Education
Can Trump Really Abolish the Department of Education?
President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday that directs the federal Department of Education to come up with a plan for its own demise.
Only Congress can abolish a Cabinet-level agency, and it is not clear whether Mr. Trump has the votes in Congress to do so. But he has already begun to dismantle the department, firing about half of its staff, gutting its respected education-research arm, and vastly narrowing the focus of its civil rights division, which works to protect students from discrimination.
Mr. Trump’s long history of attacking the Department of Education represents a revival of a Reagan-era Republican talking point. It has unified Democrats in fiery opposition. But is shuttering the department possible? And if not, how has Mr. Trump begun to use the agency to achieve his policy goals?
What does the department do?
The Education Department was founded in 1979. Its main job is distributing money to college students through grants and loans. It also sends federal money to K-12 schools, targeted toward low-income and disabled students, and enforces anti-discrimination laws.
The money for schools has been set aside by Congress and is unlikely to be affected by Mr. Trump’s executive order. But oversight of the funds could be reduced and moved to other federal agencies.
Those federal dollars account for only about 10 percent of K-12 school funding nationwide. While Mr. Trump has said he wants to return power over education to the states, states and school districts already control K-12 education, which is mostly paid for with state and local tax dollars. The federal department does not control local learning standards or reading lists.
The agency does play a big role in funding and disseminating research on education, but those efforts have been significantly scaled back by the Trump administration.
It also administers tests that track whether American students are learning and how they compare with their peers in other states and countries. It is unclear whether those tests will continue to be delivered, given drastic reductions in the staff and funding necessary to manage them.
Still, closing the department would not likely have much of an immediate effect on how schools and colleges operate. The Trump administration has discussed tapping the Treasury Department to disburse student loans and grants, for instance, and Health and Human Services to administer funding for students with disabilities.
Can the Department of Education actually be closed?
Any effort to fully eliminate the department would have to go through Congress. Republican members would most likely hear opposition from superintendents, college presidents and other education leaders in their districts; schools in Republican regions rely on federal aid from the agency, just as schools in Democratic regions do.
“They are going to run into opposition,” said Jon Valant, an education expert at the Brookings Institution. “They have a laser-thin majority and a filibuster to confront in the Senate.”
Even if Congressional Republicans stuck together to support closing the agency, Dr. Valant predicted their constituents would protest, given the department’s role in distributing money from popular programs like Pell grants, which pay for college tuition, and I.D.E.A., which provides support to students with disabilities.
“It’s a very hard sell,” he said. “And I am very skeptical that is where this administration wants to spend its political capital.”
It’s worth noting that the attempt to abolish the agency is part of a larger conservative agenda to roll back the federal role in education and direct more money toward private-school vouchers and home-schooling. Trump allies have ambitions to cut the primary federal funding stream to K-12 schools, known as Title I — although doing that, too, would most likely require action from Congress.
How much power does the department have?
Even as Mr. Trump has vowed to close the department, he has begun to use the agency’s powers.
In January, the agency announced an investigation into Denver Public Schools for converting a girls’ bathroom into an all-gender facility. It is also investigating a series of conferences for students of color in the Ithaca, N.Y., public schools, and has created an “End D.E.I.” web page, encouraging individuals to report instances of “divisive ideologies and indoctrination” in schools.
In addition, Mr. Trump’s executive order on “ending radical indoctrination in K-12 schooling” directs the department to develop and disseminate “patriotic” learning materials.
It is unclear how much those orders will change practices in classrooms, given its small role in K-12 education.
The agency does issue regulations on how civil rights laws apply to various groups of students, including disabled students, L.G.B.T.Q. students, racial minorities and girls. One of the administration’s favored strategies is to argue that when schools allow transgender students to use the bathrooms or play on the sports teams of their choice, it is a violation of girls’ rights under Title IX, a law that protects students from sex discrimination.
Mr. Trump has shown less interest in other elements of civil rights law. He has fired government lawyers who investigate schools that fail to provide equal access and services to children with disabilities, for example.
Currently, more than 70 percent of the department’s $224 billion annual budget goes to the federal student aid program, which has also become a frequent Republican target. Mr. Trump is seeking to restrict public-sector loan forgiveness, and has said fewer students should attend four-year colleges.
The agency provides more than $90 billion in new loans to students annually, which are distributed by colleges and serviced by the federal government through private contractors. It also offers $39 billion in Pell Grants annually to low-income students, which generally do not need to be paid back. It administers the federal work-study program and gives grants to students who promise to work as teachers in hard-to-staff subjects or schools.
It has had opponents since the beginning.
Opposition to the Department of Education is today associated with Republicans. But the agency began its life with fierce opponents on both sides of the aisle.
President Jimmy Carter established the department, often known simply as Ed, in 1979, fulfilling a campaign promise to the nation’s largest teachers’ union, the National Education Association. He did so over the objections of his own presidential transition team and many in Congress — including fellow Democrats.
Some staunch liberals believed all of the issues affecting children — health care, cash welfare and education — should be handled by a single federal agency, then known as the Department of Health, Education and Welfare.
Still, over the next four decades, Ed became a part of the beltway firmament, popular with Democrats and many Republicans, too. Many of the programs Ed oversees are sources of bipartisan comity, such as funding for vocational education.
Gareth Davies, a historian who has written about the founding of the Department of Education, said the revival of conservative opposition to the agency shows “just how far the G.O.P. has moved in the past two decades, from compassionate conservatism to culture wars.”
Mike Petrilli, president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute think tank, and a former Department of Education staffer under President George W. Bush, called the gesture toward shuttering the agency a distraction from problems like the record-low reading scores of American students, released in January.
He suggested that Mr. Trump should host a governor’s summit in Washington to focus on the problem, particularly on the question of whether screen time is harming children’s academic abilities.
“If you wanted to solve this problem and show leadership,” he said, “you would talk about the real crisis.”
Since the start of his second term, President Trump has cut budgets, made demands on public institutions, and attacked the media and speech in actions regularly called unprecedented.
In April, we asked presidential historians if they could come up with comparable examples in previous administrations — and to tell us when they couldn’t. You can read that earlier article here.
We went back to the historians (and some political scientists) to help us categorize the administration’s actions and pronouncements that have happened since: whether they’re unprecedented, relatively common or somewhere in between.
No clear precedent
President Trump has taken some actions that do not have a comparable historical example, according to historians.
Used the military to attack and kill suspected drug smugglers
TRUMP’S ACTIONS
President Trump has ordered the military to kill people aboard boats he says have been smuggling drugs, claiming the power to redefine drug trafficking as armed conflict.
