SUNDAY SHOWS: American Strength Is Back Under President Trump
On March 16, 2025, senior officials from President Donald J. Trump's administration appeared on various Sunday television programs to emphasize a resurgence of American strength under the current leadership. The discussions highlighted assertive policies in national security, trade, and foreign affairs.
President Trump's Remarks on Full Measure:
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Border Security: President Trump stated that his administration effectively secured the U.S. border, asserting, "You just needed a new president... I said, 'close the border' — and they closed the border."
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Economic Growth: He highlighted the impact of tariffs, noting, "We have companies moving into the United States at levels that have never been seen before." The American Presidency Project
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Face the Nation:
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Houthi Attacks: Rubio addressed the threat posed by Houthi forces in the Red Sea, mentioning that in the past 18 months, they attacked the U.S. Navy 174 times and commercial shipping 145 times, effectively acting as "a band of pirates with guided precision anti-ship weaponry."
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Visa Revocations: He defended the policy of revoking visas for individuals expressing support for terrorist organizations, stating that participation in pro-Hamas events contradicts U.S. foreign policy interests.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Sunday Morning Futures:
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Military Actions: Hegseth underscored a renewed "peace through strength" doctrine, explaining that U.S. strikes against Houthi terrorists aim to restore freedom of navigation and deterrence. He emphasized that the campaign would persist until the Houthis cease their attacks. New York Post
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Military Modernization: He outlined plans to enhance military capabilities, including investments in shipbuilding, long-range munitions, hypersonics, drones, border security, and missile defense systems, reflecting a commitment to revitalizing the U.S. military.
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz on This Week and Fox News Sunday:
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Houthi Response: Waltz characterized the U.S. military response to Houthi attacks as "overwhelming," noting that it effectively targeted and eliminated multiple Houthi leaders.
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Ukraine Peace Negotiations: He conveyed optimism about President Trump's unique position to facilitate peace between Russia and Ukraine, citing recent communications with Presidents Putin and Zelensky.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Meet the Press:
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Economic Policies: Bessent discussed the administration's economic agenda, emphasizing the role of tariffs and deregulation in reducing deficits and fostering industrial growth.
Special Envoy Steve Witkoff:
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Ukraine Peace Efforts: Witkoff expressed optimism regarding ongoing peace negotiations in Ukraine, reflecting the administration's commitment to resolving international conflicts.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt:
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Immigration Enforcement: Leavitt defended the administration's strict immigration policies and addressed legal challenges, asserting the importance of upholding the rule of law.
Collectively, these appearances underscore the administration's stance on reinforcing U.S. global leadership through decisive actions in security, economic policy, and international diplomacy.
This morning, the Trump Administration took to the TV networks to make clear to the country and world that American strength is back – and no longer will terrorist attacks on U.S. troops and vital international commerce be tolerated.
Here’s what you missed:
President Trump on Full Measure
- On securing the border: “You just needed a new president … I said, ‘close the border’ — and they closed the border.”
- On tariffs: “We have companies moving into the United States at levels that has never been seen before.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Face the Nation
- On Houthi terrorist attacks in the Red Sea: “In the last 18 months, the Houthis have struck or attacked … the U.S. Navy 174 times, and 145 times, they’ve attacked commercial shipping. So, we basically have a band of pirates with guided precision anti-ship weaponry exacting a toll system in one of the most important shipping lanes in the world. That’s just not sustainable.”
- On revoking visas for terrorist sympathizers: “When you apply to enter the United States and you get a visa, you are a guest … If you tell us when you apply for a visa, ‘I’m coming to the U.S. to participate in pro-Hamas events,’ that runs counter to the foreign policy interest of the United States … If you had told us you were going to do that, we never would have given you the visa.”
- On tariffs: “I understand why these countries don’t like it — because the status quo of trade is good for them. It benefits them … We are going to set a new status quo … We have de-industrialized the United States of America. There are things we can no longer make.”
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Sunday Morning Futures
- On U.S. strikes against Houthi terrorists: “An era of peace through strength is back … This campaign is about freedom of navigation and restoring deterrence … The minute the Houthis say ‘we’ll stop shooting at your ships, we’ll stop shooting at your drones,’ this campaign will end. But until then, it will be unrelenting.”
- On President Trump’s agenda: “Shipbuilding, long-range munitions, hypersonics, long-range drones, a Golden Dome, southern border – the president has laid out very clearly his agenda to rebuild the U.S. military … We have revived the warrior ethos.”
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz on This Week
- On U.S. strikes against Houthi terrorists: “These were not pinprick, back and forth, what ultimately proved to be feckless attacks. This was an overwhelming response that actually targeted multiple Houthi leaders and took them out.”
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz on Fox News Sunday
- On negotiations for peace in Ukraine: “As both President Putin and Zelensky said on our first call just a few weeks ago, only President Trump could drive this to an end … We know who we’re dealing with on all sides.”
Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent on Meet the Press
- On President Trump’s economic agenda: “One week does not the market make… It would have been very easy for us to come in, run these reckless policies that have been happening before. We’ve got these large government deficits… We are bringing those down in a responsible way.”
- On tariffs: “Chinese manufacturers will eat the price … I believe that the currency adjusts … If we’re de-regulating, if we’re getting energy prices down, then if we look across the spectrum, Americans will realize lower prices and better affordability.”
Special Envoy Steve Witkoff on State of the Union
- On negotiations to end the war in Ukraine: “Before this visit, there was another visit, and before that visit, the two sides were miles apart … The two sides are, today, a lot closer … We’ve narrowed the differences.”
- On when a deal to end the war could be possible: “The president uses the timeframe weeks — and I don’t disagree with him. I am really hopeful that we’re going to see some real progress here.”
- On dealing with Hamas: “What happened with the Houthis yesterday, what happened with our strike, ought to inform as to where we stand with the regard to terrorism and our tolerance level for terrorist actions — and I would encourage Hamas to get much more sensible.”
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Sunday Morning Futures
- On securing our homeland: “The president signed a proclamation invoking the Alien Enemies Act against Tren de Aragua members who have invaded our country … The president invoked this authority to deport nearly 300 of them who are now in El Salvador, where they will be behind bars where they belong.”
- On activist legal challenges: “President Trump is not shy of resistance … Clearly, there are left-wing activists who sit behind a bench in a courthouse who don’t like this president and his policies, but the fact is everything President Trump is doing is within his executive authority.”