A PAUSE on U.S. aid to Ukraine was announced on Monday (Shutterstock).

A “pause” on American aid to Ukraine was announced on Monday by President Donald Trump in what is widely regarded as an effort to put pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The Associated Press is reporting that a White House official said that Trump is trying to work out a peace deal between Ukraine and the nation that invaded it three years ago, Russia.

In 2019, Trump held up Congressionally-approved military assistance to Ukraine to allegedly pressure Zelenskyy to investigate Joe Biden, at that time a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination.

He’s trying to get the Ukraine to agree to a cease-fire, but without “security guarantees,” Zelensky is reluctant. The end of the war, he said on Monday, “is still very, very far away,” according to the AP, which drew Trump’s ire.

Tariffs set to begin on Tuesday

Major tariffs on Canada and Mexico – two of America’s biggest trading partners – will take effect on Tuesday.

TARIFFS on Canada, Mexico and China are coming (Shutterstock).

The New York Times is reporting that a 25 percent levy on imports coming into the U.S. from those countries are “all set” and another 10 percent on Chinese goods entering America would begin the next day.

Trump has ordered tariffs before only to delay them.

Together, those nations constitute over 40 percent of imports into the United States. The stock market responded with alarm; the S&P 500 dropped 1.8 percent, the biggest one-day decrease so far in 2025.

ALSO IN THE NEWS: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is directing all civilian department employees to comply with a request from the Office of Personnel Management to list their accomplishments of the week … Staff at the Bureau of Reclamation – manager of dams and “water-delivery infrastructure in California” – are being fired by the Trump Administration, according to Los Angeles Times.

Weather: Rain by midweek

Chilly spring weather will give way to evening rain in our West Orange County area on Wednesday and Thursday. According to the forecasts, Tuesday’s daytime high will hit 69 with an overnight low of 51 with partly cloudy skies.

On Wednesday, the temps should drop to 62 (48) and there will be a 74 percent chance of rain in the evening. Thursday will be a bit colder at 60 (49) with an 85 percent chance of rain after dark. Friday will warm a bit to 63 (49) with partly cloudy skies.