The Excerpt: News Roundup – March 15th, 2025

Good morning, this is Taylor Wilson, bringing you the top stories for Saturday, March 15th, 2025, on The Excerpt. Today we delve into a government shutdown narrowly averted, the complexities of the current economic landscape, a new record for foreign-born residents in the US, and more.

Government Shutdown Averted Amid Economic Uncertainty

The looming threat of a government shutdown has been diffused, at least for now. Late yesterday, the Senate passed a bill ensuring government funding through September. This averted what would have been a partial shutdown beginning at midnight. The vote saw an interesting alignment, with ten Democrats joining the majority of their Republican colleagues in a key procedural vote to advance the bill. However, the final vote saw less Democratic support as the bill includes shifts in funding towards President Trump’s priorities, granting him greater control over spending.

This vote occurs against a backdrop of escalating economic anxieties. A brewing trade war between the US and its international allies, coupled with recent mass layoffs of federal workers by the Trump administration, has created a volatile environment. Any further signs of political dysfunction in the US would only amplify the existing economic uncertainty.

To understand the economic intricacies, we spoke with USA TODAY economy reporter, Rachel Barber. She explained that while stocks saw a slight recovery on Friday, the week leading up was difficult, largely driven by market uncertainty. Investors are concerned about the potential impact of tariffs on their supply chains and overall business operations. Tensions are rising between the US and major trading partners such as Canada, Mexico, and China. Trump has also escalated the risk of a trade war with the European Union, threatening a 200% tariff on European alcohol if the EU proceeds with its plans for a tax on American whiskey, which itself was a retaliatory measure against US tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

When questioned about inflation, Barber clarified that while she wasn’t an expert, she could relay that it eased more than expected in February. However, economists anticipate this reprieve to be short-lived, as the aforementioned import tariffs are expected to push prices upward.

Consumer confidence is also waning. According to a recent University of Michigan study, consumer sentiment in the US has declined for three consecutive months, reflecting a growing pessimism about personal finances and the overall economy, both in the short and long term. This is a significant concern, as consumer sentiment directly impacts spending and saving habits. The survey reported a consumer sentiment index of 57.9, the lowest since the end of 2022 and a 22% decrease since Trump took office in December.

While a recession has been swirling for weeks, Barber remained hesitant to definitively predict its arrival. She noted that the official declaration of a recession falls under the purview of the Business Cycle Dating Committee within the National Bureau of Economic Research. This committee defines a recession as a "significant decline in economic activity that is spread across the economy lasting more than a few months." The committee considers a range of factors including consumer spending, real income, employment, industrial production, and GDP. As of now, the committee has not declared a recession, and the Trump administration maintains that the country is merely experiencing a period of economic transition. When asked about a potential recession on Fox News Sunday, Trump refrained from ruling it out, stating that he prefers not to make such predictions.

Elon Musk’s Controversial Post Sparks Outrage

Elon Musk has once again found himself embroiled in controversy after reposting a message on X (formerly Twitter) stating, "Stalin, Mao and Hitler didn’t murder millions of people, their public sector employees did." The now-deleted post has drawn widespread condemnation, particularly from a labor union and the Anti-Defamation League.

Lee Saunders, President of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal employees, responded sharply, stating that public service workers choose to make communities safe, healthy, and strong rather than pursue wealth, and are not "genocidal murderers," as Musk implied. The Anti-Defamation League also expressed deep disturbance at the post.

Musk’s repost occurs amid growing tensions surrounding his crackdown on the federal government, which has spurred Tesla takedown protests, harassment of Tesla owners, and vandalism of multiple dealerships. In January, Musk also faced criticism for a gesture that drew comparisons to a Nazi salute during an inaugural event for President Trump.

Foreign-Born Population Reaches Record High

New federal data indicates that the United States is now home to more foreign-born individuals than ever before in its history. We spoke with USA TODAY national correspondent, Trevor Hughes, to delve into the details.

Hughes stated that recent data from the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that approximately 53 million foreign-born people reside in the United States, representing nearly 16% of the overall population. This figure includes both legal immigrants and those who have crossed the border illegally or overstayed their visas.

This represents the highest level of foreign-born Americans in modern history, dating back to the late 1800s when reliable statistics began to be collected. Hughes points out that these statistics may have influenced many Americans during the presidential election, as President Trump campaigned heavily on closing the border.

The survey does not explicitly differentiate between individuals who arrived with or without legal authorization. Hughes explained that accurately determining the number of undocumented immigrants has been a long-standing challenge in the US. The Trump administration plans to address this issue and has been pushing for a more accurate count through the census. Hughes anticipates stronger efforts in the coming years to quantify the undocumented population, enabling the Trump administration to fulfill its campaign promise of deporting those living illegally in the United States.

Hughes further addressed the economic impact of immigration, noting that declining birth rates among native-born Americans mean that population growth is almost entirely driven by immigration. This leads to a larger workforce, which can keep wages down, especially in industries that traditionally employ immigrants, such as landscaping, labor, farming, and fishing. While this benefits employers and consumers through lower costs, American-born workers may feel frustrated by wage depression caused by immigrants willing to work for less.

Sean Diddy Combs Pleads Not Guilty to New Indictment

Former hip hop mogul, Sean "Diddy" Combs, appeared in court yesterday and pleaded not guilty to a new indictment. The indictment alleges that he forced employees to work long, inhumane hours and threatened to punish those who did not assist in his alleged two-decade-long sex trafficking scheme. This follows numerous lawsuits and allegations of rape, sexual assault, physical abuse, and similar claims spanning three decades, all of which Combs has denied.

Trump Administration Dismantles Department of Education

On the campaign trail, President Trump pledged to dismantle the Department of Education, a long-held goal of conservative Republicans. This week, that promise took shape with the layoff of 50% of the department’s staff. The question now becomes whether this move will lead to better education in America.

USA TODAY Education Reporter, Zach Schermele, explains that tracking educational progress to assess the effectiveness of these cuts will be challenging, as the individuals responsible for conducting that research are no longer with the department. My colleague, Dana Taylor, will sit down with Zach tomorrow at 5 A.M. to discuss the impacts of these latest moves by the Trump administration to reduce Washington’s influence on the lives of millions of Americans.

Thank you for listening to The Excerpt. You can find our podcast wherever you get your audio. I’m Taylor Wilson, and I’ll be back Monday with more of The Excerpt from USA TODAY.