I’ve read that some people who blindly voted for Donald Trump are having buyer’s remorse now. As far as I know, I don’t know any of them personally. If you now wish you had not voted for Trump, please tell me.
Not a day passes that we don’t learn of another fascist step the Trump regime has taken.
It is exhausting to watch the news. It is exhausting to try to digest it and condense it into a blog post. I refuse to stop. I love my country too much to give up or give in.
I love my four young adult great nieces too much to stop watching the news and scanning the internet for multiple reputable resources. I love them too much to leave them a tyrannical government in which they are commanded to march lockstep with the-power hungry freedom haters in charge.
I worked too hard to get an education and they have worked too hard to get an education for them to be doomed to a life of barefoot and pregnant, which is what the Trumpers apparently want for them.
Wannabe dictators don’t sweep in and convert a democracy into an authoritarian state overnight. They chip away at rights bit by bit. They ban a few books today, and they ban more books tomorrow. They institute laws that make it more difficult for citizens to register to vote.
They call the press “the enemy of the people.” They attack education. They push the envelope to see what they can get away with. They attack judges. They slowly but surely undermine the citizens’ confidence in everything until those citizens start questioning their own instincts.
They normalize lies and hate.
They exaggerate civil unrest so they can bypass a state governor and send in the National Guard. They overwhelming exaggerate civil unrest so they can deploy the United States Marines to a city.
They invent crises so they can declare martial law.
I am trying to sound the alarm bell out of a place of low and not anger.
Last Monday, June 16: Dr. Fiona Havers, a top scientist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, resigned because she could not in good conscience stay with the agency after Department of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy fired all 17 members of the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices on June 9.
Huffpost.com (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/cdc-vaccine-expert-resigns-warning_n_6853013ee4b0ed75e67535cd) quoted Dr. Havers as saying, “It is a very transparent, rigorous process, and they have just taken a sledgehammer to it in the last several weeks. “CDC processes are being corrupted in a way that I haven’t seen before.”
Reuters reported that Dr. Havers’ email to her colleagues said that she had lost of confidence that her team’s output would “be used objectively or evaluated with appropriate scientific rigor to make evidence-based vaccine policy decisions.”
Dr. Havers’ fear is that “a lot of Americans are going to die as a result of vaccine-preventable diseases.”
She told The New York Times, “I could not be party to legitimizing this new committee.”
On June 11, Secretary Kennedy appointed eight new members to the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices. Several of them have questionable qualifications for developing vaccine policy for the United States.
If you wish to read about the backgrounds of the eight new members, here is a link: https://www.advisory.com/daily-briefing/2025/06/12/acip-members.
Last Wednesday, June 18: The Associated Press (https://www.npr.org/2025/06/19/g-s1-73572/us-resumes-visas-foreign-students-access-social-media) reported that the US State Department will restart the process of vetting foreigners who apply for student visas. The new restriction is that applicants will have to set their social media accounts to “public” so they can be reviewed by US officials.
The report said, “The department says consular officers will be looking for activity, posts and messages showing ‘any indications of hostility toward the citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles of the United States.’”
That would probably prevent me from coming here to study. So much for free speech.
Last Thursday, June 19: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem instituted a new policy (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/19/us/politics/ice-congress.html) that members of Congress must give 72 hours’ notice if they wish to fulfill their duty and responsibility to visit ICE Field Office. That is in direct violation of the annual appropriation act that states that members of Congress are not required “to provide prior notice of the intent to enter a facility.”
The ICE Field Offices and detention centers house undocumented immigrants, sometimes legal immigrants, and sometimes American citizens because the ICE agents who are clothed in black glasses and face masks apparently cannot see or hear well enough through all their Gestapo-reminiscent garb to tell a citizen from a non-citizen. Why don’t they just wear white hoods like many of them probably do when they are off the clock?
What do they want to hide from the members of Congress?
This is another in a long line of cases in which Trump or one of his appointees decided they don’t have to obey the law.
