The Trump administration is trying to implement a highly controversial campaign that freaks out people all over the country. First, they are methodically purging any mention of women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people of color from state government websites. This alone has had a disastrous effect on platforms like the Small Business Administration’s and Arlington National Cemetery’s. Yet, paradoxically, it has come under fire from right, left and center, including Chief Justice John Roberts himself. These moves are viewed as attempts to join a nationwide effort to retell history and privatize knowledge.
The administration's approach is characterized by the privatization of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), a key funder of public museums, libraries, and historic repositories. This rescission is only the latest salvo in the new “department of government efficiency” crusade, which has set its crosshairs on the IMLS to be gutted. The administration’s actions have faced various challenges. Chief Judge James E. Boasberg of the US District Court for the District of Columbia has struck down these moves. He mentioned a real danger of violating due process as the reason for the decision.
The subsequent removal of key datasets and resources from the Department of Agriculture has only added to that alarm. These resources are absolutely critical for farmers who are already on the front lines of a changing climate. The administration has been accused of deporting immigrants without hearings or evidence, actions justified under a 1798 statute last used during World War II to intern Japanese Americans.
"This is the way the world ends / This is the way the world ends /… /Not with a bang but a whimper." – TS Eliot
Opponents are in complete agreement with this quote from TS Eliot. They further contend that the administration’s tactics are a covert attempt to re-envision American history by eliminating the contributions of marginalized people. This administration has done much to hobbled and vilified the judiciary. Now, some of these judges are under even more pressure, as the demand for impeachment crescendos.
The Trump administration’s claim that its actions are based on sort of presidential powers have been roundly derided. Community critics contend that these powers are now being used to license followers. This ongoing consolidation of power and wealth rewrites the historical record.
The removal of photographs and references to diverse communities is seen as an attempt to erase their significant contributions to American history. Such actions have prompted a national conversation over the integrity of historical record, and what could happen if it is changed.