100 Harmful Days of the Donald Trump Presidency

This letter to the editor, by Laurie Harmon appeared in the Hudson Star Observer on May 1, 2025.

If the last 100 days have shown us anything, it’s that an unchecked president can cause devastating harm to Americans and their families in a short time.

In March 2025, more than 216,000 government employees were fired due to the Trump-created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Since February, DOGE’s actions have resulted in more than 280,000 layoffs of federal workers and contractors, making it the leading cause of job cuts this year, according to UPI.com.

Other Trump-backed policies have led to a sharp drop in vaccinations, contributing to measles outbreaks and three deaths. As of April 17, the CDC confirmed 800 measles cases in the U.S. Even when not fatal, measles can irreparably weaken the immune system. A study released on April 24 by researchers at Stanford and other universities warned that, at current state-level vaccination rates, measles may become endemic again. Their projections showed that a drop of less than 50% in childhood vaccinations could lead to 51.2 million measles cases over 25 years, along with 9.9 million rubella cases, 4.3 million polio cases, 200 diphtheria cases, 10.3 million hospitalizations, and 159,200 deaths.

In just 100 days, Trump’s ICE has removed over 8,700 non-criminal residents — including children, like the 10-year-old girl recovering from brain cancer who was deported — without due process. His Secretary of Defense continues to endanger military personnel and operations. His tariffs have fueled economic instability. DOGE cuts have harmed veterans, scientists and vulnerable students. And the damage won’t stop unless action is taken.

In 100 days, we’ve seen profound harm to our families, health, legal protections, economy, and international standing. What took only months to dismantle could take years to rebuild if we don’t intervene.

We, the people, still have power. Call your representatives — flood their offices with demands to use their constitutional authority to stop this attempted executive takeover.

We must also raise our voices through protests, rallies, and demonstrations. Our numbers are growing. We, the people.