The Evening: 90-Day Pause, China Raise, Friend Deal, and More

Trump Authorizes 90-Day Pause

U.S. stocks rocketed higher Wednesday after President Trump jolted investors with an announcement that he had authorized a 90-day pause on certain tariffs to most countries, as the WSJ reports.

No Relief for China

President Trump said the relief would not extend to one of America’s biggest trading partners, China, announcing that he would instead raise tariffs on its exports to 125 percent after Beijing announced a new round of retaliation, as the NYT reports.

Chinese Mercenaries in Ukraine

Ukraine on Wednesday expanded on its claim that significant numbers of Chinese nationals are fighting for Russia’s invading army, saying it had gathered detailed intelligence on more than 150 mercenaries Moscow allegedly recruited through social media, as the AP reports.

Executive Education

From clean energy to national security, critical minerals are at the center of global competition. Building Critical Mineral Security for a Sustainable Future provides expert insights into supply chain resilience and sustainability. Join us in person or virtually—register by April 16.

Audio Briefs

CSIS now offers audio versions of our latest analysis. Listen to the latest Critical Questions by CSIS's Doreen Horschig and Bailey Schiff, "What Factors Drive U.S.-Israeli Differences on Iran’s Nuclear Challenge?"

In That Number

125%

President Donald Trump announced a pause on higher tariffs on trade partners while raising duties on China to 125%.
Source: Bloomberg

Critical Quote

iDeas Lab

New satellite imagery shows a closeup of North Korea's restored Uiju Airbase, with seven Il-28/H-5 light bombers on parking apron, signaling a shift in North Korea’s priorities of military training and readiness operations within the broader national defense strategy. Read the full analysis here. 

The Andreas C. Dracopoulos iDeas Lab at CSIS enhances our research with the latest in cutting-edge web technologies, design, and multimedia.

Optics

(Photo credit: Eduard Kryzhanivskyi/Global Images Ukraine/Getty Images.) Representatives of foreign diplomatic missions in Ukraine gather at a memorial on a playground to honor the memory of victims of a Russian missile strike on April 9, 2025 in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine.

Recommended Reading

"The Future of Military Power Is Space Power" by CSIS's Clayton Swope. 

This Town Tomorrow

At 10:00 a.m., the CSIS Defense and Security Department explores the role of space and data capabilities in the changing character of war. 

Then, at 10:30 a.m., the CSIS Americas Program discusses technological innovation, great power competition, and the future of North American trade.

And, at 12:00 p.m., the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace hosts the ninth Global Technology Summit. 

Video

Today, CSIS's Navin Girishankar welcomed Dr. Michelle Rozo, the Vice Chair on the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology, for a conversation the biotechnology revolution and strategizes how counter China in the latest episode of CSIS's new series "Betting on America." Watch the full video here.

Podcasts

Podcasts

In this special crossover episode with The Trade Guys, CSIS's Bill Reinsch and Scott Miller join the podcast to break down the Trump administration’s latest tariffs and how markets, trading partners, and consumers will respond. 

Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts.

Smiles

If you missed the Grahame Lesh and Friends concerts to celebrate the life of his father, Grateful Dead co-founder Phil Lesh, last month, here’s a great video that captures what was going on.