President Trump renamed New Mexico on his Truth Social, where he had also posted an image of Iceland and other countries covered in US flags (U.S. News & World Report).
•Contributing Pundit Rich Corbett considers the history behind Labor Day in The Gray Area.
Good Luck with Trump-a-palooza – Republican lawmakers hope Trump-a-palooza, the Wednesday-Thursday midterm GOP convention in Dallas this week will give the president a chance to draw a contrast with Democrats rather than prosecute his personal grievances, Politico reports. On NPR Tuesday, Jonah Goldberg, founding editor of The Dispatch told Morning Edition’s Steve Inskeep he fears Trump-a-palooza could become “the political version of a ShamWow infomercial.”
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US-Canada Trade War, Week 1 – Hours before Canada imposed retaliatory 50% tariffs on approximately US$20 billion on American-import clothing, cheese, metal parts, wood products and other items, President Trump Truth Socialed, “NO MORE SELLING BOMBARDIER IN THE UNITED STATES!”
Montreal-based Bombardier builds most of the regional jetliners favored by US carriers for short- to medium-distance flights. The company responded to Trump’s ALL CAPS social media post that it makes such crucial components as wings in California and Texas, The New York Times reports, and a US boycott would hurt American factory workers there.
Prime Minister Mark Carney made it clear after trade talks with the US collapsed in August that Canada would counteract Trump’s taxes on its goods. Carney described Canada as being “at war” and Canadian officials would respond “dollar for dollar” to US duties.
After the US had to refund much of last year’s “Liberation Day” tariffs after the Supreme Court struck them down, the Trump White House cited Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (paging Smoot-Hawley) to add 50% duties to motor vehicles, alcoholic beverages and dairy products.
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Houthis Hit Saudi Oil – Brent crude inched near $100 per barrel after Iran-backed Houthi militants struck Saudi Arabia’s oil infrastructure Tuesday, The Wall Street Journal reports. Watch for a bleak day on Wall Street and the Dow Jones Industrial Average was off more than 1% by mid-morning as a result.
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Meanwhile, at the Pump – AAA’s national average for a gallon of unleaded regular gas is $4.1514, up 0.4 cents from last Friday and $1.3352 over February 27. Diesel inched up from its record price late last week to $5.9012, up 5.12 cents over Friday and $2.2147 higher than since the beginning of the war on Iran -- costs freight and delivery companies using diesel (most of them) will pass on to you. –Compiled and edited by Todd Lassa