Trump Says He’s ‘Just Gotten Started,’ and Anti-Tourism Tactics in Europe

Summary

Podcast Summary: “Trump Says He’s ‘Just Gotten Started,’ and Anti-Tourism Tactics in Europe”
The Headlines by The New York Times
Release Date: April 30, 2025

Hosted by Tracy Mumford

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1. President Trump's Inaugural 100 Days

Overview: In this episode of The Headlines, Tracy Mumford delves into President Donald Trump's celebration of his first 100 days in office. Speaking at a rally in Michigan, Trump highlighted what he claims to be the "Most successful first 100 days of any administration in the history of our country" (00:37). However, despite his assertions, his approval ratings have been sliding, with a latest Siena poll placing his approval at a historically low 42% early in his term (02:05).

Notable Quotes:

• Donald Trump (00:57): "We've just gotten started. You haven't even seen anything yet. It's all just kicking in."
• Tracy Mumford (02:05): "In a concession that his tariffs have been weighing on the economy, the president moved to give American carmakers a bit of relief."

Discussion Points:

• Campaign Rhetoric: Trump reverted to familiar campaign themes, including unfounded claims about the 2020 election being stolen and criticisms of President Biden (00:57–01:14).
• Economic Policies: While the rally's Michigan location symbolized a commitment to American manufacturing, Trump primarily focused on border enforcement and deportation statistics (01:14–01:38).
• Approval Ratings: Despite his positive spin, Trump's approval rating has been declining, attributed to the economic strain from aggressive tariffs (01:38–02:05).

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2. Tariffs, Trade Wars, and Economic Struggles

Overview: The podcast examines the impact of President Trump's tariff policies, which have led to a self-induced trade war affecting both international relations and the U.S. economy. Times political reporter Jonathan Swan provides insight into the administration's challenges in mitigating the fallout from these tariffs (02:31–03:58).

Notable Quotes:

• Jonathan Swan (02:37): "Donald Trump testing out his theory of tariffs... has run up against reality."
• Jonathan Swan (02:45): "The trade situation is self-induced. He's basically started these wars which he now will be looking for peace deals effectively."

Discussion Points:

• Tariff Implementation: Trump's strategy to use tariffs as leverage against multiple countries has backfired, leading to strained trade relations and economic instability (02:37–02:45).
• Economic Indicators: Early signs such as declining business confidence, investment confidence, and consumer confidence are alarming the White House (02:45–03:40).
• Future Outlook: With the economy in a precarious state, the next hundred days are critical for Trump's administration to stabilize economic conditions (03:40).

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3. Legal Controversies and Deportations

Overview: The episode covers President Trump's recent statements regarding deportation policies, particularly his comments about Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a man mistakenly deported to El Salvador. Despite a Supreme Court order to rectify the situation, Trump has refused to comply, raising legal and ethical concerns (03:40–04:41).

Notable Quotes:

• Donald Trump (03:53): "And if he were the gentleman that you say he is, I would do that."
• Jonathan Swan (04:34): "We are tired of asking and it's."
• Donald Trump (04:37): "Time to demand what we want."

Discussion Points:

• Supreme Court Order: The administration has been accused of stonewalling the court's directive to bring back Garcia, undermining previous official statements denying any feasible action (03:58–04:34).
• Public and Legal Response: The judge overseeing the case has criticized the administration's inaction as "willful and bad faith," highlighting a significant legal impasse (03:56–04:34).

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4. Los Angeles County Workers' Strike

Overview: A significant labor strike involving over 50,000 county workers in Los Angeles has brought major public services to a standstill. The strike stems from stalled contract negotiations between the union and county officials, with workers demanding pay raises and alleging retaliatory actions by the government (04:34–06:32).

Discussion Points:

• Impact on Public Services: Libraries have closed, ambulances have been diverted, and wildfire debris cleanup has slowed due to the strike (04:34–05:10).
• Union Demands: The union seeks pay increases and accuses county officials of retaliating against union activities (05:10–05:50).
• County's Financial Struggles: Los Angeles County faces a burgeoning budget crisis, exacerbated by Trump administration's federal funding cuts and recent financial settlements totaling $4 billion for sex abuse claims (05:50–06:32).

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5. Supreme Court’s Affirmative Action Ruling and Its Aftermath

Overview: The podcast explores the repercussions of the Supreme Court's decision to end affirmative action in college admissions. Specifically, it highlights the significant decline in Black and Hispanic enrollments, with a focus on Amherst College, a previously diverse institution (06:32–07:53).

Notable Quotes:

• Stephanie Saul (06:32): "A lot of the black and Hispanic students up there feel a bit of a sense of isolation now..."
• Stephanie Saul (06:59): "There was one student from Washington Heights, New York, who identifies as Afro Latina, and she said that only one other black student was in her chemistry class."

