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By Tom Moore

President Trump’s reckless dismantling of government agencies and safeguards exposes America to a wave of preventable disasters.

Not every disaster movie ends badly. We blew up the asteroid in “Armageddon” before it hit the deadly diseases threatened in “Outbreak,” “Contagion,” and “The Andromeda Strain” were contained and, in “Independence Day,” the world’s militaries beat back the alien invasion.

A common thread ran through these successes: Scientific expertise, well-funded federal agencies, and synchronized emergency responses—exactly the safeguards President Donald Trump is recklessly attempting to dismantle. Some examples of this recklessness were on quick display: firing the people who oversee our nuclear arsenal, protect us from bird flu, and directly support air traffic controllers and critical safety technologies. Some of the other mistakes will only be exposed or felt when a critical function of government fails to protect us from a terrorist attack or bank collapse.

Trump and his partner Elon Musk are indiscriminately bringing a wrecking ball to the government, following the Silicon Valley ethos of “move fast and break things.” -- READ MORE

By Nicole Alvarez

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency operates with alarming secrecy Americans deserve to know how it is using their tax dollars and personal data and whether it is violating the law.

Contrary to its name, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has proven to be anything but efficient. Instead of streamlining operations, it has plowed ahead recklessly, disregarding laws, bypassing safeguards, and creating widespread dysfunction, all while incurring significant costs in the long run. To make matters worse, DOGE has also shrouded its actions behind a vague directive and utter lack of transparency, effectively shielding itself from much-needed scrutiny. Despite the secrecy under which DOGE is operating, the American people have pressing questions that demand answers.

While both President Donald Trump and Elon Musk have claimed that DOGE operates with “maximum transparency,” the administration has offered little insight into its operations beyond its vague directive to “maximize efficiency.” In fact, to shield the initiative from public scrutiny, Trump strategically rebranded the U.S. Digital Service (USDS) as DOGE and declared it “established in the Executive Office of the President.” Previously, the USDS operated under the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and was subject to Title 5 regulations, including the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). -- READ MORE

By Christian E. Weller & Emily Gee

The Trump administration appears to be sending the U.S. economy into a period of slower growth and higher inflation. In the past few weeks, the administration enacted steep tariffs on a wide range of imports from America’s top trading partners and threatened more has laid off tens of thousands of federal government workers and has frozen payments already appropriated by Congress for farms, Head Start facilities, economic development programs, and more.

The administration’s sudden moves have raised uncertainty about what will happen next. What programs will they cut—and by how much? What regulations will the administration enforce or roll back? Will critical government services that help everyday Americans cease to function? The Economic Policy Uncertainty Index—maintained by researchers at Stanford, the University of Chicago, and Northwestern University—was 161.9 percent higher in February 2025 than a year earlier. Massive uncertainty makes it harder for households and businesses to plan, invest, and spend. Put differently, even President Donald Trump ’s threats to further undermine Americans’ economic security can hurt both economic growth and the stock market.​ -- READ MORE

By Nick Wilson

In January 2025, President Donald Trump announced he would delay imposing 25 percent tariffs on imports from Mexico and “work to stop the trafficking of high-powered weapons to Mexico” in exchange for Mexico sending 10,000 national guard troops to the border. In addition to this diplomatic strategy to stop the enormous harm caused by U.S. guns being illegally trafficked across the southern border, Mexico is pursuing a legal strategy to hold gun manufacturers and sellers accountable for arming violent cartels who drive the country’s drug trade and force people to flee their homes in search of basic safety and security.

A small number of gun dealers are responsible for supplying the illegal gun market in both the United States and in Mexico. By knowingly supplying military-style firearms to irresponsible dealers, the gun industry continues to prioritize maximizing profits at the expense of the safety of the American people and the country’s neighbors. On March 4, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments for Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. v. Estados Unidos Mexicanos, a case filed by the Mexican government accusing seven American gunmakers of knowingly aiding and abetting illegal firearm sales to gun traffickers. ​-- READ MORE

By Debu Gandhi Ben Greenho & Nick Wilson

Introduction and summary

The Trump administration’s theatrical boasts about securing the border and deporting immigrants who have committed serious crimes tell a very incomplete story. Although framed under the banner of security, President Donald Trump’s rash actions harm public safety and national security while providing no actual solutions to fix the broken U.S. immigration system. These are not isolated actions they follow a pattern of cruelty, as indiscriminate proposed spending cuts from the White House and congressional Republicans have forced Head Start facilities to temporarily close, prevented community health centers from accessing funds to serve patients, targeted Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and shut down lifesaving health programs across the globe. The administration’s immigration agenda is just as indiscriminate, ripping apart families and communities while jeopardizing national security and public safety.

There are many actions that the administration and Congress could take to secure the border, improve public safety, and modernize the antiquated immigration system. -- READ MORE

By Molly Weston Williamson

In January 2025, 73 million people—more than 1 in 5 Americans—received benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA). But the agency that gets those benefits into bank accounts to buy groceries and pay bills is now under attack, putting beneficiaries at risk of dangerous disruptions and delays. Recently, the SSA announced that it would cut approximately 7,000 jobs—a 12 percent reduction in the agency’s staffing. At the same time, the SSA is shutting down six of its 10 regional offices, while posts to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) website spark fears of upcoming field office closures around the country.

These assaults on the SSA threaten Americans’ ability to access the benefits they rely on to get by.

Without necessary staff and infrastructure, Social Security and disability checks could be delayed or missed, putting millions of Americans at dire risk

The Social Security Administration has been doing more with less for years, providing benefits to a rapidly growing number of beneficiaries despite its shrinking staff. ​-- READ MORE