IN THE PAST
Historians said the closest parallels to Mr. Trump’s strikes in international waters were attacks on pirates — from Thomas Jefferson’s attacks on Barbary corsairs to Barack Obama’s use of military force against Somali pirates in 2009. But President Obama’s efforts were largely rescue missions; Jefferson was also responding to the capture of American ships.
“Since the 1970s, presidents have claimed the right to take military action, including murderous assaults, against nonstate actors who threaten the United States,” said Jeremi Suri, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin. However, he said, “the United States has generally not targeted drug smugglers in this way.”
“The U.S. has helped other governments in Central America to apprehend drug traffickers. No presidents have unilaterally killed alleged drug smugglers in international waters.”
Manisha Sinha
Professor of American History, University of Connecticut
No clear precedent
Cast doubt on vaccine efficacy and safety
TRUMP’S ACTIONS
With Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary, the Trump administration has begun to overhaul American vaccine policy. A vaccine skeptic, Mr. Kennedy replaced a vaccine advisory panel with handpicked members. The panel ended a decades-long recommendation to vaccinate babies against hepatitis B at birth. Mr. Kennedy also canceled hundreds of millions of dollars in grants and contracts to develop mRNA vaccines. Mr. Trump hailed Covid vaccines as a miracle during his first term but has since questioned whether they work, and Mr. Kennedy has called them “the deadliest vaccine ever made.”
IN THE PAST
Previous presidents have typically promoted vaccines. The government has changed the vaccine schedule and pulled recommendations for vaccines before, including for a rotavirus gastroenteritis vaccine in the 1990s. And manufacturers have voluntarily withdrawn vaccines from the market. But no presidential administration has made such an effort to dismantle vaccine policy.
“Other presidents tried to expand vaccines. This goes all the way back to George Washington during the Revolutionary War, who mandated smallpox inoculations for his army.”
Robert Watson
Professor of History, Lynn University
No clear precedent
Asked states to gerrymander to add more seats for his party
TRUMP’S ACTIONS
President Trump and his aides have pushed for lawmakers across the country to redraw maps in favor of Republicans.
IN THE PAST
This has not been done publicly, though an adviser to George W. Bush, Karl Rove, was reported to have lobbied state legislators to redistrict in 2003.
“No previous president has done this so overtly, but gerrymandering for political advantage has been a basic tool of political parties since the earliest years of the republic.”
Kendrick Clements
Professor, University of South Carolina
No clear precedent
Owned a company that received a major investment from a sovereign state
TRUMP’S ACTIONS
Earlier this year, a state-controlled United Arab Emirates firm used $2 billion of cryptocurrency issued by World Liberty Financial — a start-up owned by the Trump family — to invest in a crypto exchange. That effectively serves as a huge deposit for World Liberty, which can then generate returns in the tens of millions of dollars each year.
IN THE PAST
Historians said there was no comparable example.
“Past presidents took pains to put their holdings in a blind trust or to divest entirely from identifiable individual companies.”
Andrew Rudalevige Professor of Government, Bowdoin College
No clear precedent
Tried to remove a member of the Federal Reserve Board
TRUMP’S ACTIONS
President Trump tried to fire a Federal Reserve governor, Lisa Cook, accusing her of mortgage fraud. (The Supreme Court stopped the firing until it could hear arguments in January, and she maintains her innocence.) It’s part of a broader, stated effort to gain more influence over the board.
IN THE PAST
Presidents have fought with the Fed before; under President Harry Truman, the head of the Board of Governors resigned amid a disagreement with the administration. But no president has directly fired a Federal Reserve official.
“They have often put pressure on the Fed, but I don’t know of any president who has claimed the power to fire a sitting governor and tried to carry it out.”
David Greenberg Professor of History, Rutgers University
No clear precedent
Ended data collection efforts across government
TRUMP’S ACTIONS
The Trump administration has stopped or plans to stop collecting data on environmental disasters, climate change, food insecurity, emissions from polluters and more.
IN THE PAST
No president has stopped data collection at such a scale.
“There have been other presidents who have appointed people as heads of agencies but who opposed the missions of those agencies. But that is a far cry from eliminating the government’s longstanding practices of producing reliable data, on nearly everything of concern to the public and for which the government is responsible.”
Michael Gerhardt
Professor of Jurisprudence, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Law School
No clear precedent
Ordered a review of public museums to align with administration views
TRUMP’S ACTIONS
The White House told the Smithsonian Institution — a museum group founded and funded by the federal government — that it would have 120 days to change any content that the administration found problematic in “tone, historical framing and alignment with American ideals.”
IN THE PAST
There’s no comparison for such a broad and public demand on the nation’s museums, historians said.
There have been instances of perceived pressure, or limited influence. A former Smithsonian administrator claimed that the National Museum of Natural History toned down an exhibit on climate change during the George W. Bush administration. And it was reported that the Nixon administration told what is now the National Museum of American History to close an exhibit on voting rights ahead of a ball that was part of Nixon’s second inauguration.
No clear precedent
Cast doubt on official Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs numbers
TRUMP’S ACTIONS
President Trump claimed without evidence that weak job numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics were “rigged” and fired the agency’s commissioner.
IN THE PAST
No president has done this publicly and so directly in the years the Bureau of Labor has been collecting and publishing data. (Since the late 1800s.) Ronald Reagan once said a framing of B.L.S. data was misleading, but didn’t question the data itself. Richard Nixon’s administration made some changes to how B.L.S. reported monthly data. But when he threw doubt on the B.L.S., it was in private conversation. (It was eventually revealed that he had blamed Jewish people working at the agency for unfavorable statistics.)
“Presidents have always spun bad numbers; few have declared war on arithmetic itself.”
Alexis Coe
Presidential historian and senior fellow at New America
No clear precedent
Sought damages from the Justice Department for federal investigations into him
TRUMP’S ACTIONS
President Trump is reported to have demanded that the Justice Department pay him $230 million in compensation for past investigations into his actions.
IN THE PAST
There’s no real comparison, historians say. Andrew Jackson was once fined for suspending habeas corpus; he lobbied Congress for a refund. But that lobbying took place after his presidency, said Matthew Warshauer, professor of history at Central Connecticut State University. (It was successful.)
Has happened, but under different circumstances
In several cases, Mr. Trump’s actions are precedented, but there are details that make them different: scale, context, motivation or results.
The following are events in which our scholars did not always agree on the extent of a precedent.
Sent the National Guard to cities
TRUMP’S ACTIONS
President Trump has expanded the role of the National Guard, deploying its troops to cities as part of a stated federal crackdown on crime. In several cases, governors or local officials have sued to block the deployments.
IN THE PAST
Presidents have deployed the National Guard to cities numerous times, including to protect civil rights advocates marching from Selma to Montgomery in Alabama; to enforce Brown v. Board of Education in Little Rock, Ark.; in response to the 1992 Los Angeles riots; to quell a riot in Detroit in 1943; and to help Hurricane Andrew relief efforts in Florida.
