Countdown

To the editor:

The sequel of an American nightmare began on Jan. 20, 2025, when Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president. Even before taking office, Trump’s nominees for his cabinet were as alarming as his bizarre statements about Canada becoming part of the U.S., renaming the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America, retaking control of the Panama Canal, and pressuring Denmark to sell Greenland. 

 The following are a few examples of what Trump did during his first week: pardon or gave clemency to nearly 1,600 people charged in connection with the January 6th riots; declared a “national energy emergency” and said he would increase fossil fuel production including coal; pulled the U.S out of the Paris climate agreement; limited recognition of a person’s gender to their sex at birth; issued an executive order to end birthright citizenship; withdrew from the World Health Organization; revoked a 60-year executive order preventing hiring discrimination by federal contractors; ordered the Justice Department to freeze all new cases in its civil rights division; signed executive orders to roll back subsidies for the ACA; canceled scientific gatherings and panels at federal health agencies; and fired at least 12 inspector generals, the independent watchdog officials created by Congress who root out abuse and corruption in federal agencies.

Although instrumental in bringing about the recent Gaza ceasefire, Trump agreed to send Israel additional 2,000 pound bombs, and removed sanctions against a small number of extremist settlers in the West Bank who attacked Palestinians. These were the few military restrictions that the Biden administration imposed on Israel, despite its multiple violations of international humanitarian law. Trump also issued an executive order for deporting foreign students and professors who carry out anti-Israel actions.

A positive development: Trump now has only 207 weeks instead of 208 weeks to carry out his mayhem and carnage.

Howard Elterman