Tag: United States executive order

President Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to promote free speech on college campuses by threatening colleges with the loss of federal research funding if they do not protect those rights. "We’re here to take historic action to defend American students and American values," Trump said, surrounded by conservative student activists at the signing ceremony. A senior administration official said the order directs 12 grant-making agencies to use their authority in coordination with the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to ensure institutions that receive federal research or education grants promote free speech and free inquiry. White House officials have said it will apply to more than $35 billion in grants. "Even as universities have received billions and billions of dollars from taxpayers, many have become increasingly hostile to free speech and the First Amendment," Trump said. Trump had announced that such an order was forthcoming at the Conservative Political Action Conference last month, where he said the directive would require colleges and universities to support free speech in exchange for federal research dollars. He brought on stage Hayden Williams, a conservative activist who was attacked while working a recruitment table on campus at the University of California-Berkeley. The video quickly went viral, with conservatives citing it as further evidence of the stifling and sometimes-violent atmosphere that conservatives face on campus. He’s going to be a wealthy young man.” “If they want our dollars, and we give it to them by the billions, they’ve got to allow people like Hayden and many other great young people and old people to speak,” Trump said. “Free speech.

President Trump tweeted Saturday he is "very proud" of his recently-signed executive order on health care. “Very proud of my Executive Order which will allow greatly expanded access and far lower costs for HealthCare,” Trump tweeted. “Health Insurance stocks, which have gone through the roof during the ObamaCare years, plunged yesterday after I ended their Dems windfall!” Trump tweeted. CNBC reported Friday that two large insurance companies, Centene and Anthem, saw their stocks drop after Trump’s announcement. Trump signed an executive order Thursday which seeks to expand the ability of small businesses and other groups to join together in purchasing health insurance through association health plans. The order directs agencies to write new rules. Experts warned the order could destabilize the ObamaCare markets as cheaper, less-effective plans could drive people away from ObamaCare plans. The payments are worth an estimated $7 billion this year and they subsidize insurance plans for low-income people. Insurers have said that, without the payments, they will either have to increase premiums or exit the individual markets.