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Newsweek
3 days ago
- Business
- Newsweek
Six Months In, Trump Has Too Many Failures To Count
Six months into the second Trump administration, not only is the president's agenda failing on its own terms—we have already witnessed a series of policy fiascos that would have completely upended any pre-Trump presidency. President Donald Trump's careless personnel decisions, slapdash executive orders, whiplash-inducing policy pivots, and general malevolence have combined to make this among the most disruptive yet least successful first six months of any presidency in American history. So far, the president's two signature policy initiatives have been disasters. His "Liberation Day" tariffs triggered a financial and bond market meltdown so catastrophic that the White House was forced to reverse course within days. All of his antics, threats, promises, and claims have produced a handful of nebulous trade "agreements" with the United Kingdom, Vietnam, and Indonesia. The tariffs have already led to a fresh round of inflation that will only get worse if the U.S. doesn't back down, and have damaged America's reputation so thoroughly that other countries are working together to build a new trade regime without us. The 90-day "pause" is up and we're left with an effective tariff rate that is higher than it was when markets panicked during the first two weeks of April. Trump's mass deportation fixation just led Congress to pass one of the most regressive budget packages in American history, funneling hundreds of billions of dollars away from food pantries, rural hospitals, and working Americans to erect an un-American internal detention gulag filled by masked ICE agents terrorizing hard-working people at farms, Home Depots, and schools. The ugliness of this wasteful, inane operation has instantly turned the American public against the president and his party on his signature issue of immigration. Even if you believe this insanity is necessary (to be clear: I do not), it would take decades to remove all of the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants from the United States at our current pace. We are spending enormous stacks of money on a toy shovel to scoop water out of the Titanic. But because it satisfies the far right's bottomless lust for inflicting human suffering, it goes on. US President Donald Trump boards Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland on July 15, 2025. US President Donald Trump boards Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland on July 15, 2025. ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP/Getty Images If only the disasters ended there. But Trump's liquidation of the federal government has also led to unimaginable catastrophe. His decision to begin shuttering the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had already resulted in an understaffed, demoralized organization that would be incapable of properly responding to disasters. The chaos at FEMA left Texans to fend for themselves amid catastrophic floods on July 4 that left at least 134 people dead. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem waited an unconscionable 72 hours to authorize the deployment of FEMA Urban Search and Rescue teams to help flood victims, in large part because of an arbitrary rule that requires her personal sign-off on any expenditure over $100,000. Let's not forget the seemingly daily parade of MAGA-driven calamities like the biggest measles outbreak in three decades, exacerbated by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the brain-wormed anti-vaxxer that the Senate inexplicably confirmed as secretary of Health and Human Services. Rather than encouraging his credulous followers to take the miraculous vaccine that had virtually eliminated the disease, Kennedy announced in May that he would look for new treatments and encouraged people to try cod liver oil. His reign of error is just beginning, with thousands likely to die this fall because the administration has dramatically limited access to Covid boosters, interfered with the once-routine rollout of annual flu shots, and halted work on a bird flu vaccine. Documenting the mistakes this administration has already made could fill entire volumes—condemning millions to death by withholding international food aid, demoralizing federal workers, presiding over the worst domestic air travel catastrophe in 16 years, collapsing the consumer sentiment index with erratic economic leadership, generating negative real GDP growth, launching an unprovoked war against Iran and then forgetting about it 48 hours later, striking out humiliatingly in diplomatic mediation efforts between Russia and Ukraine, and on and on and on. The worst is very much yet to come. A hollowed-out government will be incapable of responding to the next real crisis (as opposed to the ones Trump generates himself) or delivering the services that Americans apparently took so thoroughly for granted that they elected people explicitly promising to destroy them. In six short months, President Trump has made Americans poorer, less secure, less healthy, and more isolated while carrying out morally depraved policies and further degrading the rule of law. The scariest part might be that he has 41 more months to make this mess even worse. Neither a complacent, neutered Congress nor a Supreme Court controlled by lifelong GOP partisan operatives appear willing or able to stop it. David Faris is a professor of political science at Roosevelt University and the author of It's Time to Fight Dirty: How Democrats Can Build a Lasting Majority in American Politics. His writing has appeared in Slate, The Week, The Washington Post, The New Republic, Washington Monthly and more. You can find him on Twitter @davidmfaris and Bluesky @ The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
Chicago Tribune
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Letters: It was heartwarming to see the Army celebrated at the parade in Washington
