The Rich Zeoli Show- Full Episode (04/02/2025):

3:05pm- At 4:00pm today, from the White House Rose Garden, President Donald Trump will hold a “Liberation Day” presentation where he will announce new, reciprocal tariffs on imported goods.

3:10pm- In their new book, “Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House,” reporters Amie Parnes and Jonathan Allen reveal that when Joe Biden made his decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race, Kamala Harris pleaded for an immediate endorsement. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi were fighting for an abbreviated primary—fearing that Harris was incapable of winning a presidential election. Parnes and Allen report that Obama’s ideal ticket would have featured Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Maryland Governor Wes Moore.

3:30pm- Hollywood actor Val Kilmer has died at the age of 65 from pneumonia. Kilmer starred in Tombstone, Batman Forever, The Doors, Top Gun, and most recently, in 2022, Top Gun: Maverick. Amazingly, Kilmer was never nominated for an Oscar—not even for his performance as Doc Holiday in Tombstone. Justin points out that Kilmer was nominated for an MTV Movie Award—but, somehow, he didn’t even win that despite the incredible performance!

3:50pm- On Monday night at 7:00pm ET, Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) began a speech from the Senate floor to protest the Trump Administration and its policies—claiming the administration has “inflicted pain” and rejected “common decency.” The speech ended 25-hours later—breaking Strom Thurmond’s 24 hour and 18-minute record set while filibustering the Civil Rights Act of 1957. In preparation for the speech, the New York Times reports that Booker hadn’t eaten since Friday and hadn’t had anything to drink since Sunday—as he wasn’t permitted to leave the Senate floor to use the restroom during his speech. The Times also noted that Booker’s marathon speech actually delayed a planned vote on a Democrat-led bill reversing President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian imports.

4:05pm- President Donald Trump, speaking from the Rose Garden, announced “Liberation Day” and pledged to “make America wealthy again”—explaining that for decades the United States economy has been punished by onerous tariffs placed on American-made goods being exported internationally. Trump signed an executive order which would place “reciprocal tariffs” on foreign nations and will serve as America’s “Declaration of Economic Independence.” The tariffs will take effect at midnight on April 5th. The reciprocal tariffs will be half of what trading partners are currently charging the U.S. An additional 10% universal baseline tariff will be applied to all countries considered to be acting in bad faith. Will the Trump Administration remove tariffs on countries that remove tariffs on American-made goods? Trump stated: “To all foreign presidents, prime ministers, kings, queens, ambassadors, and everyone else who will soon be calling to ask for exemptions to these tariffs, I say—terminate your own tariffs, drop your barriers, don't manipulate your currencies…and start buying tens of billions of dollars of American goods.”

5:05pm- In response to President Donald Trump’s tariff announcement, futures on the S&P 500 are initially down just over 1%. Notably, Canada and Mexico—two of the United States’ top trading partners—were not explicitly mentioned for new tariffs.

5:15pm- Will the Trump Administration remove tariffs on countries that remove tariffs on American-made goods? Trump stated: “To all foreign presidents, prime ministers, kings, queens, ambassadors, and everyone else who will soon be calling to ask for exemptions to these tariffs, I say—terminate your own tariffs, drop your barriers, don't manipulate your currencies…and start buying tens of billions of dollars of American goods.”

5:20pm- Listeners call into the show and react to President Donald Trump’s executive order establishing new tariffs on foreign nations. Will this mo ...