Letters From An American
Heather Cox Richardson is an American historian who writes this newsletter/podcast to present today's political events in a historical context. You can subscribe for free. In most instances, the button links to the audio podcast, but you can also read the article by clicking "transcript" under the audio player.
April 29, 2025
In 1933, after his first 100 days in office, President Roosevelt along with Congress responded to the Great Depression by passing 15 major bills and 77 other measures to rebuild the American economy.
Donald Trump marked his second term’s 100th day by claiming “this is the best 100-day start of any president in history.” But Trump has signed only five measures into law. And the chaos of his tariff policies turned a booming economy 100 days ago sharply downward.
Oddly though, the Trump administration parallels FDR’s in that in his first 100 days Trump has been undoing the government FDR established 92 years ago in his first 100 days to serve ordinary Americans.
March 28, 2025
* Another wipeout on Wall Street and consumer confidence is at its lowest in 4 years.
* Musk plans to move Social Security's computer system to a new one using AI. Experts are concerned.
* The State Dept. plans to finalize the shutdown of USAID by July...even though only Congress has the authority.
* The country's top vaccine regulator resigns from FDA before he was to be fired. Meanwhile Health Sec. Kennedy taps an anti-vaxxer to lead study on the debunked theory that vaccines are linked to autism.
* Fighter pilots are angered at Pete Hegseth's Signal chat scandal.
* Democrats are challenging two Trump-endorsed candidates in Florida.
* Musk is going to Wisconsin to talk about the state Supreme Court race. He illegally planned to give a million-dollar check to 2 voters.
March 27, 2025
* Before Trump's election, only 4% of voters liked Project 2025. But Trump is pursuing that plan in his goal to dismantle government, law, business, education, culture, etc. J.D. Vance is even tasked with changing how we see American history in institutions like the Smithsonian.
* The Washington Post reported that DOGE has cost the government $500 BILLION.
* A White House document calls for up to 50% of federal employees to be fired.
* Congress has been kept in the dark about cuts in the Social Security Administration. The SSA website crashed 4 times in 10 days and phone service is suffering.
* Trump is undermining the rule of law, challenging judges who rule against his orders; House Speaker Johnson threatens eliminating district courts.
* Trump threatens universities with cutting off millions in federal grants. Columbia U. was made the example of what could happen to other schools.
* Trying to change how we think, words like "climate crisis," "diversity," and "science-based" are being removed from government communications.
March 21, 2025
* Trump denies that Elon Musk received top-secret Pentagon briefing on China.
* Anger against Musk is channeled into "Tesla Takedown" peaceful protests at Musk's dealerships; but some acts of Tesla vandalism are characterized by the Trump Administration as "domestic terrorism" and worse than Jan. 6.
* Acting Commissioner of Social Security threatens to shut down the agency in response to court ruling against DOGE.
* Inefficiency is actually what DOGE is creating in the government.
* In response to the GOP abandoning town halls in fear of their angry constituents, Bernie Sanders and AOC hold their own events in Republican districts attracting crowds in the thousands.
February 12, 2025
* Elon Musk presides over a press conference in the Oval Office.
* The New York Times and Washington Post report that Musk has eliminated the agencies that were scrutinizing his businesses.
* The Consumer Price Index shows inflation surged in January as the price of gas and groceries went up. Eggs cost 15.2% more.
* There's a "landmark shift" in U.S. foreign policy.
January 28, 2025
* On the campaign trail, Trump denied any connection to Project 2025. Now that he's President again, it's clear he failed to level with America.
* Today a Musk-inspired "Fork in the Road" e-mail went out to federal workers with a buyout offer.
* Chaos erupts over Trump's attempt to freeze Congressional-approved funds all over the country.
January 2, 2025
President Biden awards 20 Americans the Presidential Citizens Medal in recognition of exemplary service to their country or fellow Americans. Meanwhile the President-Elect shows two faces toward immigration and it looks likely that the GOP will turn its economic focus away from the middle class and back toward the wealthy, even as many in America are angry at rich CEOs.
December 26, 2024
Heather Cox Richardson observes that like professional wrestling, Trump seems to be acting in a way that we’re not sure if what we’re seeing is real or not. To wit: Trump’s Christmas message about taking over the Panama Canal and the sovereign countries of Canada and Greenland. Such rhetoric is contrary to the charter of the United Nations, but is being cheered by Russian media.