On May 10, Donald Trump shared a Truth Social post touting a 99% approval rating— despite polls from Gallup, Pew Research Center, Forbes and PBS finding that the number was actually between 38% and 45%. When asked about the discrepancy, Trump shared another post, claiming that they were “FAKE POLLS FROM FAKE NEWS ORGANIZATIONS (that) should be investigated for ELECTION FRAUD.”
When a similar situation occurred with July’s jobs report, suggesting that Trump was performing poorly, he posted that “our Country’s ‘Jobs Numbers’ are being produced by a Biden Appointee, Dr. Erika McEntarfer… who faked the Jobs Numbers before the Election to try and boost Kamala’s chances of Victory… I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY. She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified… The Economy is BOOMING under ‘TRUMP’ despite a Fed that also plays games.”
Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer supported the decision, maintaining in an X post that “thanks to President Trump, our economy is BOOMING, and with the help of fair trade deals and the One Big, Beautiful Bill, American workers will prosper!”
The president is supposed to be the guiding hand over the American public, the unifying figure that brings together leagues of divided people. Under the Trump administration, however, it’s become the opposite. Political misdirection and partisan retribution have somehow found themselves as below-the-fold news, commonplace enough to dismiss with a shrug.
“The president lies” is a dangerous headline to get accustomed to.
When actions that would otherwise be unconscionable get reclassified as the standard simply because they happen a lot, they essentially become permissible— allowing the government to do anything it wants to without consequence.
It’s hard to stand up to everything that’s happening. It’s hard enough to keep up with everything. It’s critical to remember, though, that the perpetually exhausting nature of this administration’s actions is by design. In an interview with the New York Times in January of 2025, Chief of Staff Stephen Miller described that the team’s goal was to overwhelm the media with so much activity that it would be impossible to properly cover it all, allowing the administration to make strides on their agenda with less scrutiny.
That’s exactly what happened. Trump signed a staggering 37 executive orders in the first week of his second term, withdrew the U.S. from the World Health Organization and shuttered the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), made sweeping efforts to dismantle public media, actively contributed to Israel’s genocide in Gaza, replaced the White House’s rose garden with a concrete plaza, celebrated his alleged involvement in getting CBS’ “The Late Show” cancelled over political disputes, threatened to arrest New York Mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani, bombed nuclear facilities in Iran and much more. Worth noting: he’s been in office for less than a year.
Not helping matters is the unprecedented homogenization of the government— branches, programs and people that are meant to be politically neutral or an active counter-measure to the executive branch are becoming nothing more than extensions of it.
Chairman of the usually non-political Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr, recently wore a golden pin in the shape of Trump’s head instead of his standard American flag, the Supreme Court issued presidential immunity to Trump, Florida governor Ron DeSantis created a state-level version of the Department of Government Efficiency, Republicans in the House introduced a bill to name a Lincoln Center Opera House after Melania Trump, a Florida Representative threatened to withhold funding to Washington D.C. public transportation unless they renamed their Metrorail to the “Trump Train” and Montana Senator Steve Daines said he supported the One Big Beautiful Bill because it “delivered on our promise to support President Trump’s America First agenda,” among many other similar instances. By unifying around the figurehead of the president rather than the needs of the public, members of the government are signaling every day what their priorities are— and it’s not the public they swore to protect.
In an ecosystem where lying is apparently acceptable, where Vice President JD Vance can say “We want to make sure (children in Gaza) get food,” while actively burning 500 tons of food that USAID had set aside for emergency relief, where key political figures that vowed to release the Epstein files suddenly reverse that decision as soon as Trump says he doesn’t want them released, what is that public supposed to do?
Voting remains the most powerful tool available to citizens in a democracy. When elections come around, we need to take advantage of that tool to carefully select who we want to shape the permanent future of the country. In between elections, the most substantial option is to bring attention to what’s happening and how we feel about it— to not let that intentionally overwhelming strategy succeed.
Staying informed is a good first step. Reading reliable news and sharing that news with others that may be less inclined to read it, as well as having the important— and difficult— conversations about what’s happening, helps to restore our sense of shared truth. Staying informed isn’t enough, though. Every day, new challenges are being waged upon our basic rights and the key tenets of the Constitution. More than ever before, we need to take action.
Despite the cliche, calling our representatives does help. The Americans of Consciousness Checklist explains these calls are monitored, so calling creates a record that representatives look back on as they approach reelection season to try to gain voter support. Speaking out about important issues— in person, on social media, or in other forms— also helps, by making sure these decisions stay in the conversation and don’t fly under the radar. Additionally, there are lists of protests you can filter by cause and location to attend.
Finally, supporting political activists and leaders outside the top realms of government can help create a better future. Mamdani had a noteworthy amount of support from young voters in his New York City mayoral campaign, due to his progressive policies and ability to speak to a new generation. While Mamdani can’t run for president since he wasn’t born in the United States, there are many similar politicians pushing for better policies that can— and likely will, if they can get enough support to do so.
For students, it can be hard to find time to participate in politics when school, financial stressors and staying in touch with friends and family are top priorities. Organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union can help concerned students stay up to date with legal challenges to the Trump administration.
Things right now are bleak. Giving into it and accepting that nothing can change will only make it worse. So— take a walk in the sun, read the news and support the people trying to fix this. It won’t happen immediately. But pushing forward is the only way things will get better. So we must.
