United States president Donald Trump has been a controversial figure ever since he announced his bid for the presidency. Nobody expected that a businessman with no prior political experience could ascend to the position of the most powerful man in the free world. However, he became popular among Americans for his non-conventional speech and ideas and soared to the top of the polls, eventually winning the 2016 presidential election. This outcome revealed the division of the citizens of the United States, which only seems to be growing stronger.
Trump has signed a plethora of policies and executive orders into effect since his presidential victory. The ongoing varied reactions to them have only strengthened the opposition, and Trump is only becoming more unpredictable with what he says and does.
Executive Order 13769, the U.S.-Mexico border wall proposal, telling North Korea that they will be met with "fire and fury," his criticism of NFL players protesting during the U.S. national anthem and saying they should be fired… the list goes on and on. President Trump has already done so many things unlike any other U.S. president in the span of 1.5 years, and he seems to be showing no signs of slowing down.
Some Americans view Trump's actions and attitude as a refreshing change from the traditional norm, particularly his supporters. Others view them as detrimental to American society and a negative influence on American children. Some also feel that Trump has been purposely treading dangerous waters because he feels like he can do anything due to his position. He has made several statements implying that he feels like he can utilize absolute power, such as the ability to grant a pardon to anyone he wants.
Trump's unpredictability and lack of commitment to his campaign promises thus far are scary to many. However, his supporters continue to listen to him because he continues to say what they want to hear. Meanwhile, those who do not support him continue to criticize or write off everything he says because of their distaste for him. There is too much division in this country to agree on an accurate consensus of the quality of our leader.
His past and current cabinet members have been just as controversial over this stretch of time. Vice president Mike Pence, attorney general Jeff Sessions, secretary of education Betsy DeVos and EPA administrator Scott Pruitt among others, have all shared a theme of controversy. Former members like chief strategist Steve Bannon and secretary of state Rex Tillerson have also been questioned for their lack of political experience and/or qualifications.
The interesting thing is that no matter how Trump administration members depart and how many are replaced, Trump continues to assure Americans that everything is fine and many of his supporters continue to believe it. The opposite is true for his dissenters; if he does something for the benefit of the country, they still find some way to chastise him.
The bottom line is that President Trump is only getting scarier as he continues to be aggressive in his statements and actions. Because of this, the future of the United States is up in the air for everyone.
