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Trump admin live updates: Trump says he 'couldn't care less' if automakers raise prices in wake of tariffs
The U.S. tariffs are set to take effect next week on imported vehicles.
Fallout continues after it was learned that top officials in the Trump administration inadvertently added The Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg to an unsecured Signal group chat discussing a U.S. attack on Houthis in Yemen.
On Wednesday, the president signed an executive order that places a 25% tariff on foreign automakers -- escalating a global trade war with more tariffs on the horizon.
Latest headlines:
- Trump says he 'couldn't care less' if automakers raise prices
- Trump celebrates release of American from Afghanistan
- Trump golfs with president of Finland
- DOD to offer its own 'Fork in the Road' buyout email
- Top FDA official resigns, criticizes RFK Jr. 'misinformation'
- Trump to host El Salvador's president in DC
Trump says he 'couldn't care less' if automakers raise prices
In a wide-ranging interview with NBC News, President Donald Trump reportedly said he "couldn’t care less" if some automakers raise prices for consumers because of his sweeping auto tariffs that will take effect next week – and he again stood by national security adviser Mike Waltz despite the Signal group chat fiasco.
Regarding the tariffs that are set to take effect next week on imported vehicles, Trump said he didn't warn the CEOs of auto companies not to raise prices in the wake of his tariffs.
"No, I never said that," he told NBC's Kristen Welker. "I couldn't care less if they raise prices, because people are going to start buying American-made cars."
In the wake of the Signal messaging app leak, Trump said he still has confidence in Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz.
"I don't fire people because of fake news and because of witch hunts," Trump said.
Regarding Vice President JD Vance's recent visit to Greenland -- amid Trump's repeated suggestions the U.S. should take over the island nation for national security purposes -- Trump said "there's a good possibility" the U.S. could strike a deal.
"I never take military force off the table," he said. "But I think there's a good possibility that we could do it without military force."
-ABC News' Fritz Farrow
Trump celebrates release of American from Afghanistan
American Faye Hall, who was detained by the Taliban in February, has been released, according to Zalmay Khalilzad, the former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan.
"Thank you, Mr. President, and God bless you," Hall said in a video message, in which she also noted she voted for Donald Trump twice.
Trump expressed gratitude in a Truth Social post.
"So honored with your words!” he said.
-ABC News' Fritz Farrow and Aleem Agha
Trump golfs with president of Finland
President Donald Trump played a leisurely round of golf on Saturday with Alexander Stubb, the president of Finland, at his Palm Beach golf club. Stubb has long indicated that he wanted to golf with Trump.
Trump said on social media that he looks forward to a strengthened partnership between the two countries and announced the purchase and development of icebreakers.
"President Stubb told me, in the most powerful of words, that the United States is STRONG, and BACK, AGAIN," Trump wrote.
Trump was also joined by retired professional golfer Gary Player, Sen. Lindsey Graham, and former Rep. Trey Gowdy.
-ABC News' Kelsey Walsh
DOD to offer its own 'Fork in the Road' buyout email
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has authorized the Pentagon to offer its own "Fork in the Road" and an early retirement plan for those eligible among it 900,000 civilian employee workforce.
The new Defense Department's "Fork in the Road" is not the one offered earlier by the Office of Personnel Management.
There are few details about the Deferred Resignation Program, which for a limited time will offer DOD civilians the opportunity to resign with full pay and benefits through Sept. 30, 2025, and a separate early retirement for those eligible.
The memo Hegseth signed Friday has not been made public, but a DOD press release issued Saturday quotes it as saying, "My intent is to maximize participation so that we can minimize the number of involuntary actions that may be required to achieve the strategic objectives." It also says that "exemptions should be rare."
Accompanying the release is a short video that Hegseth recorded on his plane during his trip to Asia in which he said, "It's an important new opportunity to right-size DOD."
-ABC News' Luis Martinez