negotiation.

The Supreme Court ruled in February that Trump lacked the legal authority to impose the tariffs by declaring an economic emergency, causing the administration to find alternative ways to raise import taxes based on a series of legal authorities.

Tariffs are taxes on imports, which companies can then pass along to consumers in the form of higher prices. The president maintains that the costs created by tariffs will cause manufacturing to relocate to the U.S., though there is little evidence of that in the economic data.

The latest import taxes could worsen Trump's weak ratings on the economy. He promised voters while running for president that he would bring prices down, but the annual inflation rate has risen since he became president because tariffs and the war in Iran are pushing up oil prices.

The Trump administration official said the president had also requested that his aides look into additional tariffs on Canada because its wildfires hurt air quality in the U.S. He had publicly threatened to do so in social media posts.

At the World Cup final Sunday, Trump watched the match with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who has openly challenged the U.S. president and has sought to expand Canada's trade relations with other nations. The Trump administration official said their time together at the game was not a working visit to discuss trade and tariffs.

Trump claims in the proclamations that Canada discriminates against American autos, alcohol, and cheese relative to other nations, but his argument rests in large part on retaliatory actions taken by Canada after the U.S. president imposed tariffs on Canada under the pretext that it should do more to stop fentanyl smuggling.

Trump noted in his autos proclamation that Canada maintained, starting in April 2025, a 25% tariff on imports of U.S. motor vehicles that did not qualify for preferential treatment under the USMCA.

The White House said regarding alcohol that all but two Canadian provinces and territories halted the purchase and retail sale of American alcoholic beverages beginning last year, which was also a response to Trump's tariffs and taunts about making Canada the 51st state.

But Trump has long objected to Canada's treatment of U.S. cheese, saying in his proclamation that Canada discriminates against the U.S. compared to Europe on dairy products.

Trump and Carney have had a frosty relationship, with Carney, a former central banker, winning the premiership last year by promising to stand up for Canada.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January, Carney called out Trump — without naming him — by saying that the “most powerful” countries are using the economy to coerce less powerful nations.

Trump responded at the time by saying: “Canada lives because of the United States."

 

James Talarico Appears to Have a Black Voter Problem; Will He Overcome It?

Texas Democrat candidate for U.S. Senate James Talarico is trapped between two oncoming trains that are about to crash into each other. On the one hand, Talarico has been having fundraising success, mostly because he's done a great job of pretending to moderate his positions on transgenderism and aberrant Christian views, while claiming he now wants to secure the border. However, this moderation is not sitting well with his far Left progressive base. 

Just last week, Talarico wrapped up a 750-mile bus tour from El Paso to the Rio Grande Valley, claiming he wanted to show up, listen and learn from the border communities. His campaign posted videos about crowd sizes and vibes, trying to create buzz over an issue which President Donald Trump is handling quite ably.

Talarico's record as a state representative reflects the opposite of border security, so, this pivot will be one more thing that he will need to explain and outrun.

On the other hand, Black voters are not feeling Talarico and his moderation. On Sunday, Talarico had an exchange with a BLM Houston activist and registered nurse Kandice Webber at a Kingdom Builders Center town hall. 

My colleague Nick Arama reported on this and concluded:

While it's hard to assess just how deep that disturbance goes, obviously, any at all can be a problem for him, especially with polls showing the race to be very tight. Real Clear Politics has Paxton slightly up at +0.6.

Polymarket has Paxton up at 57 percent. So, believe that it's a deep disturbance, one that even the Houston Chronicle attempted to paper over as a "spirited debate."

State Rep. James Talarico, the Democratic candidate for U.S. senator from Texas, was about to answer the final question of a town hall in southwest Houston on Sunday when 50-year-old Kandice Webber stood up.

"Our people don't trust you for this reason," said Webber, who is Black, after the crowd quieted to listen. "And you cannot win without us. So you stay here, you answer our questions, or you suffer the consequences."

Talarico turned his attention to her and attempted to cool the tension: "I appreciate you being here, and I appreciate you traveling in and I appreciate you-"

"I came for my people, not for you," she said.

