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President Trump, after a week devoted to criticizing the Mueller report and investigations by congressional Democrats, turned on Wednesday to a policy matter, vowing to “smash the grip of addiction” caused by the opioid epidemic. Addressing a conference of health professionals and addiction specialists in Atlanta, Mr. Trump promised to provide more funding for treatment, stronger scrutiny of what he called Big Pharma and tougher interdiction of drugs at the border with Mexico. (Tackett and Sullivan, 4/24)

"My administration is deploying every resource at our disposal to empower you, to support you and to fight right by your side," Trump said. "We will not solve this epidemic overnight but we will stop. ... There's just nothing going to stop us, no matter how you cut it." Before leaving the White House for the Atlanta event, Trump claimed credit for progress in combating the drug scourge. (Freking and Superville, 4/24)

Trump pointed out that his administration has allowed states to use Medicaid dollars to pay for residential treatment, and that thousands of inmates have received addiction services through the recently passed criminal justice reform. Trump also discussed shutting down illegal online drug-selling networks and implementing more aggressive efforts to seize illegal drugs. The president said $19 million in cocaine was recently seized at the Port of Savannah. And he added that his border security initiative would help stop the flow of heroin into this country. On a related note, he mentioned that China, a major source of fentanyl, recently vowed to crack down on manufacture of the drug. (Miller, 4/24)

On Tuesday, the government charged drug distributor Rochester Drug Co-operative Inc and company executives for their role in fueling the epidemic. The company agreed to pay $20 million and enter a deferred prosecution agreement to resolve charges it turned a blind eye to thousands of suspicious orders for opioid pain killers. "We are holding big Pharma accountable," Trump said at the Rx Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit in Atlanta. (Rampton, 4/24)

While accusing pharmaceutical companies of “rigging the system against our great seniors,” Trump also slipped in a veiled reference to special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s Russia probe, telling the crowd, “I know all about rigging the system because I had the system rigged on me.” Then, demonstrating the canny instincts of a TV producer, he offered a faux lament: “Unfortunately, that will be your sound bite tonight.” (Parker and Sonmez, 4/24)

First lady Melania Trump, who also spoke at the summit, said her husband “cares deeply” about fighting the opioid epidemic. (Sullivan, 4/24)