Trump Comes Out Swinging

In this special episode, Bradley dissects Trump’s unprecedented barrage of executive orders, exploring their strategic and symbolic importance, as well as their impact on everyday Americans and the world as we knew it. “If you're looking for someone who reliably reinforces your views about Trump, good or bad," says Bradley, "this is not the right place for you. If you are looking for an objective, nonpartisan centrist take on things, I think we've got something to offer." Read more on Bradley's substack [00:01:20] – Start of the immigration discussion: Biden’s handling of immigration and the need for reform. [00:03:18] – Reinstating Title 42 and thoughts on asylum policies. [00:04:13] – Ending birthright citizenship and its constitutional implications. [00:06:18] – Discussion on gerrymandering's impact on immigration policies. [00:08:24] – Suspending refugee resettlement and related immigration actions. [00:11:25] – Sanctuary cities and withholding federal funding; implications for cities like New York. [00:14:57] – Climate policies: Electric vehicle mandates, fossil fuel production, and renewable energy setbacks. [00:19:21] – Analysis of Trump’s energy policies and implications for renewables and the global South. [00:20:29] – Trade policies: Tariffs on Mexican and Chinese imports and trade investigations. [00:22:15] – Federal operations: Bureaucracy changes, civil service reforms, and collective bargaining rights. [00:24:15] – Racial equity initiatives and their perceived backlash. [00:28:45] – Repealing Biden’s executive order on artificial intelligence. [00:29:10] – Protections for transgender individuals and abortion access. [00:30:48] – Returning federal workers to offices and broader implications for accountability. [00:32:22] – Crime policies: Designating cartels as global terrorists and restoring the death penalty for certain crimes. [00:37:29] – January 6th insurrection and punishment discussions. [00:38:06] – Use of private prisons and concerns about profit-driven practices. [00:39:02] – Title IX and transgender protections [00:41:06] – Abortion restrictions and telemedicine access concerns. [00:42:50] – TikTok ban reversal and its implications for U.S.-China relations. [00:43:03] – Declassifying federal records on JFK and MLK assassinations. [00:44:04] – Renaming landmarks and backlashes to symbolic changes. [00:45:08] – Withdrawing from the World Health Organization and global cooperation concerns. [00:47:24] – Executive order directing “America First” foreign policy and its symbolism. [00:50:02] – Cost of living executive orders and broader economic implications. [00:51:54] – Closing reflections on Trump’s branding and the impact of his executive orders.