Over the past 5 months, there has been outstanding controversy surrounding what many consider to be one of the most contentious presidencies in U.S. history: The Trump Administration. As the 45th and 47th president of the United States, Donald Trump has sparked several disputes across the nation for his questionable policies and problematic morals. But how did this man go from a prolific business entrepreneur who made a cameo in the famous Christmas movie Home Alone 2, to being one of the most disputed leaders of our nation? 

      Most believe it started with the 2020 election, being the incentive for an insurrection attempt. Or, maybe it started even as far back as 2016, but it goes back farther than that. Trump was often acclaimed by many during the 2024 election to be “the best choice for the economy”, but let’s look into his past business affairs – and current economic choices –  and see if that’s actually the case.

      In 1968, as a young man, Trump benefited from nepotism very early on by getting a job at his father’s real estate company, which he then had control of by 1971. While it was under his father’s ownership, it was referred to as Trump Management, but Trump later renamed it to The Trump Organization. Trump has cited four times that he has gone bankrupt, but the actual number of bankruptcies filed is six. One might think that after that many issues, he might call it quits. Evidently, however, Trump continued to have concepts of a plan with both his businesses and the country.

      The first one that he filed for bankruptcy was a business in Atlantic City called the Trump Taj Mahal. It lasted from April 1990 and closed in 1991, a whopping one year after it opened. It closed due to severe financial struggles. The initial cost of the Trump Taj Mahal was $1.1 billion in 1990 – marking a record as the most expensive casino ever at the time – and after its foreclosure in 1991, it was sold for $50 million to Hard Rock International. One of the reasons for bankruptcy, among other things, was the fact that the business was $3 billion in debt, mostly due to high-interest junk bonds. These high-interest proceedings and the lack of payment on the part of the business led to the establishment in question, as well as many others, being worth a fraction of their original price at the time of bankruptcy.

      The next business mishap that took place was Trump Castle also in Atlantic City which was open from 1985 to 1992. It lasted seven years before having to close down due to, you guessed it, financial difficulties and ended in a subsequent bankruptcy filing. Trump Castle rebranded itself several times in the following years, none of which were remarkably successful. All of these businesses which, looking back, were likely doomed from the start, all had to close down due to financial difficulties and the company’s inability to keep up with expenses. Initially purchased for $300 million, it was sold for $38 million in 2011 to Landry’s, Inc.

      The third bankruptcy to be filed was the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, which was in operation from 1984 to 1992 and was built in tandem with the Trump Castle. Only lasting one year longer than the aforementioned business excursion, this establishment was initially worth somewhere in the hundreds of millions, with the company raising $140 million to begin with. However, the company filed for bankruptcy in 2004, with $1.8 billion in debt. Restructuring brought the company’s debt to around $600 million, causing Trump to bring his stakes down from 47% to 27%. Trump then proceeded to invest $55 million into his personal funds for the sake of the company.

      The fourth bankruptcy – and the fifth and sixth –  were for the same establishment, but for different years. This particular excursion was called Trump Entertainment Resorts, and was around for only 12 years. The first was in 2009, when the company filed with $1.2 billion in debt. It was originally worth $900 million. The second of these two bankruptcies was in 2014 after the company somehow managed to reestablish itself. This reestablishment was short-lived, however, because soon after, they went bankrupt again. You’d think they would, at this point, give up and start a different business venture, but you’d be wrong. You see, Trump and whatever other executives were in charge of making business decisions decided “Third times a charm” and opened up again, only to end in its subsequent third bankruptcy in 2016. The last bankruptcies were all for the same establishment, as was mentioned, but each one was millions of dollars in debt each time.

      Before we move on from the very obvious financial hardships of any company under Trump’s supervision, let’s first address how even with this information, people still thought that he would be a marvelous choice for the economy. Having six bankruptcies doesn’t exactly say “I’m great with my finances.” Keep in mind, the aforementioned issues all took place before Trump even expressly ran for president. He first announced his desire to run in 2015, but most of these bankruptcies took place before this announcement. Ergo, people could have looked at his record of financial mishaps, compared to his constant claims that he was going to “fix” the U.S. economy, and said, “Maybe he isn’t the best fit for this position.” Recently, however, Trump was indicted, charged, and sentenced in regards to 34 felony counts on a litany of things. The specifics include, but are not limited to:

• Falsifying business records in the first degree. The records included checks, invoices, and general ledger entries.
• A “hush money” case that occurred in New York where he payed an adult actress to keep quiet about an alleged affair, then lied and said they were legal expenses. 

