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Tariffs chaos is leaving companies in a state of 'paralysis,' says logistics CEO

Flexport CEO Ryan Petersen began rescinding job offers on Friday.
Flexport CEO Ryan Petersen said that businesses don't know how to respond to Trump's tariffs.

Sam Barnes/Sportsfile for Collision via Getty Images

  • Flexport CEO says tariff uncertainty is paralyzing companies' decision-making.
  • Anxiety grew after Trump announced tariffs on Mexico and Canada.
  • Canada, China, and the EU have placed retaliatory tariffs on US products.

The CEO of logistics and freight company Flexport said that customers feel stuck because of the uncertainty around tariffs.

"Frankly, the number one reaction I see right now is a bit of paralysis of people not wanting to make a decision until there's more clarity," said Ryan Petersen on an episode of the Logan Bartlett Show released on Friday. He founded Flexport in 2013 and raised $935 million in 2022 at an $8 billion valuation.

On the podcast, Petersen said that customers don't know what to expect around tariffs. He said no country feels like a safe bet for supply chains, especially after President Donald Trump placed duties on Canada and Mexico, two of the US's closest trading partners.

"You should expect tariffs can come for any country, so that's making planning really really difficult," he said. "My advice would be get it over with quickly so people could figure out what the new normal is."

Businesses across industries are sorting out how to shift their supply chains away from countries worst hit by Trump's tariffs. Earlier this month, Pfizer's CEO Albert Bourla said that the company may move overseas drug manufacturing back to the US. Retail executives at companies including Ralph Lauren, Steve Madden, and Yeti have said in recent months that they plan to reduce their manufacturing dependency on China.

Since Trump took office in January, he has announced a string of sweeping tariffs across the US's three biggest trading partners β€” China, Canada, and Mexico β€” and the rest of the world.

Trump imposed 25% tariffs on all goods imported from Canada and Mexico and suspended many of the measures two days after they went into effect.

Last week, in retaliation for a 50% charge on American whiskies, Trump threatened a 200% tariff on all alcoholic products from European Union countries.

Trump's charges have been met with equally harsh retaliations: Canada reciprocated with a 25% tariff on all US goods, China placed a 10% to 15% tariff on agricultural goods, and the EU responded with billions of dollars in tariffs. Retaliations came at a provincial level, too: Ontario, Canada's most populous province, placed a 25% surcharge on the electricity sent to Michigan, Minnesota, and New York.

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Trump says he'll talk to Putin on Tuesday: 'We want to see if we can bring that war to an end'

Donald Trump Vladimir Putin
President Donald Trump says he'll speak with Russia's leader, Vladimir Putin, on Tuesday.

MIKHAIL KLIMENTYEV/AFP/Getty Images

  • President Donald Trump told reporters he will speak to Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.
  • "We will be talking about land. We will be talking about power plants," Trump said.
  • Ukraine has said it is ready to accept a US proposal for a 30-day cease-fire with Russia.

President Donald Trump said he plans to speak to Russia's leader, Vladimir Putin, on Tuesday about ending the Ukraine war.

"We will see if we have something to announce maybe by Tuesday. I will be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday," Trump told reporters on board Air Force One on Sunday, per multiple media reports.

"A lot of work's been done over the weekend. We want to see if we can bring that war to an end," Trump added.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has now run over three years since it began in February 2022, with both sides estimated to have lost hundreds of thousands of soldiers.

Kyiv is estimated to have had 80,000 of its troops killed and another 400,000 wounded, while Western analyses say Russia likely has more than 700,000 troops killed and wounded.

Trump has often cited the loss of life as a key reason he's pushing for peace as soon as possible. Describing himself as a mediator between Russia and Ukraine, he's sought to pull both parties toward a cease-fire agreement β€” a change from the Biden administration's strategy of trying to starve Moscow into capitulation.

That effort has introduced new tensions in the US-Ukraine relationship. Earlier this month, the Trump administration paused all military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine.

