Friends,
Last night, Donald Trump set out a dark and divisive vision for the future of our country.
Between the scapegoating of migrants and trans people, the disingenuous embrace of “law and order,” boasting of DOGE’s dismantling of the federal government, and the absurdity of seeking to acquire foreign territory like Greenland, it became painfully clear that in the White House, all brakes are off.
Trump’s enablers are firmly in the driver’s seat. There are few restraints on his anti-democratic and imperial impulses – and his dangerously unhinged view of the world and our place in it.
This is a fraught moment where the damage this administration is doing – and its violations of our values – feel unstoppable. But here are three things we can be sure of:
The first is painful but true: Things will get worse before they get better. We know by now that Trump means much of what he says and is committed to seeing his most reckless policies through.
We must stand ready to protest and push back, to protect vulnerable communities, and to call out dangerous actions however possible.
But the second is equally important: A backlash is coming. Trump’s agenda is a brazen overreach. It’s growing more unpopular by the day and will soon make every problem our nation faces much, much worse.
The government-wide gutting of federal programs and agencies that began with his assault on foreign aid and USAID will soon have a very real impact on essential services millions of Americans rely on. Dangerously unqualified appointees in roles critical to our well-being will reveal themselves to be as incompetent as they are embarrassing.
On the world stage, abandoning international institutions and selling out our democratic allies is popular only with the most die-hard MAGA extremists. And allowing the ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza to collapse – and Netanyahu to withhold humanitarian assistance from millions of civilians – will win over neither pro-Israel nor pro-peace Americans.
As the damage of Trump’s actions becomes clearer, we must ensure the blame is laid where it belongs – at the feet of this administration and those who enabled it. He must pay a political price. We must raise righteous hell on behalf of the hostage families, on behalf of families suffering in Gaza, and on behalf of all those suffering in the wake of the damage to our country.
We cannot be cowed into silence or resigned to failure.
The third thing I know is that the future is in our hands: We must ensure that this coming backlash translates into political power.
In the short term, we must push back with whatever levers possible. To minimize the damage, maximize the political cost and press the administration to reverse course. We’ve seen that resistance works, so the more heat we can generate, the less wreckage this administration will create.
In the longer term, we must work to translate this backlash into electoral victories in the midterms so that Congress has the power to slam the brakes on an administration that continues to drive this country off the rails.
With barely a mention of the Middle East last night, it seems Trump knows his bluster about “taking over” Gaza is too ridiculous and unpopular to highlight to the American people, though he doesn’t appear to be backing down – as the US and Israel just rejected the Arab League’s proposal for the reconstruction of Gaza
It’s further proof that we must do everything we can to mitigate the damage. The alternative is unthinkable.
As we navigate this dire moment together, J Street will remain focused and determined – standing up for our values, pushing back, standing in solidarity with communities, and laying the groundwork for the future once the storm passes.
Through all this, thank you sincerely for your support.
Yours,
Hannah Morris
Director of Government Affairs, J Street