Also on last Thursday, June 19: Trump put on social media that we have too many holidays in the United States. Posting that on Juneteenth was no accident. He posted that “the workers don’t want it [a holiday] either.”
If you work for the government, at a bank, or the stock market and don’t want a paid holiday, raise your hand. Go ahead. Raise your hand.
Last Friday, June 21: Axios reported that on June 12 Trump pulled the plug on the 2023 Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement. The Biden Administration dedicated $1 billion through 2033 toward restoring salmon to the Columbia River Basin along with supporting tribal-led clean energy projects in the region. Trump called the agreement “radical environmentalism.”
It’s certainly not the first time the federal government has broken its promises to indigenous peoples, and it won’t be the last. Apparently, the hydroelectric industry, agriculture, and shipping had a stronger lobby at the White House than the Yakama Tribal Council. (https://apnews.com/article/columbia-river-snake-river-dams-tribes-salmon-745894c815e8951e9897b7a5a3544bfb) Money talks; salmon don’t.
Also last Friday, June 21: NBC News reported that on social media that day Trump called for a special prosecutor to investigate the 2020 elections. That’s the one he lost. Despite a raft load of lawsuits filed by the Trump campaign since then, no evidence of mass voter fraud has come to light. (https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/trump-posts-social-media-calling-special-prosecutor-investigate-2020-e-rcna214099) Here we go again….
Also last Friday, June 21: It came to light on several media outlets that the US Ambassador to Senegal had denied visas for two representatives of the Senegalese basketball federation, the team doctor, a physiotherapist, five players, a steward, the general manager, and the ministerial delegate. They were scheduled to come to the United States for ten days to train for the biennial AfroBasket Tournament to be played July 26 – August 3 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. No reason was given for the visa denials.
This does not bode well for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. In fact, nothing that has happened since January 20 bodes well for those games.
Also last Friday, June 21: I desperately look for signs of hope. I found one on Friday. It has been reported that the section in Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” that would make it almost impossible for the Trump Administration to be sued for dictatorial behavior or almost anything else in federal court – has been removed from the bill being considered by the US Senate. The US House of Representatives passed the bill, but a few Senators and the Senate Parliamentarian have removed some parts of it. (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/senate-parliamentarian-knocks-pieces-out-of-trump-s-megabill/ar-AA1H6dqB)
Last Saturday, June 22: In a statement that would be laughable if it weren’t so dangerous, this was published by The Washington Post: “President Trump is restoring the integrity of the Executive Branch following four years of relentless abuse through weaponization, lawfare, and unelected bureaucrats running the nation via autopen,” [White House spokesperson] Harrison [Fields] said in a statement. “The President and his administration are the most transparent in American history, seamlessly executing the will of the American people in accordance with their constitutional authority.”
The article contrasted the post-Watergate actions the US Congress took to rein in the power of the president with the undoing of power of the legislative branch by Trump.
The article, written by Naftali Bendavid and which can be found at https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-undermines-watergate-laws-in-massive-shift-of-ethics-system/ar-AA1H8Xbx. The article includes this example: “Watergate-era lawmakers, furious at Nixon for refusing to spend money they had authorized, passed a law forbidding “impoundment.” Trump ignored that when he temporarily froze government grants, and he has all but dismantled an agency created by Congress, the U.S. Agency for International Development.”
It goes on to say, “In response to Nixon’s push to replace civil servants with political loyalists, Congress created the Merit Systems Protection Board in 1978 to hear cases of federal employees claiming unjust termination. Trump, who wants to force out thousands of workers, has dismissed a key member of the board and sought to neutralize it.”
On Monday, June 23: The US Supreme Court struck down a lower court ruling and said that it is perfectly find for the Trump Administration (and, therefore, all future administrations) to deport eight immigrants from various countries, including Vietnam and Cuba, to South Sudan even though none of them are from that country.