Those were later restored after Ukraine said it was ready to accept a US proposal for an immediate 30-day cease-fire with Russia. Trump had also threatened Putin and Russia with sanctions if they didn't agree to a cease-fire with Ukraine.

"We will be talking about land. We will be talking about power plants," Trump said of the coming negotiations with Putin.

With Ukraine agreeing to the temporary cease-fire terms, the Trump administration must now focus on securing Russia's approval.

"The ball is now in their court," State Secretary Marco Rubio said last week of Russia.

Moscow has stepped up missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities despite ongoing talks in the last two weeks, prompting fears of a long road toward a peace agreement.

Kyiv and Europe, meanwhile, have repeatedly voiced concerns that the US may try to broker peace terms without direct Ukrainian input.

"No decision can be made without Ukraine on how to end the war in Ukraine," President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in February, as Trump indicated his team had been speaking with Putin.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

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A US Navy destroyer that fought the Houthis for 9 months is now deploying to guard America's southern border

Armament and on-board equipment of the US Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Gravely.
The USS Gravely, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, is being deployed to guard the southern border.

Michal Fludra/NurPhoto via Getty Images

  • The US Navy is deploying a guided-missile destroyer to police the southern border.
  • The USS Gravely previously finished a nine-month deployment fighting the Houthis in the Red Sea.
  • The warship is armed with the long-range Tomahawk, a powerful missile used for striking land targets.

The Navy said on Saturday that the USS Gravely, a guided-missile destroyer that saw combat in the Red Sea last year, is being sent to the US southern border.

The Arleigh Burke-class warship's presence would help "restore territorial integrity at the US southern border," officials said in a statement.

"Gravely's sea-going capacity improves our ability to protect the United States' territorial integrity, sovereignty, and security," said Gen. Gregory Guillot, who leads US Northern Command.

The statement provided few details of the Gravely's mission but said its deployment was made under President Donald Trump's executive orders to protect the southern border.

In January, Trump declared a national emergency at the US-Mexico border, which he said needed troops to deal with a flood of illegal migration. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said that he views the border situation as a matter of national security.

As part of its deployment, the Gravely carries a US Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment, a squad of elite operators specializing in maritime missions like intercepting drug-trafficking ships and fighting pirates.

Policing the US' southern waters is an unusual task for a destroyer with the Gravely's firepower. Such missions are usually carried out by US border authorities and the Coast Guard.

A warship that saw combat for nine months

Before this new deployment, the Gravely was one of several warships accompanying the Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier for its extended nine-month deployment in the Red Sea.

There, the Gravely spent months shooting down drones and missiles launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels. It also carried out long-range strikes on Houthi land targets with its vertically launched Tomahawk missiles β€” part of a coordinated US-UK effort to preemptively destroy Houthi weapons before they could fire.

Additionally, the destroyer was documented using a "non-kinetic" weapon system to fend off drones.

This Middle East deployment was notable for the US Navy because of how intense and frequent the fighting grew, which allowed the Ike group to gain valuable active combat experience.

By the end of its twice-extended deployment in June, the carrier group had fired nearly 800 munitions and logged over 12,000 aircraft sorties.

Now, the US is sending some of that military might to its south. The Gravely is over 500 feet in length, meaning it's far bigger than any of the typical cutters used by the US Coast Guard.

Washington has two key areas of concern in its southern waters: The Gulf of Mexico, which Trump has renamed the Gulf of America, and the Caribbean Sea on Panama's coast.

Trump has said that he wants to retake control of the Panama Canal, complaining about fees charged to US commercial ships and Chinese influence over the waterway.

Meanwhile, thousands of people attempt to cross the Gulf of Mexico to illegally enter the US every year. The US Coast Guard warns that the journey is often dangerous and can be deadly because smugglers tend to use old, unsafe boats to carry migrants.

The gulf is also a major route for drug smuggling by cartels, which Trump designated as foreign terrorist organizations immediately after he took office.