The crowd murmured. 

"It's alright, it's alright, it's alright," Talarico said. "This is what this conversation is supposed to be about."

He turned to answer more questions and push the event longer, but Webber stayed standing, visibly disappointed.

---

Read More: 'Tired of Being Used': Family Hits Talarico Campaign

Watch: Talarico Gets Screamed at by Angry Black Voter at Houston Town Hall

---

Talarico basically blew Webber off and refused to answer the question, as other attendees who posted the video also attest. After this exchange, Webber posted separate videos that were riddled with foul language, which is why I will only link them. Suffice to say, Webber is not happy with Talarico, especially his new cosplay as a white moderate and his efforts to gaslight Black voters that he feels their pain. 

Some of Webber's take:

"I hope they're not counting on my vote for Talarico, because he ain't gettin' it."

[...]

"Black folks, everyday Black people... we're gonna sit this sh*t out. We're going to undervote your a$$ James Talarico. Because I know civics."

"We've survived Ken Paxton as the AG. Moving that mfer down the road to the Senate, decreases his ability to terrorize and torture Black Texas voters, and Texas children." 

"[W]hat I will not have you do is instill your great White Hope into my *mf* people and watch you let us down. I'm not fixing to let you white moderates win."

Uh oh. 

The Democrat Party boosted Talarico and kneecapped Rep. Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), and then went on their merry way thinking that Black voters would just fall in line. But as the poll Arama referenced indicates, their plan hasn't quite fallen into place. So, after Talarico made a show of caring about the Southern border, he went to Houston to a curated "black church" event, and expected some glad-handing and selected responses would get him over.

The Black community will be pivotal for Talarico, who lost 8 of 10 Black votes in Houston and Dallas in his March primary win over U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett. He has stressed his commitment to Black voters along the campaign trail, visiting Prairie View A&M University; delivering a commencement address at Paul Quinn College, a historically Black college in Dallas; and visiting Mikki's Soul Food Cafe in Houston's Third Ward.

On Sunday, he committed $25 million to Black voter outreach, which he claimed was the largest such investment in Texas' modern political history. He told the audience that neither he nor his campaign is perfect, but he appealed for their trust as his race for the U.S. Senate heats up.

With less than four months before the November midterms, it is unclear whether Black Democrats will jump on the Talarico train. But if Webber's push back and the comments on her's and other's videos indicate, it it's not happening. If Webber holds to her commitment to actively oppose Talarico's campaign then he's in deeper trouble than even he realizes. There is a clear faction who want to see Paxton out of the Attorney General's office, so they'll gladly burn Talarico's house down to see it done. On the other hand, you have a faction that saw how cavalierly the Democrat establishment threw Crockett under the bus and their cultivated campaign to push Talarico down their throats, and they're throwing up the middle finger and sitting out the midterms. Many of these activists believe that not voting is a form of protest in and of itself, so they're fine with it. 

Talarico might want to rethink his strategy or find a way to get off the track.

Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.

 

Biden Illegal Immigrant Executes Air Force Veteran on His Front Porch – Ring Camera Records the Murder

A decorated Air Force veteran was gunned down on his own front porch in broad daylight while simply hanging decorations—and his Ring doorbell camera captured the entire horrifying attack.

71-year-old Randy Witten, a 20-year military veteran, was shot multiple times from behind in West Point, Utah, on May 30th, according to a Department of Homeland Security release.

The man charged in his murder is a Salvadoran illegal alien with a violent criminal history. According to DHS, Axel Eduardo Chavez-Marroquin 

 

 entered the U.S. illegally in 2021, was released by the Biden administration, and was then let back onto the streets twice more by California sanctuary officials after a pair of domestic violence arrests.

This, despite detainers being lodged against him by ICE following both arrests.

"Following his release, he went on to commit this heinous murder,” said Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis in a statement. “This illegal alien should’ve never been allowed on our streets, and James Witten should still be alive today."

🚨A BIDEN-RELEASED ILLEGAL ALIEN MURDERED AN AIR FORCE VETERAN.

