Trump In China, Hegseth Requests Wartime Budget, FDA Commissioner Resigns

What It Covers

Trump meets Xi Jinping in Beijing amid a fragile trade war pause, the Pentagon's Iran war cost rises to $29B with a $1.5T budget request pending, and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary resigns after 13 months over White House pressure on flavored vapes.

Key Questions Answered

• •US-China Trade Summit: Trump arrives in Beijing with CEOs from Boeing, Cargill, and Nvidia — companies whose China sales stalled under tariffs and export controls. China holds leverage through rare earth minerals, which analysts say positions Beijing stronger than at their last Trump summit a decade ago.
• •Iran War Costs Escalating: The Pentagon's Iran war price tag jumped from $25B to $29B in two weeks, and that figure still excludes facility repair costs. The Center for Strategic and International Studies estimates repairs alone add at least $4B more, with supplemental funding requests expected from Congress.
• •Defense Budget Pushback: Hegseth's $1.5T defense budget request — a 50% increase over last year's $1T — faces bipartisan resistance. Lawmakers in both parties demand spending breakdowns before approving funds, and GOP senators are growing frustrated over withheld White House information as voters feel war costs at the gas pump.
• •FDA Leadership Instability: Makary's resignation leaves the FDA under acting commissioner Kyle Diamantis, a lawyer without a medical degree. His tenure saw advisory committee processes bypassed, mass staff firings, and career employee exodus — factors health policy researchers warn have structurally undermined the agency's regulatory independence.