I’m so grateful to have the freedom and ability to go to school and take history classes, and sometimes, when I have discussions with others about politics, I find myself wondering if they were required to take the same mandatory courses as me. Either they were not, or they are just profoundly oblivious to just how often history repeats itself.
Since 20 Jan. 2025, the national and global effect of Donald Trump’s presidency has been absolutely catastrophic to millions of government workers, mothers, and children in un-Westernized countries, and impoverished individuals everywhere. Trump and Elon Musk’s combined efforts to shut down USAID, a Congress-run humanitarian foreign aid organization, have had debilitating effects on many struggling nations.
To make matters worse, within less than 24 hours of his inauguration, President Trump signed 26 executive orders, ranging from stricter immigration policies to unnecessary attacks on transgender people.
In one such order, he claims to be shutting out terrorists to protect the country. What this really means is that it will take months longer for struggling refugee families to move out of a country where they live under the constant threat of starvation, disease, or gang violence.
To be clear, this culture can be a breeding ground for violence, and potentially terrorism, but the solution is not to stereotype an entire country’s population and assume they will become terrorists.
From 2013 to 2023, the median length of the immigration process has already increased from roughly five months to almost twelve (USA Facts). With the recent increase in stringency, this number will likely go up even more.
These are families who only want what’s best for themselves and their children; the only desires that most of these immigrants have are a bright future for their children, affordable education, and a stable life—all the traits that the United States is heralded for.
In other words, if this country is so great, why is the government so afraid to let other people enjoy its greatness?
What’s most shocking is that thousands of people would die on the hill that Trump is the United States’ savior, knowing his opinion of immigrants.
Not only has he signed multiple orders that attempt to deal with such made-up issues, but he is also handpicking the people he knows will continue to push the country down this alt-right spiral and placing them in the highest government positions that are constitutionally possible.
Elon Musk is one of these people.
Musk has a laundry list of very concerning allegations and offenses against him. He performed the Nazi salute at Trump’s inauguration, has reportedly harassed his daughter for being trans, saying she isn’t a girl and is “figuratively dead” (NBC News), and said—in accordance with Trump’s comments—that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is a “criminal organization,” full of “radical-left globalists.”
For context, USAID has been providing nations in need with humanitarian aid and assistance since 1961. This includes food, medicine, and advanced technology these countries don’t have access to. Some of USAID’s largest receivers are Jordan, Syria, and South Sudan. (Council on Foreign Relations)
Four days after Trump came into power, Elon Musk’s higher-ups moved to freeze all of USAID’s funds, and Musk’s nominal Department of Government Efficiency subsequently sent multiple teenage workers—all of whom had no federal experience at all—to supervise the employees of various USAID institutions.
This has caused numerous unnecessary issues and obstacles for thousands of people that rely on USAID to live.
Each year, the malaria crisis claims almost three million lives, with 95% of cases occurring in Africa. Most of these cases are in children under five.
Lifesaving technology like insecticides and bug nets, the most effective combatants against malaria, are expenses paid for by USAID. If it is dissolved, like Trump and Musk are attempting, African nations such as Uganda and Somalia will be left without millions of dollars in funds that they have been relying on for decades.
This offers up a very difficult decision for the employees and security officers working for USAID: adhere to Trump and possibly sentence thousands of children to death, or disobey and be put on administrative leave, potentially even terminated, for insubordination.
What’s most upsetting about this is the blatant disregard for how much power is being given to Musk, despite him never being elected, never being placed on a ballot, and never being chosen by the people, for the people, and of the people.
Yes, one of the president’s perks is being able to pick their non-elected colleagues; However, until now, these people have generally held minor roles, such as advising the president, not having any real say in the laws that are made, or any other major decisions. Until now, privileged white billionaires haven’t been choosing their privileged white billionaire friends to hold key roles in the government, especially not in international affairs.
This is prime evidence of history repeating itself; many soon-to-be dictatorships began as oligarchies. To be fair, the U.S. government isn’t an oligarchy. It is, however, getting uncomfortably close.
Are we living in dystopia? No. But is it absolutely terrifying to recognize the eerie similarities, even if few and undeveloped, between the current state of the US and 1930s Germany? Yes, entirely.