It was with patriotic pride that I watched the 250th anniversary parade for the Army. As a veteran, I can attest to the significant contributions our fighting Americans have made to our country. My family members have served in the military since our country's founding. Their sacrifices, like the sacrifices of many other soldiers, have produced the greatest country in the history of the world. Millions of people today owe their freedom to the U.S. military. It was heartwarming to see the people in attendance supporting our troops and celebrating our Army's history. Well done to the Army and all the other branches of service that ensure our freedom! I am proud of my service to the United States. I stand alongside our active-duty troops to support their hard for me to understand how the Tribune can splash a large picture of a demonstration by un-American protesters on the front page of the paper and yet relegate the story about the Army parade to Page 7 of Section 2. If it wasn't for the Army and the other branches, the Tribune would be publishing its paper in German. Please go back to has been lots of complete media coverage of the fine military parade, honoring in large part the 79th birthday of President Donald Trump. There has been no mention of the 'bone spurs' diagnosis that kept Trump out of military service and exempted him from serving in Vietnam. And Trump called those killed at Normandy 'losers' and 'suckers'! Good journalists should include these items when reporting on Trump's dealings with the military. He will never be supported by veterans who know these truths and facts. He was and is a bone-spur draft-dodging grifter.I am an Army veteran (Vietnam, 1968-69), and I am appalled at the inexcusable behavior of soldiers of the 82nd Airborne last week who loudly jeered the media and former President Joe Biden at the urging of President Donald Trump. They seemed to forget that Biden was their commander in chief in January. More troubling was the silence of sergeants, officers and other command personnel during and after the outrageous behavior of the soldiers in attendance. I am certain that there would have been hell to pay from my first sergeant and my company commander, a West Point graduate, had the men in my company — Echo Company — behaved so badly at a military assembly. My father-in-law served in the 82nd Airborne in World War II, trained at Fort Bragg and helped fly a glider plane behind enemy lines on D-Day. The behavior last week is an affront to the memory and service of the men of the 82nd who served bravely in Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge. Just really disgusts me when I see President Donald Trump speaking at West Point or reviewing troops at his birthday parade. Here's a guy who used his father's connections to avoid military service due to 'bone spurs' in his heel but can golf 100-plus rounds of golf each year. I'm all for cutting government spending in a responsible way, unlike the Department of Government Efficiency's methods, and reducing the deficit, but his 'Big Bloated Bill' will do neither. Republicans used to be the party of fiscal responsibility, but the last federal surplus was under Bill Clinton. After 9/11, George W. Bush ran $1 trillion deficits, and Barack Obama followed suit. Trump's first term increased the national debt by nearly $2 trillion, then Biden and Trump's second term will have exceeded that mark. Tax cuts and supply side economics have not worked in the past. Hoping that they will in the future is wishful thinking. If our members of Congress ran their personal finances the way they run the government's, they'd all be on welfare. I saw a recent interview on PBS with U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin who is appalled at the size of the national debt and the lack of concern shown by his cronies. This shows that there are at least a few sane people in government who are willing to take an unpopular stance and buck the president to save the country. Let's hope he is joined by others with Minnesota political shooting suspect Vance Boelter a 'devout Christian' is a misnomer. There is a huge difference between a devout Christian nationalist, which Boelter is, and a devout Christian — those who follow the way of Jesus. Please ask your reporters and editors to use the correct identity when reporting. Those of us who try to follow the way of Jesus should not be lumped into the same category with Christian nationalists and the hatred they again, I am appalled at the state of the . Recently, elected officials were murdered in Minnesota. The president never called Gov. Tim Walz about this tragedy in his state because he doesn't like him. What happened to the 'United' part of the United States of America? The president seems to only care about the people who support his twisted agenda, not all the people he pledged to defend. Please, people, vote your conscience.I trained in pediatrics at Children's Memorial Hospital, now known as Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, from 1981 to 1984 and practiced primary care pediatrics until my retirement in 2020. I have never seen a case of polio, smallpox, tetanus or diphtheria. Why? Because of the vaccines developed prior to that time. I seen death, sepsis, meningitis, epiglottitis, birth defects, encephalitis, seizure disorders, hearing loss and brain damage from what are now vaccine-preventable illnesses. Our current administration places these lifesaving medical advancements in grave danger. You, parents, still have the power to keep our children safe. that your insurance companies cover these safe and effective vaccines. that your schools demand that a safe and reasonable vaccine schedule is followed. You, parents, hold the power at the ballot box. Make your voices heard! I pray that the current pediatric trainees do not have to see what I have seen to effect change. Children's lives are at to Medicaid will come at a cost — the cost is in loss of life for individuals living with cancer. There is simply no way that cutting $793 billion from Medicaid will make the program stronger. Cuts of that magnitude will cut patients off from their health care, harm hospitals and clinics, and weaken state economies. The truth is that almost all the fraud, waste and abuse in the health care system comes from the billing and payment processes and skyrocketing prices, not from people who rely on Medicaid for essential care. As a breast cancer survivor, I know the importance of access to quality health care. In Illinois, over 3 million residents rely on Medicaid for health care coverage, and doctors rely on it to be paid for their services. Lawmakers might not know that the folks who rely on the program are mostly those who work jobs that don't provide benefits, or those who work seasonal jobs. These are huge parts of our economy. These people work hard and are in no way asking for handouts, but also often cannot afford the high prices of private insurance, which will be driven up further by cuts. As a cancer survivor, I urge U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth to stand up to protect the health and lives of all Illinoisans.
