In those first 100 days, as only Donald Trump could do, his administration has dramatically attacked and rolled back environmental protections. They’ve so far launched 145 actions to undo rules that are critical to protecting vital things like clean air, clean water and climate stability. This push comes against the backdrop of legal battles, such as the recent lawsuit to prevent Michigan from blocking a planned climate change lawsuit. Trump is preparing to sign an executive order establishing a new ‘religious liberty commission.’ At the same time, his administration is feeling the heat for advancing its latest and most aggressive deregulatory agenda.
On the environmental side, specialists are prudently scared by how fast things are moving and getting rolled out. Michael Burger, a legal expert in environmental law, noted, “What we’ve seen in this first 100 days is unprecedented – the deregulatory ambition of this administration is mind-blowing.” He further added that the administration is acting with less process than in previous terms, stating, “They are doing things faster and with less process than last time, often disregarding the law.”
To the dismay of scientists and environmental advocates, Trump’s approach produced a cocktail of deregulation. Over 3,300 scientists signed their name to the protest in an open letter. They called on Congress and the Trump administration to reject proposed cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). They claim that these cuts jeopardize decades of scientific research and data essential to ensuring public safety.
“Noaa’s invaluable scientific enterprise has been built up over decades through investments by US taxpayers for the public’s benefit. Local decision makers, communities, meteorologists, first responders, farmers, mariners, and businesses depend on Noaa’s crucial weather and climate data provided free of charge.” – Union of Concerned Scientists
Beyond their policies toward the environment, Trump’s administration is mired in a serious trade war with China. Scott Bessent, the Treasury Secretary, suggested that China would pursue a trade agreement even in the midst of this chaos.
“I am confident that the Chinese will want to reach a deal. And as I said, this is going to be a multi-step process. First, we need to de-escalate, and then over time, we will start focusing on a larger trade deal.” – Scott Bessent
He’s been consistently wrongfooted by the Biden administration’s approach to the economy. He blames its anti-growth policies for the recent economic contraction. It’s no wonder that he continues to pressure Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to reduce interest rates. In the face of this market uncertainty, he unequivocally states that he knows economic fundamentals far better than Powell.
“Mortgage rates are actually down slightly even though I have a guy in the Fed that I’m not a huge fan of. He should reduce interest rates. I think I understand interest a lot better than him.” – Donald Trump
This Thursday, Trump will be headlining an event at the White House to kick off the 67th National Day of Prayer. This further underscores the strong commitment of his administration to advance religious liberty. This is all part of a broader strategy, one which he’s employing as he prepares to launch his new ‘religious liberty commission’.
Donald Trump’s first national security adviser Mike Waltz, and his deputy have resigned in recent days. This resignation joins a long list of other leadership changes in important administration positions in these first 100 days.
Yet as Trump’s presidency has progressed, he has stumbled at virtually every turn. Experts warn that his aggressive regulatory rollbacks could have lasting impacts on environmental policy and scientific research in the United States.
“A world without Noaa and other leading US science institutions would not only upend decades of invaluable scientific research but would also signify an abdication of US leadership in climate science.” – Union of Concerned Scientists