*To clarify, many people get confused because paying hush money technically isn’t a crime, but writing them off as legal expenses when they weren’t is a crime. Also, defending yourself with “It wasn’t a crime, so why are people mad at me?” isn’t indicative of the most morally upstanding person.

• There are also pending cases, meaning they have yet to be ruled on. These cases include the Georgia Elections Racketeering/Interference case, multiple civil lawsuits, the National Urban league V.S. Trump case, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation V.S. Trump case, and the State of Washington V.S. Trump case.

      Some of the cases were filed more recently, while others were filed a while ago. The most recent and notable lawsuit was filed by Harvard University after Trump threatened to withhold $2.2 billion in federal grants from the college unless it get rid of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies, as well as campus activism in protests. The college has refused and is fighting back legally until further notice. At the time this article is being written, all of these cases are either pending or ruled on. The outcome of any of these cases may differ from the information written here if anything is decided/ruled on further. 

      Moving past the issues regarding criminal lawsuits and financial issues, lets focus on his more recent executive orders and antics while being just 5 months into the White House. Here is a list of all of the executive orders, at the time this article is being written, that Trump has signed. Keep in mind that just because the President makes an executive order does not mean it is absolute, as there is a system of checks and balances in this nation. (for now)

• Executive Order 14155 – 

      This order officially removed the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO). As of the time this article is being written, there is no formal motion to rejoin the United States with this organization. The effects of this withdrawal are that the United States may not be as prepared for a potential pandemic, assuming one occurs. It may also weaken international cooperation, making other countries less apt to interact or ally with the United States. It could make it so that the United States has limited access to global health resources and information. Many, both professionals and citizens alike, fear this is not a smart choice on behalf of the current administration.

• Executive Order 14162 – 

      This order formally removed the United States from any international agreement regarding climate change and other environmental concerns, like the Paris Agreement. This is also very disputed, paired with Trump’s proclamations of increasing oil production with the famous phrase, “Drill, baby, drill.” It is the opinion of many that Trump and his cohorts have little to no concern for any environmental impact they may have with these actions. 

• Executive Order 14173 – 

      This order called for an end to any DEI – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – initiatives. To be clear, DEI initiatives strive to create more equitable environments where marginalized groups such as people of color, women, and disabled people would have the same access to job opportunities as anyone else. This order specifically fully ended any such practices in the federal government, and was the incentive for the government withholding grants to colleges and businesses that engaged in DEI practices. 

• Executive Order 14190 – 

      This order specifically targets education, calling for an end to “Racial Indoctrination.” According to the Trump administration, that includes things like critical race theory and “discriminatory equity ideology.” It also prohibits curriculum regarding “gender ideology.” This resulted in any federal agencies and/or certain funding being withheld from schools that continue teaching said subjects. As one can imagine, this greatly disenfranchised a multitude of educational settings that taught said things to give students and communities a better understanding of systemic prejudice and discrimination.

• Executive Order 14253 – 

      This order targets the Smithsonian Institution, one of the foremost educational facilities in the nation located in Washington D.C. It takes about a reform to what the Smithsonian is allowed to put on display in regards to American History. It claims that the current depictions of American History are “wrong” and must be changed to better suit a nationalist narrative of no wrongdoing on the part of the settlers that helped found this nation. It particularly talks about the Smithsonian “collaborating” with the government to remove any exhibits that promote “anti-American” ideology. If you want to see for yourself what exactly is so “un-American” about what is portrayed at the Smithsonian, go to this link at the Smithsonian website —> https://americanhistory.si.edu/?utm_source=si.edu&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=MyVisitSI 

• Executive Order 14224 –

       This order rescinds a previous order, Executive Order 13166, which was put into place by Former President Bill Clinton. Executive Order 14224 designates English as the official language of the United States and gets rid of efforts to aid those who don’t have full English proficiency. It also gets rid of any efforts to make translations into any other language for people who don’t know English. This is majorly in regards to federal funding for certain language assistance programs and leaves it up to the discretion of individual services. The ulterior motives behind said initiatives, however, seem to be to make it so that people who aren’t proficient in English have a near impossible time navigating life in the United States. 

