Former President Donald Trump stole the show. Back in January, Mayor Taveras shocked many by announcing that he wouldn’t run for re-election. During the press conference, he pointed to the constitutional barriers that are stopping him from taking action. He once again emphasized that he’s absolutely, positively, definitely going to finish his current term. His remarks came as Congress has held hearings on several major policy fronts such as national security and funding for federal agencies.
Trump’s announcement is an encouraging sign as he turns his attention to a rubber-stamp slate of populist appointments to key policy-making positions in his administration. He hinted at naming Stephen Miller as his national security adviser, a move that could influence the direction of U.S. foreign policy. Trump promised to appoint a replacement for Rep. Mike Waltz in no more than six months.
Constitutional Considerations and National Security
We cannot reiterate this enough— Trump really did tweet out the constitutional implications of his unconstitutional third term. He said, “I’m not a lawyer. I don’t know,” emphasizing that he just doesn’t know where the legal boundaries are. Even after recognizing these limitations, he reported that even still others tell him to run for a third term.
Perhaps the most head-scratching aspect of Trump’s approach to national security issues has been his readiness to resort to military action — specifically with respect to Greenland. “I don’t rule it out. I don’t say I’m going to do it, but I don’t rule out anything,” he remarked, highlighting his ongoing interest in U.S. expansion into the territory.
Under his tenure, his national security comments also reached the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Among other things, Trump ordered the agency to rehabilitate and reopen the defunct Alcatraz federal prison. This change of course indicates a re-directed attentiveness towards criminal justice and public safety.
Proposed Cuts to Federal Agencies
In a controversial move, Trump suggested dooming federal agencies that promote the arts, humanities and learning. This new initiative follows on the heels of his call to eliminate the arts budget entirely. Consequently, hundreds of U.S. arts institutions forfeited their Federal government grant invitations. The move led to a storm of criticism from leaders in the arts community.
Paula Kerger, President and CEO of PBS, expressed concern over the potential impact of such cuts: “They’re coming after us on many different ways … we have never seen a circumstance like this, and obviously we’re going to be pushing back very hard, because what’s at risk are our stations, our public television, our public radio stations across the country.”
In order to “drain the swamp,” Trump’s agenda includes a 100% tariff on any film produced outside of America. He says this measure will protect American jobs and help build a stronger domestic film industry.
Looking Ahead
Trump rolls out a radical anti-vaccine plan. Along the way, he continues to honor the pledges he made on the campaign trail for his first term in office. He stated, “I’ll be an eight-year president, I’ll be a two-term president. I always thought that was very important,” despite the constitutional amendment passed in 1947 that limits presidents to two terms.
Trump has clearly expressed an unusual skepticism towards wildly exaggerated national security dangers posed by other countries. He described it as “a concerted effort by other Nations and, therefore, a National Security threat. It is, in addition to everything else, messaging and propaganda!”