1 month ago
1
PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: Diageo, owner of Guinness and Johnnie Walker, is reducing the projected annual loss it attributed to President Donald J. Trump’s tariff policies by $50 million.
👥 Who’s Involved: Diageo, U.S. President Donald J. Trump, Diageo CEO Debra Crew, and equity analyst Aarin Chiekrie.
Your free, daily feed from The National Pulse.
📍 Where & When: Tariffs announced April 2, 2025; Diageo issued its update on Monday.
💬 Key Quote: “Looking ahead, we will continue to work on measures to mitigate this impact further,” Diageo stated, expressing confidence in navigating international tariffs.
⚠️ Impact: The company forecasts reduced profits but plans to mitigate losses and save $500 million by 2028.
IN FULL:
The British beverage giant Diageo, owner of Guinness and Johnnie Walker, has flagged a $150 million annual hit to its profits, claiming this will be due to U.S. tariffs introduced under President Donald J. Trump. However, the company’s newest estimate, released on Monday, is a significant decrease from the expected $200 million loss it projected earlier this year.
It is unclear whether Diageo’s estimate includes provisions laid out in the new landmark bilateral trade agreement signed earlier this month between the United States and the United Kingdom, or if the loss is based mainly on the revenue impact of the 10 percent global tariff imposed by President Trump on April 2, 2025. Notably, President Trump paused higher, country-specific reciprocal tariffs for 90 days in mid-April. However, the recent U.S.-UK trade deal would preclude additional trade duties from being imposed on British exports once the pause expires.
Diageo’s recent shareholder update noted that its tequila and Canadian whiskey brands remain exempt from these levies, and tariffs on U.S.-China trade have had minimal impact on its operations. The company stated that it expects to mitigate about half of the tariff-related losses and expressed confidence in its ability to manage the challenges posed by international trade policies.
“Looking ahead, we will continue to work on measures to mitigate this impact further,” the company said, adding that its long history of navigating tariffs provided reassurance. The expected financial impact is already factored into Diageo’s fiscal guidance for 2025 and 2026. Importantly, the British company says it believes it can achieve around $500 million in savings by 2028, suggesting the long-term impact of the Trump administration tariffs will leave its business and market relatively unaffected.
CEO Debra Crew emphasized the company’s resilience: “We continue to believe in the attractive long-term fundamentals of our industry and in our ability to outperform the market. We view the near-term industry pressure as largely macroeconomic driven, with continued uncertainty impacting both the timing and pace of recovery.”
Diageo also reported a 2.9 percent rise in net sales for the first quarter of the year, reaching $4.4 billion.
PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: President Donald J. Trump questioned whether Kamala Harris paid entertainment elites for endorsements during her 2024 campaign.
👥 Who’s Involved: President Trump, Kamala Harris, Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Oprah Winfrey, Samuel L. Jackson, Spike Lee, and Tyler Perry.
Your free, daily feed from The National Pulse.
📍 Where & When: Trump made the statement on Truth Social on Monday, May 19, 2025; celebrity endorsements occurred during Harris’s 2024 campaign rallies in various locations, including Atlanta, Georgia, and Houston, Texas.
💬 Key Quote: “BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, OPRAH, BONO AND, PERHAPS, MANY OTHERS, HAVE A LOT OF EXPLAINING TO DO!!!” — President Trump.
⚠️ Impact: Trump’s comments raise questions about potential election law violations and the role of celebrity influence in political campaigns.
IN FULL:
President Donald J. Trump has raised concerns over whether Kamala Harris compensated entertainment elites for their endorsements during her struggling 2024 presidential campaign. In a post on Truth Social on Monday morning, Trump raised the possibility, suggesting a potential investigation into whether election laws were violated.
“According to news reports, Beyoncé was paid $11,000,000 to walk onto a stage, quickly ENDORSE KAMALA, and walk off to loud booing for never having performed, NOT EVEN ONE SONG!” Trump wrote, continuing: “Remember, the Democrats and Kamala illegally paid her millions of Dollars for doing nothing other than giving Kamala a full throated ENDORSEMENT.”
He added: “THIS IS AN ILLEGAL ELECTION SCAM AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL! IT IS AN ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION! BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, OPRAH, BONO AND, PERHAPS, MANY OTHERS, HAVE A LOT OF EXPLAINING TO DO!!!”
The President’s accusations come amid renewed attacks from Bruce Springsteen, who drew Trump’s ire last week. During the 2024 presidential campaign, Springsteen announced his support for Harris, stating, “Donald Trump is the most dangerous candidate for president in my lifetime.”
At a campaign rally in Atlanta, Georgia, Harris received backing from a host of Hollywood stars, including Samuel L. Jackson, Spike Lee, and Tyler Perry. Meanwhile, pop icon Beyoncé Knowles-Carter endorsed Harris during a rally in Houston, Texas, focusing her remarks on abortion.
“I’m not here as a celebrity, I’m not here as a politician. I’m here as a mother,” Beyoncé stated. “Imagine our daughters growing up seeing what’s possible with no ceilings, no limitations.”
Trump’s Truth Social post suggests he believes these endorsements may warrant scrutiny under election law. Notably, campaign finance records indicate that the Harris campaign paid at least $1 million to Oprah‘s production company. This payment was supposedly in exchange for the company’s assistance with the “United for America” livestream rally featuring numerous celebrities and endorsements in September 2024.
show less
A man opposed to pro-life values committed what authorities are calling “an intentional act of terrorism” over the weekend, bombing a reproductive center in California.
The details: On Saturday, 25-year-old Guy Edward Bartkus blew up his car outside the American Reproductive Centers (ARC) in Palm Springs, killing himself and injuring four others. ARC performs IVF treatments, egg retrievals, and other fertility care.
Your free, daily feed from The National Pulse.
- Police found two rifles and ammunition with the exploded vehicle.
- None of the embryos or other “sensitive material” was damaged by the blast.
His motive: Bartkus is a self-described “pro-mortalist” and “anti-natalist.” In a manifesto posted to his website with the tag line “F*ck you pro-lifers!,” he wrote:
- “I think we need a war against pro-lifers.”
- “I just wanted to say, your god definitely doesn’t exist, but if he did, I’d choose satan over your evil god. Did you ever think that maybe the bible is just slander against satan, and that satan just realized what a f***ing creep your god is?”
Glossary: A pro-mortalist believes death can be good or should happen sooner. An anti-natalist thinks having children is wrong because life causes pain or harm.
What they’re saying: The FBI Los Angeles field office confirmed: “This was a targeted attack against the IVF facility. Make no mistake, we are treating this, as I said yesterday, is an intentional act of terrorism.”
Zoom out: President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order to expand access to in vitro fertilization, aiming to reduce treatment costs and remove regulatory barriers.
Be sure to subscribe to the Wake Up Right newsletter!
show less
A man opposed to pro-life values committed what authorities are calling “an intentional act of terrorism” over the weekend, bombing a reproductive center in California. show more
English (US) ·