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PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) presented President Donald J. Trump’s discretionary budget proposal for fiscal year 2026 to Congress. Notably, the Trump White House touts the plan as being a “skinny budget,” with significant cuts being proposed for a bevy of agencies and federal programs.
👥 Who’s Involved: President Trump, U.S. Congress, and Russ Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
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📍 Where & When: The budget plan was presented to Congress in Washington, D.C., on Friday, May 2.
💬 Key Quote: OMB Director Russ Vought stated, “At this critical moment, we need a historic Budget—one that ends the funding of our decline, puts Americans first, and delivers unprecedented support to our military and homeland security.”
⚠️ Impact: The budget suggests a major restructuring of federal funding, with significant cuts to non-defense programs and increases in defense and homeland security spending, aiming to redirect resources to support national security and infrastructure.
IN FULL:
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) sent President Donald J. Trump’s discretionary budget proposal for the 2026 fiscal year to Congress on Friday, with the push for steep spending cuts rankling some Republican lawmakers at the Capitol. The proposal calls for a $163 billion reduction in non-defense discretionary spending compared to the previous year, with a focus on increasing funding for the military and border security.
President Trump’s OMB Director, Russ Vought, pitched the budget plan to lawmakers and the American public, stating: “At this critical moment, we need a historic Budget—one that ends the funding of our decline, puts Americans first, and delivers unprecedented support to our military and homeland security.” Notably, the proposals seek to codify many of the spending cuts enacted by the American First leader through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), making it more difficult for Democrats to restore the programs if they were to win the White House in 2028.
While many House Republicans have cheered the DOGE cuts and signaled their support for the budget plan, some influential Republican lawmakers chairing key committees appear less than enthused with the proposed spending cuts. “Look, we’re supportive of this administration and what it’s trying to do,” Representative Tom Cole (R-OK), who chairs the powerful House Appropriations Committee, said on Friday. He added: “But with all due respect to anybody, I think the members have a better understanding of what can pass and what can’t than the Executive Branch does.”
Historically, budgets proposed by the President and sent to Congress undergo significant changes on Capitol Hill. The plan has and does, however, serve as a guide for lawmakers as to what the White House sees as policy priorities. Additionally, many of the non-defense discretionary spending cuts come through eliminating grants and other federal programs that have largely funded the Democratic Party’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) agenda.
PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: The U.S. added 177,000 jobs this April, beating employment forecasts for a second consecutive month. Notably, April saw significant job growth across several key economic sectors, with construction employment increasing for the third straight month. The transportation and warehousing, leisure and hospitality, and private education and health services industries also saw significant employment growth.
👥 Who’s Involved: President Donald J. Trump, the U.S. Department of Labor, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, various economists, and business figures.
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📍 Where & When: The jobs numbers were released by the U.S. Department of Labor on Friday, May 2, and cover data from the month of April 2025.
💬 Key Quote: “Gasoline just broke $1.98 a Gallon, lowest in years, groceries (and eggs!) down, energy down, mortgage rates down, employment strong, and much more good news, as Billions of Dollars pour in from Tariffs. Just like I said, and we’re only in a TRANSITION STAGE, just getting started!!!” President Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
⚠️ Impact: Labor force participation increased, real average hourly wages rose nearly four percent over the past year, and the federal government reduced jobs for the third month in a row. Additionally, the unemployment rate—currently near historic lows—remained unchanged at 4.2 percent.
IN FULL:
The U.S. Department of Labor announced that 177,000 new jobs were created in April, surpassing market expectations once again. This marks the second month in a row the report has shown stronger-than-expected job growth, with the Trump White House touting the data as evidence that the America First leader’s economic policies aimed at revitalizing the American labor market are working.
“Gasoline just broke $1.98 a Gallon, lowest in years, groceries (and eggs!) down, energy down, mortgage rates down, employment strong, and much more good news, as Billions of Dollars pour in from Tariffs. Just like I said, and we’re only in a TRANSITION STAGE, just getting started!!!” President Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform Friday morning. He added, “Consumers have been waiting for years to see pricing come down. NO INFLATION, THE FED SHOULD LOWER ITS RATE!!!”
April’s jobs numbers contradict the narrative pushed by the corporate media and Wall Street, which contend that President Trump’s imposition of tariffs on foreign imports will lead to layoffs, a declining economy, and even a potential recession. Notably, last month’s hirings surpassed the 12-month average of 152,000 jobs.
According to the data, several industries expected to see immediate negative impacts from the tariffs actually added jobs in April. Private education and health services saw over 70,000 new jobs created, while transportation and warehousing saw nearly 30,000. Additionally, the leisure and hospitality industry added over 24,000 jobs, and professional and business services added 17,000.
“This is the second month in a row where the jobs report has beat expectations. Wages are continuing to rise and labor force participation is increasing. This is exactly what we want to see. More Americans working for higher wages. More winning is on the way,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said after the report was released.
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