The election of Trump has shaken the hearts of Americans, leaving us divided. While some see his presidency as a positive change, in fact, it is the exact opposite.
Starting with his horrible character, more than 25 women have publicly accused Trump of various forms of sexual misconduct, with incidents ranging from inappropriate touching and kissing to more serious incidents involving sexual assault. Some accusations go all the way back to the 1970’s. A major case being of E. Jean Carroll’s. The writer accused Trump of raping her in a department store dressing room in the mid-1990s. She later filed a defamation lawsuit after he denied it, saying he had never met her. In 2023, the case featured as one of those few instances when a jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse. The case is seen as legal recognition of her claim, despite it being a civil case.
For a man that claims to be Christian, none of his morals or who he is as a person reflects the Christian man he claims to be. Calling his opponents names like “sleepy joe” and “crooked Hilary” or questionable comments about 10-year-old Paris Hilton and his own daughter. Good friends with characters like Diddy, Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell (who are arrested for trafficking) Cheating on his wife (while she was pregnant) with Stormy Daniels (who he called horseface), an adult film star. Burying his ex-wife fort tax benefits on his own property. Blasphemy included producing his own bible, emphasizing Jesus Christ is protecting him, and claiming he won because “God spared his life for a reason.” Plus, he can’t even recite a Bible verse.
Nothing compares to his comments on political issues and fellow Americans. Using racist comments, Trump called Mexican immigrants’ “rapists” and said they bring “drugs” and “crime” in his 2015 campaign announcement. The comment widely was criticized for damaging stereotypes. He also called for a ban on Muslims entering the U.S., saying there should be “a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States.” Haiti, El Salvador, and African nations weren’t safe from his harsh words as displayed in a meeting with lawmakers and wondered why the U.S. needs to accept immigrants from those nations when it could have more come in from countries like Norway. Even to go as far to say it is the Jews’ fault if he loses. “If I don’t win this election – and the Jewish people would really have a lot to do with that if that happens because if 40 percent, I mean, 60 percent of the people are voting for the enemy – Israel, in my opinion, will cease to exist within two years,” Trump told the crowd. He also called an Asian U.S politician and 24th U.S. Secretary of Labor and 18th U.S. Secretary of Transportation a racist name of “CoCo Chow”.
He also refused to denounce a racist group, The Proud Boys, saying “Proud Boys – stand back and stand by,” and after the violent 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Trump said there were “very fine people on both sides” of the conflict, equating white supremacists with anti-racist protesters.
Trump has also used toxic rhetoric on veterans. He insulted the late Senator John McCain: “He’s not a war hero. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people that were not captured.” When it came to covering the funeral expense of murdered U.S. Army soldier Vanessa Guillén, a Houstonian, on Dec. 4, 2020, Trump turned to his staff wondering if he was getting billed for the funeral. “What did it cost?” he asked. Being told that the full expenses were $60,000, Trump became angry. “It doesn’t cost 60,000 bucks to bury a (expletive) Mexican!” he told his then Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. “Don’t pay it!”
There have also been many sexist remarks. Trump repeatedly belittled the appearance of women, including calling a former Miss Universe contestant “Miss Piggy” and referring to actress Rosie O’Donnell as a “pig.” An “Access Hollywood” recording from 2005 appeared in which Trump was heard telling his host that he could grab women by the genitals because celebrities like him always get away with that behavior. Trump at first characterized the tape as “locker-room talk.”
Lastly, saying he did a good thing overturning Roe V Wade with “no regrets”, despite the many women who have suffered and died from its removal.
We’ve also already have seen what a trump presidency looks like, and it was horrid.
His COVID-19 Response: Trump constantly downplayed the severity of COVID-19 and, often, promoted false treatments (like injecting bleach into yourself) while spreading other misinformation. Critics say that it delayed a unified response and led to higher rates of infection and death tolls.
Family Separation: His policy of “zero tolerance” in immigration saw thousands of migrant children taken away from their parents upon arrival at the border. Literally putting kids into cages. It drew international condemnation.
Impeachments: Trump was twice impeached-once after a formal House inquiry had found that he had asked for foreign interference in the 2020 United States presidential election to aid his re-election bid, and again following the Jan. 6th attack on the capitol.
