Replying on behalf of the speaker -
It’s been an interesting year for visas and immigration law in general. Things are constantly changing but what doesn’t change is the Officer working behind the window. That officer might not hold the same viewpoint as the current US president. So, as long as you are upfront about yourself and you are confident, hopefully you will have a good chance of getting that visa.
In terms of why things and questions have changed, a lot of that is coming from upper management. Keep that in mind that the process itself is still the same, even if it seems that there are changes in the forms or the questions that they are asking. It is ultimately to determine if you are eligible to travel to the US to do what you intend to do.