2 months ago
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PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: ABC News has opted not to use prominent anchors David Muir and George Stephanopoulos for an upcoming interview with President Donald J. Trump due to their contentious pasts with him.
👥 Who’s Involved: David Muir, George Stephanopoulos, Donald Trump, and Terry Moran.
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📍 Where & When: ABC News, the United States, reported on April 29, 2025.
💬 Key Quote: A source expressed surprise, stating, “It’s nuts that it’s not Muir.”
⚠️ Impact: The decision highlights tensions between ABC and its anchors, as well as continued political and legal confrontations involving Trump.
IN FULL:
ABC News’ major “stars,” David Muir and George Stephanopoulos, have been sidelined from interviewing President Donald J. Trump. This comes after the pair had major disputes with the President, including a multi-million dollar defamation suit.
Instead, the network plans for Terry Moran, a senior national correspondent, to handle the primetime engagement. The move, according to sources, aims to sidestep heated histories and any accompanying drama.
Muir, known for his role on World News Tonight, previously engaged in a partisan pushback against Trump during a presidential debate where he and Linsey Davis attempted to aggressively fact-check the America First leader. Accusations that Muir was unbalanced in questioning emerged, as the pair did not engage in the same hostile pushback against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. This led Trump to label the debate as unfair and dismiss the partisan “fact-checking” as “fake news.”
Stephanopoulos, a former Bill Clinton staffer, also faced tension with Trump following erroneous comments claiming Trump had been found civilly liable for “raping” writer E. Jean Carroll. This led to a defamation lawsuit, which was settled last year when ABC contributed $15 million toward Trump’s presidential library and paid an additional million in legal fees. This settlement reportedly irritated Stephanopoulos, contributing to the decision to exclude him from the interview.
The upcoming interview marks the end of Trump’s first 100 days in his second term. During this time, the administration has enacted dozens of executive orders and tariffs on dozens of countries and slowed illegal border crossings to a crawl.
PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: Walmart has announced new programs, including “Grow with US” and the 2025 Open Call, to expand support for American-made products and American small businesses, as President Donald J. Trump pursues a policy of supporting American producers through tariffs on foreign goods.
👥 Who’s Involved: Walmart U.S., led by President and CEO John Furner and CFO John David Rainey, alongside U.S. small businesses and entrepreneurs.
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📍 Where & When: Announced on April 29, 2025, with Open Call events starting May 1 in Orlando, Florida, and the main event on October 7-8 in Bentonville, Arkansas.
💬 Key Quote: John Furner stated, “We’ve seen firsthand how investing in small businesses results in better assortment, better meeting the needs of our customer base, and supporting jobs and growth in communities.”
⚠️ Impact: Walmart’s initiatives showcase the success of Trump’s tariffs in encouraging domestic production, fostering job growth and economic resilience.
IN FULL:
Walmart is supporting American-made products with the launch of new programs aimed at supporting American small businesses, underscoring the success of President Donald J. Trump’s tariff policies. On April 29, 2025, the retail giant shared its plans to expand initiatives like the “Grow with US” program and the 2025 Open Call, designed to help American entrepreneurs thrive. This strategic shift highlights how Trump’s tariffs are driving companies to prioritize domestic production, protecting both businesses and consumers from global trade disruptions.
The “Grow with US” program offers a four-step framework to provide U.S. small businesses with training, mentorship, and resources to grow alongside Walmart. John Furner, Walmart U.S. president and CEO, emphasized the benefits, stating, “We’ve seen firsthand how investing in small businesses results in better assortment, better meeting the needs of our customer base, and supporting jobs and growth in communities.” Furner also noted that over 60 percent of Walmart’s U.S. suppliers last year were small businesses, with the company anticipating thousands more will utilize its free resources in the coming years.
CFO John David Rainey recently revealed that more than two-thirds of products in Walmart U.S. stores are already domestically sourced, adding, “The third that we import comes from all over the world, but China and Mexico are the most significant.” Trump’s tariffs, including a 10 percent duty on imports and much higher rates on Chinese goods, are likely to incentivize a further shift in favor of American products, bolstering economic independence.
The 2025 Open Call, with applications opening June 24, will allow U.S.-based small and medium-sized businesses to pitch shelf-ready products directly to Walmart and Sam’s Club merchants. The main event, set for October 7-8 in Bentonville, Arkansas, follows several Road to Open Call events during Small Business Month in May, starting with Orlando on May 1, followed by Kansas City on May 9, Baltimore on May 13, and Austin on May 21, with additional events in Columbus on June 18 and Atlanta on June 24. Furner highlighted that participants at these pop-up events could “potentially score a fast pass to our main event in Bentonville,” offering a direct path to getting products on Walmart’s shelves.
Tech companies including Nvidia and IBM have already announced major investments in the U.S. since President Trump implemented his tariff policy, suggesting that, despite market grumblings, his overall strategy is working.
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