But in most cases, unlike President Trump, presidents deployed the National Guard at the request of, or with the cooperation of, state lawmakers. (That was not the case when presidents used the National Guard to support integration in Arkansas and protect civil rights activists in Alabama.)
“With the exception of using troops to protect American citizens during the height of civil rights reform, American presidents have typically respected the authority of states and only mobilized troops at the request of state lawmakers.”
Nicole L. Anslover
Associate Professor of History, Florida Atlantic University
Has happened, but under different circumstances
Directed the attorney general to investigate or prosecute political rivals
TRUMP’S ACTIONS
President Trump has pushed Attorney General Pam Bondi and his Justice Department to investigate or seek criminal charges against his perceived enemies, including George Soros, the billionaire Democratic donor; the former F.B.I. director James B. Comey; and the New York attorney general Letitia James.
IN THE PAST
Nixon also tried to use the federal government — including the Department of Justice — to go after his “enemies list” through investigations and other legal harassment. One memo from his White House counsel describes “how we can use the available federal machinery to screw our political enemies.”
But “it was on a limited case-by-case basis, and many of his own appointees and federal workers thwarted his illegalities,” said Robert Watson, a professor of history at Lynn University.
“Nixon tried to act in secrecy and deny his vendettas.”
Jeremi Suri
Professor of History and Public Affairs, University of Texas at Austin
Has happened, but under different circumstances
Carried out large-scale immigration raids
TRUMP’S ACTIONS
Federal agents have conducted immigration enforcement raids in several Democrat-led cities, arresting and detaining thousands in Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles and Charlotte, N.C., among others.
IN THE PAST
Eisenhower carried out deportations of illegal immigrants, known at the time as “Operation Wetback.” These targeted Mexican migrants, and they were more focused on agricultural border areas than major cities.
Has happened, but under different circumstances
Arranged for a government stake in a U.S. company
TRUMP’S ACTIONS
The Trump administration allowed Japan’s Nippon Steel to take over U.S. Steel in exchange for a “golden share” giving the White House a permanent say in the company’s business. (The Trump administration has also purchased shares or options in other private companies involved in minerals, nuclear energy and semiconductors.)
IN THE PAST
The U.S. government received shares of auto companies while bailing them out during the Great Recession in 2009, but it sold those within a few years to recoup some of the money it had spent.
The Trump effort has centered on national security concerns. Prior administrations have taken control of the private sector briefly during wartime, but those were not ongoing ownership stakes.
“I can’t think of an example when companies were forced to pay premiums of this sort to the U.S. government — even giving federal actors formal long-term decision-making authority for corporate behavior — as a cost of doing business.”
Andrew Rudalevige
Professor of Government, Bowdoin College
Has happened, but under different circumstances
Carried out a major demolition and renovation of the White House
TRUMP’S ACTIONS
The Trump administration took down the East Wing of the White House to build a 90,000-square-foot ballroom.
IN THE PAST
The White House went through a demolition and renovation under President Truman, when the building was in danger of physical collapse.
Other presidents have made renovations — including significant expansions — but historians could not name another demolition of a major part of the building.
Has happened, but under different circumstances
Struck a deal with drug companies to sell prescriptions at lower prices and set up an online drugstore with the president’s name
TRUMP’S ACTIONS
President Trump has tried to lower prescription drug prices through two primary channels: He has made deals with numerous major drugmakers (including Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Eli Lilly) to sell drugs to Medicaid at lower prices; and he has committed to starting TrumpRx, a portal through which patients can buy drugs directly from drugmakers.
IN THE PAST
Previous presidents have tried various strategies to make prescription drugs more affordable, including negotiating with industry. (Most recently, the Biden administration brought drugmakers to the negotiating table.)
A marketplace with the president’s name on it is new.
“Earlier efforts to cut drug costs — Bill Clinton’s aborted price-control proposals, George W. Bush’s Medicare Part D expansion, Barack Obama’s negotiation push under the Affordable Care Act — were policy fights, not product launches.”
Alexis Coe Presidential historian and senior fellow at New America
Has happened, but under different circumstances
Pulled back public infrastructure grants in mostly blue states
TRUMP’S ACTIONS
The Trump administration has frozen and terminated grants for infrastructure that were largely set to be in districts that vote Democratic, and the president has bragged about it. “A lot of good can come down from shutdowns,” Mr. Trump said in October. “We can get rid of a lot of things that we didn’t want, and they’d be Democrat things.” (Some Republican districts have also lost projects.)
IN THE PAST
Pulling back funds already allocated is unusual, scholars told The Times. Presidents have often directed government benefits to key constituencies and favored states and districts, but not in such a public and direct manner.
When Nixon’s administration made large cuts to military bases in the early 1970s, states in the Northeast were hit the hardest, leading to speculation that politics played a role.
“Presidents have always played politics with public monies, although often as discreetly as possible.”
Stephen F. Knott
Emeritus Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College
Has happened, but under different circumstances
Signed large cuts to health care programs into law
TRUMP’S ACTIONS
The sprawling policy bill pushed by the president and passed by Republicans in July contained more than $1.1 trillion in cuts to health care programs, including roughly $900 billion in cuts to Medicaid — about 11 percent of projected spending on the program over a decade.
IN THE PAST
Under President Reagan, Congress reduced Medicaid and Medicare spending. Medicaid cuts in the early 1980s totaled $1 billion each year, around 5 percent of annual Medicaid spending. The cuts came in the form of smaller payments to states, which then cut services. (People forced off welfare rolls by Reagan’s administration often lost Medicaid benefits, too.) George W. Bush signed into law policy changes that made smaller reductions in Medicaid spending.
The Affordable Care Act, signed by President Obama in 2010, included more than $700 billion in reductions to Medicare, though the bill increased spending on health care overall.
“Since the beginning of federal health care programs in the 1930s, policymakers have been more likely to expand than cut such programs.”
Kendrick Clements Professor, University of South Carolina
Has happened, but under different circumstances
Auctioned face-to-face access
TRUMP’S ACTIONS
Mr. Trump invited people who spent the most on his personal cryptocurrency to a White House gala dinner.
IN THE PAST
Many presidents have rewarded their major donors with special privileges. (Bill Clinton gave some top donors meals, outings and overnight stays; major fund-raisers also stayed overnight in George W. Bush’s White House; and inaugurations have long been a way for donors to get close to the president.) But Mr. Trump, not his campaign, personally benefited from the crypto investments.
“The standards of White House conduct related to maintaining proper distance from acts of bribery, perceived or real, have demonstrably deteriorated over the years. In 1958, White House chief of staff Sherman Adams was forced to resign from the Eisenhower administration because he had accepted a vicuña overcoat and a rug from a Boston businessman under investigation by the Federal Trade Commission.”
