A report card on Trump’s first '100' days

Since President Trump has crammed at least 100 days of action into just a few weeks, let’s issue his preliminary 100-day report card now.

On three of the four issues central to restoring American sovereignty and values — border security, eviscerating DEI, and returning sanity to biology — Trump receives the highest possible grade. He has moved swiftly, strongly, and wisely.

Even when the administration pursues goals with which most Americans agree, it must comply with the Constitution and federal law.

When it comes to ending government’s role in censorship, he has been more cautious — but not inactive. He issued an executive order to prohibit any federal government officer, employee, or agent to “unconstitutionally abridge the free speech of any American citizen” and authorize an investigation of Biden administration censorship programs. He shuttered part of the Biden censorship enterprise, and some social media platforms have curtailed their “moderation” practices. There is a lot more to do to eliminate censorship by government and government-funded organizations.

Trump receives high marks for setting in motion the policies necessary to protect Christians and Jews, curb the green agenda and restore consumer choice, and re-invigorate fossil fuel exploration and extraction. He is to be lauded for withdrawing the United States from the Paris Climate Accord and the World Health Organization.

The administration should seek to make its policies permanent. While Democrats in the Senate will use the filibuster to block Trump’s agenda, some legislation can be moved through the budget reconciliation process, which requires only 51 votes. Settlements of Biden-era litigation also can lock in results that cannot be undone without the consent of the previously adverse parties and judges.

The Justice Department did the right thing by signaling that it will investigate officials who weaponized the department against Trump — and against Christians and conservatives. It goes too far, however, to target FBI agents who were assigned to participate in the Jan. 6 investigation unless those agents clearly broke rules or laws.

Trump’s pardons for pro-life activists wrongly prosecuted under the Freedom of Access to Clinics Act earn him an A-plus, as does his decision to drop the absurd charges against Dr. Eithan Haim, who blew the whistle on the deceptive transgender policies at the Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston.

As regards the Jan. 6 protestors, top marks for pardoning those who did little more than walk through the U.S. Capitol — although commutations of prison terms, rather than pardons, should have been meted out on those who committed violence that day. Trump is a man in a hurry, which is good, but in this instance, resolving convictions for violent offenders on a case-by-case basis would have been better.

The president’s out-of-the-box proposal that the United States take an ownership interest in Gaza and assist in relocating the Palestinians, many of whom would die for their hill of rubble, is vintage Trump. This won’t happen, nor should this be a U.S. responsibility. And in a Biden-like moment, Trump aides immediately walked back his pronouncements. It remains to be seen whether his outlandish idea creates negotiating leverage with Arab leaders.

By contrast, Trump’s withdrawal from the U.N. Relief and Works Agency and Human Rights Council, call to review U.S. funding for the United Nations, sanction of the International Criminal Court and its officers, embrace of Benjamin Netanyahu as the first foreign leader invited to the White House, resumption of arms shipments to Israel, designation of the Houthis as a terrorist organization, and maximum pressure campaign on Iran, receive a perfect grade.

Trump also receives high marks for ending the USAID’s radical left agenda. USAID also administers programs that advance American values. They can be managed by the State Department or a right-sized USAID.

It may be the latter, because even when the administration pursues goals with which most Americans agree, it must comply with the Constitution and federal law. The rejoinder that this is retrograde thinking of the Washington swamp won’t cut it. Accordingly, the DOGE should be auditing, making recommendations to the administration, and executing IT and operations decisions. The administration can prevail in lawsuits against the DOGE’s activities and achieve Trump’s objectives by following this prescription and by doing a better job communicating the constraints on the DOGE’s authority.

The federal government employee buyout sends a terrific message, but it may prove to be little more than a publicity stunt if most of those who accept it would have left anyway in a year or two. The proclamation ending birthright citizenship will end up at the Supreme Court. The legislative history and common sense support Trump’s position, but it may be too radical an idea for the high court to swallow.

Trump’s trolling about making Canada the 51ststate has run its course. Threatening Greenland and Denmark must stop. Though Panama may have breached its treaty with the United States and Chinese involvement is threatening our national security, more diplomatic deftness about next steps would be productive.

Trump must end Canadian, Chinese, and European Union barriers to U.S. investments and exports, as well as EU efforts to impose ESG and other European policies on the global operations of U.S. companies. If it takes tariffs to achieve that goal, bring on the tariffs.

It is cruel to require overseas federal workers to return home within just 30 days. Trump’s termination of security details for Mike Pompeo, his top aide Brian Hook, and John Bolton is shameful and should be reversed. This is the only F on his report card.

In sum, Trump has made extraordinary progress. If he stays on this policy path and makes a few adjustments in messaging and implementation, the administration ultimately will prevail against most legal challenges, and Trump will be one of the most consequential presidents in U.S. history.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published by RealClearPolitics and made available via RealClearWire.