EXPERT COMMENT Donalds Disappointing Days Trumps First Hundred Days in Office
In an article for Think: Leicester, Dr Andrew Johnstone, Director of American Studies, has commented on President Trump's first 100 days in the Oval Office.
In the article, Dr Johnstone said: “Donald Trump’s first three-and-a-bit months have seen limited legislation, surprisingly little transformation, and a phenomenal amount of golf. There have been notable failures. Trump promised to eliminate the Affordable Care Act, but his efforts to replace “Obamacare” failed in the House of Representatives, largely due to divisions within his own party. His efforts to ban travellers from a number of largely Muslim nations were blocked by the courts. There has been no further progress on the funding or construction of the proposed border wall with Mexico.
“There has been some limited success, most notably with the appointment of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, though this only happened in the first hundred days because Republicans in Congress refused to appoint Obama’s nominee Merrick Garland last year. And despite his failure to end Obamacare, Trump has put an end to a number of Obama-era achievements, such as financial regulation, largely through executive action.
“But judged by his own campaign promises, Trump has had an embarrassingly poor start. His Contract with the American Voter, a “100-day action plan to Make America Great Again,” has been largely unfulfilled. This is especially true with regard to his proposed legislative measures, as Trump has struggled to work with Congress, finding that governing is far harder than campaigning. Amazingly, Trump has admitted that he thought the job would be easier. He has also been drawn into foreign affairs far more than expected, notably going against his campaign slogan to focus on America First."