Russell Riley
Professor of Ethics and Institutions, University of Virginia’s Miller Center
Has happened, but under different circumstances
Attacked the media, including suing newspapers
TRUMP’S ACTIONS
President Trump has directed defamation lawsuits against The Wall Street Journal and The Times. He has also sued Paramount (before starting his second term) over a Kamala Harris interview; blocked reporters from parts of the White House where they’ve been allowed for decades; threatened to pull broadcasters’ licences over late-night hosts he dislikes; imposed restrictions on military reporters; and persuaded Congress to cut funding for public media.
IN THE PAST
No other sitting president has specifically filed a defamation lawsuit against a newspaper. (Theodore Roosevelt did sue a small-town newspaper for libel for accusations of drunkenness, but only after leaving office.)
There is, however, a long history of attempts by presidential administrations to pressure the news media over critical coverage. Abraham Lincoln shut down pro-Confederacy newspapers during the Civil War and arrested their editors; in World War I, the government charged some journalists who opposed the war under the Espionage Act; the Nixon administration tried to stop the publication of the Pentagon Papers. Nixon also listed journalists on his “enemies list” and ordered wiretaps of reporters.
“White House grumping about critical coverage is an age-old feature of the Washington community. But rarely has this gone beyond a sharp elbow in the press room or maybe a back-channel call to the publisher to yelp.”
Russell Riley
Professor of Ethics and Institutions, University of Virginia’s Miller Center
Not uncommon
A few of Mr. Trump’s moves are, if not standard practice, still actions that other U.S. presidents have taken in recent decades.
Put on a military parade
TRUMP’S ACTIONS
In June, President Trump presided over a procession of troops, weaponry and military vehicles in Washington in commemoration of the Army’s 250th birthday and his own 79th.
IN THE PAST
Large-scale military parades aren’t uncommon, though they often happen during or at the close of a war. Among other examples, George H.W. Bush held a large military parade in 1991 after the Persian Gulf War, and John F. Kennedy hosted one during his inaugural in 1961, at the height of the Cold War.
Not uncommon
Established fast-track visas for wealthy immigrants
TRUMP’S ACTIONS
The president has launched a program that is intended to allow people to buy legal residency in the U.S. with a $1 million “contribution” to the U.S. government.
IN THE PAST
The U.S. has long had a program that allows entrance to wealthy immigrants: the EB-5 program, for people willing to invest $1 million (less in some circumstances) in a business that would hire Americans. President Trump’s program is new in style — it’s called the “gold card” — but not in function.
“Bill Clinton created the Immigrant Investor Pilot Program, with Obama extending the idea to the Regional Center Pilot Program. It’s actually not a new thing what President Trump is doing.”
Thomas Balcerski
Presidential Historian, Eastern Connecticut State University
Not uncommon
Helped broker an agreement for a cease-fire in Gaza, and an exchange of hostages and prisoners
TRUMP’S ACTIONS
The administration’s deal between Hamas and Israel in October — which Jared Kushner, Mr. Trump’s son-in-law, helped broker — resulted in a cease-fire and the release of the remaining Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
IN THE PAST
It’s common for American presidents to step in and help negotiate deals between Israel and Arab nations; President Biden negotiated a cease-fire and prisoner exchange, though the deal fell apart.
“President Trump should be applauded for his effort in the Mideast. This is his greatest foreign policy achievement so far.”
Wilbur C. Rich
Emeritus Professor of Political Science, Wellesley College
Not uncommon
Pulled back United Nations funding
TRUMP’S ACTIONS
President Trump has withdrawn or frozen U.S. funding for several agencies within the U.N., including the World Health Organization and the Human Rights Council.
IN THE PAST
The Reagan administration, claiming mismanagement at the U.N., withheld funds in the 1980s. George W. Bush withheld money from the U.N.’s Population Fund over concerns about abortion and other family planning issues.
“The anti-U.N. rhetoric has been part of the Republican political discourse for some time.”
Manisha Sinha
Professor of American History, University of Connecticut
Not uncommon
Attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities
TRUMP’S ACTIONS
President Trump ordered an attack on three key nuclear sites in Iran in June, without seeking congressional authorization.
IN THE PAST
Though Mr. Trump was the first to bomb Iranian nuclear sites, previous administrations have engaged in sabotage of Iranian nuclear systems — including the George W. Bush and Obama administrations’ development and use of the computer worm Stuxnet. (That was a destructive program that targeted centrifuges and delayed Tehran’s ability to make nuclear weapons.)
More broadly, presidents have long taken military actions without congressional sign-off.
About the data
For this project, we reached out to dozens of historians and political scientists, including some participants of C-SPAN’s Presidential Historians Survey. We asked them to provide us with relevant precedent to specific Trump actions, if there were any, and to describe how those precedents were and were not similar to what Mr. Trump has done.
We received responses from 36 experts. In addition to those we quoted, we used notes and research from: Andrew Bacevich, Paul Brandus, Vernon Burton, Jeffrey Engel, Michael A. Genovese, Harold Holzer, Chandler James, Scott Kaufman, Thomas J. Knock, Douglas L. Kriner, Allan Lichtman, Bruce Miroff, Barbara Perry, Gary Richardson, Robert Schmuhl, Craig Shirley, Brooks Simpson, Robert Strong, Tevi Troy, Mark K. Updegrove, Ted Widmer, B. Dan Wood and David B. Woolner.
We categorized actions based on the overall responses, along with additional reporting and research.
Justin Vaughn and Brandon Rottinghaus of the Presidential Greatness Project assisted in establishing a list of historians and constructing the initial survey.
From the moment he took office in January, President Trump has convulsed Washington as he seeks to remake the federal government and put his imprint on the country.
But what does it all mean for everyday Americans? We heard from hundreds of readers who had questions about how tariffs, immigration, prices, health care, regulatory change and other issues could affect their lives. Our beat reporters provided answers.
Who benefited from the recent tax cuts? Are taxes changing for all Americans?
Most people will pay at least somewhat lower taxes because of the cuts Republicans passed in July. Much of the law is dedicated to extending the tax cuts first put in place in 2017, so for many people this year’s tax cuts won’t feel like much of a change. Republicans did add some new breaks that could help Americans who work overtime, earn tips, live in high-tax states or are 65 or over. Overall, though, higher-income Americans will still benefit the most.
How did we get here?
During Mr. Trump’s first term, Republicans scheduled many of their tax cuts to expire at the end of 2025. That essentially forced Congress to pass another set of cuts this year.
What could happen next?
Congress may have to act again soon. Several measures in the new law, including Mr. Trump’s campaign promises to cut taxes on tips and overtime, will expire at the end of 2028.
