From Power Plays to Prison Gates
What has President Trump said this week?
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What has President Trump said this week? 〰️
1. “Everything’s OK”
President Trump addressed the nation, referring to the current U.S. economy state as a “transition period” but promising it would later perform “fantastically” (Reuters, 2025). Urging Americans to cut back on consumer spending, Trump downplayed concerns about potential economic trouble, saying that even if the U.S. experienced a recession in the short term, “everything’s OK” in the long run (NBC, 2025). When pressed during an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” about the possibility of a recession, he responded, “Anything can happen, but I think we’re going to have the greatest economy in the history of our country.”
These comments mark a notable shift from his earlier declarations that the U.S. was entering a “golden age” under his leadership, especially as Wall Street analysts grow increasingly worried that his shifting tariff policies could drive the country into a recession. Initial Commerce Department data showed the economy contracted by 0.3% in the first quarter of 2025, fueled by a drop in exports and a surge in imports ahead of Trump’s expected tariffs (NBC, 2025).
On may 7 the Federal Reserve opted to maintain interest rates between 4.25% and 4.5%, resisting Trump’s calls for a rate cut, citing growing economic uncertainty and recent negative GDP data. Fed Chair Jerome Powell warned that the administration’s escalating tariffs could trigger stagflation, combining rising inflation, slowing growth, and rising unemployment.
2. Canada’s new PM
This week, President Trump reignited tensions with Canada by suggesting that “time will tell” whether the country becomes a U.S. state—a remark made during his presidential campaign. Canada’s newly elected Prime Minister, Mark Carney, swiftly rebuked the idea, declaring, “There are some places that are never for sale,” and firmly reaffirming Canadian sovereignty (CBC News, 2025). The two leaders met for the first time in the Oval Office last week to discuss key bilateral issues, including escalating tariff disputes and Trump’s controversial comments on annexation.
Carney’s government, elected on a strong anti-Trump platform, is already grappling with mounting U.S. trade pressures. While no formal U.S. policy supports annexation, and Trump's comments lack any legal or constitutional foundation, experts warn that such rhetoric could further damage diplomatic relations—particularly as Canada pursues deeper trade ties with the EU and Asia.
3. The Rebirth of Alcatraz
President Trump announced plans to rebuild and reopen Alcatraz prison to house the nation’s “most ruthless and violent” criminals. The iconic facility, located on an island in San Francisco Bay, has been closed since 1963 and is currently a federally protected site managed by the National Park Service. Reopening it would require legislative approval, environmental exemptions, and substantial infrastructure investment (Reuters, 2025).
The proposal follows growing criticism of the administration’s controversial decision to transfer migrants to a prison in El Salvador earlier this year. Trump has even floated the idea of sending U.S. citizens to foreign prisons—a legally dubious suggestion that likely violates constitutional rights and international treaties. California officials and legal scholars have dismissed the Alcatraz plan as implausible. As one former San Francisco Board of Supervisors member put it, the odds of reopening the prison are “about as large as landing a man on Pluto” (The Washington Post, 2025).