Ever since the commencement of Donald Trump’s second term as President, he has been no stranger to making questionable remarks and decisions.
After the tragic plane crash in Washington D.C, just nine days into his term, Trump placed blame on DEI policies for the deadly February crash between a passenger plane and an Army helicopter in Washington, D.C.. Instead of being a leader during a time of crisis, he chose to use the tragedy to support his hateful agenda. Despite this, his supporters still rallied behind him.
During a press briefing, Trump criticized the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its diversity efforts, specifically referencing a focus on hiring individuals with severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities. “The FAA says these individuals are the most underrepresented segment of the workforce and wants to bring them in—even as air traffic controllers,” he said. “I don’t think so.”
More recently, Trump also planned to enforce strict travel bans on multiple countries, attempted to dismantle the department of education, and placed tariffs on multiple key trading partners.
America is heading down a dangerous path. We are witnessing the erosion of free speech. We are turning our backs on allies. And what we’re seeing now is a preview of the America Donald Trump envisions—unless we speak up and take a stand.
Even though travel bans have not been issued yet, our border control has been noticeably stricter. The situation has escalated to the point where countries like Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and several others across Europe have issued travel advisories for the United States—nations that were once among our closest and most trusted allies.
Moreover, under Trump approximately a dozen college students and faculty members have been detained and face potential deportation. In several cases, the federal government accused the individuals of having ties to Hamas, designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department. The President has also used social media to suppress student protests of his administration, trampling on the First Amendment.
However, officials failed to substantiate many of these detentions, raising concerns about potential violations of civil liberties. This trend was especially troubling given the United States’ longstanding commitment to freedom of speech—a principle Trump and the Republican Party frequently championed during their campaigns. These incidents suggest that their support for free speech often applies only to praise of Trump and his allies—not to criticism of his beliefs or policies.
This may also help explain why Trump also seeks to dismantle the Department of Education, which has frequently clashed with him and the Republican agenda.
Additionally, he recently imposed tariffs of at least 10% on all countries, including key U.S. trading partners. The tariffs even prompted China, Japan, and South Korea—three major economic powers that rarely align—to meet and develop new trade agreements that would exclude the United States.
With so many major events and incidents unfolding recently, it’s time we ask ourselves: What is America becoming? In just the past two months, we’ve seen Trump baselessly blame a tragedy on DEI, propose sweeping travel bans, and impose tariffs on all countries—including our allies. We’ve also watched the government wrongfully detain activists simply for expressing support for the Palestinian cause.
The citizens of America must wake up. If all of this has happened in just the past two months, we have to ask ourselves: what could unfold in the next two months—let alone the next four years?
These issues will only worsen if the American people remain silent. Silence is not an option, because silence breeds violence. Instead, we must stand up to our government’s harsh actions, and promote freedom and equality.