Trump’s Tariff Threat Hits China, DOGE Cuts Waste Amid VA Dispute

This podcast, dated March 26, 2025, reports China halting Venezuelan oil purchases—estimated at 500,000 barrels daily—after Trump threatened a 25% tariff on goods from any country buying it. The VA Secretary refutes staffing shortage claims at new clinics, while political ads target Trump-flipped congressional districts, warning of VA and Social Security cuts to flip the House, where Republicans hold a slim margin. DOGE, meanwhile, axes 113 redundant contracts, saving $3.3 billion from a $4.7 billion ceiling, tackling agency overlap.

China’s purchases stall after Trump’s tariff threat on buyers of Venezuelan oil. Trump threatens 25% on goods of any country buying Venezuelan oil. China is the biggest buyer of Venezuelan oil and is estimated to be importing via various channels about 500K barrels per day of crude oil and fuel from Venezuela.
VA secretary disputes staffing claims at new clinics.
The congressional districts are being set up, starting to send out mailers, advertisers, and sending out social media ads about the cuts in the VA and social security cuts may delay the checks. They are throwing it against the wall. They will focus on all the seats that Trump barely flipped. All they have to do is have 2 or 3 to flip the House. We are working on a very thin margin.
We have multiple agencies that have duplicate services. DOGE terminated 113 wasteful contracts with a ceiling value of $4.7B and savings of $3.3B.