Trump's USA

The conflict with universities
Reports: Filades on new moves in meeting about Harvard

The White House has gathered representatives from about a dozen agencies to discuss new measures against Harvard University, sources tell Politico. The agencies fall under several departments and new measures are expected to be presented in June.

Several measures have already been introduced and Donald Trump's administration feels that it needs to be more creative in the conflict with universities. What ideas were raised at the meeting are not clear, but Harrison Fields, a spokesman for the White House, promises that more is in the works.

- We have only scratched the surface.

Some sources are critical of Trump's stance and fear that the White House will go too far in "a losing battle".

Social media control introduced for visa applicants - private accounts questioned

Foreign students applying for visas to study at Harvard will have their social media accounts reviewed. This is stated in a document signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and obtained by Politico.

The decision is effective immediately and thus confirms previous media reports. The document also reveals new details. It states that officials reviewing applications must take into account that students who have locked or private accounts may do so to avoid review. The same applies to "lack of presence" on the Internet.

The instruction covers not only students but also researchers, lecturers and teachers at the elite university. The White House calls it a pilot program that may include more universities at a later stage.

Health Policy
"Fact-based" report contained fabricated quotes

A report on children's health released by the White House last week cited research studies that do not exist, reports the New York Times. The Trump administration called it a report that rested on "evidence-based foundations" but parts of the content were fabricated.

Epidemiologist Katherine Keyes was listed as the author of an article on mental health and drugs, but has never written an article with the title given by the White House. Ivan Oransky, who runs a website that reviews retractions of scientific studies, says that this is typical of the use of generative AI.

- We have seen it before, and unfortunately it is much more common in scientific literature than one would like or than it really should be.

He also says that it does not necessarily mean that the facts are wrong, but that it shows a lack of accuracy.

The White House has later published a new corrected version. 

Trump's tariff policy
Trump: Steel tariffs to be raised to 50 percent

The United States will raise import tariffs on steel by 25 percent to 50 percent, says President Donald Trump according to CNBC.

During a visit to the US Steel steel plant in Pennsylvania, he says that it is a measure that will strengthen the American industry and reduce dependence on China.

- No one will be able to circumvent it, says Trump according to AFP.

The president says that $ 14 billion will be invested in manufacturing through a "partnership" between US Steel and Japan's Nippon Steel, without giving any further details.
 

The US-China relationship
Analysis: The US is closing the door – and the price will be high

US President Donald Trump has greatly escalated his attempts to influence the country's universities, writes Foreign Policy's Christina Lu after the decision to revoke visas for Chinese students. She points out that foreign students have "pumped billions" into the American economy and that it threatens an important source of revenue for universities.

Experts warn that universities and the US economy will pay the price for the White House's latest move, she writes.

"For China and many other foreign countries that have long been eager to recruit America's top talent, Trump's policy has created a new opportunity."

Li Yuan writes in the New York Times that the decision is a crossroads. The US has long been a beacon of openness, but now the door is closing to Chinese people seeking a good education and a future in a country where freedom is highly valued, she writes.

"American officials often say they want to distinguish between the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese people. That distinction was particularly emphasized during Trump's first term. Now it has largely disappeared."