Trump plans to revive the Presidential Fitness Test for American schoolchildren
The program, which was created in 1966, had children run and perform situps, pullups or pushups and a sit-and-reach test. It changed in 2012 during the Obama administration to focus more on individual health than athletic feats.
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Winnipeg Free Press
7 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
In his own words: Trump's comments over the past year on the jobs report
WASHINGTON (AP) — In firing the head of the agency that produces monthly jobs figures, President Donald Trump alleged that the recent weaker-than-expected numbers were phony and that positive numbers reported before the 2024 election were manipulated to make him look bad. It's a familiar cadence Trump has adopted in reacting to jobs reports: He treats the figures as legitimate when they are favorable to him and fraudulent when they are less than stellar or seem to benefit his opponent. A look at some of Trump's observations on jobs reports over the past year: Aug. 5, 2024 'STOCK MARKETS ARE CRASHING, JOBS NUMBERS ARE TERRIBLE, WE ARE HEADING TO WORLD WAR lll, AND WE HAVE TWO OF THE MOST INCOMPETENT 'LEADERS' IN HISTORY. THIS IS NOT GOOD!!!' — Trump post on Truth Social Suggesting President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were responsible, Trump was reacting to the news that U.S. employees had added 114,000 jobs in July — 35% fewer than expected — and that the unemployment rate was at its highest level in nearly three years. Nov. 1, 2024 'Today's jobs report is a great embarrassment for our Nation. Kamala has lied for years about their pathetic job growth, which has never been real. Kamala killed 46,000 manufacturing jobs, while 773,000 Americans have lost employment in just the last year — all while their jobs have been taken by foreign-born workers. America is a Nation in Decline because Sleepy Joe, and Lyin' Kamala, didn't do their job. 'TRUMP' WILL FIX IT! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! GO VOTE!' — Trump post on Truth Social Days ahead of the presidential election, Trump blasted news that U.S. employers had added just 12,000 jobs in October, a total that economists say had been held down by the effects of strikes and hurricanes that left many workers temporarily off payrolls. Nov. 4, 2024 'Nearly 250,000 people dropped out of the labor force. They dropped out because they couldn't get a job. Can you imagine that? Can you imagine? These are the numbers, and they don't want to talk about it, but that's OK. These numbers are disqualifying.' — Trump campaign rally in Raleigh, North Carolina According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, around 220,000 people left the civilian U.S. workforce from September to October 2024 during Biden's presidency. April 4, 2025 'GREAT JOB NUMBERS, FAR BETTER THAN EXPECTED. IT'S ALREADY WORKING. HANG TOUGH, WE CAN'T LOSE!!!' — Trump post on Truth Social Trump quickly praised news that in March, U.S. employers had added a surprising 228,000 jobs, showing that the American labor market was in solid shape as he embarked on a risky trade war with the rest of the world. The hiring numbers were up from 117,000 in February and were nearly double the 130,000 that economists had expected. June 6, 2025 'GREAT JOB NUMBERS, STOCK MARKET UP BIG! AT THE SAME TIME, BILLIONS POURING IN FROM TARIFFS!!!' — Trump post on Truth Social Trump responded enthusiastically to the initial numbers on the May jobs report, which indicated that the economy added 139,000 jobs. That estimate was later revised down to 125,000 jobs, prior to the most recent revision down to just 19,000. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. Aug. 1, 2025 'I was just informed that our Country's 'Jobs Numbers' are being produced by a Biden Appointee, Dr. Erika McEntarfer, the Commissioner of Labor Statistics, who faked the Jobs Numbers before the Election to try and boost Kamala's chances of Victory. … I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY.' — Trump post on Truth Social Trump ousted McEntarfer following a report showed hiring slowed in July and was much weaker in May and June than previously reported, taking issue in subsequent days to the revisions of jobs figures that are a regular occurrence with the monthly reporting. ___ Kinnard can be reached at
Toronto Star
an hour ago
- Toronto Star
August recess can't hide tensions ahead for Congress on spending and Trump nominations
WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers have left Washington for the annual August recess, but a few weeks of relative quiet on the U.S. Capitol grounds can't mask the partisan tensions that are brewing on government funding and President Donald Trump's nominees. It could make for a momentous September. Here's a look at what's ahead when lawmakers return following the Labor Day holiday.
