Since January 20th of this year, things have been changing rapidly in the United States. With the inauguration of President Donald Trump, it is becoming more and more pertinent that citizens stay informed on what is going on, in the White House. From introducing new staff members to signing new executive orders, there is a lot to keep up with. This can make staying constantly and properly informed incredibly difficult and an overall hassle to many of us. However, this is a damaging stance to take. Of course, it is important to stay informed during any presidency, but it is imperative that you stay informed during this one.
As he made his way along his campaign trail, Donald Trump made numerous promises, some of which carried the potential for a higher impact than others; such as instituting a ban on Muslims, building a wall between the United States and Mexico, and withdrawing from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Throughout his campaign, any fears that were aroused by Trump’s guarantees were quickly shut down by the idea that “he can’t do anything THAT extreme right away.” However, this has been proved to be a naive way of thinking regarding the Trump administration. Before detailing the importance of and the best ways to stay informed, one first needs to be brought up to date on the recent happenings of the White House.
Here are the highlights of what Trump has done during his first month:
1. Trump announced the issuing of several executive orders including removing the Affordable Care Act, withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and removing funding from international non-government family planning and reproductive health organizations.
2. Trump issued a statement about the initiation of meetings in the hopes to renegotiate NAFTA
3. He revived two disputed pipelines: The Keystone XL and the Dakota Access Pipeline
4. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was suspended from funding education, research, and pollution monitoring. Furthermore, Trump’s administration is prohibiting the EPA from updating both the press and social media, along with the Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services.
5. And, we can’t forget, he tweeted A LOT in the process.
Trump, however, is not the only important figure to keep current with, in the White House. It is crucial to also be well versed in what the members of Trump’s cabinet have been up to. Whether you agree with their individual beliefs, or not, their agendas will play a huge role in the future of the United States. For university students, one important character to follow is Betsy Devos. Devos was announced as Trump’s Secretary of Education and there is still a lot of unknowns regarding her agenda. The biggest reason students should stay up to date with the Department of Education is the affect the way in which student loans, tuition and higher education entirely, is treated by the new administration. It is important to note that there is no, one MOST important department to pay attention to. Determine what is the most important or concerning for you and be sure to keep up to date as things change.
How can you stay in-the-know? Unfortunately, there is no individual source that will alone keep you well informed. With the prominence of social media, it is incredibly possible to receive incomplete and inaccurate information. While SNL skits, memes and gifs are entertaining, they distract from the real issues going on in the government currently. To combat this, it is crucial to consult multiple, verifiable news sources because they do not all cover the same thing in the same way. Some reliable, minimally-biased news sources include NBC, ABC, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. These sources require you to do some research on your own. If you want the news brought to you, on a variety of topics both political and beyond Trurmp, sign up for theSkimm. This online newspaper delivers information to your inbox every morning, Monday through Friday, keeping you up to date with current affairs.
While it involves both a commitment of effort and time, it is necessary that within Trump’s presidency you maintain a consistent level of commitment to pursuing the truth behind the immense outpouring of information coming from the White House.
*Thumbnail photo source
*All opinions are not directly representitive of Her Campus Wisconsin