WATCH: Trump offers U.S. automakers temporary relief from tariffs

WASHINGTON – President Trump spoke with the big three automakers Wednesday and agreed to waive tariffs on their imports for one month, so tariffs for the carmakers will begin at the same time as the reciprocal tariffs when foreign nations will be charged by America the same as what they charge for American imports, a plan beginning on April 2.

First reported by Bloomberg, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the waiver while reading a statement from the president.

“The automakers asked for this meeting,” she told the media, “And the president was happy to do it.”

This news comes are reports circulate indicating President Trump may back down as soon as Wednesday on the recently implemented 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico. It is widely charged by Democrats that those tariffs will wreak short-term economic havoc on American consumers’ wallets.

President Trump’s statement – as read out by the press secretary – reads as follows:

We spoke with the big three auto dealers. We are going to give a one-month exemption on any autos coming through USMCA. Reciprocal tariffs will still go into effect on April second. But at the request of the companies associated with USMCA, the president is giving them an exemption for one month so they are not at an economic disadvantage.

Leavitt further confirmed, as promised by Trump, that the architect of the Abbey Gate bombing had arrived in Washington. Mohammad Sharifullah killed 13 U.S. service members during the Biden administration’s botched withdrawal of Afghanistan.

CBS News poll: Large majority of viewers approve of Donald Trump’s speech (among speech watchers)

Approve: 76% (+53)
Disapprove: 23%https://t.co/qb27ivfUTD pic.twitter.com/TuXQxakFxI

— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) March 5, 2025

The briefing also highlighted the success of Tuesday night’s joint address to Congress. Leavitt prominently displayed a CBS/Yougov poll that indicated 76% of viewers approved of the president’s speech in the House chamber. Furthermore, a CNN poll showed a combined 69% viewed the content of the address positively.

Of course, plenty of time also was also devoted to lambasting Democrats’ childish behavior, which included loudly jeering and storming out mid-speech. The press secretary called it “absolutely disgraceful.”

‘MISERABLE’: Watch as Dems in Congress blasted as ‘demons’ or ‘gremlins’ at Trump speech