Environmental Rollbacks: Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Agreement and rolled back more than 100 environmental protections. He also just does not believe in climate change in general.
China Trade War: Trump imposed tariffs on Chinese imports with the goal of bolstering U.S. manufacturing. Critics counter it raised costs.
Tax Cuts for the Rich: The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 reduced corporate tax rate ,favoring the rich. Increasing inequality, not helping middle-income families; hence the plan the tax law the middle + lower class struggle under today.
Fractured Allies: Trump’s “America First” rallying cry increased tensions with allies, through attacks on NATO + the pulling out of key agreements. His unpredictable approach to foreign policy tested the patience of alliances.
Finally, Choose the Judges that overturned Roe V Wade.
Post Term Trump is a maniac too. He incited an immediate terrorist attack on the capitol when he
lost. January 6th a not be a day to forget. MAGA radicals invade the U.S. Capitol, trying to change the result of the 2020 presidential election. Disrupted the effort to certify Biden, as well put our nation’s leaders lives at risk, leaving behind some deaths (including law enforcement), multiple injuries, and massive destruction.
This man is a felon. There is so other way to sugarcoat this. This man has 34 felonies, for falsifying
business records to alleged hush money payments that were made to suppress damaging stories during his 2016 campaign. Each count is an allegation that he tampered with business records to conceal the true nature of the payments.
He’s a risk to our safety. Being federally investigated by the FBI for keeping secret documents in his
resort in Florida, giving him 37 count indictments. How is he even allowed to run?
Upon Trump rerunning, no one has thought about why none of his earlier staff is returning? The
answer is they hate him. Mike pence his Ex-VP thinks Trump is a risk to democracy. Trumps old Chief of Staff, a four-star General, called trump a fascist. Trumps family and own party turned against him. Why do you think that is? If the people close to him believe he is not fit to be the President. We should listen.
Yet despite all this Trump was elected, so here what it is looking like Day 1:
Mass Deportation of Undocumented Immigrants that can be of the following, illegal or simply look “unamerican”/of enemy country (if you are a POC), or simply an “enemy within” (against trump)
The freeing Jan 6th Rioters/Terrorist. Along with Terminate the Green New deal (AKA the only law protecting the environment for our future)
An alleged sex trafficker as attorney general, a man that does not believe in college education oversee the pentagon. Plus our new Secretary of Health: Robert F. Kennedy (an anti-vaxxer.)
And here’s Trumps Future Wishlist:
Reproductive Freedoms Revoked: “Restrictions” of Abortion and ban on contraceptives.
Birth Right Citizenship revoke, DACA Revoked: Humans who have called America their home legally since childhood now lose their basic-human rights and now group in, plus Stricter/Less VISA implementation.
Banning department of Education from teaching critical race theory, and LGBTQ+ theory and restrict conversations about race, gender, and history in general. Even possible rollback on these items as well, of LGBTQ+ and other civil rights.
Tariffs on foreign goods: AKA Tariffs on Clothes, car, or anything that comes from out of the US (Which is every consumer product.)
Cut on Social Welfare: reducing food aid programs, slashing Medicaid access, and cutting early childhood education programs like Head Start. With cut on Student Loans, Financial Aid, and FAFSA.
With his statements of wishes, we will “never have to vote ever again” (Interpret that as you will.) and Military can be used on “the enemies within.” With the foreign take of “Israel should finish the job.”
While I am devastated that Trump being in power is reality, but I hope when consumer prices
increase and they can no longer afford their favorite products, the people that supported Trump feel
dumbfounded for supporting this man.
It is sickening that being sexist, a racist, a sexual assaulter, a draft dodger, felon, homophobic, transphobic, and a risk to the democracy does not stop millions of people from voting this man past
policy. The risk of your children’s rights does not stop you from voting for this man. The only thing we can do is pray and hope people are not as selfish and greedy in the future.
Editor in Chief Nathan Hernandez
(The views of editor Nathan Hernandez do not represent the views of Austin High School or the Fort Bend ISD. This is an opinion article.)