Discussion Points:

• Enrollment Declines: Amherst College saw Black enrollment plummet from 11% to just 3% following the ruling, causing feelings of isolation among minority students (06:32–06:59).
• Student Experiences: Minority students report decreased participation in activities and student organizations, fostering concerns about long-term diversity and inclusion (06:59–07:53).
• Institutional Responses: Schools like Amherst are adapting by increasing financial aid and targeting first-generation college students to maintain diversity without considering race (07:53).

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6. Anti-Tourism Measures in Europe

Overview: The episode concludes with a look at Europe's growing frustration with overtourism, prompting cities to implement strategies to deter visitors. Initiatives range from financial disincentives to direct confrontations with tourists, aiming to address issues like housing shortages and environmental degradation (07:53–End).

Discussion Points:

• City Responses: Venice introduced an admission fee, Dubrovnik limited taxis and outdoor dining, and Amsterdam banned new hotel constructions to curb tourist numbers (07:53–End).
• Activist Strategies: Anti-tourism activists plan to escalate their actions with tactics such as blockading tour buses, picketing airports, and obstructing historic sites, continuing their campaign with water gun protests reminiscent of last summer's events in Barcelona (07:53–End).
• Future Protests: Scheduled for June 15th, these protests symbolize the rising tensions between locals and tourists in major European destinations (07:53–End).

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Conclusion

Tracy Mumford's comprehensive summary of today's headlines provides an in-depth look at President Trump's turbulent first 100 days, including his shifting policies and declining approval, the economic repercussions of his tariff strategies, legal battles over deportations, significant labor strikes in Los Angeles County, the enduring impact of affirmative action's demise on college campuses, and the escalating anti-tourism measures in Europe. Each segment is enriched with direct quotes and expert analysis, offering listeners a thorough understanding of the current political and social climate.

For more insights and detailed discussions, listen to the full episode on the New York Times Audio app or your preferred podcast platform.

Transcript

[Charles Schwab]

This podcast is supported by Charles Schwab. Decisions made in Washington can affect your portfolio every day, but what policy changes should investors be watching? Washington Wise is an original podcast from Charles Schwab that unpacks the stories making news in Washington right now and how they may affect your finances and portfolio. [e-mail] WashingtonWise.

[Tracy Mumford]

From the New York Times, it's the headlines. I'm Tracy Mumford. Today's Wednesday, April 30th. Here's what we're covering.

[Donald Trump]

We're here tonight in the heartland of our nation to celebrate the Most successful first 100 days of any administration in the history of our country. And that's according to many, many people.

[Tracy Mumford]

President Trump took to the stage at a rally in Michigan last night to mark his first hundred days in office.

[Donald Trump]

We've just gotten started. You haven't even seen anything yet. It's all just kicking in.

[Tracy Mumford]

In front of a crowd of 3,000, Trump seemed to return to campaign mode, falling back on his go to lines of falsely claiming the 2020 election was stolen and ripping on President Biden.

[Donald Trump]

Somebody convinced him that he looks great in a bathing suit. He's 82 years old. Cary Grant didn't look great in a bathing suit when he was 82.

[Tracy Mumford]

The location of the rally, near Detroit, the center of American car production, was meant to demonstrate the president's commitment to bringing back American manufacturing. But Trump spent much of his speech talking about his border crackdown and deportation numbers.

[Donald Trump]

We tried to get it higher, but the courts are giving us a hard time. Can you believe?

[Tracy Mumford]

And the president dismissed poll numbers that show his approval rating has been dropping ever since he introduced aggressive new tariffs. Trump's approval rating currently sits at 42%, according to the Most Recent Times Siena poll, historically low for a president this early in his term. Also yesterday, I'm giving him a little.

[Donald Trump]

Bit of a break, right?

[Tracy Mumford]

In a concession that his tariffs have been weighing on the economy, the president moved to give American carmakers a bit of relief. He's walking back some tariffs for the companies, though analysts say even with the tweaks, the cost for car buyers is still expected to go up by thousands of dollars. And Trump said the changes are only temporary. He's still insisting that all production be moved fully to the US we give.

[Donald Trump]

Them a little time before we slaughter them if they don't do this.

[Jonathan Swan]

We're now seeing the early signs of Trump trying to figure out how to get himself out of the mess that he's put himself in through his trade war.

[Tracy Mumford]

My colleague Jonathan Swan covers the Trump administration.

[Jonathan Swan]

Donald Trump testing out his theory of tariffs, his theory that he can use tariffs as this weapon against everyone at once and that everyone will bow down to him. That has run up against reality. The trade situation is self induced. He's basically started these wars which he now will be looking for peace deals effectively. And the economy right now is in a very, very wobbly place. Some of the early indicators about business confidence and investment confidence, consumer confidence, these are all warning signs that the White House is looking at and that Trump himself is very aware of. So I think for the next hundred days, everything is riding on the economy.

