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Good afternoon,
Following Memorial Day Weekend, One Country Project is jumping back into the week with some notable happenings. Over the weekend, President Donald Trump gave an odd commencement address at West Point, the prestigious U.S. Military Academy. He "trashed diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, took credit for rebuilding the military, and cast himself as an unfairly persecuted victim who beat the odds of becoming president for a second time." However, he failed to mention how his Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is one massive problem (Signal gate, alcoholic, inappropriate behavior).
On the economic front, Moody's Ratings recently downgraded the U.S. credit rating from the top rating of Aaa to Aa1. The credit firm released a statement noting that the downgrade "reflects the increase over more than a decade in government debt and interest payment ratios to levels that are significantly higher than similarly rated sovereigns." Moody's also reinforced the impact of President Trump's tumultuous and unpredictable trade policies on the credit rating. This is not a great look, Mr. President.
Speaking of tariffs, President Trump over the weekend decided to delay a 50% tariff on European Union imports until July 9. This is just the latest episode of chaos and uncertainty caused by the president's trade war.
Here are a few important updates...
TICKING TIME (DEBT) BOMB
Despite President Trump's "big, beautiful bill" passing the House last week, Republican lawmakers are growing more and more concerned about the fact that little progress has been made to offset the $3 trillion projected cost of the legislation. The Hill reports that "some GOP senators fear the bill's failure to rein in federal spending in a substantial way over the next decade is fueling jitters in the bond market." On top of this, there are concerns that if Republicans pass the president's bill on party-line votes in both chambers, they will get blamed for piling on more debt and sending our economy into a downward spiral. Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) even reality-checked the situation saying, "I want to get a deal done; I support the president's agenda. I support the border, I support the military, I support extending the Trump tax cuts – but we have to live in reality. But we've got to live in reality here: We've got a fiscal crisis."
Republicans are coming apart at the seams as the ticking time (debt) bomb looms over them. In recent times, one constant we've seen from Republicans has been division. With tensions around America's debt rising, it feels like this party might implode and take this disastrous legislation down with it. All eyes are on Senate Republicans to see whether or not they can come together to pass this legislation...will they or won't they.
TRUMP DECIDES TO PICK WINNERS AND LOSERS IN AMERICAN ENERGY PRODUCTION
President Trump has set his sights on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and is trying to Make Rural Energy Great Again. To promote and align efforts with the Trump administration's energy agenda, the USDA has extended the deadline for rural energy program grantees to resubmit rural energy proposals. This extension builds off an earlier announcement from March which encouraged recipients of the Rural Energy For America Program, Empowering Rural America, and Powering Affordable Clean Energy programs to refocus projects on American energy and eliminate DEI and climate initiatives.
Constituents and agricultural producers are stressing out as they're being blocked from critical federal funding and communication with federal agencies (a line of communication that has been cut off under this administration). Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01) has seen firsthand with her own constituents that there's no guarantee that submitting to the administration's new requirements of pulling climate and diversity language out of proposals will lead to funding approval. Agriculture producers across the country should be wary of these proposed changes and resist these harmful policies that will send our country's rural energy progress backward.
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Each week, this newsletter highlights what's going on in rural states, counties, and communities, and what One Country Project is up to around the country. If you value this content, please consider donating to One Country Project. Your contribution supports our efforts to connect with rural voters and to promote greater opportunities for rural communities.
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2025 RURAL PROGRESS SUMMIT
This summer, you can join One Country Project board members, influential speakers, policy experts, national leaders, and rural advocates for the fourth annual Rural Progress Summit July 8th - 10th. The keynote conversation will feature Sec. Pete Buttigieg in a virtual fireside chat with Sen. Heitkamp. As a former Transportation Secretary and small city mayor, Pete Buttigieg has the ability to speak knowledgeably and clearly on the biggest issues facing our country.The Rural Progress Summit explores ideas and policies that will shape the future of rural America.
Details:
What: One Country Project Rural Progress Summit
When: Tuesday, July 8th – Thursday, July 10th, 2025
Where: Online, hosted on Zoom
Register now.
NUMBER OF THE WEEK
19%: This is the percentage of wind, solar, and geothermal energy of the national retail electricity sales in 2024, up from 7% in 2015. South Dakota was the leading energy state, producing 92% of its retail electricity from wind, solar, or geothermal. Environment America's online dashboard "The State of Renewable Energy 2025" shows the significant progress that has been made in the clean energy space over the last roughly ten years and reinforces that there's still work to be done.
- June 5, 2025 – The deadline for grant applications for the Market Access Program (MAP), Foreign Market Development Program (FMD), Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops Program (TASC), and Emerging Markets Program (EMP). These programs help domestic producers find international markets.
WHAT WE'RE READING
Be sure to follow the One Country Project on Bluesky, Twitter, Facebook and Substack, and listen to The Hot Dish podcast.
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