Joco Today

U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), appeared on Newsmax’s Wake Up America to discuss recent trade developments under President Trump, the possibility of an additional rescissions package, and the reintroduction of the Presidential Fitness Test in schools.

During the interview, Marshall highlighted the progress of trade negotiations under the current administration. “I’m going to focus on the positive here. President Trump has negotiated trade agreements with eight of our top 10 trade partners. The only ones really sitting outside of the majority of the trade between us would be Taiwan and India. As you pointed out here, China is due August 12th. I want you just to think about how President Trump is boxing in China. Here he’s done the UK, the European Union. Jump over to Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, [and] Australia. So, he’s boxing in China now, August the 12th. By August 12th, we’re going to have a great deal done. Look, most everything that’s grown in Kansas is still flowing freely to Canada and to Mexico, with the exception of milk, type of products as well, and vice versa. And we’ll renegotiate USMC in a year. So, I think everything is right on schedule, right on Trump time.”

Marshall also addressed concerns about lower courts affecting policy implementation: “Well, first of all, these lower courts are way out of bounds. They’re going way beyond their jurisdiction. I think the Supreme Court has said that over and over again; they’ll have to appeal this. It’s too bad they’re slowing up the Trump agenda, right? That’s what these courts are doing. They’re slowing the Trump agenda, slowing the will of 78 million people who elected President Trump. Look, certainly the talks. I’m on the Subcommittee on trade on the Finance Committee, working with our chairman, Crapo, and the subcommittee chairman, Senator Cornyn, as well. Some type of a trade agreements with these countries to make them long-lasting. You know, what’s going to happen when President Trump is done? President Trump is done here in three years. So we need to put some teeth to these agreements as well.”

On fiscal matters related to government spending cuts known as rescissions packages—measures that can cancel previously allocated funds—Marshall commented: “Well Marc that’s a target-rich environment there. And I want to compliment Senator Joni Ernst who’s leading the DOGE caucus and really has been involved with this since day one. Look there are hundreds of billions of dollars that they could bring to us I don’t necessarily have a wish list I really think we go back to USAID that was $40 billion in there We were sending about $8 billion of that as well I don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater but I still think there’s some opportunity there My specialty may be waste and fraud that’s going on in Medicare and Medicaid So I would probably like to tackle some of that as well.”

The discussion also included public health topics relevant for students nationwide as Marshall spoke about bringing back physical fitness assessments in schools: “President Eisenhower started this back in 1954 Kansas’ favorite son Dwight David Eisenhower 34th president of United States We started this program Look 20% of our children are on a prescription drug 40% of them have some type chronic illness Leading way obesity pre-diabetes mental health condition Look as physician I’m telling prescription for that is healthy nutritious diet includes whole milk throw away processed food And then activity some type activity This will give kids something shoot for I know my children when they still had this going on when we were children it gave us goal shoot for It was called competition That’s what America bred upon That’s secret capitalism Is more competition So couldn’t be happier Think another step right direction Throw away social media kids phones Throw away Get outside go fishing go hunting Let’s all prepare together Matter fact may introduce some type physical fitness challenge for Congress up here.”

Senator Marshall suggested promoting healthy eating habits along with increased physical activity among young people as ways to address rising rates of childhood obesity and other chronic illnesses.