President Donald Trump on Friday announced that AstraZeneca has agreed to lower the cost of prescription drugs for Medicaid in exchange for avoiding steep tariffs. The company's CEO, Pascal Soriot, who was also present at the press conference, hailed the move, saying the president and his officials ‘really kept me up at night’.
President Donald Trump shakes hands with AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot in the Oval Office (AP)
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
However, soon a video of Soriot's immediate reaction to Trump's announcement went viral on social media. “Pascal Soriot, the CEO $AZN (the guy to his right), is straight up trying to hold himself back from laughing while hearing the numbers,” one person noted on X, platform formerly known as Twitter. They also attached a clip from the presser.
“For many years, Americans have paid the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs, by far,” Trump said. He further added that the new deal may cut prices to ‘the lowest price anywhere in the world. That’s what we get’.
{{/usCountry}}
{{#usCountry}}
“For many years, Americans have paid the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs, by far,” Trump said. He further added that the new deal may cut prices to ‘the lowest price anywhere in the world. That’s what we get’.
{{/usCountry}}
This comes days after Pfizer came to a similar agreement. Trump had signed an executive order back in May, setting a deadline for drugmakers to electively lower prices or face new limits on what the government will pay.
“The tariffs were a big reason he came here,” Trump said of Soriot.
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
AstraZeneca announced Thursday that it would spend $4.5 billion on a new manufacturing plant near Charlottesville, Virginia, and its Republican governor, Glenn Youngkin, spoke during Friday's Oval Office announcement to cheer groundbreaking on the new facility.
The drugmaker said that project was the centerpiece of $50 billion in investments the company plans to make in the US by 2030. AstraZeneca said it plans to reach $80 billion in total revenue by then, half of which will be generated in the United States.
Trump predicted the investment’s could lead to 3,600 jobs domestically ‘just to begin with’.
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.
Stay updated with US News covering politics, crime, weather, local events, and sports highlights. Get the latest on Donald Trump and American politics along with Horoscope 2026.
Stay updated with US News covering politics, crime, weather, local events, and sports highlights. Get the latest on Donald Trump and American politics along with Horoscope 2026.
Home/World News/Us News/Astrazeneca CEO's bizarre expression at Trump's presser viral; ‘trying to control’ - Watch
{{^htLoading}}
Advertisement
{{/htLoading}}
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
{{#usCountry}}{{/usCountry}}
Hindustantimes wants to start sending you push notifications. Click allow to subscribe
