{"id":147970,"date":"2025-07-17T17:30:29","date_gmt":"2025-07-17T22:30:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.worldtribune.com\/?p=147970"},"modified":"2025-07-17T17:30:29","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T22:30:29","slug":"white-house-sets-blistering-mid-july-pace-fentanyl-health-care-train-to-nowhere","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldtribune.com\/2025\/white-house-sets-blistering-mid-july-pace-fentanyl-health-care-train-to-nowhere\/","title":{"rendered":"White House sets blistering mid-July pace: Fentanyl, health care, train to nowhere"},"content":{"rendered":"

by<\/em><\/span> WorldTribune<\/strong> Staff<\/em><\/span><\/span>, July 17, 2025 <\/em>Real World News<\/span><\/a>
\n<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

After kicking off the month with the July 4 signing of President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” the White House is continuing its high energy onslaught on the status quo.<\/p>\n

Yesterday, for example, saw initiatives aimed at stopping the smuggling of deadly fentanyl into the U.S., strengthening vulnerable hospitals and ending federal taxpayer funding of California’s “high speed train to nowhere.” And that was just the top of the list.<\/p>\n

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President Donald Trump signed the HALT Fentanyl Act into law on Wednesday. \/ Video Image<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On July 16, surrounded by families who have lost loved ones to fentanyl, Trump officially signed the HALT Fentanyl Act into law \u2014 permanently classifying fentanyl-related substances as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act.<\/p>\n

The law mandates a 10-year minimum sentence for anyone caught trafficking fentanyl into the U.S.<\/p>\n

The president said the legislation is \u201cdelivering another defeat for the savage drug smugglers and criminals and the cartels\u201d \u2014 and is just one of the many historic actions the Trump Administration has taken to end the carnage wrought by foreign drug cartels in our communities.<\/p>\n

Trump was joined by a few of the millions of Americans whose lives have been permanently changed by the fentanyl epidemic:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Greg Swan, who lost his son to fentanyl: \u201cI would just like to say, thank you, Mr. President, for stopping the border crossings \u2014 full stop, mic drop \u2026 It was amazing what you did. We were being gaslit \u2014 and you came and lit a fire to that story, and we\u2019re a lot safer for of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2022 Anne Fundner, who lost her son to fentanyl: \u201cIn the last four years, fentanyl became the number one killer to Americans ages 15 to 48 \u2026 President Trump, for four years we felt ignored, but you\u2019ve changed that \u2026 It is a lifeline for families across America in keeping our families safe \u2026 Thank you for keeping America safe for our children. This is what we voted for.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2022 Jackie Siegel, who lost her daughter and sister to drug overdoses: \u201cMr. President, it\u2019s an honor to be here today on behalf of our family \u2026 for this important signing.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a July 16 post to Truth Social, Trump touted $60 billion approved by Republicans in the “One Big Beautiful Bill” that will go toward strengthening vulnerable hospitals across the nation.<\/p>\n

The president wrote:<\/p>\n

Americans know we need a better Healthcare System to properly serve our Great Communities that were abandoned by the Radical Left Democrats. That is why Republicans included $50 Billion Dollars in the \u201cONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL\u201d \u2014 to strengthen our most vulnerable Hospitals, including those in Rural areas. BUT, EVERY DEMOCRAT VOTED AGAINST THIS FUNDING! I want to thank all of the Republicans in Congress who worked incredibly hard to make this achievement possible. OUR NATION THANKS YOU, TOO!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In another post to Truth Social on July 16, Trump announced that no more federal taxpayer money will go toward California’s long-delayed high speed rail project.<\/p>\n

Trump wrote:<\/p>\n

To the Law abiding, Tax paying, Hardworking Citizens of the United States of America, I am thrilled to announce that I have officially freed you from funding California\u2019s disastrously overpriced, \u201cHIGH SPEED TRAIN TO NOWHERE.\u201d This boondoggle, led by the incompetent Governor of California, Gavin Newscum, has cost Taxpayers Hundreds of Billions of Dollars, and we have received NOTHING in return except Cost Overruns. The Railroad we were promised still does not exist, and never will. This project was Severely Overpriced, Overregulated, and NEVER DELIVERED. Thanks to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, not a SINGLE penny in Federal Dollars will go towards this Newscum SCAM ever again. This was an ill-conceived and unnecessary project, and a total waste of Taxpayer money \u2014 But no more!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Meanwhile, Maurene Comey, the daughter of disgraced ex-FBI Director James Comey, said Thursday she was fired from the powerful Manhattan U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n

\u201cYesterday was unexpectedly my last day in the Office. I was summarily fired via memo from Main Justice that did not give a reason for my termination,\u201d Comey wrote in an email to colleagues which was obtained by the New York Post.<\/p>\n

Comey \u2014 a veteran lawyer in the Southern District of New York, prosecuted Jeffrey Epstein, his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell and, most recently, Sean \u201cDiddy\u201d Combs.<\/p>\n

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Thursday that the Justice Department had made the decision to fire Comey, rejecting the notion that Trump played any role.<\/p>\n

The DOJ refused to comment when asked to explain the reason for Comey\u2019s firing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe department declines to comment on personnel matters,\u201d spokesman Wyn Hornbuckle said.<\/p>\n

Coca Cola? That’s another story.<\/p>\n