Miami Herald
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Denying Miami residents the right to vote in November is wrong
Skip the proposal Some members of Miami's city commission want to deny residents the right to vote by postponing November's city election to 2026. This is wrong! This seems illegal and against our rights as citizens of the United States of America, Florida and the city of Miami. Brenda Merrill, Miami Voters have a say Canceling the upcoming City of Miami election is an un-American act of tyranny and we, the voters of Miami, will not allow our voices to be silenced. Clementine Gazay, Miami Promises, promises Revocation of legal programs for certain migrants is the most recent example of America reneging on its promises. The Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela (CHNV) parole program, instituted in early 2023, allowed 30,000 persons per month from these countries to legally enter the U.S. for up to two years. Then they were supposed to go home. The Trump administration terminated CHNV in March, leaving 550,000 in the lurch. We should have simply enforced the two-year limit, required the migrants to honor their end of the bargain and then leave — or be removed. This is a years-old problem, however. People entering our country apparently know how to claim political asylum at the border, as economic refugees are quickly deported or refused entry. Political asylum cases are backlogged for years, allowing unlimited stays. Until now, no TPS program has ever been terminated. So much for 'Temporary.' Migrants and their advocates should stop complaining about the devastation to their lives if their time is up. On the other hand, our government must examine TPS for each country and make an unbiased decision to continue it or not. Norman Segall, Coral Gables Sustainable resource Imagine Greater Miami and Miami Beach without its beaches and bay. No days spent swimming, boating or fishing, no economic tourism benefit. While it can be easy to take our backyard for granted, we can't. The importance of protecting our region's greatest asset — our marine waters — can't be understated. World Ocean Day reminds us to act. While Miami Beach has championed sustainability initiatives like promoting green infrastructure, energy and water efficiency and resilience efforts to build a better future for residents and visitors, local government can't do it all. The tourism industry must do its part. Destinations that proactively improve their environmental health create stronger, more vibrant communities. For example, the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau's (GMCVB) Green Key Global Certification program recognizes hotels and resorts for water conservation and eco-friendly practices. With 71 hotels (including 28 Miami Beach properties) in the certification pipeline, we call on all our tourism industry peers to do more. Tourism is our economic lifeblood. Whether committing to existing programs or creating new ideas, let's work together to protect our most vulnerable and valuable resource and help ensure Greater Miami and Miami Beach remain a sustainable paradise to live, work, play and visit. Laura Dominguez, GMCVB board member, city commissioner, Miami Beach Rising insurance If you live long enough, you get cataracts. I've been told I need surgery. Armed with Medicare, supplemental and additional vision insurance, I was surprised to learn that my out-of-pocket cost will be about $4,500 per eye. My home insurance rose so much we are dropping it and hoping we don't get a Cat 5 hurricane. With health, home and car insurance consuming 35% of our income, something had to give. I thought I was well-covered for the surgery. Something isn't right. George Lipp, Cooper City Feeding strays I wholeheartedly disagree with Haydee Sanchez's June 2 letter, 'Animal feeding.' For many years, I dropped off mail after hours at the post office at Bird Road and Southwest 117th avenue. Every night, someone would put out up to 15 disposable plates of food for stray cats by the entrance. This attracted many cats. The smell was unpleasant, the area was dirty and not all the food was consumed. Rats likely ate the leftovers. This was a health hazard being created by well-meaning cat lovers and shouldn't have been allowed. Miami-Dade Commissioner Raquel Regalado's ordinance would have protected residents from such health hazards. We have a problem, but feeding strays in public places shouldn't be allowed. One reason I stopped visiting that post office at night was all the cats, rats and the food stench. Lynn Guarch-Pardo, Coral Gables Housing concerns On May 25, the online Miami Herald published the Bloomberg editorial, 'A building boom on federal land just might work.' I take issue with this statement: 'In exchange for land, states and local governments should also be required to make concrete changes to draw investors. The free market — not zoning boards or community groups — should be allowed to determine what kind of housing gets built and at what price.' We have seen that over and over in Miami. We tear down affordable housing and replace it with 'luxury' housing, which drives up