My grandson is looking for his first job. Is there a future in manufacturing in the United States?
Yes, there is, especially for young people with skills in automation and robotics, which are seen as crucial to making the sector globally competitive. As factories become more high-tech, new jobs are opening up in robot repair and mechatronics, a field that combines mechanical engineering with electronics and the software that tells machines what to do. Mechatronics technicians with a two-year associate degree earned a median salary of $70,760 last year. Those with more education and experience can earn well over $100,000.
How did we get here?
The Trump administration has used tariffs to reduce America’s dependence on China’s manufacturing. But it is more expensive to build things in the United States, including factories, so it’s not clear whether this effort will succeed.
Will more jobs open up?
There were 385,000 job openings in American factories as of September, and that number is expected to rise significantly as baby boomers retire. But robots, artificial intelligence and automation will also replace some humans.
I have been a naturalized citizen for decades, but I’m wondering if I need to carry my papers and passport at all times now. If U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials stop me, what do I do? Can I be deported?
As a naturalized U.S. citizen, you have the same constitutional rights as a native-born citizen. You are not required to carry proof of citizenship. However, it can be wise to carry such documents as a precaution, in case you are detained. Naturalized citizens cannot be deported unless the government proves they obtained naturalization by fraud or willful misrepresentation. For example, people who entered sham marriages to obtain green cards and later naturalized could be stripped of citizenship and removed from the country. These cases have been rare.
How did we get here?
During recent immigration enforcement actions, federal agents seeking to arrest and deport undocumented people have been mistakenly detaining Americans based on “reasonable suspicion.”
What’s happening now?
The Trump administration has been investigating naturalized citizens for fraud in their original applications or anti-American opinions that could be used to justify revoking their citizenship.
Are people still coming across the border with Mexico?
The answer is very few. The shift has been so dramatic that the Border Patrol rarely apprehends migrants these days on the southwest border. The number of average encounters has dwindled to just 245 a day from a peak of about 9,000 in December 2023, according to recent government data. Shelters that used to receive up to 1,000 people a day during the height of the migrant crisis under former President Joseph R. Biden Jr. have not seen a single migrant in months.
How did we get here?
The Trump administration has all but shut the border with a slew of executive orders meant to block migrants from entering the United States and seeking asylum. A crackdown on illegal immigrants across the country is also deterring many from crossing the border.
Could this be reversed?
Crossings at the border are likely to remain low as long as President Trump is in office.
Prices are higher at the grocery store. Is that because of tariffs?
Food has become slightly more expensive in the past year. Tariffs have had only a modest effect on prices because much of what we consume is grown or manufactured in the United States. Food prices in November rose 1.9 percent from late 2024 levels, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A big chunk of that increase has come from beef prices, which have surged nearly 15 percent in the past year, and coffee, which are up almost 19 percent.
How did we get here?
Beef prices are high because the cattle herd is the smallest it has been since the 1950s. Coffee prices rose after droughts in Brazil and Vietnam, and then coffee from Brazil was hit with a 50 percent tariff.
Will prices go down anytime soon?
Beef prices will most likely remain high because it takes time to rebuild herds. The Trump administration recently lifted tariffs on some products, including coffee.
Are my tax dollars paying for things like reverting military bases back to their Confederate names?
Yes, kind of. In 2023, under Mr. Biden, nine Army bases named after Confederate officers were renamed, at a cost of $39 million. Now, money is being spent to revert most of them by linking them to non-Confederate Army soldiers who have the same last names as the original honorees. (Out: the Confederacy’s Braxton Bragg; in: World War II veteran Roland L. Bragg.) The Pentagon did not respond to a New York Times reporter’s question about how much Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has spent to change the names this year.
How did we get here?
Mr. Hegseth, who called the non-Confederate base names “woke,” spent the early portion of his time in office devoted to fighting culture war issues.
Could this be reversed?
Yes. And it could keep changing back and forth with successive administrations of different parties, costing many millions of dollars each time, unless Congress put a stop to it.
Will I be able to get vaccines at a pharmacy, doctor’s office or health clinic?
Currently, flu shots and routine childhood vaccinations — like the measles, mumps and rubella; Tdap; and polio shots — remain widely available. Many people faced obstacles getting Covid-19 vaccines during this year’s rollout, but those obstacles have decreased (though not disappeared) since a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel issued recommendations in September. The same panel is examining the childhood vaccine schedule and has already moved to alter it by no longer recommending the hepatitis B vaccine for all newborns.
How did we get here?
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary, fired all the members of a key C.D.C. vaccine panel and replaced them with several people who have expressed skepticism about vaccines, especially Covid shots.
What could happen next?
The Food and Drug Administration may make it harder to bring flu shots and other vaccines to market. There may be uncertainty about access to Covid vaccines, and future access to routine childhood vaccines.
I’m looking to buy a new car and am considering an electric vehicle. Are they more expensive now than when President Trump took office?
Yes. Electric vehicles became more expensive on Oct. 1, after the expiration of a tax credit that made them almost as affordable as gasoline cars. But electric vehicles may still save you money in the long run because of lower fuel and maintenance costs. And some carmakers cut prices after the credits expired. A growing number of E.V.s sell for less than $40,000, like the Tesla Model 3, Chevrolet Equinox E.V., Nissan Leaf and Hyundai Ioniq 5.
How did we get here?
Republicans in Congress killed the tax credit this year with support from President Trump as part of a broad rollback of policies intended to promote electric vehicles for environmental reasons.
Could this be reversed?
The tax credit is not likely to come back while Republicans are in power. But electric vehicles will become less expensive as the technology improves, and some used E.V.s are already cheaper than gasoline models.
My husband and I are planning to start trying to have a child. Has my access to fertility treatments changed?
The Trump administration announced a discount on some in vitro fertilization drugs and moved to encourage employers to more broadly cover I.V.F. and infertility treatments. But it is not clear yet whether more employers will elect to actually cover the treatments.
How did we get here?
Mr. Trump, who has branded himself the “fertilization president,” pledged while campaigning that he would make fertility treatments free. The moves he has made so far are much more limited.
What could happen next?
It’s not clear whether Mr. Trump’s initiative will make fertility treatments significantly more accessible and affordable.
I have health insurance through my employer. Will insurance still cover vaccinations?
Probably. Insurers have broadly indicated that they will ignore the C.D.C.’s weakening of vaccine recommendations, and will cover shots even if they aren’t required to. AHIP, a national trade organization for many health insurers, says that through at least the end of 2026, its members will cover all vaccines that the C.D.C.’s vaccine advisory panel recommended as of Sept. 1 — before the panel made any changes under Mr. Trump.
How did we get here?
Mr. Kennedy chose members of a C.D.C. vaccine advisory panel, which weakened recommendations for Covid and hepatitis B vaccines. But so far, insurers are largely sticking with the consensus of other medical organizations, which strongly support vaccines.
