Suddenly, Trump Allies Quietly Admit He May Not Have a Huge “Mandate”
As people around Trump fear that he starts his presidency in a less dominant position than he thinks, a political theorist explains why so much is riding on the public rejecting his second term.
In an extraordinary moment on Tuesday, Donald Trump was treated to a sermon in Washington by Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, who urged him to show mercy toward the likely victims of his policies, especially undocumented immigrants. Trump reacted angrily and dismissively. Which raises a question: What are the prospects for appeals to decency and humanity, such as this one, to combat the rising cruelty and authoritarianism that Trump is set to unleash? We talked to Vanessa Cardenas, the executive director of the advocacy group America’s Voice. She reflects on the difficulties of speaking to people’s higher values in this supercharged environment, and urges Democrats to seize the moment and capture for themselves the power of this sermon’s message.
