Episode 18: Inauguration Day - An Executive Agenda of Oppression
In Episode 18 of the Art of Citizenry Podcast, Manpreet discusses the significance of Trump’s second term, exploring how it reflects America’s systemic inequities and deep-rooted patriarchy. From executive orders targeting marginalized communities to the influence of tech billionaires, this episode unpacks the growing cracks in democracy and the forces that sustain them. Manpreet challenges the notion of "America is better than this" and examines how Trumpism thrives on fear, division, and unchecked power. Tune in for a critical look at the state of governance, the role of grassroots organizing, and what this moment demands from us all.
America’s Reckoning
This week marks the beginning of our reckoning with America’s truths, with the realization that Trumpism is the very product of our own societal tendencies. On Monday, January 20th, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States.
Many of us are looking at a broken oppressive system and wondering “What happened?” “How did we manage to get here again?” In reality, the system just did what it does. Exposing just how deep its patriarchal roots go – misogyny, racism, hate, capitalism, the upholding of white supremacy. Some push back and say “America is better than this” or “This isn’t who we are” forgetting that America was built on the genocide and exploitation of Indigenous and Black people. The America we fail to see is a broken country where bodies are controlled, people are dehumanized, and power-grabbing is prioritized.
To truly understand what this inauguration means, we must zoom out. It is not just about one man or one administration. It is about a system that allowed such a return. A system where political ambition and unchecked corporate power supersede ethical governance, where oligarchs are able to buy votes and decision-making power, misinformation has fractured our shared reality, and where accountability for the most powerful remains elusive if not impossible.
I want to encourage everyone to take a moment to listen to this powerful sermon by Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde.
America’s New Oligarchy
Prime seats at the inauguration were occupied by tech CEOs and billionaires, who are among the world’s richest men. These individuals occupied seats usually reserved for the president’s family, past presidents and other honored guests. These executives and their companies contributed millions to Trump’s inaugural committee. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island warned that Trump effectively handed billionaires “the power of the federal government to loot the hardworking people who pay their taxes and keep this country running.” The growing role of billionaires in spaces that are meant to uphold the interest of the People should not be taken lightly. In his farewell address last week, President Biden warned of a new American oligarchy, the "Tech Industrial Complex." Crony capitalism, also referred to as Cronyism, is a political-economic system where businesses and the government work together to their own advantage. As political and corporate leaders co-mingle interests in an increasingly symbiotic relationship, the gap between the elites and the broader public widens, creating long-term consequences for society as a whole, with tech CEOs gaining unchecked influence.
Day One Under Trump
On day one, Trump marked the start of his second term with a series of executive orders and pardons – two presidential privileges that fueled Trump’s sadistic passion for authoritarian rule. In addition to revoking 78 of Biden’s Executive Orders, including ones that protect LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, the planet, and women’s health, and issuing many more executive actions, he pardoned nearly all the 1,600 individuals charged in the January 6th insurrection, effectively ending all cases. It was clear that this time around, Trump was prepared to execute the full powers of the presidency.
Executive Orders
Executive orders are the most recognized form of presidential directive, a category that also includes proclamations and other executive actions. These orders, which carry the force of law, enable presidents to instruct federal agencies on specific actions. While only Congress can create laws or allocate funds from the Treasury, the president wields significant authority in enforcing and implementing those laws. Many executive orders address routine matters, but others can have profound and enduring societal impacts, such as Franklin Roosevelt’s order for the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.
📌 On Monday, Trump’s executive orders (EOs) ranged across distinct categories: immigration, climate, trade, DEI, and public health. In this episode, we touch on the following executive orders. As you look over the list, take a moment to consider the incredibly politicized language used in the title of each EO. The phrasing is important to note as a tool of political propaganda. The use of terms such as “Restoring…American Greatness,” “Invasion,” and “Protecting…the United States / American People” are troubling because they further instill fear of the other and reinforce manufactured narratives that further divide.
Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship which challenges the U.S. Constitution by attempting to end birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants. The 14th Amendment clearly states “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” This Executive Order will face significant constitutional hurdles, with attorney generals in 22 states filing suit on Tuesday in two federal district courts to block the executive order. 18 states and two cities, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., challenged the order arguing that neither the president nor Congress has the constitutional authority to revise birthright citizenship. Washington, Oregon, Illinois, and Arizona filed a second suit.
Protecting the American People Against Invasion which reinforces the narrative that immigrants are a threat to the American people, ending asylum protections, halting nearly all immigration on the U.S.-Mexico border, and reversing family reunification efforts.
Protecting the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats with language that is both vague and arbitrary, reinforcing the manufactured fear of immigrants as a safety threat.
Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program which cited cities including the infamous Springfield, Ohio to justify the suspension of refugee resettlement stating that the U.S. should only admit “refugees who can fully and appropriately assimilate into the United States.”
Reversal of Executive Order on Reforming Our Incarceration System to Eliminate the Use of Privately Operated Criminal Detention Facilities which DOJ contracts with private prisons.
Restoring the Death Penalty and Protecting Public Safety which expands the use of the death penalty, citing “capital punishment is an essential tool.”
Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness which renames the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and Denali, the name given by Alaskan Natives, to Mount McKinley.
Declaring a National Emergency at the Southern Border of the United States which justifies deploying troops and unlocking funds to build the border wall. Federal officials shut down a government app, CBP One, that allowed nearly a million migrants to schedule appointments at ports of entry.
Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements which once again withdraws the United States, the world’s largest historic emitter, from the Paris Agreement, an international climate pact, and ended all climate aid.
Declaring a National Energy Emergency which allows fossil fuel projects to evade environmental protections, fueling more domestic oil and gas production.
Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential allows for the extraction of Alaska’s natural resources, from oil and gas to timber and minerals, and expands drilling.
Unleashing American Energy to enable energy exploration and production on federal lands and waters while rolling back environmental protections, including EV mandates.
Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing which dismantles federal programs promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, mandating the closure of related offices and positions within 60 days. The Trump administration has further stated that federal employees who fail to report colleagues pursuing DEI efforts will face consequences.
Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity which reinforces the flawed narrative that DEI efforts and programs undermine “merit,” calling these initiatives “illegal.”
Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government which made it the policy of the United States to recognize only two sexes, male and female, effectively “erasing transgender people’s existence under the law.” Additionally, a government official stated that Trump would direct the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security, and other federal agencies to ensure that official government documents, such as passports and visas, reflect “accurate” sex designations in alignment with this policy.
Withdrawing from the World Health Organization - enough said.
Reproductive Rights & Healthcare
This new administration can strip away reproductive rights and healthcare access in many ways—using its powers to set domestic and international policy, appoint federal judges and officials, push through ideologically-motivated rules, issue executive orders, and much more. Threats to reproductive rights include: ending access to abortion medication, allowing hospitals to deny life-saving abortion care, establishing an abortion surveillance system, forcing states to report personal data on those seeking abortions, emboldening the prosecution of abortion providers and patients, and ultimately instituting a national abortion ban.
Now is the Time to Mobilize
This moment demands not only reflection but action. History has shown us that grassroots organizing can be the bedrock of change. From local communities to national coalitions, people are mobilizing to push back against authoritarianism and safeguard democracy. Stop Project 2025 Taskforce is actively working to counteract right-wing extremist policies targeting reproductive rights, climate justice, and civil liberties. Groups like Indivisible provide resources to build local political power, resourcing individuals to influence policy decisions directly in their communities. Meanwhile, the Sunrise Movement continues to rally young people to fight for climate justice, and organizations like the ACLU and Black Lives Matter lead the charge in protecting civil rights and chipping away at systemic inequities.
Now is the time to get involved–whether by joining these movements, supporting their efforts financially, or even starting your own local coalition. Change begins with each of us, and together, we have the power to shape the future.
It is our responsibility to ourselves and one another to do everything we can to build, nurture, and sustain networks of community care. We must take this moment as our calling to build together, nurturing relationships rooted in compassion and reciprocity. We must cultivate resistance movements collectively to effectively challenge the systems that continue to uphold our oppression.