Could insurance companies change their minds?
Insurers are only required to cover vaccines that the C.D.C. panel recommends, so they could legally end coverage for any shots the panel stops recommending.
I am worried about posting online comments critical of the Trump administration or attending peaceful protests, afraid that I might face legal consequences. Are those fears realistic?
The Constitution guarantees your freedom of speech and assembly, which includes peaceful protest. But in practice, asserting those freedoms often depends on access to the courts, so your concerns are understandable. Many dissident groups were surveilled during the Vietnam era, often in violation of their rights. Today, protesters face the vagueness of what the administration considers permissible and its pattern of mischaracterizing its opponents’ tactics. The Constitution has your back, but it’s also worth considering your immigration status, access to legal support and the comfort levels of your family and employer when deciding what to do.
How did we get here?
Since Mr. Trump returned to office, White House officials have often attempted to link nonviolent civil disobedience with what the administration calls “domestic terrorism.” After the murder of Charlie Kirk, the political activist, the administration appeared to target a wide array of dissident groups.
What could happen next?
Some protesters, journalists and clergy members have filed lawsuits on First Amendment grounds, and those will work their way through the judicial system.
Will current government policies make our air and water less healthy?
Yes, current government policies could make our air and water less healthy. The Trump administration is pushing to weaken pollution standards; slow environmental enforcement; and boost the production of coal, oil and gas while reducing wind and solar energy. That will release more harmful pollution into the air we breathe. Water quality is also likely to decline as the administration dismantles protections for wetlands and reverses efforts to regulate “forever chemicals,” coal-ash ponds and agricultural runoff.
How did we get here?
President Trump has moved to reverse or weaken major environmental regulations, like those that oversee power plant emissions, drinking water, oil and gas drilling and endangered species.
Are these reversals permanent?
Without strong federal environmental regulations, pollution is likely to increase, though state action may offset some damage. Lasting outcomes will depend on elections and court decisions.
Someone I know is in the United States on a green card. Should they be worried? What about my friends on student visas — could they be kicked out?
Green card holders have more protection than individuals with temporary status or no status, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t vulnerable. People with green cards can still be deported for things like committing crimes or lying to the government. And the administration is doubling down on vetting applicants and looking for potential fraud. People with green cards who apply for citizenship, for example, could face extra scrutiny as a result of this effort.
How did we get here?
The Trump administration has focused on vetting immigrants in the United States at the same time it has expanded its deportation efforts.
What could happen next?
The Trump administration has announced a review of green cards granted to immigrants from countries banned from travel to the United States. The findings could lead to their green cards being stripped.
My child is starting first grade next year. I’m curious to know what has changed in the way teachers are teaching American history in K-12 schools.
The answer very much depends on where you live. In recent years, more than 20 states, most of them Republican-leaning, passed laws restricting what can be said in the classroom about race, gender, sexuality and American history. In Florida, under Gov. Ron DeSantis, civics classes now emphasize the Christian beliefs of the founding fathers. In Texas, teachers are supposed to avoid history lessons that might prompt students to feel “guilt” or “anguish” on account of their race or sex.
How did we get here?
Mr. Trump’s executive orders have added to the pressure to change certain curriculums. One example: Civics groups have reported that teachers are avoiding lessons on the separation of powers.
How far could this go?
The pressure could increase if the Supreme Court were to rule that Mr. Trump could withdraw federal funding from schools. That question has been making its way through the courts.
Are American farmers struggling? If they can’t make ends meet, will food get even more expensive?
Some are doing fine, but most farmers who grow soybeans, corn, sorghum, wheat and cotton are struggling after a few years of losing money on their crops. Farm bankruptcies are rising, as is the number of farmers getting out of the business. The White House has announced a $12 billion rescue package, but that only helps to stem some losses. Despite growing fears of rising prices, Americans spend less of their income on food than people in other countries, and that isn’t likely to change soon.
How did we get here?
Long term: More expensive essentials (equipment, seeds and fertilizer), inflation, rising interest rates, depressed crop prices. Short term: Tariffs, trade wars, higher labor costs from the immigration crackdown.
What could happen next?
Little may change, beyond continuing consolidation into larger and more corporate-owned farms.
I’m on Medicare. Will there be cuts to my benefits?
Probably not. Every administration makes little tweaks to Medicare policy, and this one has. But the Trump administration and Congress have not made major cuts to Medicare. Other programs like Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act marketplaces have had big changes. The only group of Medicare beneficiaries that will face substantial changes is immigrants. The tax and domestic policy bill that passed during the summer now excludes groups like refugees, people granted asylum and those with temporary protected status.
How did we get here?
Since his first campaign for president, Mr. Trump has vowed to avoid major cuts to Medicare. Neither he nor Republicans in Congress have expressed any recent appetite for Medicare benefit cuts.
Who will be affected by these changes?
The legislative changes will mean around 100,000 people will lose access to Medicare, according to the Congressional Budget Office, and will most likely face difficulty finding any kind of health insurance.
I have health care insurance through my job, but I am worried about how cuts in Affordable Care Act subsidies and Medicaid will affect the rest of us. Will there be less access to health care?
A lot may change, depending on where you live. Many hospitals, especially in rural communities and certain urban areas, are likely to struggle. Millions of people are expected to lose their insurance. Some hospitals will shut down less profitable departments like maternity and behavioral health. They will lay off employees, including nurses. Others may close. Because hospitals will also try to raise their prices to compensate, people with employer coverage are likely to pay more for insurance.
How did we get here?
President Trump and Congress authorized roughly $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid. The enhanced A.C.A. subsidies, which brought down the cost of insurance for many people, expire at the end of the year.
Could this be reversed?
The Medicaid cuts will not begin until 2027, so Congress could vote to reverse them before they take effect. Congress could also restore the more generous A.C.A. subsidies.
My business has been negatively affected as money gets tighter for my customers. How are other small businesses being hit by rising costs?
It is true that many consumers, especially on the lower end of the income spectrum, are spending less, which is straining some small businesses. In addition, small businesses have been especially vulnerable to tariffs. This extra cost on imported goods has reduced the profit margins for small-business owners and forced a growing number to make difficult choices, including raising their prices, laying off workers and paring back other expenses.
How did we get here?
President Trump has imposed punishing import taxes on a wide range of U.S. trading partners. The job market is losing momentum amid economic uncertainty.
What are the consequences?
Some smaller companies, squeezed by higher costs and shaky consumer spending, are confronting a make-or-break moment. Some may go out of business.
I have a child in public school who participates in special education programs. How will changes in Washington affect her?