Imagine being deported to a country where you know no one and don’t speak that language! It turns out the eight people had already been deported to Djibouti before the US Supreme Court handed down its 6-3 ruling on Monday.
Until my next blog post
I will give you my weekly post-Hurricane Helene in North Carolina road update when I blog about my historical fiction writing and the little about the devotional book I’ve written but not yet published.
I hope you are reading a book that has you so captivated you can’t put it down except long enough to read my blog!
Don’t take anything or anyone for granted.
Remember the people of Ukraine and western North Carolina.
Janet
Janet's Writing Blog 
Most important information Janet. But I would not compare the illegal, racist, anti-democratic to a dead political ideology like fascism. I would say those are definite communist tactics. After all, the greatest enemies of the people, throughout the world and historically are the communist regimes that have killed, tortured and enslaved so many. Communists control all aspects of people’s lives, and foment hatred among the population to divide and conquer and then rule in perpetuity…
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“They normalize lies and hate.”
Janet, sadly it’s going to be a while before I believe that we will see any recovery from this bigotry and mass authoritarian destruction. I am still dumbfounded by the enablers who have lost their damn minds too. And just imagine this man being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize? Unreal! 😡😠🤬
I swear I feel like I am in a remake of “Invasion of the Body Snatchers!” 😱
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Right, Kym! They don’t give people the Nobel Peace Prize for dropping bombs!
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I think we’re in for another pandemic, God help us. As for foreign nationals applying for student visas, I have a recommendation: University of Toronto, Dalhousie University, or Magill University.
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It certainly feels like we’re moving toward fascism. The white nationalism, the deportation of dark-skinned immigrants while importing white South African immigrants, calling the press “the enemy of the people,” the protection of the wealthiest while ending programs that benefit the least of these among us, the rise of book bans, the ridding of exhibits in museums that are not in line with Project 2025, the view that any opposition or protest should be put down by the military, the militarism of ICE where you have masked men presenting no identification arresting people … all feel eerily like 1930s Germany. Whether it is fascism or communism, Trump, Stephen Miller, and the Heritage Foundation through Project 2025 are blatantly pushing us in a direction I have not witnessed here before in my 72 years.
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There you go Janet. It amazes me how much he calls other people dumb, incompetent, and stupid! Really dude? 🟠🎃😡
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I agree, and we won’t know the next pandemic is coming because we fired everyone who was monitoring diseases in the world. I don’t understand why any foreign students would want to come here to study after what has transpired since January 20. Like you say, there are other excellent options where they wouldn’t have to live in fear 24/7.
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He is the last person who should be calling anyone else stupid and incompetent!
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Oh, without a doubt I agree with you Janet. But I equate all those things with communism, not fascism. Communism is alive and well in the world today, while fascism does not exist any more. I think it makes it more relevant because those are all the things that communist governments do. I saw that when I visited Cuba and I heard millions of stories from Cuban friends in Miami. It may be a matter of semantics, but I think it is important to show people what communism is as there are many who espouse that ideology of hate and of domination around. Here in Spain we have communists in the coalition government and it is like that throughout Europe. Communist parties might not be prevalent in the US, but in Europe they are thriving and people follow them because they just do not know. While fascism is just a term that people use to describe a corrupt, authoritarian regime, but there is no actual reference any more.. Thank you Janet and all the best.
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Guuurrrrllllll…👍🏼
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We hardly realize here how bad the situation really is in the United States. What’s happening to the population — and especially to vulnerable groups like migrants — is deeply disturbing. Deporting people to countries like Djibouti or South Sudan, where conditions are unsafe and chaotic… it’s inhumane.
I’m also ashamed of what’s happening here in The Netherlands today in The Hague, during the NATO meeting. The way Rutte is positioning himself toward Trump — practically welcoming him with open arms, even allowing him to spend the night at the palace of the king and queen — I find it appalling. They say it’s all ‘strategy,’ that it’s about diplomacy and preserving peace in an increasingly unstable world, especially with the threat from Russia… But to me, it feels like submission. And honestly, it makes me sick.
