100 Days of Donald Trump

135 snips

Apr 29, 2025

Guest

Brianna Wu

Guest

Batya Ungar-Sargan

Batya Ungar-Sargon, a Free Press columnist known for her conservative views, and Brianna Wu, a Democratic strategist, dive into the first 100 days of Donald Trump's presidency. They explore the stark divide in public reaction to his policies—from the MAGA movement's challenges to trade and immigration, to a critique of elite universities' disconnect from core values. The conversation navigates complex issues like national security, economic policies, and the implications of a counterrevolution against previous administrations. It's a lively debate filled with sharp insights.

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INSIGHT

Trump's Tariff Strategy Unpacked

Trump's tariff policy aims to reset America's trade imbalances and reduce reliance on adversaries like China.
He has attracted $1.5 trillion in manufacturing investment despite criticism and market uncertainty.

INSIGHT

Domestic Workforce Challenges

The US lacks skilled domestic workers for high-tech manufacturing, complicating reshoring.
Education and immigration policies notably impact the available workforce for these sectors.

INSIGHT

Value of Manufacturing Jobs

Manufacturing jobs are valuable when well-paid with safe conditions, offering dignity to workers.
The notion that factory jobs are degrading stems from elitism, not the nature of the work.

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Today marks President Donald Trump’s 100th day in office. What to make of this dizzying first hundred days?

As Bret Stephens put it: “I’m hard-pressed to think of a more disastrous first 100 days of any presidency in American history. . . all of the wounds are self-inflicted.”

Even some of Trump's most ardent supporters are struggling to understand and support his actions. As Rod Dreher wrote for The Free Press last week: “MAGA tempts the same sorry fate that conservatives like me suffered over Iraq. Do we hate our enemies more than we love liberty? More than we care about prudence and common sense? If the cost of victory is trashing the jobs and businesses of ordinary Americans with a reckless and unstable tariffs policy, abusing the Constitution, pointlessly sabotaging America’s allies, and replacing a domestic woke-left system with a woke-right one, MAGA risks destroying itself.”

On the other hand, there are people like Victor Davis Hanson, who see Trump as waging an existential counterrevolution, "a social, political, military, and economic shake-up to see if he can reboot the country. . . In other words, each day he is trying to stage a counterrevolution against the prior left-wing, neo-socialist, DEI, and green revolutions of the Obama-Biden years.”

Suffice it to say, the reaction to Trump’s policies has been a stark split screen.

Today, we have two Honestly favorites to discuss these first 100 days: Free Press columnist Batya Ungar-Sargon, and Democratic strategist and Free Press contributor Brianna Wu. Bari asks them about Trump’s war on globalized trade, elite campuses, illegal immigration, plus the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

Bari, Batya, and Brianna debate if Trump’s actions are what his base really wants, and most importantly, Bari asks about the reach of Trump's power, and the lengths he is willing to go.

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