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On Day 68, US correspondents James Matthews and Martha Kelner take a temperature check on Donald Trump’s first two months in his second term as president.

As Martha’s bust-up with Marjorie Taylor Greene goes viral, James hits the road to Virginia to gauge how much voters care about “Signal-gate” – the leaked group chat that rocked President Trump’s inner circle.

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Caroline County is the kind of quiet place that found its voice in electing Donald Trump.

It’s rural and Republican territory, a 90-minute drive from Washington DC, and it backed Trump at the election.

Gauging political opinion isn’t necessarily easy here, division runs raw in small-town America.

As one cafe owner told me, in declining an interview: “My business is worth more than my opinion.”

Did we find any buyer’s remorse among Trump voters? In a word, no.

It’ll exist, no doubt, and there is enough anecdotal evidence of voters having second thoughts.

In Bowling Green, Caroline County, our straw poll – unscientific – found that Signalgate had left a Trump support shaken but not stirred.

“I’m impressed with the agenda,” said Robert Hayman, who voted for Trump.

On Signalgate, he said: “In my opinion it’s a non-story, compared to the misgivings of the previous administration.

“(It’s not a big story) to the extent that it has the effect on our safety.”

Patty Roberts, who also voted for Trump, said the Signalgate episode had passed her by.

She told me: “I don’t know a whole lot about that. So I would probably refrain from talking about that. I don’t watch TV.”

How politics lands with people here depends on who they support and where they get their information.

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The response of the Trump administration has been to deny, dispute and deflect from the notion of incompetence surrounding the Signal chat story.

Non-Trump supporters were damning in their assessment of the Signalgate episode.

Iris Silver told me: “It just shows you where putting the wrong people in power positions is not a great idea.”

Jeremiah Hirsch, also anti-Trump, told me how the politics of the day weighed on the community.

He said: “We need this thing that we all deserve that’s a part of the American dream. I feel in some ways we’ve lost that.”

For some, Signalgate is a stone-cold scandal, for others not so much.

Caroline County is known as the cradle of horse racing.

The runners and riders are currently out of season, unlike the politics.

In that race, it’s a marathon and a sprint.

US President Donald Trump has announced a new 25% tariff on all imported cars, threatening UK producers in their largest single export market.

Signing an executive order, Mr Trump said the tax would kick in on 2 April – what he has called “liberation day”.

This is when all his retaliatory import tariffs are supposed to take effect, but they have been delayed before.

The move ratchets up the global trade war Mr Trump himself kicked off at a time when his administration is battling the continued fallout from the Signalgate security breach in Washington.

Speaking late on Wednesday, Mr Trump said the proposal: “Will continue to spur growth. We’ll effectively be charging a 25% tariff.”

Similar duties on all car part imports are expected to follow in May, complicating the effects as even American car makers source components from around the world – meaning they could also face higher costs and lower sales.

The UK government has signalled it will not retaliate – mirroring its response to the tariffs on steel and aluminium imposed globally by the Trump administration earlier this month.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves condemned the protectionism but told Sky’s Wilfred Frost: “We’re not at the moment in a position where we want to do anything to escalate these trade wars,” in what will be seen as a nod to continuing UK trade deal talks with the US.

But the threat risks a huge impact for the country’s car industry, including manufacturers such as Jaguar Land Rover, Aston Martin and Rolls-Royce.

Official data shows that the US is the UK car sector’s largest single market by country, accounting for £6.4bn worth of car exports in 2023. That is 18.4% of the total.

Listed European car and car parts manufacturers saw further steep declines in their share prices in Thursday trading as the plans drew widespread international criticism.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called it a “direct attack” on Canadian workers.

Even Trump advisor Elon Musk, the Tesla boss, admitted in a post on his X platform that the hit to his company would be “significant”.

During his second term, Mr Trump has used tariffs frequently as a trade weapon.

He cited plans from South Korean car maker Hyundai to build a $5.8bn (£4.5bn) steel plant in Louisiana as evidence the economic measures would bring back manufacturing jobs.

Even American and foreign firms already with domestic plants still rely on Canada, Mexico and other countries for parts and finished vehicles – meaning prices could increase and sales decline as new factories take time to build.

Tariffs are a key part of Mr Trump’s efforts to reshape global trade relations.

He plans to impose what he calls “reciprocal” taxes on 2 April that would match tariffs and sales taxes levied by other nations.

He has already placed a 20% tax on all imports from China.

Similarly, he placed 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada, with a lower 10% tariff on Canadian energy products in addition to the duties on all steel and aluminium imports, including those from the UK.

Sky News understands the UK government is continuing to engage with the US on a trade deal and remains hopeful an agreement could be made before the tariffs come into force, but may retaliate if deemed necessary at a later date.

Mike Hawes, the chief executive of the UK car industry lobby group the SMMT, said: “Today’s announcement by President Trump is not surprising but, nevertheless, disappointing if, as seems likely, additional tariffs are to apply to UK made cars.

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“The UK and US auto industries have a long-standing and productive relationship, with US consumers enjoying vehicles built in Britain by some iconic brands, while thousands of UK motorists buy cars made in America.

“Rather than imposing additional tariffs, we should explore ways in which opportunities for both British and American manufacturers can be created as part of a mutually beneficial relationship, benefitting consumers and creating jobs and growth across the Atlantic.

“The industry urges both sides to come together immediately and strike a deal that works for all.”