5.14.26 Trump’s China challenge, antidepressants withdrawal, farmers’ fertilizer scramble, and applied theology

This episode of The World and Everything In It explores a range of global and domestic issues, beginning with President Trump's high-stakes summit in Beijing with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Analyst Michael Sobolik argues that Trump's best leverage lies not in trade deals or market access, but in pressing Beijing on human rights, particularly the cases of political prisoners like Jimmy Lai and Pastor Ezra Jin, which he calls a strategic and moral opportunity. The discussion also warns against relying on China to pressure Iran, citing past failures under Biden and urging the U.S. to enforce sanctions more rigorously. On domestic health policy, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pushes for new guidelines on antidepressant use and withdrawal, highlighting severe side effects reported by former users like Morgan Stewart. The episode underscores the need for informed consent and better deprescribing practices, though the American Psychiatric Association cautions against framing the issue as an over-medicalization crisis. Meanwhile, rising fertilizer costs—driven by Middle East conflict and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz—threaten U.S. farmers, with many pivoting to lower-input crops like soybeans. Finally, the program profiles Colson Fellows, Christian leaders training to live out their faith in public life, exemplified by 70-year-old Chris Smith’s journey to teach middle school girls. A Justice Department report reveals systemic anti-Christian bias in the Biden administration, prompting a national reckoning on religious liberty as a foundational guardrail for all beliefs.