housing costs and makes workforce housing impossible to attain. We do not need more luxury housing. Nanci Mitchell, Miami Roads to learning As a proud Miami Dade College graduate and current FIU student, I know firsthand that the road to a degree isn't always linear. I began my journey 11 years ago as an immigrant learning English. Today, I'm on track to become a CPA — thanks to the Helios 20th Anniversary Pathway Transfer Scholarship. Florida leads the nation in two- and four-year college transfers, but such students face significant barriers. Often overlooked in traditional scholarship programs, these students bring resilience and ambition to their new institutions, enriching academic communities. Many are first-generation college students or come from low-income backgrounds. Tailored services are critical for their success. Transfer pathways offer affordable, accessible routes to higher education, ensuring students of all backgrounds can succeed. Multiple narratives exist, including the notion that not every student needs a four-year degree. I couldn't disagree more. Our communities must continue to invest in clear, affordable pathways to education beyond high school; this strengthens our communities and recognizes the unique contributions of every student Regardless of their chosen path, let's celebrate all students pursuing post-secondary education. Talent doesn't follow a single path and neither should opportunity. Leina Olazabal Rodriguez, Doral Honor all troops For many years, I have felt a sense of regret (even cowardice), for not serving in our military. As a result, I make it a point to offer my seat or shake the hand of any service member I encounter, including transgender personnel. A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling allows President Trump and his administration to enforce a Department of Defense policy prohibiting transgender Americans from serving in the U.S. military. Who would oppose any member of our society willing to put on the uniform and take a bullet on our behalf, bearing the weight of defending our freedoms? The military has about 1.3 million active-duty service members. According to the Defense Department's own reports, only 0.2 percent of those in uniform have a 'diagnosis of gender dysphoria.' Astonishing. Although pros and cons are present in most situations, I will endlessly support any fellow American in uniform, for they never have to experience the lack of courage I once felt. Jaime Rivera, Miami ICE's chaos Why are Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in plain clothes and masks showing up at immigration courts and scooping up individuals who were following all the rules and reporting for asylum hearings before a judge? Targeting immigrants who have no criminal record creates chaos, does not make our communities safer and discourages individuals from showing up. ICE should go after real criminals and leave law abiding immigrants alone. Kenneth Karger, Kendall
Toronto Star
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Toronto Star
Neil Young renews attacks on Trump, calls the U.S. government ‘out of control'
Neil Young is once again taking shots at U.S. President Donald Trump, calling the American government 'out of control' and suggesting that the country is at risk of 'martial law' in a statement shared on his website this week. 'Our country and our way of life, that which our fathers and theirs fought for, is now threatened by our government,' Young declared in a post titled 'WAKE UP AMERICA,' though he did not mention any government policy in particular. 'Our government is out of control, not standing for us.' Young is set to embark on a world tour with his new band the Chrome Hearts later this month. In his post, he said that his shows will not be political, but also acknowledged the fraught political situation in the U.S. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'When I tour the USA this summer, if there is not martial law by then which would make it impossible, let's all come together and stand for American values,' Young's statement said. Entertainment Bono says 'the whole world is in awe' of Canada, takes shots at Pierre Poilievre and Donald Trump Richie Assaly However, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer did appear to offer Trump an olive branch of sorts: 'President Trump, you are invited. Come and hear our music just as you did for decades,' Young wrote, making reference to the fact that the president was a self-proclaimed fan before their relationship deteriorated in recent years. Last month, Young also came to the defence of Bruce Springsteen, another rock star who has drawn the ire of Trump in recent weeks for publicly criticizing the administration. 'Bruce and thousands of musicians think you are ruining America,' Young wrote on his website on May 20 in a post titled 'TRUMP!!!' 