Dictator Trump is here.
Trump is flooding the zone; here is what you need to know
Trump has only been in office for eight days. If that seems surprising, you are not alone. This first week should dissuade any hope that Trump 2.0 will be stifled by his lame-duck status. He and his administration have been hard at work implementing their extreme agenda and tearing apart our democracy.
The news is coming fast and furious. We now officially have Secretary Pete Hegseth, climate regulations have been rolled back, healthcare costs are set to rise, Trump’s family has made billions on a scam crypto coin, Nazi salutes are no longer Nazi salutes, and mass deportations have begun.
In addition to all of that, Project 2025 is in full swing. Trump and his yet-to-be-confirmed budget director, Ross Vought, have started to tear at the fabric of our constitution with a series of moves that directly threat our system of checks and balances.
When Donald Trump said he would be a dictator on Day 1, this is what he meant.
Inspector General Firings
Last Friday, Donald Trump fired seventeen inspector generals from various federal agencies, including the Department of Defense, State, Veterans Affairs, Interior, Housing and Urban Development, Energy, and Transportation.
Inspector generals are critical government watchdogs who conduct independent audits and investigations within federal agencies. They are taxpayer resources for detecting fraud, waste, and government abuse, so Donald Trump naturally doesn’t want them around.
Here are some important facts to understand about these firings:
Trump’s actions are probably illegal. By law, presidents are required to give Congress 30 days notice of the dismissal of any inspector generals.
Past Presidents, including Obama and George W. Bush, have fired inspector generals. Yet, both gave the required 30-day notice. In addition, the size and scope of Trump’s dismissals (seventeen, targeting individuals involved in investigations of him) is unprecedented.
How to talk about this: Inside baseball like this tends to be glossed over by low-engaged voters, but this stuff still matters. Instead of focusing on individual firings, we must tie this into a larger message about Trump’s disdain for the Constitution and corruption. If you want to profit off the government, firing inspector generals would be a good start. Anyone, even the most ardent Trump supporter, should be concerned about a government with no checks and balances and no oversight.
Political Retribution
Donald Trump made two specific moves aimed at political retribution. These moves are notable because they target the safety and security of his political opponents and send a chilling message to anyone who considers opposing him.
Trump revoked the security clearance for several former officials, including Dr. Fauci.
Trump’s acting attorney general fired over a dozen prosecutors who worked with Jack Smith on the two criminal investigations into Trump.
How to talk about this: Donald Trump has broken his promise to de-weaponize the Department of Justice. His first moves have been to punish people that he is in opposition to.
Federal Freeze on Aid
A memo calling for a sweeping freeze on all “all federal financial assistance” was leaked Monday evening. This will pause funding for a wide range of congressionally approved priorities. The sweeping order has caused widespread confusion on how it will be implemented. It is also likely to be challenged in court as it is a clear violation of the Impoundments Act of 1974.
It is unclear exactly the full impact of this sweeping order but here are some things to consider:
This order could impact about $3 trillion in federal assistance programs.
Important infrastructure and energy projects could be canceled or put on hold.
This could pause research on cures for childhood cancer, halt food assistance programs, stop funding to get lead out of drinking water, and shut down suicide hotlines.
Important assistance programs like WIC, which is a crucial nutrition program for women, infants and children could have their funding stopped.
How to talk about this: This is Project 2025 in action. Instead of asking billionaires and corporations to pay their fair share, Trump wants to strip families of critical aid. This clearly indicates who Trump’s administration is looking out for.
Excellent. I really appreciate how you give suggestions on what to stress when talking with non politicos.
This clear and concise explanation of the daily dose of demagoguery we are experiencing now was helpful to me in understanding the scope as well as the particulars of each step backward Trump is enacting. Thank You!