Replay : Donald Trump Holds Briefing Amid Hormuz Tension • FRANCE 24 English

FRANCE 24 English
FRANCE 24 EnglishApr 18, 2026

Why It Matters

Accelerating psychedelic treatments could dramatically reduce veteran suicide and lower drug costs, while the lingering Hormuz tension adds a layer of geopolitical risk to U.S. policy initiatives.

Key Takeaways

  • Trump signs executive order fast‑tracking psychedelic therapies for veterans.
  • Order aims to cut FDA review time and drug prices dramatically.
  • Study shows 80‑90% symptom reduction in veterans using ibogaine.
  • Right‑to‑try law expanded, allowing terminal patients early drug access.
  • Hormuz Strait tension remains unresolved, adding geopolitical uncertainty.

Summary

President Donald Trump used a press briefing to unveil an executive order that accelerates the development and approval of psychedelic‑based treatments, targeting the soaring suicide rates among U.S. veterans. The order directs the FDA to fast‑track breakthrough‑therapy designations, slash bureaucratic hurdles, and coordinate data sharing with the Department of Veterans Affairs, while also mandating aggressive price reductions that could lower drug costs by up to 80 percent.

Trump highlighted a Stanford study in which 30 veterans receiving ibogaine experienced an 80‑90 percent drop in depression and anxiety symptoms within a month, and announced a combined $100 million federal and state investment to expand such research. He also praised the “right‑to‑try” framework he helped enact, which now permits terminally ill patients to access experimental drugs under limited liability agreements.

The president repeatedly invoked the tragic statistic that veterans have died by suicide 21 times more often than in combat since 9/11, and he thanked high‑profile allies such as Joe Rogan, FDA Commissioner Marty McCary, and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy for their support. The briefing interwove these domestic policy announcements with a pending response to escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, where recent Iranian threats have kept shipping routes uncertain.

If the order succeeds, it could reshape mental‑health care by bringing previously stalled psychedelic therapies to market faster and cheaper, while also signaling a broader willingness to confront veteran suicide. Simultaneously, the unresolved Hormuz situation underscores how domestic health initiatives are being delivered amid volatile geopolitical risks, potentially affecting investor confidence and supply‑chain stability.

Original Description

Rewatch Donald Trump’s live briefing from the White House on Saturday, April 18, as Iran announced it was re-closing the Strait of Hormuz while the US maintains its port blockade. FRANCE 24's Andrew Hilliar has the analysis.
#DonaldTrump #Trump #Hormuz
🔔 Subscribe to France 24 now: https://f24.my/YTen
🔴 LIVE - Watch FRANCE 24 English 24/7 here: https://f24.my/YTliveEN
🌍 Read the latest International News and Top Stories: https://www.france24.com/en/
Like us on Facebook: https://f24.my/FBen
Follow us on X: https://f24.my/Xen
Browse the news in pictures on Instagram: https://f24.my/IGen
Discover our TikTok videos: https://f24.my/TKen
Get the latest top stories on Telegram: https://f24.my/TGen

Comments

Want to join the conversation?

Loading comments...