Everything Everywhere All at Once

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Politics U.S.

By James Oliphant, national political correspondent

Donald Trump isn't everywhere. It only feels that way.

More than any president in modern times, Trump seemingly wants to inject himself into every facet of American life—from arts and culture to religion and sports. And he wants to fill your weekends with jokes and memes to keep you talking about him.

Latest U.S. politics headlines

Everywhere

Over last weekend, Trump and his White House posted images of him dressed as the pope and a Star Wars character, sending social media into a tizzy. Then he shocked the film industry by pledging he would levy tariffs on films produced overseas.

On Monday, he announced that Washington would host the NFL Draft on the National Mall in 2027. During last month's draft, Trump berated teams who passed on choosing the son of NFL legend Deion Sanders, becoming part of what grew into a major story.

On Tuesday, he promoted the 2026 soccer World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Both events will take place during Trump's term in office, and he could play a prominent role in each.

Also on Tuesday, he again turned his attention to higher education, renewing his threat to pull federal funds from Harvard University unless it complies with his reform demands.

All of this came after Trump last week said he wanted to rename Veterans Day as Victory Day for World War One, an idea the White House swiftly backed away from. He followed that with a vow on Sunday to reopen Alcatraz, decommissioned 60 years ago as a federal prison and transformed into an island museum.

Trump has already taken control of the Kennedy Center and suggested he would host the annual honors broadcast. He tasked Vice President JD Vance with reviewing the cultural offerings of the Smithsonian Institution with the goal of eradicating what he views as leftist content.

"I'm a very artistic person," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday.

Trump claimed the pope image was a joke and that it was posted to his Truth Social account without his knowledge. But Catholics in Rome and elsewhere were not amused. Nor were some political observers, who worry about the White House's use of AI-generated images that are increasingly blurring the distinction between reality and fantasy.

To critics, Trump's ubiquity is about control. Along with manipulating images, Trump is also trying to curtail academic freedom through his assault on universities, they say. While last week, Trump aides established a "White House Wire" online page meant to mimic the popular conservative Drudge Report, -- an effort to try and shape coverage around the president.

Detractors see a president who wants to be the last word on culture, education, entertainment and even the news. His supporters view Trump simply as a powerful and consequential figure unafraid to push back against a liberal tide.

But whatever the truth, there is simply no escaping him. And that seems to be how he likes it.

Americans mostly disapprove of Trump's cultural crackdown, a Reuters/Ipsos poll shows.

U.S. adults were asked if the president should be allowed to ...

Follow Reuters/Ipsos polling on the president's approval ratings here.

The view from Sydney

Australian film officials are calling on one of their country's most famous exports, Mel Gibson, to convince Trump to drop the idea of tariffs on international film productions. The tariffs would devastate the $650 million industry, they said. Gibson was named a "special adviser" to Trump earlier this year.

Photo of the week

Students use their mobile phones as U.S. President Donald Trump reacts ahead of delivering a commencement address at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, U.S., May 1, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis

What to watch for

May 10: U.S. holds preliminary trade talks with China
May 13-14: Trump attends Gulf States summit in Saudi Arabia
May 14: Trump meets with Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim al-Thani in Doha.

The who, what and when

Find up-to-date elections coverage, interactive data and more on Reuters.com.

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