In a tense Oval Office announcement at 3 PM ET, former President Donald Trump accused the World Health Organization (WHO) of mishandling the Covid-19 pandemic and being unduly influenced by China. Those comments were made as Trump called on Republican naysayers to stop negotiating and start making bold moves on a multitude of national crises. The man standing next to him, for this rollout on C-SPAN, was his Secretary of Defense—none other than Pete Hegseth.
Specifically, Trump blamed the WHO for delivering misleading information about the coronavirus. In response, the organization dug in, insisting that its pandemic response remains unassailable. When the former president promoted this initiative, he framed the former state of affairs as a crisis in need of urgent change. Take the form of demanding that I answer questions that you haven’t even given me time to respond to. No more time answering them, Trump announced, dashing his deeply felt frustrations with the meddlesome international institution.
Trump was right in confirming that he lowered a number of his original tariffs. He was quick to note that the most important levies would remain anchored. This decision has exporters up in arms. Even more worryingly, 42% of businesses predict their turnover will decrease due to the resulting tariffs. On Wednesday, Trump revealed he has made a big decision on the way forward for his “Golden Dome” missile defense shield. He thinks this project is so critical that it’s protecting our national security.
Additionally, Trump welcomed the sanctions placed by the European Union and United Kingdom on Russia. He is doing a good faith job weighing his options and determining what would be in the best interest of the United States. His comments followed a rising backlash against enforcement-only policies within his own party. In April, Trump went particularly after Representative Thomas Massie, dubbing him a “grandstander” who “doesn’t understand government” and needs to be voted out of office.
In terms of international relations, Trump mused that Canada should be the 51st state of the U.S. He tripled down on his previous fantastic claims about wanting to buy Greenland. This constant returns to his top imperative — growing U.S. influence and territory.
Despite how controversial many of his administration’s policies were, Trump said he was pleased to see his party come together. “That was a meeting of love. That was love in that room. There was no shouting,” he remarked, referring to recent discussions with Republican leaders.
The Trump administration is already experiencing serious pushback on its first budget request. The president’s proposal includes deep cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Senator Tammy Baldwin, who vocally opposed these cuts, said that they would have been devastating to medical research funding. She cautioned that they would obstruct essential breakthroughs in cancer research, Alzheimer’s disease, and other major health concerns.
“What it is that we do know about your budget request, or what is happening at the Department of Health and Human Services, your fiscal year 2026 budget request cuts to the National Institutes of Health of $18bn. That would have a devastating impact on research into … life-saving cures and treatments for devastating diseases, setting back medical innovations by decades.” – Senator Tammy Baldwin
Their recommended redirecting of foreign aid is the $2.9 billion America First Opportunity Fund (A1OF). Critics have warned that it threatens to erode U.S. commitments overseas.
Donald Trump’s administration drew widespread and withering condemnation for its draconian approach to immigration. Reports showed that U.S. officials knees deep in Operation Safe Passage forcibly deported at least 50 Venezuelan men to a prison in El Salvador, including those who had legally entered the U.S.