US Closes Loophole for Cheap Parcels From China; Trump Taps Mike Waltz for UN Ambassador | NTD Good Morning (May 2)

The United States is ending the de minimis exemption for Chinese goods, aiming to curb cheap imports and drug smuggling. In a move that could lead to a de-escalation on tariffs, China said it is open to trade talks. Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz has announced plans to produce more cars in the United States—with an associated boost for American jobs.

Mike Waltz is leaving his post as national security adviser and will be taking up the role of U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Waltz said he’s honored to accept the nomination, though he will still need to go through the Senate confirmation process before officially taking the job. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said Secretary of State Marco Rubio will be the interim national security adviser, adding to his list of titles, including acting administrator of USAID and acting archivist of the United States.

The White House provided more details on the Ukraine critical minerals deal on Thursday. Trump had previously said that he wanted to use the war-torn country’s rare earth minerals to repay the United States for the aid it has sent to Ukraine. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, the deal doesn’t include any of the aid the United States has already sent to Ukraine. Rare earth minerals are key ingredients for a variety of high-tech products, from phones, cars, and computer chips to components for military weapons such as tanks and fighter jets.