Axel Eduardo Chavez-Marroquin opened fire and killed James Randell “Randy” Witten, a 71-year-old veteran of the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force.

Chavez-Marroquin has a criminal history but was RELEASED TWICE by… https://t.co/WoInfujLbQ pic.twitter.com/vzkTeMqvqU

— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) July 20, 2026

---

READ MORE: Judge Hannah Dugan, Who Helped Illegal Alien Evade ICE, Gets Unbelievable Slap on the Wrist

This Case Leaves You Wondering: Is There No Crime Too Evil for Activist Judges to Let Illegals Walk Free?

---

The details of the murder are absolutely heart-wrenching. On the day of the attack, Witten was standing on his front porch quietly hanging decorations when a maroon Honda Civic pulled up across the street. 

A man—later identified as Chavez-Marroquin—jumped out of the passenger seat, walked up behind him, and fired roughly 10 rounds into his back. 

Witten’s Ring doorbell camera captured the entire brutal attack in chilling detail, according to local media reports, from the moment the car arrived to the shooter calmly getting back in and speeding away.

The illegal alien was charged by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police with murder with a dangerous weapon, discharge of a firearm causing serious injury, dangerous weapon conduct by a restricted person, and obstruction of justice, before being later transferred to a jail in Davis County, Utah.

ICE has again lodged a detainer for Chavez-Marroquin and urged officials to cooperate this time around.

"ICE is now asking officials in Utah to commit to not releasing this criminal from jail and to work with ICE so that we can remove him from our country," Bis added. "Reckless sanctuary policies in states like California are putting American lives at risk.”

EXCLUSIVE: Elderly Veteran Gunned Down at Home by Biden Illegal With Violent History in Sanctuary California

Randy Witten was hanging decorations on his porch in Utah when a Salvadoran suspect gunned him down at random then fled to Vegas, per @DHSgovhttps://t.co/RZAANxUz4d

— Border Hawk (@BorderHawkNews) July 20, 2026

Witten, according to his obituary, was a 20-year veteran of the United States Air Force. He served during Vietnam, Desert Storm, and Grenada while stationed at bases in Germany, Sicily, and across Texas and Kansas.

He earned numerous notable awards during his tenure, including the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, and Good Conduct Medal with five devices.

 

WNBA's Issue With Viral Meme of Sophie Cunningham Once Again Proves This League Is Weird

Wait, the WNBA is upset over Sophie Cunningham’s funny finger-pointing meme? It comes from a June 24 game between the Indiana Fever and the Phoenix Mercury, where a fourth-quarter scuffle between Cunningham and DeWanna Bonner sparked this finger-pointing incident. Cunningham said that Bonner didn’t want her to point at her. Well, it was over after that.

The moment went viral. It has sparked a wave of memes, fans love it, and Cunningham started something that could boost the WNBA’s visibility. However, the league’s union is blocking authorized dealers from licensing the moment on merchandise, calling it “derogatory.” 

Cunningham can still profit from it personally through her sponsorship deals. The whole situation doesn’t make much sense, almost like how the league has handled the Caitlin Clark situation (via NY Post):

Sophie Cunningham pointing at DeWanna Bonner has become one of the most recognizable images in the sports world in recent weeks.

However, the WNBPA is stopping business partners from utilizing the image.

Sports business reporter Darren Rovell shared Monday that the WNBPA is prohibiting business licensees from using the Cunningham point, with the union reportedly calling it “derogatory.”

Licensed brands with the union include 2K, Breaking T, Lids, and Panini, among others.

Despite the union’s decision on the matter, Cunningham can monetize the incident herself, even with brands that are partnered with the union, since players can individually sign sponsorship deals with any brand.

The union’s group licensing agreement with all WNBA players allows brands to license athletes’ name, image, and likeness without direct negotiation with individual players, but if the union does not approve a deal, players can sign brand deals on their own, separate from the union.

The league just cannot get out of its own way. Once again, let’s rehash what Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd said about the WNBA: it’s insular, paranoid, and weird.