So far, there have been no significant changes to special education policy in Washington. Education Secretary Linda McMahon has publicly suggested moving special education services to the Department of Health and Human Services, a proposal that disability advocates strongly oppose. Ms. McMahon fired many of her department’s civil rights lawyers in March, making it more challenging to resolve discrimination complaints.
How did we get here?
Concerns about the future of special education have been fueled by President Trump’s desire to close the Education Department, which only Congress can do. Congress has shown little interest in such a move.
What’s happening now?
Ms. McMahon is now working to move other departmental functions to other agencies. She has said she will seek similar changes across the rest of the department, including special education services.
I am going to college next year, but will need to take out loans to afford it. What can I expect from the changes in federal student loans?
While the amount an undergraduate can borrow isn’t changing, parents are going to have new limitations on what they can borrow from the federal government. Parents can currently borrow up to the total cost of attendance under the federal PLUS loan program. Some people borrow hundreds of thousands of dollars. New federal legislation, which goes into effect on July 1, will limit that borrowing to $20,000 per year and $65,000 total per dependent student.
How did we get here?
Legislators believed that letting parents borrow so much encouraged schools to charge more than they should and parents to borrow more than was prudent.
what else could change?
Schools that relied heavily on parent borrowing may have to charge less or find more affluent students, while banks may try to lend more to parents.
Are ICE agents apprehending students at schools? Are schools doing anything to prevent it?
No, we aren’t aware of this happening. Still, fear of arrest and deportation is so intense that schools are reporting widespread declines in attendance among immigrants with uncertain legal status. Educators have tried to reassure parents. Schools do not track immigration status, and the Supreme Court has ruled that undocumented children have the right to a public education. Some schools have trained their staff members to deny access to federal agents unless the agents produce a warrant.
How did we get here?
The Trump administration’s deportation campaign has amplified fears. There have been several cases of parents and children being separated in the deportation process, and of children ending up in foster care.
How will schools be affected?
Immigrant students have been lifting public school enrollment numbers in some districts, like Chicago and New York. As immigration rates plummet, there could be big consequences for school funding.
Is there still fluoride in my water? Do I need to make sure my toothpaste has fluoride in it?
More than half of the U.S. population has fluoride in their drinking water. (This federal database shows areas with fluoridated water, but the best source of whether your water is fluoridated is your local water provider.) The majority of places that previously fluoridated their water continue to do so, but Utah and Florida have banned the addition of fluoride to public drinking water. Dentists recommend getting fluoride both from drinking water and from toothpastes to help prevent cavities.
How did we get here?
Mr. Kennedy, the health secretary, has repeatedly attacked fluoride and called on states to ban fluoride in drinking water. The F.D.A. has taken action to restrict the use of fluoride supplements.
What could happen next?
Additional states could move to restrict fluoride in drinking water. It isn’t clear yet whether health officials could limit fluoride in drinking water at the federal level.
Is the country’s food supply less safe?
Probably. It’s challenging to know how risky our food supply is until food-borne illnesses and outbreaks are tallied up over years, but substantial cuts to food safety programs and personnel mean that your chances of being sickened by the food you eat have likely increased in 2025. Federal agencies have also delayed or withdrawn Biden-era rules that would have tightened food safety standards and removed contaminated products from store shelves more quickly.
How did we get here?
Mr. Kennedy has fired F.D.A. staffers who communicate outbreaks and coordinate foreign food inspections, which have dropped precipitously. A federal program that previously tracked eight food-borne illnesses is now tracking just two.
Could this be reversed?
Food safety programs could be restored, and more inspectors and support staff members could be hired. But this would require funding — and time to hire and train inspectors.
I’d like to know more about all the different ways President Trump’s orders will affect the transgender community. Will my trans daughter still be able to get health care and to travel freely?
The Trump administration has implemented policies that limit the participation of transgender people in many areas of public life. If your trans daughter wanted to serve in the military, she couldn’t. If she has a passport with an “F” gender marker, for “female,” she will receive one with an “M” for “male” when it is time to renew, and selecting “X” for an unspecified gender is no longer an option. Under pressure from the administration, several high-profile clinics that treat transgender youths with puberty blockers and hormones have closed, and access to such care may become harder to obtain in coming months because of a new threat to pull federal funding from any hospital that offers it.
How did we get here?
President Trump has ordered federal agencies and institutions receiving federal funds to classify people based on their sex at birth, regardless of whether it conflicts with their gender identity.
What could happen next?
The Trump administration is expected to exert more pressure on pediatric gender clinics to close, and legal challenges to many of the policies will play out in federal courts.
Is the Trump administration going to remove Tylenol from shelves? What is the administration doing to address autism concerns?
The administration hasn’t tried to remove Tylenol (or its generic version, acetaminophen) from shelves. However, it has warned against the use of Tylenol during pregnancy despite medical consensus that it is the safest available option to treat fever and pain in pregnant women. The F.D.A. has begun the process of changing the drug’s label to assert that it may be linked to neurodevelopmental disorders. This change would discourage, but wouldn’t prohibit, people from using it during pregnancy.
How did we get here?
Mr. Trump and Mr. Kennedy have claimed that Tylenol is a contributing factor to autism, though the research is inconclusive. The administration has also falsely linked vaccines to autism.
Could a warning on Tylenol be reversed?
A future administration could remove the warning from Tylenol’s label. But, as with vaccines, any decline in Americans’ belief in the drug’s safety could be hard to reverse.
Is the number of approved work visas going down? How hard is it to get one?
So far, there haven’t been major changes in the number of employment-based visas that have been approved by the Trump administration, according to immigration policy experts. But the administration has pushed for significant changes to some programs, like the $100,000 fee for new H-1B visas, which are used by skilled foreign workers. Some employers have said they would be less likely to hire workers through the program as a result.
How did we get here?
President Trump has said that some visa programs allow employers to sideline American workers and suppress wages. But he has also conceded that certain industries rely on immigrant labor.
How could this affect the economy?
The changes to visa programs are relatively new and we haven’t seen most of the effects yet. There is also a lag in available data on how many visas have been issued.
I live in New Orleans and hear the National Guard may be deployed here. What are they doing in other cities? What should I expect?
The issue of whether the president can deploy the Guard on U.S. soil, and what the troops can do on those missions, is complicated and has varied from city to city. But in New Orleans, Mr. Trump would have the advantage of a friendly Republican governor who has welcomed a deployment to his state. That means any troops there would most likely be able to carry out functions more typically associated with law enforcement officials.
How did we get here?
Mr. Trump deployed the Guard to several cities to help enforce an agenda on crime and immigration. Local leaders sued, asking the courts to decide the limits of presidential authority.
What could happen next?
The future of these National Guard deployments will depend heavily on how the courts rule. An impending Supreme Court decision will be particularly consequential.
