Sunflower State News

U.S. Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas appeared on Newsmax’s Wake Up America to discuss several topics, including trade negotiations under President Trump, the role of lower courts in policy implementation, potential federal spending cuts, and the return of the Presidential Fitness Test in schools.

During the interview, Marshall highlighted recent progress on international trade agreements. “I’m going to focus on the positive here. President Trump has negotiated trade agreements with eight of our top 10 trade partners. The only ones really sitting outside of the majority of the trade between us would be Taiwan and India. As you pointed out here, China is due August 12th. I want you just to think about how President Trump is boxing in China. Here he’s done the UK, the European Union. Jump over to Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, [and] Australia. So, he’s boxing in China now, August the 12th. By August 12th, we’re going to have a great deal done. Look, most everything that’s grown in Kansas is still flowing freely to Canada and to Mexico, with the exception of milk, type of products as well, and vice versa. And we’ll renegotiate USMC in a year. So I think everything is right on schedule, right on Trump time.”

Marshall also commented on judicial actions affecting executive policies: “Well first of all these lower courts are way out of bounds. They’re going way beyond their jurisdiction. I think the Supreme Court has said that over and over again; they’ll have to appeal this. It’s too bad they’re slowing up the Trump agenda right? That’s what these courts are doing. They’re slowing the Trump agenda, slowing the will of 78 million people who elected President Trump. Look certainly the talks I’m on the Subcommittee on trade on the Finance Committee working with our chairman Crapo and subcommittee chairman Senator Cornyn as well some type of a trade agreements with these countries to make them long-lasting you know what’s going to happen when President Trump is done? President Trump is done here in three years so we need to put some teeth to these agreements as well.”

On fiscal matters related to federal spending reductions or rescissions packages—proposals that could target unspent funds or perceived waste—Marshall noted areas for possible cuts: “Well Marc that’s a target-rich environment there and I want to compliment Senator Joni Ernst who’s leading the DOGE caucus and really has been involved with this since day one look there are hundreds of billions of dollars that they could bring to us I don’t necessarily have a wish list I really think we go back to USAID that was $40 billion in there we were sending about $8 billion of that as well I don’t want to throw the baby out with bathwater but I still think there’s some opportunity there my specialty may be waste and fraud that’s going on in Medicare and Medicaid so I would probably like tackle some of that as well.”

Addressing public health concerns among children—and referencing efforts dating back decades—Marshall supported bringing back physical fitness standards for students: “President Eisenhower started this back in 1954 Kansas’ favorite son Dwight David Eisenhower 34th president United States We started this program Look 20% our children are prescription drug 40% them have some type chronic illness Leading way obesity pre-diabetes mental health condition Look as physician telling prescription for healthy nutritious diet includes whole milk throw away processed food And then activity some type activity This will give kids something shoot for I know my children when they still had this going on when we were children it gave us goal shoot for It was called competition That’s what America bred upon That secret our capitalism Is more competition So couldn’t be happier Think another step right direction Throw away social media kids phones Throw away Get outside go fishing go hunting Let all prepare together Matter fact may introduce some type physical fitness challenge Congress up here.”

The interview covered both national policy issues such as international trade relations—including upcoming deadlines involving China—and domestic initiatives aimed at improving youth health outcomes through renewed emphasis on physical activity.