 

AZ Dems Facing Total Disaster in This Must-Win House Race

Arizona’s 1^st congressional district is a crucial race for Democrats aiming to flip the House in the upcoming midterm elections. It has instead turned into a fierce showdown, where Democrats face a complete disaster regardless of who wins the July 21 primary. The ads have become extremely harsh, and while the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee promised to support whoever comes out on top, Democratic operatives have admitted this race has gone from a mess to a circus 

For more than a decade, Democrats have tried and failed to win a House seat in the swing district around Scottsdale, Ariz. Now, in a midterm election when gerrymandering has dramatically narrowed the playing field, the evenly drawn open seat is a must-win.

But the run-up to the Democratic primary on Tuesday has been marred by infighting, about $3 million in spending from outside groups and bitter charges of meddling by the national party in Washington. Whoever emerges victorious this week is likely to be broke and battered.

“It is accelerating from mess to circus,” said Stacy Pearson, a longtime Democratic consultant who lives in the district.

For the Democratic quest to take the House, the stakes are high. Arizona’s First Congressional District is one of about a dozen pure tossup seats held by Republicans. The national party is backing Marlene Galán-Woods,

 

a Republican-turned-Democrat with a deep political pedigree, against a scrappy door-knocking doctor, Amish Shah,

 

who was the Democrats’ nominee in 2024.

[…]

Ms. Pearson, the Democratic consultant, said the “bloody” Democratic primary race had been one of the most negative that she could recall.

Democratic voters have been here before. Two years ago, Dr. Shah and Ms. Galán-Woods also met in the House primary; Ms. Galán-Woods finished third. This time, the House Democrats’ official campaign arm has intervened to boost Ms. Galán-Woods after rallying behind Dr. Shah in the 2024 general election.

In recent weeks, multiple political action committees have bolstered Galán-Woods, pouring more than $2.5 million into digital and television ads and mailers attacking Dr. Shah. Another PAC backing a more progressive candidate in the race, Jonathan Treble, has also spent nearly $300,000 against Dr. Shah.

The district is filled with negative posters, mailers, and voters who are probably counting down the minutes until this contest ends. Whoever wins will be broken, bloodied, and exhausted of resources. Meanwhile, in the GOP primary, former New York Giants kicker Jay Feely,

 

 who is endorsed by Trump, is facing off against Joseph Chaplik. It’s been testy, but not nearly as wild as the Democratic bloodsports. 

It’s not welcome news for Democrats, who have once again endured another brutal slate of polls showing that it’s quite possible the GOP retains control of Congress.

 

ICE agents resume nationwide traffic stops, now required to wear body cameras

United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is now requiring its officers to wear at least one body camera during vehicle stops, according to White House Border Czar Tom Homan.

 

The requirement follows the White House’s confirmation on Thursday that ICE vehicle stops will continue after ICE temporarily suspended their most non-urgent vehicle stops, which President Donald Trump overruled the next day.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin are fully aligned on using traffic stops as a key tool for ICE deportation operations.

“They exonerate more law enforcement than they convict, and I want officers to wear body cameras because I want the American people to see what the ⁠officers saw when they took that action,” Homan said on a Sunday episode of Fox & Friends. 

“Vehicle stops are a necessary tool that ICE agents need in order to continue their deportation campaign of the worst of the worst illegal alien criminals from our country,” Leavitt said. “With respect to body cameras, I know there’s been some questions about that in recent days. Over half of all ICE field offices now do have body cameras.”

Leavitt attributed delays in equipping ICE agents with body cameras to the earlier Democrat-led DHS funding shutdown.

“ICE will ensure each arrest team has an individual wearing a body camera,” a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News. “Ensuring all of our ICE law enforcement officers have body cameras nationwide is a top priority for DHS — especially given the increase in attacks against our law enforcement, including more than 1,300% increase in assaults against them and a 3,300% increase in vehicle attacks.”

 

The Sunday directive follows heightened public scrutiny after ICE officers used fatal force during two recent operations in Texas and Maine. Mullin initially ordered a temporary hold on non-urgent vehicle stops after discussions with Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), who expressed concern over the encounters.