I’m starting a business and will need to import supplies to make my product. Have tariffs caused prices of imports to go up?
Yes, the tariffs you will face will vary depending on what you’re importing and from where, but many American manufacturers have found that the costs of materials, parts and other products they need have risen. That’s because of new double-digit taxes on imports from countries globally, as well as a 50 percent tariff on steel and aluminum and products made with those metals. For now, there’s one major exception: qualifying products from Canada and Mexico.
How did we get here?
President Trump said he imposed tariffs to help the manufacturing industry. But while some U.S. factories have been helped by the policy, others have been hurt by rising costs.
Could this be reversed?
The Supreme Court could strike down many of the tariffs. But the president still strongly defends tariffs and could use other laws to issue new ones instead.
The prices at my local gas station seem as if they’re always the same. Have gas prices changed elsewhere in the country?
The cost of filling up a car generally has fallen in the past year, but not by a lot. There is regional variation, though. In Ohio, for example, a gallon of regular gasoline cost about 10 percent less in mid-December than it did the year before, according to the AAA motor club. In California, where oil refineries are closing, gasoline was slightly more expensive.
How did we get here?
Oil prices have fallen a lot this year. That has benefited refineries, which have been enjoying higher profit margins, but it has not translated to considerably lower prices at the pump.
Will prices remain stable?
Gasoline prices are expected to remain around $3 a gallon next year, welcome news for consumers, who are facing much higher natural gas and electricity prices.
I live in a flood-prone area. How are changes to the Federal Emergency Management Agency going to affect disaster response and relief efforts?
FEMA continues to respond to the country’s biggest natural disasters, but heightened scrutiny on FEMA spending has slowed the flow of aid to communities and cut off investment in disaster preparedness. Under an overhaul the Trump administration is considering, the agency could assist with fewer emergencies and leave more recovery costs to state and local governments.
How did we get here?
The rising frequency and cost of disasters had already overtaxed FEMA. Then President Trump oversaw firings and buyouts that reduced its staff by 25 percent. As of December, the agency was on its third acting director since May, and none of its temporary leaders have had a background in emergency management, as is required by law.
What could happen next?
It is unlikely that FEMA will be eliminated, as the president suggested earlier this year. But a plan for overhaul is in limbo after a Trump task force indefinitely postponed the release of its FEMA recommendations.
Why is my electric bill higher now than it was a year ago?
It depends where you live. Electricity prices have been rising faster than inflation in roughly half of all states in the last few years. In California and Maine, wildfires and storms have imposed steep costs on utilities. The Northeast has struggled with high natural gas prices. In the Mid-Atlantic, soaring demand from data centers, combined with a wave of power plant retirements, is raising prices. Many utilities are also spending more to upgrade their aging grids.
How did we get here?
State policies typically have the biggest influence on electricity costs, though Mr. Trump has promised to bring down prices by easing federal permitting for fossil fuels.
Will prices continue to climb?
Forecasters expect electricity prices to keep rising in 2026. Some experts also warn that Mr. Trump’s attacks on wind and solar power could push up prices further.
I’m a woman, and I have thought about enlisting. How have career prospects changed for women in the military?
Women fought a long battle to get into the combat arms units of the country’s military services, and it wasn’t until recent years that women made it into elite fighting units like the Army Rangers and special operations troops. Today, the American military is filled with female fighter pilots, Marines and women in other male-dominated units. Those are the units from which the military selects its most senior leaders. But now we may see female leadership in the military plateau, or fall.
How did we get here?
President Trump selected Mr. Hegseth, an open skeptic about the value of women in combat, as defense secretary. Since his swearing-in, Mr. Hegseth has fired several female flag officers and pushed out others.
What could happen next?
As long as Mr. Hegseth is the secretary of defense, women are less likely to get the types of combat arms positions that lead to promotions.
I thought all law enforcement officials had to identify themselves. Can I ask federal agents to show their faces and identification if they try to pull me over?
You can ask! But there is no federal law requiring agents to show their faces, and in most cases they do not have to identify themselves. During protests in 2020, federal agents at times responded in unmarked riot gear, prompting Congress to pass a law requiring federal law enforcement officers to wear identification when responding to “civil disturbances.” In general, though, ICE agents must identify themselves only when making an arrest. The resulting distrust and confusion has led other federal agencies, like the U.S. Marshals Service, to tell the public that their agents will identify themselves and show their badge.
How did we get here?
Under President Trump, ICE agents have been allowed to wear masks, a measure the administration says is necessary to protect them and their families from threats.
How are states responding?
This year, California became the first state to bar law enforcement agents from obscuring their faces, setting up a test of the Constitution’s supremacy clause, which forbids states from interfering with federal business. The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit to block the law.
I don’t know if my nanny or the contractors working on my house have papers. Do I face any legal liability for hiring them if they are undocumented?
U.S. immigration law prohibits knowingly employing someone who is not authorized to work, so you are not liable if you don’t know. If you hire a contractor to work on your home, the contractor, not you, is the employer. If members of his or her crew, such as roofers, masons or painters, lack work authorization, the responsibility falls on the contractor. However, if you regularly employ a nanny who you know is undocumented, you are violating federal law. Whether this will result in legal action or penalties under the Trump administration remains unclear.
How did we get here?
The Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration, central to the president’s agenda, has created concern among homeowners about the consequences of hiring undocumented workers.
Are workers being detained?
Some homeowners who have directly hired undocumented people to do small jobs, like mow lawns or hang holiday lights, have witnessed federal agents try to detain workers. This is likely to continue.
I have heard of people being denied health insurance because they have pre-existing conditions. I am recovering from cancer and am afraid of losing insurance. Has this part of the Affordable Care Act changed?
This part of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, remains intact, and insurance prices will not be different for you than for a similar person who did not have cancer. The administration has made some significant changes to the A.C.A. marketplaces that will make the process of signing up more complex and will exclude some legal immigrants from eligibility. Tax credits that are set to expire at the end of the year will also contribute to higher insurance prices next year. But none of those changes will exclude you from eligibility or force you to pay a higher price than a healthy person.
How did we get here?
Protections for people with pre-existing health conditions are a very popular part of the A.C.A., and Republican efforts to weaken them in 2017 were politically damaging. But rising insurance prices may still put insurance out of reach for some people.
What could happen next?
Congressional leaders have said they hope to consider several health care bills over the next year. It is possible that process could include bills with greater impacts for people like you.
new video loaded: Individual Is Detained in Brown University Shooting
transcript
transcript
Individual Is Detained in Brown University Shooting
A gunman killed two students and injured nine more in an attack at Brown University on Saturday.
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My friends told me that they received a notification of a shooting incident just one block away from us. So we decided to close all the doors, and turn all the lights off and hide under the desks.
By Rex Sakamoto
December 14, 2025
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