An Unsustainable Presidency - The Atlantic

A Critical Assessment of Trump's First 100 Days

The article analyzes Donald Trump's first 100 days in office, contrasting them with the successful first 100 days of Franklin D. Roosevelt. It argues that Trump's presidency is not simply unsuccessful, but actively destructive to democratic norms and institutions.

Key Criticisms

• Legislative Failure: Trump passed no major legislation, unlike Roosevelt.
• Economic Instability: His economic interventions injected uncertainty and potentially seeded a crisis, opposite to Roosevelt's actions.
• Undermining Democracy: Trump smashed democratic norms, crippled the federal bureaucracy, and alienated traditional allies.
• Authoritarian Tendencies: He placed loyalists in power, used threats to control media and institutions, and showed a disregard for court orders.
• Economic Mismanagement: His trade war created a self-imposed sanctions regime, causing inflation and forcing the Federal Reserve to react.
• Harmful Personnel Decisions: Giving near-total power to Elon Musk caused chaos and damage to the federal bureaucracy.
• Attacks on Science and Education: Cuts to scientific research and the appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to public health demonstrated anti-intellectualism.

The article draws parallels between Trump's actions and Viktor Orbán's regime in Hungary, noting that both prioritize loyalty over competence and seek to suppress opposition. It concludes that Trump's actions have set the US on an unsustainable course, marked by a weaponized state and potential political backlash.