 

President Trump shuts down Mayor Zohran Mamdani — no Netanyahu arrest

President Trump drew a firm line this week: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested while on U.S. soil. The declaration came on Truth Social after New York’s Mayor Zohran Mamdani floated the idea of detaining Netanyahu over an International Criminal Court arrest warrant. The back-and-forth is more political theater than law, and Trump made sure to stop the circus before it started.

Trump’s red line: No arrests of Netanyahu in America

Trump’s message was short and blunt — “will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America.” That kind of clarity matters. When a foreign leader visits for a funeral or a diplomatic meeting, the federal government and the Secret Service control security and protocol. A city mayor trying to muscle in and seize a foreign prime minister would be a constitutional mess and a national embarrassment. Trump was right to shut it down fast.

 

Why Mamdani’s proposal was a political stunt

Suggesting a local arrest over an ICC warrant was never a serious legal plan. The United States and Israel don’t accept ICC jurisdiction, and the very prosecutor who issued the warrant has faced credibility questions. A mayor publicly threatening to detain a visiting head of government looks less like legal activism and more like grandstanding to win attention from sympathetic voters. If that’s politics, it’s ugly politics — and it risks turning a city’s law enforcement into a vehicle for international point-scoring.

What’s really at stake: law, sovereignty, and common sense

This isn’t only about personalities. It’s about U.S. sovereignty, diplomatic norms, and national security. Allowing municipal officials to act as armchair international prosecutors would invite chaos. It would also send the wrong message to America’s allies and to adversaries like Iran, which openly cheers instability. Trump framed it plainly: America will not be a stage for political show trials. That matters for the safety of our diplomats and for the seriousness of our foreign policy.

Don’t let the theatre distract from real threats

New Yorkers should want a mayor who keeps the city safe and upholds the Constitution, not one who trades in attention-seeking stunts. And conservatives should be clear-eyed: defending allies, protecting diplomatic norms, and rejecting lawless theater are not partisan niceties — they are basic duties of government. Trump’s intervention stopped a stupid plan before it could do damage. Now it’s time for leaders at every level to quit the grandstanding, focus on real threats, and govern like adults.

 

President Donald Trump in Stands as Fans Lose It Over US Anthem

 Jennifer Hudson gave a powerful performance of the United States national anthem at the World Cup Final in New Jersey, and some fans on social media lost their minds. The stadium was on American soil, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were in attendance, 

 and yet critics complained as if the anthem was a personal affront to the rest of the world. The uproar says more about the haters than about Hudson’s performance or American pride.

The Scene at the Final

Hudson sang with full voice while the finalists — Spain and Argentina — also heard their anthems. The game happened in an American stadium, one of three countries that co-hosted the tournament. Playing the host nation’s anthem is not a new outrage; it is a normal gesture when the match is staged on U.S. soil. The presence of the President and First Lady only made the moment more noticeable to the international audience.

Why Fans Were Angry

Many complaints came from users on X who argued it was unfair to play only the American anthem when Canada and Mexico also co-hosted the World Cup. Others insisted that only the finalists’ anthems should be played. Some posts weren’t even polite complaints — they were straight-up anti-American rants dressed up as sports takes. Social media turned a simple, patriotic moment into clickbait bait for outrage.

Patriotism vs. Petty Outrage

Let’s be blunt: hosting a global event gives the host the right to mark its role. If the match is inside our borders, hearing our anthem is both reasonable and respectful. The critics who scream “leave the World Cup alone, you Yanks” forget that hosting a major final is a privilege, not a crime. And yes, some of the loudest critics come from places where slights against America are practically a sport — which tells you whose values are upside down.

What This Tells Us

Americans should not apologize for simple displays of national pride, especially when the facts support them. The anthem was performed because the final was held here and because an American icon sang it with skill and dignity. The outrage on social media will fade, but the bigger lesson remains: pride and common sense beat performative outrage every time. If that bothers a few keyboard warriors abroad, let them stew while the rest of us enjoy the game.

CartoonDems