It begins with a fanfare. "Week 16: President Trump leads America into a new golden age," the White House announces. A list of achievements as long as the wall Trump once promised. A triumphal march, a hymn of praise for the "savior of America." But what is this "golden age" really? Nothing but a gilded illusion.
There is the "breakthrough" of a trade agreement with the United Kingdom. A breakthrough that, upon closer inspection, turns out to be a well-staged sideshow. A few reduced tariffs for agricultural products, some export barriers for beef and ethanol lowered – while numerous trade barriers remain. Yet for Trump, it is a victory. For the White House, it is a "historic moment." For the truth, it is a lie.
The parade of illusions continues. Investments in U.S. industry are celebrated as if Trump had personally conjured them out of the ground. But the truth is as simple as it is sobering: Companies like Gilead Sciences and Bristol Myers Squibb are investing because of their long-term plans – not because a presidential magic wand lured them.
And then there is Alcatraz. A symbol of terror that Trump wants to reopen. The "most dangerous criminals" are to be imprisoned here, he announces. But what is Alcatraz today? A national monument, a landmark under the protection of the National Park Service. Trump's announcement is a castle in the air, a sign of his unbridled lust for power fantasies.
"Project Homecoming" – that's what Trump calls his program, which encourages migrants to "voluntarily" return. But how voluntary is a return when the alternative is deportation in chains? The truth is as harsh as it is simple: Many migrants leave because they have no choice.
In the Middle East, Trump announces a "peace agreement" in Yemen. A ceasefire with the Houthi rebels, the White House declares. But where is this peace? No one in Yemen is aware of it. We spoke with colleagues from Al Jazeera, and I even directly inquired with the United Nations – they just shook their heads. It exists only in the president's rhetoric. In reality, there is no American peace guarantee, only declarations of intent that vanish in the desert, mediated by Oman.
This very fragile ceasefire applies only to mutual attacks between these two parties and does not cover the entire conflict in Yemen. The Houthi militia has made it clear that this ceasefire does not exclude attacks on Israel. In fact, on May 5, 2025, Israeli airstrikes targeted Houthi positions in Yemen after the Houthis fired rockets at Israel. On May 6, the Israeli Air Force attacked Sana'a International Airport, destroying the runway and several aircraft. Israel justified the attack by claiming that the airport was being used by the Houthis for arms shipments. Overall, it is clear that the ceasefire between the United States and the Houthis has not led to a comprehensive de-escalation in Yemen. The region remains affected by military clashes.
"Operation Restore Justice" – a title that sounds grand. A rescue operation that supposedly saved the lives of 115 children. A heroism of American justice, a shining moment of good. But what presents itself as a beacon is nothing but a mirage. Our most intensive investigations, "supported by inquiries and conversations with other journalists, confirm only two concrete rescue cases. Two children, two stories, in separate incidents, with at least one good ending – if you can even call it that." – real, verifiable. And then? A silence that is deafening.
Where are the other 113 children? Numbers without faces, success stories without evidence. It is as if someone in an office decided that 115 was a better number than two. A statistic as hollow as the promise of justice it pretends to embody.
For the government, it is a triumph, for the White House, a success story. For the truth, it is an outrage. No journalist who inquired could confirm the rescue of the 113 invisible children. No agency provides documents. Not a single face, no name, no story.
But the headlines write themselves: 115 rescued children. One might almost think a rescue is not a rescue unless it is rounded up to 100. The truth disappears in a fog of words. "Operation Restore Justice" – justice that turns out to be a shadow.
"Gain-of-Function" research, the great specter. Trump ends funding. A decision that makes headlines. But upon closer inspection, it is a gesture without impact. The research continues – in private labs, in national institutions. The president has ended nothing but the truth.
And the "Digital Equity Act," abolished because it is "discriminatory." But what was it really? An attempt to give disadvantaged groups access to technology. For Trump, it is an act of "justice." For those affected, it is a slap in the face.
Trump announces a "reform of air traffic control." A radical overhaul, a revolution in American airspace? No. Just an announcement that changes nothing, except the illusion that something is happening.
And finally, the "Victory Day for World War II." A "commemoration day" that achieves nothing, has no legal significance, and is not a holiday. A day that Trump creates as he creates other truths: through mere assertion.
This is the "golden age" of Donald Trump: An age of false promises, of lies repeated so often they sound like truth. An America that is lied to, not through sophisticated deception, but through the sheer flood of claims. A golden sheen that fades in the first light of truth.
English 
German 