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
August recess can't hide tensions ahead for Congress on spending and Trump nominations
WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers have left Washington for the annual August recess, but a few weeks of relative quiet on the U.S. Capitol grounds can't mask the partisan tensions that are brewing on government funding and President Donald Trump's nominees. It could make for a momentous September. Here's a look at what's ahead when lawmakers return following the Labor Day holiday. A bitter spending battle ahead Lawmakers will use much of September to work on spending bills for the coming budget year, which begins Oct. 1. They likely will need to pass a short-term spending measure to keep the government funded for a few weeks while they work on a longer-term measure that covers the full year. It's not unusual for leaders from both parties to blame the other party for a potential shutdown, but the rhetoric began extra early this year, signaling the threat of a stoppage is more serious than usual. On Monday, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries sent their Republican counterparts a sharply-worded letter calling for a meeting to discuss 'the government funding deadline and the health care crisis you have visited upon the American people.' They said it will take bipartisanship to avert a 'painful, unnecessary shutdown.' 'Yet it is clear that the Trump Administration and many in your party are preparing to go it alone and continue to legislate on a solely Republican basis,' said the letter sent to Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson. Republicans have taken note of the warnings and are portraying the Democrats as itching for a shutdown they hope to blame on the GOP. 'It was disturbing to hear the Democrat leader threaten to shut down the government in his July 8 Dear Colleague letter,' Thune said on Saturday. '… I really hope that Democrats will not embrace that position but will continue to work with Republicans to fund the government.' Different approaches from the House and Senate So far, the House has approved two of the 12 annual spending bills, mostly along party lines. The Senate has passed three on a strongly bipartisan basis. The House is pursuing steep, non-defense spending cuts. The Senate is rejecting many of those cuts. One side will have to give. And any final bill will need some Democratic support to generate the 60 votes necessary to get a spending measure to the finish line. Some Democratic senators are also wanting assurances from Republicans that there won't be more efforts in the coming weeks to claw back or cancel funding already approved by Congress. 'If Republicans want to make a deal, then let's make a deal, but only if Republicans include an agreement they won't take back that deal a few weeks later,' said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., a veteran member of the House Appropriations committee, said the Democratic minority in both chambers has suffered so many legislative losses this year, 'that they are stuck between a rock and their voting base.' Democrats may want to demonstrate more resistance to Trump, but they would rue a shutdown, he warned. 'The reality would be, if the government were shut down, the administration, Donald Trump, would have the ability to decide where to spend and not spend,' Fleischmann said. 'Schumer knows that, Jeffries knows that. We know that. I think it would be much more productive if we start talking about a short-term (continuing resolution.)' Republican angry about pace of nominations Republicans are considering changes to Senate rules to get more of Trump's nominees confirmed. Thune said last week that during the same point in Joe Biden's presidency, 49 of his 121 civilians nominees had been confirmed on an expedited basis through a voice vote or a unanimous consent request. Trump has had none of his civilian nominees confirmed on an expedited basis. Democrats have insisted on roll call votes for all of them, a lengthy process than can take days. 'I think they're desperately in need of change,' Thune said of Senate rules for considering nominees. 'I think that the last six months have demonstrated that this process, nominations is broken. And so I expect there will be some good robust conversations about that.' Schumer said a rules change would be a 'huge mistake,' especially as Senate Republicans will need Democratic votes to pass spending bills and other legislation moving forward. The Senate held a rare weekend session as Republicans worked to get more of Trump's nominees confirmed. Negotiations focused on advancing dozens of additional Trump nominees in exchange for some concessions on releasing some already approved spending. At times, lawmakers spoke of progress on a potential deal. But it was clear that there would be no agreement when Trump attacked Schumer on social media Saturday evening and told Republicans to pack it up and go home. 'Tell Schumer, who is under tremendous political pressure from within his own party, the Radical Left Lunatics, to GO TO HELL!' Trump posted on Truth Social. __ Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Joey Cappelletti contributed to this report.
