Every few months since President Donald Trump took office, I’ve found myself trying to recap the key events. Whether your beliefs align with conservative or liberal, it is inarguable that there is a lot happening. So, here’s what you may have missed!
The Battle of Education:
There has been a constant battle between the Trump Administration and DEI programs, especially at colleges and universities. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have been a major focus for the administration. These programs help set a level playing field for everyone, despite differences. According to ABC News, “DEI initiatives are intended to address and correct discriminatory policies or practices that may be found within an organization.” This is practiced in educational institutions across the world. However, the administration sees DEI programs as giving individuals unfair advantages. As a result, they have been pressuring top universities- Harvard University, Cornell University, Northwestern University, Brown University, Columbia University, Princeton University, University of Penn, etc.- to dispose of these programs. The administration has threatened to remove federal funding from each of these universities, funding that is crucial for the universities’ function, including things like cancer research and supporting students. While each university has reacted in its own way, Harvard made a statement. Not only did they deny the president’s terms and keep their programs, but the university’s president said,
This has been a back-and-forth battle between Harvard and the government, as the administration continues to withhold funds, now $2.26 billion. However, on Thurs., May 22, the Trump Administration released a statement preventing international students from attending one of the nation’s most prestigious schools: Harvard University. Less than 24 hours later, the university took the case to court. A title from BBC News reads, “Harvard foreign students face uncertainty as Trump plan to block enrolment is halted – for now.” There are more court hearings coming up.
Tariffs, Tariffs, and More Tariffs:
It has been nearly impossible to open a news source since February without seeing the word tariffs. So, what is a tariff? According to Oxford Economics, in simple terms, “Tariffs are taxes imposed by a government on goods and services imported from other countries.” Tariffs aren’t necessarily bad, as they help decrease economic dependence on other countries and promote a more self-sufficient country, which has been a primary focus of the administration. However, they also increase the cost of goods to the importer. As a result, businesses have to make up for this cost somewhere, and the prices of goods and services will increase for those living in the United States. According to CNN, due to the tariff battle, companies like Walmart, Mattel, Best Buy, Ford, Adidas, will increase their prices.
While nearly all tariffs are currently suspended for 90 days, the Trump Administration has essentially been in a “tariff battle” with countries such as China and Canada. On Apr. 2, President Trump announced a list of about 90 countries that he will be imposing tariffs on. The highest tariff was imposed on China at 34% on imported goods. This resulted in China increasing to 34%, and at the battle’s peak, tariffs for both countries were at 125%. In May, things settled down, the United States agreed to lower the tariff to 30%, and China lowered theirs to 10%. As this battle went on, Trump announced a 90-day suspension of all tariffs, besides China.
When the tariffs were first introduced, it made the stock market plummet by (insert percentage here) According to AP News, “The drop closed the worst week for the S&P 500 since Mar. 2020.” Additionally, The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 5.5%, and the Nasdaq dropped 5.8%. This resulted in investors losing a significant amount of money. Following the 90-day suspension, however, the market soared. According to PBS, “The Dow Jones Industrial Average shot to a gain of 2,962 points, or 7.9%. The Nasdaq composite leaped 12.2%. The S&P 500 had its third-best day since 1940.” Since then, as we remain in the 90 days, the market has stayed relatively stable, but it has had surges and dips.
A Farewell to Elon Musk:
As of Wed., May 28, Elon Musk, the Head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has stepped down from his role in the government. Musk began his journey, advertising his two trillion dollar cut to all government spending. This has resulted in many people losing their jobs, a significant decrease in funding for crucial programs (such as emergency relief, educational programs, and environmental protection programs), and data breaches. Musk told the Washington Post, “The federal bureaucracy situation is much worse than I realized. I thought there were problems, but it sure is an uphill battle trying to improve things in D.C., to say the least.”
Though Musk had a somewhat abrupt exit, it is interesting to look at his dedication to the administration. Throughout Trump’s campaign, Musk donated nearly $288 million. He made countless rally appearances and was very vocal with his support. He even paid multiple people $1 million to vote for Trump. Following Trump’s win, he was announced as the head of the new Department of Efficiency. He took to the spotlight throughout January and February, shaking up the federal government. However, these past few weeks he has removed himself from the public eye of the government until it was announced that he was leaving. According to the AP News, “He also recently said that he’ll reduce his political spending, because “I think I’ve done enough.”
On June 5, however, a feud broke out between Musk and President Trump. Musk recently expressed concern about a bill Trump was trying to have passed. Musk said that the bill was “a disgusting abomination”. By saying this, he was essentially attacking Trump, as Trump has been very vocal of his support for the “Big Beautiful Bill”. This sparked an argument on social media. After Trump expressed his regret for Musk’s statement, Musk took to X and said, “Without me, Trump would have lost the election”. The two went back and forth all day. There has been no conclusion, but it will be interesting to see how this plays out, and how it may affect the next election cycle. To learn more, visit BBC.
What Is Habeas Corpus? Can It Go Away?
Habeas Corpus is a constitutional right. According to BBC, Habeas Corpus means that “a person must be able to appear before a court so that a judge can assess if that person has been lawfully detained.” This helps prevent unlawful arrests. However, this right has been violated throughout the Trump Administration’s efforts on immigration, as they have deported countless individuals who they claim are criminals. As a result, there has been talk of removing it. Habeas Corpus has been suspended four times in the nation’s history. All of the suspensions occurred in times of crisis- wartime, terrorist attacks, etc. While it is unclear if this is the administration’s intention, the suspension would have to officially come from Congress. However, it is uncertain if the president will be able to legally suspend it with an executive order. Regardless, the deportation of individuals violates habeas corpus. According to NBC
As we head into summer, it will be interesting to see how everything plays out. Washington D.C., is constantly changing, and this is only the beginning of Trump’s second term. To stay updated, I recommend reading AP News, NRP, or listening to The Daily podcast!