'You worry about that instead of the dyin' kids in Gaza. That's your problem.' Entertainment Opinion Vinay Menon: Donald Trump is feuding with Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen. Here's why other celebs should beef with the president Vinay Menon The feud between Young and Trump: a timeline Young, 79, was born in Canada, but has lived south of the border for decades (he officially became a U.S. citizen in 2020). As an artist and an activist, Young has never shied away from politics and has thrown constant barbs at Trump since he launched his political career in the mid-2010s. Music Decoding the enduring genius of Neil Young and the depth of his Toronto connection Luke Savage Special to the Star In 2015, Young spoke out against Trump's use of the 1990 single 'Rockin' in the Free World,' after the song accompanied Trump's announcement of his presidential campaign. In 2020, Young sued Trump's re-election campaign for copyright infringement, saying he doesn't want his music used as a theme song for a 'divisive un-American campaign of ignorance and hate.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW After Trump was elected for the first time, Young penned an open letter calling Trump a 'disgrace' and 'the worst president in the history of our great country.' Young has also been a vocal critic of Trump's tariffs targeting Canada and his threats of annexation. In April, he attended a protest against Trump's threats in Los Angeles, where he was spotted holding up a sign that read, 'HANDS OFF CANADA.' Neil Young attends a protest on April 4, 2025. Neil Young Archives Young and the Chrome Hearts Earlier this year, Young announced that he is releasing a new protest album with a newly assembled band called the Chrome Hearts, which includes guitarist Micah Nelson, bassist Corey McCormick, drummer Anthony Logerfo and organist Spooner Oldham. Titled 'Talkin to the Trees,' the album's first single is about electric cars, and takes a shot at Tesla CEO and Trump ally Elon Musk. Young and the Chrome Hearts will perform in Toronto at the Budweiser Stage on Aug. 17.
Hamilton Spectator
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Neil Young renews attacks on Trump, calls the U.S. government ‘out of control'
Neil Young is once again taking shots at U.S. President Donald Trump , calling the American government 'out of control' and suggesting that the country is at risk of 'martial law' in a statement shared on his website this week . 'Our country and our way of life, that which our fathers and theirs fought for, is now threatened by our government,' Young declared in a post titled 'WAKE UP AMERICA,' though he did not mention any government policy in particular. 'Our government is out of control, not standing for us.' Young is set to embark on a world tour with his new band the Chrome Hearts later this month. In his post, he said that his shows will not be political, but also acknowledged the fraught political situation in the U.S. 'When I tour the USA this summer, if there is not martial law by then which would make it impossible, let's all come together and stand for American values,' Young's statement said. However, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer did appear to offer Trump an olive branch of sorts: 'President Trump, you are invited. Come and hear our music just as you did for decades,' Young wrote, making reference to the fact that the president was a self-proclaimed fan before their relationship deteriorated in recent years. Last month, Young also came to the defence of Bruce Springsteen, another rock star who has drawn the ire of Trump in recent weeks for publicly criticizing the administration. 'Bruce and thousands of musicians think you are ruining America,' Young wrote on his website on May 20 in a post titled 'TRUMP!!!' 'You worry about that instead of the dyin' kids in Gaza . That's your problem.' Young, 79, was born in Canada, but has lived south of the border for decades (he officially became a U.S. citizen in 2020 ). As an artist and an activist, Young has never shied away from politics and has thrown constant barbs at Trump since he launched his political career in the mid-2010s. In 2015, Young spoke out against Trump's use of the 1990 single 'Rockin' in the Free World,' after the song accompanied Trump's announcement of his presidential campaign. In 2020, Young sued Trump's re-election campaign for copyright infringement , saying he doesn't want his music used as a theme song for a 'divisive un-American campaign of ignorance and hate.' After Trump was elected for the first time, Young penned an open letter calling Trump a 'disgrace' and 'the worst president in the history of our great country.' Young has also been a vocal critic of Trump's tariffs targeting Canada and his threats of annexation. In April, he attended a protest against Trump's threats in Los Angeles, where he was spotted holding up a sign that read, 'HANDS OFF CANADA.' Neil Young attends a protest on April 4, 2025. Earlier this year, Young announced that he is releasing a new protest album with a newly assembled band called the Chrome Hearts, which includes guitarist Micah Nelson, bassist Corey McCormick, drummer Anthony Logerfo and organist Spooner Oldham. Titled 'Talkin to the Trees,' the album's first single is about electric cars, and takes a shot at Tesla CEO and Trump ally Elon Musk . Young and the Chrome Hearts will perform in Toronto at the Budweiser Stage on Aug. 17.
