The ongoing choas from Trump’s tariffs are back on the UK front pages as the IMF cuts global growth rates and confirms the UK is set to be amongst the hardest countries hit. The US has received the biggest downgrade amongst advanced economies as anxiety drives gold up amid Trump’s constant attacks on the Federal Reserve boss Jay Powell. There are concerns over how independent the central bank is and general worries over the state of the US economy.
Elsewhere, Elon Musk is to reduce his role in the Trump administration after his electric car company Tesla suffered a 71% drop in first quarter profits.
IMF cuts global growth amid tariff war
IMF warns of ‘major negative shock’ from Trump’s tariffs
Explainer: The headline uses the IMF’s authority to legitimise criticism of Trump, with “warns” and “major negative shock” amplifying urgency and economic danger.
- The Guardian leads with the IMF’s verdict that the world economy will be impacted by the trade measures. The IMF says Trump’s tariffs had unleashed a “major negative shock” to the world economy and forecasts for the US, UK and global growth were cut, with the uncertainty expected to lead to a “significant slowdown in global growth in the near term”.
Global growth forecast slashed by IMF over tariff impact
Explainer: The headline uses “slashed” to dramatise the downgrade and attributes the cause to tariffs, implicitly criticising trade policies without naming individuals.
- BBC News reports the US economic growth forecast for the year has received the biggest downgrade among advanced economies due to the uncertainty caused by trade tariffs.
IMF cuts UK growth outlook and predicts further BoE rate reductions
Explainer: The headline presents the IMF as a credible authority, using “cuts” and “predicts” to convey certainty and concern, subtly casting doubt on the UK’s economic stability.
- The FT reports the IMF has cut the UK’s growth forecasts in the wake of Donald Trump’s tariffs, and said that the Bank of England could afford to lower interest rates three more times this year.
IMF slashes 2025 U.S. growth forecast to 1.8% from 2.7%, citing trade tensions
Explainer: The headline uses “slashes” to dramatise the downgrade and highlights a sharp drop, while “citing trade tensions” implies policy-driven economic harm without directly assigning blame.
- CNBC says in its new projections, the IMF now calls for a U.S. growth outlook of 1.8% in 2025, down 0.9 percentage point from its January forecast.
Tesla’s profits plummet to five-year low as Musk pays the price of Trump
Explainer: The headline is dramatic and emotive, with “plummet” and “pays the price” implying severe consequences, while linking Musk’s losses directly to Trump, suggesting guilt by association.
- The Daily Telegraph reports Tesla’s profits have plummeted to a five year low as the car company deals with the cost of boss Elon Musk’s involvement in politics – and Trump’s trade war.
