NPR Up First – Episode Summary

Date: February 23, 2026
Episode: "Trump's New Tariffs, China Reacts To Tariff Ruling, State Of The Union Poll"
Hosts: Steve Inskeep, Leila Fadel

Episode Overview

This episode centers on three top stories:

1. President Trump's sudden imposition of new global tariffs after a Supreme Court ruling struck down his previous trade measures.
2. China's official and business reactions to the legal whiplash over US tariffs.
3. A new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll showing most Americans view the State of the Union as "not strong" ahead of President Trump's upcoming address.

Key Segment 1: Trump’s New Tariffs & Legal Fallout

[00:15 – 05:56]

Background

• The Supreme Court struck down Trump’s prior tariffs, ruling he overstepped legal boundaries.
• Trump quickly invoked a different authority to announce a new global 10% tariff—then increased it to 15% the next day.
• Legal experts argue these new tariffs may also be unlawful and could face further lawsuits.

Political Implications

• Mara Liasson (NPR):
  • Trump’s power is now limited: "These new sections are much more cumbersome than the sweeping powers he had claimed..." ([03:04])
  • Some tariffs require Congressional action or lengthy investigations.
  • The sudden changes force Congressional Republicans to openly back or oppose tariffs, putting them on the record for an unpopular policy.
  • GOP relief at the Supreme Court's ruling was short-lived:

    "That optimism among Republicans lasted about five minutes because Trump immediately said that not only was he going to put more tariffs on under a different authority, but that means he has to ask Congress to vote..." ([03:44])

  • Democrats seize the issue, calling for tariff revenues to be returned to states, and frame Trump's trade policy as both costly and illegal:
    • Rep. Hakeem Jeffries:

      "Farmers and small business owners, companies as well as... the American consumer, have been hurt being forced to pay thousands of dollars more per year in additional expense when the affordability crisis right now is already crushing everyday Americans..." ([04:48])

Notable Quote

• Mara Liasson on Democratic strategy:

  "Trump made you pay more and it wasn’t even legal. That’s likely to be the Democrats’ message going into the midterms." ([05:21])

State of the Union Preview

• Liasson wonders if Trump will use his address to attack Supreme Court justices sitting directly before him, and notes he’s struggled to focus on affordability issues.

• "The big question for me is how much time Trump will spend... excoriating the Supreme Court justices... Or how much time he will be talking about affordability?... he has struggled to do consistently for months." ([05:32])

Key Segment 2: China’s Reaction to Tariff Turmoil

[06:02 – 09:33]

Official Response

• Jennifer Pak (NPR Shanghai):
  • China’s Commerce Ministry is "making a full assessment" and urging the US to lift unilateral tariffs.
  • Chinese businesses (ex: James Gao, shoe manufacturer) are cautiously optimistic but unclear about day-to-day impact:
    • James Gao:

      "I don't really know what this change exactly means because... it all comes down to how it’s enforced and what’s next. Like when he loads his shoes on a ship today, will it be the same tariff rate when it arrives in the U.S.?" ([06:58])

Coping With Uncertainty

• Years of shifting US policy since 2018 have made unpredictability routine.
• Businesses hedge by moving production (e.g., manufacturing in Vietnam for lower US tariffs) but retain high-end operations in China:
  • James Gao:

    "China is the best place for innovation," especially for specialized, high-tech shoes. ([08:00])

Broader Economic Impact

• China has sought to diversify trade partners beyond the US, with partial success.
• Sluggish domestic demand means China needs stabilization in US relations; other countries now push back on Chinese exports as well.

Prospects for Trump’s China Trip

• The Supreme Court ruling may "weaken Trump’s hand" as he heads to meet Xi Jinping, diminishing his tariff leverage.
• Both sides are hurt by the ongoing trade conflict:

  • "When the U.S. and China fight, both sides hurt." ([09:30])

Key Segment 3: State of the Union Poll Results

[09:43 – 13:20]

Main Findings

• Domenico Montanaro (NPR Senior Political Editor & Correspondent):
  • 57% say the State of the Union is “not strong”—up 4 points from the previous year. ([10:08])
  • Party Divide:
    • 80% of Democrats and almost 70% of Independents say "not strong."
    • 75% of Republicans say it is strong.
  • Educational & Gender Splits:
    • 69% with college degrees say "not strong"; those without degrees are split 50/50.
    • 63% of women (12 points higher than men) say "not strong." ([10:31])
  • Economic Sentiment:
    • 60% say the country is worse off than a year ago.
    • 55% see Trump’s direction as a "change for the worse"—his worst reading in NPR polling. ([11:04])
  • Threats to Democracy:
    • 80%+ across parties say there is a serious threat to democracy—though definitions diverge:
      • Democrats fear backsliding on liberal norms.
      • Republicans worry about election security.
    • Only one-third think the system of checks and balances is working—Republicans more likely to say it is.

      • "...Democrats and independents overwhelmingly say that it’s not working. But a majority of Republicans do see it working well." ([12:20])

The 2026 Fall Elections Backdrop

• Views on Trump are "baked in," making it hard for the president to sway public opinion in the State of the Union.
• Cost of living remains Americans’ top concern, but Trump has not focused on it in messaging.

Notable Quote

• Montanaro:

  "He’s facing a very skeptical public in a midterm election year, and those are generally not very good for the party in power." ([13:10])

Notable Moment: Team USA’s Olympic Triumph

[13:26 – 14:06]

• The US men’s hockey team won Olympic gold for the first time since 1980, beating Canada in overtime.
• US women’s team also claims gold; 12 total US golds and 33 medals overall—a major success, but Norway leads the medal table.

Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• Mara Liasson on GOP predicament:

  "Republicans on Capitol Hill will have to show their loyalty to Trump by voting to impose the tariffs, taking even more ownership of an unpopular policy that a majority of voters believe have driven their costs up." ([03:44])

• Rep. Hakeem Jeffries:

  "We also haven’t seen a return of manufacturing jobs to the United States of America, which is what the Trump administration promised would take place." ([05:16])

• Jennifer Pak (on Chinese business uncertainty):

  "This past year has just been a rollercoaster ride with tariffs." ([07:10])

• Domenico Montanaro (on poll results):

  "Views of Trump are very ‘baked in,’ in his words. And, you know, that makes Trump’s challenge at the State of the Union all the more difficult." ([12:39])

Takeaways

• President Trump’s volatile tariff policy continues to generate legal, political, and diplomatic turmoil—just as he gears up for a pivotal State of the Union and midterm elections.
• Both US and Chinese stakeholders are navigating a landscape of uncertainty, often hedging against Washington’s unpredictable decisions.
• The public is uneasy: majorities say the country is going in the wrong direction, express grave concerns about democracy, and see little progress on affordability. Trump faces entrenched polarization as he tries to address the nation and rally support for November.
• Amid the headlines, the success of Team USA at the Winter Olympics provided a rare moment of national unity and pride.