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In his recent address to Congress, President Donald Trump portrayed the nation as thriving and strong (“Trump claims credit for ‘swift, unrelenting action,’ ” front page, March 5). However, his words stand in stark contrast to the reality we face due to his actions.
While he voiced strong support for law enforcement, even proposing the death penalty for those who kill police officers, he also pardoned the violent rioters of Jan. 6, a day that ultimately led to the deaths of five police officers. Trump’s professed support for the military falls flat when considering cuts to Veterans Affairs funding and the dismissal of thousands of veterans from their jobs.
Likewise, his claims of a booming economy contradict the reality of rising prices — which he had promised to lower on Day One — a faltering stock market and tariffs that threaten to drive costs higher and strain relations with our closest allies. During his speech, he highlighted a young cancer patient, yet at the same time, moved to cut funding for cancer research. His call to “Make America Healthy Again” is further undermined by his appointment of a known vaccine conspiracy theorist to lead the Department of Health and Human Services amid a resurgence of measles in Texas. A disease that the U.S. once eradicated.
While he speaks of America’s return to greatness, our actions on the global stage tell a different story. We have alienated our closest allies, reversed our stance on Ukraine by yielding to Russian President Vladimir Putin and embraced authoritarian regimes. In the end, Trump’s rhetoric may be compelling to some, but the stark contrast between his words and his actions cannot be ignored.
Paul Niebeling, