The State of Our Union After Trump’s First 100 Days

by James Hankins –

I have three questions for the 77 million citizens who voted for Donald Trump in 2024.

They donated money; bought the cheap items sold at inflated prices (mostly imported from China); forgave all his sins, including his thousands of lies; and managed to convince their family and friends to elect him.

1)    Are you the same, better off, or poorer than you were on January 19, 2025 (or have you lost your job)?

2)   Do you care that Trump spends over $3.4 million of our hard-earned tax dollars playing golf—12 weekends out of 14—at a cost of at least $50 million in his first 100 days.

3)   Do you support (or oppose) any of the following cabinet secretaries?

“Earning” $246,400 a year, Secretary of Education Linda E. McMahon does not know the difference between A-I intelligence and A-1 steak sauce, but does want to eliminate the department—not legal or possible without Congressional action.

At the same taxpayer-funded salary, not-ready-for-prime-time Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth does not know or care about the difference between our hyper-secure classified, top secret communication system and a commercially available chat app, but does want a make-up room next to his Pentagon office.

Attorney General Pam Bondi, receiving $250,600/year from taxpayers, does not understand that her title is “Attorney General of the United States,” not “Lead Attorney for Donald J. Trump.” She thinks that her job is to serve as Trump’s personal attorney, as she did during his first impeachment trial.

Bonus Round

Besides those questions, here are additional observations.

His lie that China will pay for the 145% tariffs is an echo of “Mexico will pay for the wall.”

Do you 77 million voters encourage your children to emulate President Trump as a role model? Have you lost sleep over your falling 401(K), his defunding of the National Weather Service, FEMA, EPA, Meals on Wheels? Are you comfortable with his plan to privatize Social Security and Medicare, and to end Medicaid, Head Start, and free school meals?

Trump asked if we ever receive a return on the billions of dollars we give to the Head Start program, which disproportionately serves and uplifts children of color. He said, “Did any person, now famous, ever attend?”

My wise niece said, “Please tell Trump to read US Senator Rev. Raphael Warnock’s bio.” Because Warnock, the junior senator from Georgia, did get benefits from Head Start as a child. And, as his website acknowledges, “studies show that Head Start students have a higher likelihood of graduating high school, attending college, receiving a post-secondary degree, license, or certification, and are more likely to invest time in their own children’s education.”

Third Term?

Would you vote for Trump again in 2028? Remember, the Constitution clearly states that no person my serve in the office of president more than two full terms. Period. It is fundamental law that he cannot even run again—but may have pledged they would gladly vote for him again rather than vote to support the Constitution. Would you?

The brilliant patriot and Poet Laureate Maya Angelou once said, “When a person tells you who and what they are, please believe them the first time.” Yet millions didn’t believe him in 2016, and millions more didn’t believe him—or did believe him and liked what they heard—in 2024.

Ecclesiastes 8:11 “When the crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong.”

We have made that mistake too many times—with Nixon, and with Trump after his first term. Let us not make it again.

James Jerome Hankins is an author, journalist, realtor, coach, veteran, former NAACP local president, caregiver, and 1971 graduate of NCA&T State University.

NOTE: The views and opinions expressed here, as well as assertions of facts, are those of the author. They do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of The Urban News.