Donald Trump’s administration is currently navigating a series of high-profile controversies and strategic decisions that could significantly impact both domestic and foreign policy. Perhaps the most urgent of these changes is Trump’s charge to the U.S. military to begin targeting Latin American drug cartels. This recent initiative is a positive step towards countering the cartels’ increasing strength and the threat they pose to U.S. national security interests.
Beyond drugs, Trump’s looking to host a peace summit between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He would be more than happy to host Armenian leadership like Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Afterwards, he’ll meet with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, seeking to promote discussion and help bring an end to the decades-old hostilities between their countries. This quiet diplomatic effort would be a huge accomplishment and landmark moment in the Trump administration’s foreign policy. He’s been focusing more on waging peace and conflict resolution internationally.
Trump has stacked the deck with his choice of appointments to his administration. He’s nominated Stephen Miran to take one of the two remaining empty slots on the Federal Reserve Board. This move has the potential to shape economic policy in the near-term as the Fed deals with the continued fallout from the U.S.
Secretly, Trump’s Justice Department has begun to issue subpoenas to New York Attorney General Letitia James. This news comes as one element of an ongoing investigation into his business practices. James’s office responded assertively, stating, “Any weaponization of the justice system should disturb every American. We stand strongly behind our successful litigation against the Trump Organization and the National Rifle Association, and we will continue to stand up for New Yorkers’ rights.”
The administration is currently involved in a lawsuit trying to get communications released concerning the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. The public perception of this legal battle has opened up a much larger conversation about transparency and accountability within Trump’s administration. Skye Perryman, a legal expert, emphasized the need for public access to information regarding these extraordinary circumstances, stating, “The court should intervene urgently to ensure the public has access to the information they need about this extraordinary situation.”
On this other front—sharing the burden with states and communities—Trump’s administration has, just recently, acted. They pressured UCLA to pay $1 billion to settle antisemitism claims. This demand has moved the needle on conversations around civil rights and institutional accountability in combatting discrimination.
In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott moved a day after the Texas state legislature’s failure to produce quorum during the last special session. He has threatened to pad the gerrymandered map with even more Republican seats. Abbott stated, “I’m going to call special session after special session, after special session with the same agenda items on there.” He called attention to the Democrats’ failure to show up for legislative sessions. Responding to the infighting, he reportedly said, “There’s only one thing that’s denying our ability to get legislation passed. And it’s these Democrats, the ones who have fled the state…
Abbott’s comments reflect ongoing tensions within Texas politics as Democrats continue to challenge Republican initiatives. He asserted that “Democrats act like they’re not going to come back as long as this is an issue,” predicting dire electoral consequences for them if they do not return to aid their constituents.
Trump was sharply criticized only last week over the firing of Erika McEntarfer. She previously was the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Many of the critics, including our organization, have decried this shift. They say it points to a wider trend of removing or vilifying officials who object to or oppose his administration’s policies. Erica Groshen, a former BLS commissioner, expressed her dismay about McEntarfer’s dismissal, saying, “I had quietly hoped and assumed it wouldn’t happen.” Groshen added, “This isn’t inconsistent with the way he’s acted in other situations.”
As Trump prepares for a critical deadline regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, his administration’s decisions may have lasting implications for U.S. foreign relations. The initial deadline for Russia to stop its aggression today would further highlight the West’s impotence and how the Kremlin can act with no consequences.