[Tracy Mumford]

Meanwhile, in an interview with ABC News that aired last night, you could get him back.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

There's a phone on this desk. I could, you could pick it up and with all the power of the presidency, you could call up the president of El Salvador and say, send him back right now.

[Donald Trump]

And if he were the gentleman that you say he is, I would do that.

[Unnamed Interviewer]

But the court has ordered you to.

[Tracy Mumford]

President Trump said he could free Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, the man his administration mistakenly deported to El Salvador, but he will not. The president's comments undermined previous statements from his administration in which they've claimed there's nothing they can do, despite a Supreme Court order requiring them to take steps to bring him back to the U.S. the judge overseeing the case has accused the administration of willful and bad faith stonewalling in Los Angeles.

[Jonathan Swan]

We are tired of asking and it's.

[Donald Trump]

Time to demand what we want.

[Tracy Mumford]

At the bargaining table, more than 50,000 county workers are in the middle of a two day strike that has ground some public services to a halt. Libraries across the county have closed. Ambulances have been diverted from a hospital where workers walked out, and wildfire debris cleanup has slowed. The union representing the workers called for the strike after contract negotiations with the county stalled. The union is pushing for pay increases and it's accused government officials of retaliating against workers involved in union activity. For its part, Los Angeles county says it's been trying to negotiate and has been warning that it's facing a growing budget crisis on multiple fronts that could throw the biggest county in the country into financial disarray. It expects cleanup and recovery costs from this year's fires to approach $2 billion. It's been hit hard by the Trump administration's cuts to federal funding. And earlier this month, the county agreed to pay $4 billion to settle thousands of sex abuse claims dating back decades from kids in its juvenile detention and foster care for millions of American high school students. Tomorrow is decision day, the deadline for them to confirm which college they'll enroll in this fall. And the Times has been looking at the ongoing effects for schools and students of the Supreme Court's landmark decision ending affirmative action. Since the 2023 ruling, which barred colleges from considering students, race and admissions, black and Hispanic enrollment has dropped off nationwide. And it's hit some schools particularly hard. That includes Amherst College in Massachusetts, which had been a leader in racial diversity.

[Stephanie Saul]

A lot of the black and Hispanic students up there feel a bit of a sense of isolation now, and there aren't as many black and Hispanic students as they were expecting there to be in the freshman class.

[Tracy Mumford]

Times education reporter Stephanie Saul recently went to Amherst, where black enrollment plunged from 11% overall before the Supreme Court's ruling to just 3% of this year's class.

[Stephanie Saul]

There was one student from Washington Heights, New York, who identifies as Afro Latina, and she said that only one other black student was in her chemistry class. She had been the only black student in what's known as the freshman seminar, which is required. And some students said that at activities, Black Student Union meetings, et cetera, that the turnout has been affected and they feel a little sense of disappointment and worry that maybe this will cause a vicious cycle, that the next group of students who are being recruited will pick up on this and fewer black and Hispanic students will wanna come next year. So they're kind of in a waiting game to see the outcome.

[Tracy Mumford]

Stephanie says that Amherst and other schools have been trying to figure out ways to keep diversifying their classes, even if they can't consider students race anymore. That includes expanding financial aid and boosting efforts to bring in first generation college students. This year, Amherst says that about a quarter of students they've offered admission to would be the first in their family to attend college. A record for the school. And finally, travelers may love a European summer vacation, eating tapas in Barcelona, island hopping in Greece, or taking a gondola ride in Venice. But many Europeans are over it. The number of tourists from the US and elsewhere has broken records, overwhelming some cities to the point that they've been putting in measures to keep people away. For example, Venice started charging an admission fee. Dubrovnik in Croatia cut back the number of taxis and outdoor dining spaces. And cities like Amsterdam have banned the construction of new hotels. Now, anti tourism activists are planning to confront tourists directly to bring attention to housing shortages, overcrowding, and other issues that they say the tourism boom has fueled. The activists met this past weekend to workshop strategies that include blockading tour buses, picketing outside airports and obstructing historic sites. But the main symbol of their resistance is the humble water gun. Last summer, anti tourism protesters used the water guns to squirt tourists along one of Barcelona's most famous streets, chanting, go home. And they haven't ruled out that tactic for this year's protests, which are scheduled for cities across Europe on June 15th. Those are the headlines today on the Daily A look at President Trump's first 100 days with a roundtable of Times political reporters. That's next in the New York Times audio app. Or you can listen wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Tracy Mumford. We'll be back tomorrow.