By Ari’ Browley
President Donald Trump is no stranger to sharing his thoughts online, and his recent statements on the platform, Truth Social, ignited strong reactions, not only from Congress, but also from Americans across the nation.
On April 7, Trump took to Truth Social to share a controversial message regarding the current conflict with Iran. The post, viewed by many as threatening, warned of the potential of mass destruction and death to the Iranian people.
“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will. However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS? We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World. 47 years of extortion, corruption, and death, will finally end. God Bless the Great People of Iran!”
Trump’s statement was quickly condemned by many members of Congress.
Elissa Slotkin, U.S. Senator and former Department of Defense official, criticized Trump’s comments. She called attention to the post’s unconstitutional nature and its possible legal implications.
“The President of the United States is taking his threats against the Iranian people to new extremes. Targeting civilians en masse would be a clear violation of the law of armed conflict as laid out in the Geneva Conventions, as well as the Pentagon’s Law of War Manual.”
Slotkin urged that his orders will have consequences not only for Trump, but also for military officials who carry out his orders.
“This kind of focus on civilians is exactly what we accuse our adversaries of doing and what our military trains to avoid. It’s built into the rigorous drilling and routines that our military are trained on from their first weeks. If they are today or have been asked to violate the law and their training, it puts them in real legal jeopardy.”
Other governmental officials are calling for the 25th Amendment, an act that would forcibly impeach and remove Trump from office.
“It’s time to invoke the 25th amendment. This maniac should be removed from office,” U.S. Democratic Representative, Rashida Tlaib, shared in a Twitter post responding to Trump’s remarks.
“The time for action is now,” Shri Thanedar, a U.S. Democratic Representative, said, directly calling on the cabinet to remove Trump from office.
“The American people are desperate for the White House to end its harmful rhetoric and posturing. You must invoke the 25th Amendment against President Trump, declare him unfit to serve, and remove him from office immediately. History will remember the inaction of this administration for not doing enough to prevent Trump from plunging our great country into chaos, but that will change if you do your part to stop this madness.”
“I don’t support comments about wiping out entire civilizations,” Tom Barrett, U.S. Republican Representative, said about Trump’s comments.
“I do take seriously that loss of life. I think there’s human dignity in every single person. We certainly have to have use of force done in a way that brings about the outcome that we are trying to get to and for us that is ensuring that Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon.”
Members of Congress are not the only people troubled by Trump’s online statements. GRCC students are keeping up with the news, and they do not appreciate the president’s threats.
Payton English, a 20-year-old art history major from Grand Rapids, said, “I think what he’s saying on socials is really inappropriate, but what’s new?”
Olivia Wass, a 20-year-old art major from Grand Rapids, was also baffled by Trump’s remarks. “Well, I think it’s f*cking stupid,” she said. “I was probably really blunt. But I just think it’s dumb. I’ve heard he said really stupid things like he’s gonna exterminate everyone, and he’s been saying stuff like that for a while. Like, are you f*cking serious?”
Eli Bloom agreed.
“That’s kinda messed up,” said Bloom, a 20-year-old GRCC student from Kentwood. “I think starting a nuclear war or nuking anybody in general is a horrible, horrible idea. It’s cruel, it’s inhumane.”
“It was definitely scary,” Alison Benedict, a 19-year-old psychology major, said. “I think the leader of a country should not be talking like that.”
Other students point out how Trump’s behavior does not represent that of a president.
“I think it’s embarrassing,” said Alexxes Bieschke, a 22-year-old psychology major from Grand Rapids. “The president of our country, to act like that and speak like that. I think it’s disrespectful, unprofessional. It’s just that I don’t feel he should be able to, you know, say or act like that.”
Bieschke wasn’t the only student upset about Trump’s unpresidential conduct.
“It’s very contrary to being a leader,” said Gabriel Jordan, a 23-year-old graphic design student from Kentwood. “Also, with tense relations going on, just historically, you can’t, you shouldn’t do that. It is just… It’s crazy, but it is also not surprising. A lot of it is disappointing, mostly with the state of things here, and then there’s the conflict going on outside.”
Students also weighed in on whether or not they think Trump’s online activity should spark any consequences.
Giovanni Hernandez, a 21-year-old business management major from Alpine, said, “You know, whatever happens, happens, I guess. You can’t really control it (the administration).”
English is also unsure if Trump’s post will result in legal troubles. “It’s from a political figure, so it’s really inappropriate, but I don’t know if any laws are legally broken or anything, or they would have done it, or they would try, but he has everything on his side.”
Other students were firm on how Trump and his administration should be held accountable.
“I think that he needs to be removed from office,” said Grace Eger, a 23-year-old writing student from Grand Rapids.
Benedict also favors the removal of the President.
“I think that he should be impeached,” Benedict said.
Jordan also agrees that impeachment is the right solution. “For one, he needs to be booted from power,” he said. “And seeing that his administration has gone with a lot of things he’s said, and they support him, either out of fear of losing their power or just by money. They just need to be booted out.”
A majority of American voters hold similar opinions. A recent survey with the Free Speech for People organization gathered that a majority of U.S. voters want Trump to be impeached.
“A new national poll conducted by Lake Research Partners and commissioned by Free Speech For People finds that a majority of likely 2026 voters nationwide support impeaching President Donald Trump…According to the survey, 52% of voters support impeachment, while 40% are opposed.”
Wass wants people to take action and remove Trump from office. “I think he should be held very accountable,” she said. “People have been constantly saying, like, we should do something, but nothing ever happens. For years. That he’s still able to do this pisses me off.”
President Trump has been impeached twice before his 2024 term. Once in 2019 for internationally abusing his authority, and then in 2021 for instigating the January 6th riots at the U.S. Capitol. Because the Senate did not convict and remove Trump from office, he was able to run for the 2024 presidential election.
As the long-lasting effects of the Trump administration on the United States remain unknown, students are unsure about what their futures hold.
“I think it’ll make things harder,” Benedict said.
Bieschke expresses her worries about the future of many Americans. “I do worry that federal funding will be taken from schools, literally access for people with lower incomes. I worry about my future, kinda like housing, and in a way, I worry about the future of my child. I just don’t know how things will look with inflation, and there’s really no consideration for lower and middle-class families.”
Jordan is also unsure about what the U.S. will look like in a few years. “Maybe not immediately. I’m more worried about when I leave college and try to go out into the world.”
English highlights how the U.S. is currently viewed through a global lens. “The whole rest of the world thinks we’re a joke.”
Trump continues to use social media platforms, mainly Truth Social, to enforce his political policies.
On April 9, Trump posted an uncensored and graphic video of a woman being violently killed in an attack in Florida. Trump used the footage to support his crackdown on immigration.
“To my fellow Republicans, and frankly all Common Sense Americans, NEVER FORGET that Joe Biden and the Democrat Party turned the United States of America into a dumping ground, allowing Tens of Millions of Criminals, Lunatics, and Mentally Insane from all over the world to pour into our country.”
The question of whether Trump’s statements online are appropriate behavior as the President of the United States remains ongoing as Americans seek transparency from their government on the reason and result of the U.S.-Israeli and Iran war.
“I just hope that everything changes. I hope that we can come back from everything that’s happened,” Bieschke said.
Collegiate reporters Ella Ware, Ethan Lane, and Tiannah Garcia contributed to this story.
