From continued across-the-board tariff wars and anti-DEI legislation to nationwide Tesla protests and “Signalgate” security concerns, here are the top political events that occurred in March.
The Tariff Wars Continue
- On March 4, Donald Trump imposed 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods. In retaliation, Canada imposed 25% tariffs on around 30 billion dollars worth of U.S. goods, including orange juice, alcohol, peanut butter, coffee, motorcycles, and more.
- Trump placed a 25% U.S. tariff on all steel and aluminum imports, which commenced on March 12.
The Trump Administration Targets Pro-Palestinian Protesters
- On March 9, ICE arrested pro-Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil. After his arrest, he was taken to a detention center in Louisiana. Born in Syria, the 30-year-old activist had his green card revoked by ICE and faces deportation amid Trump’s crackdown on student-led pro-Palestinian campus protests. Following Khalil’s detainment, several other protesters have since been arrested, including Tufts University doctoral student Rumeysa Ozturk, Columbia student Yunseo Chung, Cornell doctoral student Momodou Taal, and others.
Dismantling the Department of Education
- On March 20, Trump signed an executive order directing U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to begin dismantling the Department of Education. Congressional approval still needs to be instituted for the order to go into full effect.
Anti-Elon Musk Protests are Surging Across the U.S.
- Protests against billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk erupted across the U.S., objecting to Musk’s increased involvement in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Titled the “Tesla Takedown Campaign,” protestors are urging Tesla owners to sell their cars, relinquish stocks, and join picket lines. Although many demonstrations call for civil disobedience, the FBI launched a task force on March 24 to investigate reports of vandalism at Tesla dealerships and charging stations, labeling the anti-Musk protests as “domestic terrorism.”
More Attacks on DEI
- On March 19, the Department of Defense said it “mistakenly deleted” a tribute to Jackie Robinson’s military service from Pentagon websites in a DEI purge. The story was restored around two hours after its erasure, alongside information about the Navajo Code Talkers and the Tuskegee Airmen.
- Trump revealed his intention to rewrite history at the Smithsonian on March 27 in an executive order titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History” to stop “divisive, race-centered ideology.” Following this revelation, social justice advocates and historians swiftly reprimanded Trump’s executive order, citing that the decree downplays the racial disparities of Black Americans within the U.S.
Trump Calls for PBS and NPR Defunding
- The heads of Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR) testified to the organizations’ innocence against “radical, left-wing” reporting accusations before Congress. Via a Truth Social post on March 26, Trump then urged Republicans to defund PBS and NPR, citing that the “two horrible and completely biased platforms should be defunded by Congress.”
Unpacking “Signalgate”
- Editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, published the article, “The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans” on March 24, after he was accidentally included in a Signal group chat with Vice President JD Vance, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Tusli Gabbard, and others about upcoming military airstikes in Yemen. In the article, Goldberg admitted, “I didn’t think it could be real. Then the bombs started falling.” The group chat was comprised of around 18 U.S. officials.
- On March 27, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to preserve the Yemen Signal group chat messages sent between March 11 and March 15 to investigate the security breach further.
Trump’s Deportation of Venezuelan Immigrants Hindered
- Trump used the Alien Enemies Act to defend the deportations of Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador. Ratified in 1798, the legislation gives the president the power to deport people from the U.S. in times of war. On March 26, a federal appeals court temporarily blocked Trump’s continued deportation efforts.
A Federal Judge Blocks Trump’s Transgender Military Ban
- On March 27, a federal judge in Washington blocked Trump’s executive order banning transgender people from serving in the U.S. military. In a 65-page court ruling, Judge Benjamin Settle stated that the government’s arguments “are not persuasive.”
A Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Voice of America Terminations
- A federal judge temporarily blocked the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which runs the Voice of America media network, from officially firing employees, including journalists, engineers, and other staff, on March 28. Over 1,300 employees were suspended with pay.
Amber Ruffin Removed from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner
- On March 29, the Trump administration removed comedian Amber Ruffin from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner scheduled for April 26, breaking the longstanding tradition of featuring an entertainer. This decision came after Ruffin criticized the current administration.
Is a Third Presidential Term Possible?
- On March 30, Trump told NBC News that he was “not joking” about serving a third presidential term, although the possibility was currently barred under the 22nd Amendment.
New Jersey Senator Cory Booker’s Floor Speech Breaks Record
Democratic Senator Cory Booker began delivering a 25+ hour speech on March 31, protesting Trump’s policies on the Senate floor. On TikTok, the Northeast congressman detailed that he was adamant about continuing “to go for as long as he possibly can.” Booker stated, “I am speaking up,” urging fellow Democrats to do the same. The broadcasted speech attracted over 200,000 visitors and amassed over 400+ million likes on TikTok.