I had hoped for more backbone. More principled boundaries. Because if we stay silent or bow out of fear, maybe we’ve already lost more than we’re willing to admit.
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Thank you, Francis. All the best from a sweltering North Carolina. I wanted summer to come and it is definitely here! Take care.
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I was flabbergasted when the news broke that the US Supreme Court had ruled that Trump can send immigrants from various countries to South Sudan. It was then that I learned that he had already sent the eight in question to Djibouti. I am appalled that six of the nine US Justices ruled in that direction. We expect them to announce their ruling on birthright citizenship any day now. After their decision about third country deportations, I fear they are going to rule that the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution is now unconstitutional. If they start whacking away at our constitution, the end of our democracy is surely near. I don’t know how the three level-headed Justices stand to serve on the Supreme Court with the others. I used to think Chief Justice Roberts was good, but he seems unpredictable now and I’m afraid he is leaning more and more to the left.
I kept thinking of you this week while Trump was in The Hague. I expected him to receive a cold welcome from all of NATO. I hated to see him welcomed like a hero and a good friend. I cringed to see him interacting with the King and Queen. There’s no telling what condescending thing he said to your queen, since he only sees women as sex objects. I know what transpired must have made you sick. Watching his little “speech” of lies and press conference of lies on TV today was just about more than I could stand. The way he talks to and about any reporter from CNN, NBC, ABC, and The New York Times sends a chill down my spine. And then for Secretary Hegseth to jump in and berate the press… it was absolutely horrible. They are not “fake news” just because they report the truth and he doesn’t like the truth. When the various legitimate news organizations come up for licensing renewals, I honestly fear he will direct the Federal Communications Commission to not renew their licenses to broadcast the news. That is a real fear of mine. He hates those organizations/companies with all his being because they continue to try to report the truth. If we lose our free press, we’ve lost our democracy. His claims that our bombs “obliterated” the nuclear arms program in Iran last Saturday are wearing thin with me. He announced “obliteration” just an hour or two after the operation, but today he criticizes anyone who jumps to the conclusion or US Intelligence when they say it was not obliterated. He criticizes such reports as being premature today, when he was the one who announced “total obliteration” on Saturday night on national TV. I don’t believe a word he says. If he said the sky is blue, I would question it. I don’t know when we’ll ever know the truth about what was done in Iran. The Republican leaders in the Congress keep postponing giving all members of Congress a classified briefing of what was done. When Trump said today that he wants to change Pete Hegseth’s title from Secretary of Defense to Secretary of War, my blood ran cold. NATO bowed to him and praised him, so for a day or two Trump likes NATO. That won’t last long, if there is a lag in the praise. I wanted so badly for NATO to shun him and show resolve this week.
I don’t know what we’re going to do, Matroos. I just don’t know what else is going to happen.
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My pleasure Janet and same here, we’re melting in the heat! Take good care and all the best!
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I wish I believed that some Trump voters were suffering from buyer’s remorse, but I’m afraid it doesn’t look like that from the polls which have barely moved for months. Trump’s approval ratings have always been below 50% but they’re not significantly lower now than they were in January, and as far as I know they’re still higher than they were during most of his first term. I’m afraid that Trump’s followers are quite happy about most of what he’s doing. I can’t imagine what he would have to do to make them turn away from him at this stage.
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Yes, when I read or hear someone on TV say that some Trump supporters are now upset with him, I want to ask, “Who are they? Where are they? I don’t know any of them!” Most of them are perfectly happy with what he is doing. I thought he would lose his support during his first term when he maligned John McCain for being a POW in North Vietnam for seven years, but it did not seem to lose him a single vote. I do not understand the hate that fills these people. It must take a lot of energy to stay angry at all the people and groups he prompts them to be mad at 24/7. He has ripped an old scab off these people and they refuse to stop picking at it. How they have turned against everything I thought America stood for my first 71 years is beyond comprehension. They think they have it so bad here. He has convinced them that the whole world is taking advantage of us. He has convinced them that we don’t need science, medicine, education, diversity, equity, inclusion, and — until NATO welcomed him with open arms this week at The Hague — he had convinced them that we didn’t need NATO. Today he decided he liked NATO. Of course, tomorrow he could turn on NATO. It depends on which way the wind is blowing and who he listened to last.