The Pentagon and US Northern Command's press teams did not respond to requests for comment sent outside regular business hours by Business Insider.

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This is how Michelle Obama has kept her sanity when dealing with social media

Michelle Obama.
Michelle Obama shares how she stayed "sane" amid constant online rumors about her and her husband, former president Barack Obama.

Marcus Ingram/Getty Images

  • Former first lady Michelle Obama, 61, is no stranger to online rumors.
  • That's why, to protect her peace, she doesn't read the comments section, she said at SXSW.
  • But public figures aren't the only ones vulnerable to the negative impact of social media.

Michelle Obama knows it's not easy to be in the public eye, and that's why she pays attention to her social media usage.

During a live taping of her "IMO" podcast β€” which she cohosts with her brother, Craig Robinson β€” at SXSW on Thursday, Obama spoke about her top tip for protecting herself and her family online.

"People always ask me and Barack, how did we stay hopeful in, not just the eight years that we were in the White House, but beyond?" Obama said, per People.

The former first lady said she and her husband, Barack Obama, faced "a lot of negative energy" due to widespread rumors about them, such as gossip about his nationality and whether he attended Harvard.

"But through it all, what kept us sane β€” and we tried to instill this in our daughters β€” is, you cannot live through social media," Obama said. "I don't think I have ever once looked at a comment section, period."

The things that internet users say in the comments section are often untrue, since they are "people who don't know you," she said.

"That doesn't mean you don't stay informed, but staying informed has nothing to do with the comment section. It has everything to do with the content of the stories that you take in," Obama said.

"I think we cannot get so trapped by social media that we feel so caught up into the one way we get information. We've got to broaden our spectrum, and we have to get off the phone," she added.

The pitfalls of social media

But it's not just public figures who are vulnerable to the negative impact of social media; children and teenagers are especially at risk. Cyberbullying and the need to constantly seek validation online can have a detrimental effect on their mental health.

Researchers from Yale and Columbia looked at screen time habits in over 5,100 kids, ages 9 and 10. The study, published in 2023, showed that youths who spend the most time on their phones are more likely to develop depression and anxiety, among other problems, in the future.

Governments are taking note: Australia has already approved a law banning social media for children under 16, while Norway is considering enacting a ban for children under 15.

Other celebrity moms have also spoken up about the dangers of social media.

In January 2024, PenΓ©lope Cruz told Elle about her concerns regarding letting her kids use social media.

"It's so easy to be manipulated, especially if you have a brain that is still forming," Cruz said. "And who pays the price? Not us, not our generation."

During a panel at the "A Day of Unreasonable Conversation" summit in March 2024, Paris Hilton spoke about how technology has changed the way children interact with the world.

"Kids are not going outside anymore and playing as much because everyone's just so busy on their phones," Hilton said. "So, hopefully, my kids won't be as addicted to social media as I am."

A representative for Obama did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by Business Insider outside regular hours.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Navy warship deployed on U.S.-Mexico border mission amid Trump immigration crackdown

Navy warship USS Gravely is on a mission to strengthen security at the U.S.-Mexico border, Pentagon officials said.

Why it matters: The deployment of the guided-missile destroyer that last year was involved in shooting down Iran-backed Houthi rebels' ship attacks in the Middle East to a region the U.S. Coast Guard ordinarily covers marks an escalation in the Trump administration's immigration crackdown efforts at the border.


Ready for Tasking! USS Gravely (DDG 107) departed Naval Weapons Station Yorktown for deployment in support of U.S....

Posted by U.S. Navy onΒ Sunday, March 16, 2025

Driving the news: The USS Gravely departed Virginia's Naval Weapons Station Yorktown Saturday for the Navy's U.S. Northern Command Area of Responsibility, per a statement from the combatant command.

  • This area encompasses the continental U.S., Alaska, Canada, Mexico and the surrounding waterΒ out to some 500 nautical miles.
  • USNORTHCOM was named "operational lead for the employment of U.S. military forces" to carry out President Trump's border executive orders and the ship "brings maritime capabilities" in response to these and a national emergency declaration, it notes.
  • The combatant command is filling "critical capabilities gaps in support" of the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection, according to the statement, which does not elaborate further on this.

