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Domestic Policy
In the dead of night on March 8, Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil was arrested by ICE at Columbia University in New York. This arrest marks the beginning of a crackdown being carried out by the Trump administration, targeting students who they claim were participating in “pro-Hamas,” “anti-semitic” and “anti-American” riots. In reality, these “riots” were largely peaceful protests on college campuses.
These protests, despite the rhetoric being used by the Trump administration, were not pro-Hamas, but rather in opposition to the United States’ unwavering support for Israel, and the aid packages that Israel has used to carry out a genocide of the Palestinian people.
At the time of Khalil’s arrest, ICE was unaware that he was a green card holder, as they were under the impression that he arrived here illegally. Not only is this a violation of Khalil’s rights as a legal resident of the United States, this was a violation of his human rights.
In a democracy, opposition is not squashed nor is it seen as the enemy. What we are seeing is the emboldenment of authoritarian ideologies and the dissolution of American democracy as we know it.
Following the arrest, President Trump took to Truth Social to alert the nation that this arrest was the first of many. He explained that he aims to seize total power and control of the American people with no tolerance for opposing viewpoints.
The American government had no legal standing to detain Khalil and continues to violate his rights by keeping him in custody as he has not broken any laws. Since he does not have a visa, but is in fact a green card holder, he is undoubtedly a lawful permanent resident.
By leading a student movement at Columbia against the genocide in Gaza, Khalil should be praised, not suppressed. The Trump administration has made it clear that they are not afraid to silence opposition and that they will stop at nothing to ensure their control over the narrative.
When schools are targeted by the government and institutions are defunded sheerly for political reasons, we tow the line from authoritarianism to fascism. On the campaign trail, JD Vance was the most bold in his rhetoric, going so far as to quote former President Richard Nixon who ordered the National Guard to the campus of Kent State University, resulting in the deaths of four students, stating, “the professors are the enemy.”
The Trump administration does not want the youth to be educated since an educated population will rise up against fascism in every form. Despite his claims on social media regarding “illegal” protests on college campuses, President Trump has no authority to suppress our First Amendment rights to peacefully organize.
For the sake of American democracy and for the preservation of our rights and the rights of generations to come, the time is now for students across the country to stand up to the authoritarian Trump administration.
Until the people of Gaza, Yemen, the Democratic Republic of Congo and all other oppressed people are free, none of us are free. Long live the resistance.
Foreign Policy
On Feb. 28, President Trump and his administration met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss a minerals deal that Trump hoped would result in the reimbursement of the United States’ funds that he is claiming was a loan.
The meeting ended abruptly as it appeared that Zelenskyy was kicked out of the White House following a tense shouting match between the two presidents. This disagreement was instigated by Vice President JD Vance who lectured Zelenskyy over the lack of gratitude that has been shown to the U.S.
Following this disastrous meeting, Zelenskyy appeared on Fox News in an interview with anchor Bret Baier during which he was asked if he felt he owed the U.S. an apology for his behavior. Zelenskyy, being the true leader he is, stood his ground, stating that he did not believe he owes the U.S. or President Trump an apology, as he is attempting to ensure the security of his nation.
Throughout this meeting, Trump echoed the sentiments of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He insisted that Ukraine was the aggressor in the war, insinuating that Russia had done no wrong and that they were justified in their invasion of Ukraine.
Trump declined to label the Russian president as a dictator in his prior meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, much to the pleasure of his puppet master, Vladimir Putin. This refusal raised eyebrows around the world, most notably in the European Union, as Zelenskyy has turned to the EU for support as the U.S. continues to pull aid and information from Ukraine.
The Trump administration has been firm on its stance that it is in the best interest of the Ukrainian people and government to bring the war to an end. Seemingly rushing to bring this war to a close as fast as possible, again, to the pleasure of Vladimir Putin.
Putin has not been shy in sharing his opinions about the sovereignty of Ukraine, as he believes that the land belongs to the Russian Federation. With his illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the unjust invasion of Ukraine in 2022, it is clear that Putin’s end goal is to reestablish the Soviet Union in order to expand his sphere of influence.
As stated above, Donald Trump is nothing more than a puppet for Putin. Trump has abandoned longtime allies of the U.S. in favor of the Russian president, a policy shift for the Republican Party that has never been seen before.
If Ronald Reagan or George H. W. Bush could see what has become of their party, they would surely be infuriated. Never once has an American president cozied up to Russia to the extent that Donald Trump has, and never once has an American president left his allies to fend for themselves in the face of immediate danger.
President Trump, as he did in his first administration, is attempting to run the country like a business. The aid packages that were sent to Ukraine from the U.S. were not a loan, but rather they consisted mainly of old weaponry that was not being utilized by the American military. President Trump did not send the blank checks that he has claimed the aid was.
This is not just a fight for the sovereignty of Ukraine, this is a fight against tyrannical governments around the world, both Russian and American.
Jackson Small is a columnist. Contact him at [email protected].