Donald Trump is the 47th president of the United States, yet has managed to outdo almost every president and not in a good way. Trump has come to show that no matter how uneducated you are, life really has a role for everyone–but the role he picked was not meant for him. Being president, especially in a democracy, is listening to your people and accepting your people for who they are. Yet, Donald Trump has made multiple racist and homophobic remarks targeted to people of color and people of the LGBTQIA+ community. Instead of listening to the average American, Trump constantly creates unnecessary policies meant to assist the rich upper class of the United States. In this article, I will explain to you why I personally believe that Donald Trump is one of the worst presidents in the history of the United States.
Trump is known for affiliating with controversial people in American history. Since the late 1980s, Donald Trump has known Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein is known for his private island where he trafficked young girls for himself and his companions. Even though Epstein was later convicted of sex crimes, Trump described him in 2002 as a “terrific guy” and claimed that “it is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.” While they were photographed together at social events in the 1990s, Trump later stated they had a falling out and had not spoken for over a decade before Epstein’s arrest. Still, critics argue his past praise of Epstein shows a troubling lack of judgment regarding who he surrounds himself with.
Over the course of Trump’s rise in politics, he has been known regarding the constant racist, homophobic, and Islamophobic remarks he has made. An example of this is during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the pandemic was going on, Trump referred to COVID as the “Chinese virus.” This resulted in him receiving significant backlash. But, the racist remarks have not stopped. Trump has continued to make racist comments against immigrants. He claimed that Mexico was sending people bringing drugs and crime, and called them rapists. That is unacceptable from a man of such high authority and should be addressed.
Finally, Trump is one of the most hypocritical political figures in modern history. Trump has openly expressed his gratitude for victims of 9/11, yet incited an attack on our political institutions. On January 6, multiple MAGA supporters rioted at Capitol Hill after Trump’s claims that the 2020 presidential election was rigged. He encouraged them to march to Capitol Hill, which resulted in violence and injuries to over 140 police officers. Among them was Officer Brian Sicknick, who was assaulted during the riot and tragically suffered two strokes, dying of natural causes the following day according to the medical examiner. Trump’s actions that day endangered public servants and weakened American democracy.
In Chicago, Trump has directed federal authorities and ICE agents to target undocumented immigrants. He has called our city “the most dangerous city in the world,” yet does little to protect it. He believes getting rid of immigrants will end the brutal murders that happen nearly everyday in Chicago. Little does he know, he is far from right. He also blames minority communities for urban violence, yet Black people are 22 times more likely to become homicide victims in Chicago than white people according to statistics. Our current mayor, Mayor Brandon Johnson, has constantly told Trump to keep federal troops out of our city, but Trump does not listen to his people often.
Donald Trump is a deeply harmful leader and a horrible president to our people. The majority of his policies have increased the national deficit. Families can no longer afford basic necessities, not to mention his restrictions on SNAP benefits for low-income families. If you take away anything from this article, it is that you have a voice. If people want change, they must be the change. Go protest, send a letter, or write a book. Educate our youth on our president and what we can do to be nothing like him. Teach your children about the importance of avoiding dictatorship. Finally, always remember that you have the voice to make the choice. Just as I have voiced my opinion about Trump, many should too. If you agree with my opinions and sit in silence, you are the root of the problem.
Derartu Mamo – St. Ignatius College Prep – DMSF Class of 2030
Photo Credit: 661512 – Pixabay