Zoom in: The USS Gravely is participating as part of the Defense Department's response to President Trump's executive order on the border to "protect the United States' territorial integrity, sovereignty, and security," per a statement from Gen. Gregory Guillot, Commander, U.S. Northern Command.

  • It's contributing "to a coordinated and robust response to combating maritime related terrorism, weapons proliferation, transnational crime, piracy, environmental destruction, and illegal seaborne immigration," according to USNORTHCOM.
  • Adm. Daryl Caudle, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Northern Command, added in a statement the deployment "marks a vital enhancement to our nation's border security framework."

What we're watching: A Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET), specialized, deployable maritime law enforcement teams of the USGS, "will be embarked aboard Gravel," per USNORTHCOM.

  • These teams carry out missions including to counter piracy, military combat operations, stop undocumented immigrants, "military force protection, counter terrorism, homeland security, and humanitarian response," per the statement.

Go deeper... Exclusive: How the White House ignored a judge's order to turn back deportation flights

A 3-minute cheat sheet for your 2025 women's March Madness bracket

March Madness is officially here and, with it, the time to get irrationally frustrated at your bracket.

Why it matters: It probably doesn't! Nobody has ever filled out a perfect bracket, and, because there are fewer upsets in the women's NCAA tournament than the men's, the margins for error on your bracket are lower.


  • But if you're serious about winning your office pool this year, there are a few general tips to follow.

Pick the favorites

In 2024, only one double-digit women's seed advanced past the first round. Historically, No. 1 seeds have not only won 32 of 42 national championships, but in 35 tournaments, two or more No. 1 seeds made the semifinals, per the NCAA.

  • So: Wait to pick your upsets until the Sweet 16 or Elite Eight. Lean on the powerhouses early.
  • This year, the four No. 1 seeds are UCLA (Regional 1 - Spokane), South Carolina (Regional 2 - Birmingham), Texas (Regional 3 - Birmingham) and USC (Regional 4 - Spokane).

The intrigue: These teams are full of future WNBA players, including Te-Hina Paopao (guard, South Carolina), Kiki Iriafen (forward, USC), Lauren Betts (center, UCLA) and potential future No. 1 overall pick JuJu Watkins (USC, sophomore).

Star power

For everything we just wrote about No. 1 seeds, two non-top seeds this year have enough talent to potentially go on deep runs.

  • No. 2 seed UConn is one of the most storied programs in the sport, but this might be the last shot for stars Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd to win championships as Huskies.
  • Notre Dame is a No. 3 seed, but Olivia Miles and Hannah Hidalgo are two of the best players in the country.

Avoid seeds 13-16

If you are compelled to pick a first-round upset, look to a No. 11 or 12 seed. Teams seeded Nos. 14-16 are a combined 1-360 in tournament history, according to the NCAA, but 12 seeds average about one win a year.

Study the 3 seeds

While a top seed should probably be your winner pick, last year, all four Elite Eight games featured No. 1 vs. No. 3 seeds.

  • March is unpredictable enough that the trend will either continue this year, or the 3 seeds β€” LSU, North Carolina, Notre Dame and Oklahoma β€” will all lose in the second round.

Ignore the First Four

The First Four games, which give the four lowest-ranked teams in the field a chance to make the 64-team bracket, are Wednesday and Thursday.

  • You don't need to pick the First Four games, as most brackets will automatically include the winner, and you should probably avoid picking one of those teams to advance in the round of 64 β€” First Four squads are 1-11 in first-round games all time, per Sports Illustrated.

The bottom line: The first round begins Friday. Upsets are common and most days, anything can happen.

  • So pick your bracket based on colors, or which mascot would win in a fight, or where your exes live. Follow your heart and fly close to the sun. It's March, and you earned it.

Go deeper:

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