• Executive Order 14182 – 

      This order is in regards to the Hyde Amendment, which specifically mentions federal funding for elective abortions. It gets rid of two previous executive orders – Executive Order 14076 and Executive Order 14079 – both of which had to do with expanding access to reproductive healthcare. Elective abortions were one of the many things mentioned in these two previous bills, which Executive Order 14182 got rid of. It prohibits the use of federal funds for elective abortions and restates the Hyde Amendment.

• Executive Order 14158 and Executive Order 14159 –

      These orders have to do with immigration and ICE – the Immigration and Customs Enforcement – protocols. The first talks about “securing our borders” and aims to dispatch military personnel to the border and instances of illegal immigration. It also talks about building physical barriers, which sounds eerily familiar to Trump’s promise of “building a wall” before his first presidential term. Another thing mentioned is making use of surveillance technology, as well as a “catch and release” program that basically means that anyone who is thought to be in the country illegally is to be detained for immigration violations and removed from the U.S. The second of these two policies regards ICE. ICE is a division of the Department of Homeland Security and is responsible for enforcing immigration laws. It was established in 2003, but has recently gotten a surge in notoriety ever since Trump began his second term. The protocols put into place have severely extended ICE’s abilities, going as far as to allow them to raid and perform arrests at schools, work environments, and any other establishment or residence where people who are thought to have come here illegally may reside. This has massively backfired however, seeing as people who are on United States soil legally are being apprehended. Green card holders, people who are on Visas, and even people who have been naturalized have reportedly been stopped, arrested, questioned, and are facing potential deportation. Allegedly, some of these encounters where questioning has taken place have happened without proper legal representation present. 

      When one thinks of “American Values” what comes to mind? For some, it may be the ideas of liberty, freedom, patriotism, and a core faith in the people of this nation. For others, it may be how people from all different backgrounds come together here to form a mosaic of culture. From language to food to music, to religion and holidays, to art and clothing, some have a sense of pride in the fact that this place was supposed to be built on the premise that everyone can make something of themselves, and everyone has something to contribute. 

      Yet, the actions taken by the current administration don’t seem to spread a message of diversity and acceptance, or freedom and justice for all people. They instead seem to sow a seed of hatred and division. Where one might hope for unity and understanding, one is instead met with hateful rhetoric, and the condemnation of people who don’t fit into a certain demographic. Things that were previously celebrated and acknowledged, are now labeled as “anti-American” and “wrong.” 

      Just recently, in fact, Donald Trump posted something on a social media app called “Truth Social” about Memorial Day. Memorial Day is a day to acknowledge the fallen men and women in the United States Armed Forces who lost their lives to protect this nation. Instead of talking about that, Trump went on a tirade about illegal immigration and called his political opponents “scum” and said they had “warped radical” leftists views. Not one mention of the sacrifice of thousands of soldiers who died for this country. He simply wished everyone a “happy Memorial Day” and then proceeded to launch into a diatribe about leftists and immigrants. This is appalling and prideful behavior and certainly not what is expected from the President of the United States. Again, if you would like to see this post for yourself, go to the Newsweek new organization website to see a picture and explanation. ——> https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-attacks-judges-all-caps-memorial-day-message-monsters-2077023 

      It seems this administration’s hubris and arrogance know no bounds. They don’t draw the line at blatantly disenfranchising and harming millions of Americans; they don’t draw the line at threatening to harm people of other nations, I.E., threatening to take over Greenland, Canada, talking about the Panama Canal, etc. and they certainly don’t draw the line at claiming to be patriotic, but more or less spitting in the face of democracy and the american people that they are supposed to be serving and protecting.