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I was genuinely shocked by Mark Rutte’s words. Where is this heading?
Europe’s spineless, sycophantic stance makes my stomach turn.
Today I read a column by imam Khalid Benhaddou — a man who, in these times of moral confusion, dares to speak with striking clarity and courage. I wholeheartedly share his indignation. This is his column:
Mark Rutte, NATO chief, sends a message full of gratitude to… Donald Trump.
“Thank you for your actions in Iran,” he writes. “You are making the world safer.”
Trump immediately shared the message. Not out of pride, but out of mockery. He instinctively senses that those who flatter, obey. And those who obey, erase themselves.
What exactly is Rutte thanking this man for?
For violating international law?
For sowing chaos in a region where Europe inevitably pays the social price — through refugee flows, the threat of terrorism, and societal tensions?
Europe, once a beacon of reason, justice, and responsibility, is now operating on autopilot. Without a compass. Without a backbone.
Rutte is that Europe: proper, polite, neatly dressed — but devoid of vision, passion, or moral clarity. He knows how the machine works but has forgotten why it was ever built.
And he is not alone.
Look at Ursula von der Leyen, who offers unconditional support to Israel — even as hospitals, schools, and fleeing civilians are bombed.
She makes no mention of international law, but congratulates a regime that commits war crimes and possibly genocide.
Meanwhile, those same leaders ask their citizens to be resilient. To stay alert. To be engaged.
But how can you demand that, when you yourself bow the moment power looks your way?
How can you expect people to stand tall, when their leaders only know how to nod?
A continent that once gave the world Spinoza, Kant, and Camus now grovels before a man who mocks scientists, despises the rule of law, and reduces democracy to reality TV.
That says something about him — but far more about us.
“Si vis pacem, para bellum,” wrote Vegetius. “If you want peace, prepare for war.”
But we’ve outsourced our defense. Traded our dignity for quiet compliance.
Our leaders have bowed so often, they’ve forgotten what it feels like to stand upright.
History is merciless to those who fail to choose. Or who choose to bend.
Khalid Benhaddou
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That statement is so spot-on and eloquent! It sizes up Trump perfectly, as well as how NATO reacted earlier this week. Yes, Mark Rutte thanked Trump for bombing a sovereign country on behalf of another sovereign country. And the US continues to support Israel as it commits genocide by starvation in Gaza. Things that used to be war crimes are just everyday business now and is called diplomacy. Now Iran can go the route of North Korea and just stop letting inspectors come into the country to monitor their nuclear arms program. The guardrails are gone.
Speaking of the guardrails being gone… today the US Supreme Court ruled 6 to 3 that a US District Court Judge has no authority to issue an injunction to stop/pause a President’s Executive Order. That ruling just gave Trump their blessing for him to literally do anything and everything he wants to do. Those federal district court judges have been the only people slowing him down since January 20. Trump and Assistant White House Chief-of-Staff Stephen Miller will now work 24/7 writing Executive Orders (as if they haven’t already been!) and there’s no telling what rights we will lose in the coming days. US Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor said, “No right is safe in this new legal regime.”
Trump absolutely measures every decision based on money. He has not an ounce of empathy in him. He also is not bothered by having a sense of right and wrong. If something cannot be quantified in US dollars, he thinks it should be eliminated. He is normalizing hate speech and the idea that every person is independent and we don’t depend on one another for a society to function. And after the attack on Iran, he is more excited about our (or his!) military strength than even before.
Thank you, Matroos, for sharing Khalid Benhaddou’s statement. It is excellent… and very, very sad and frightening.
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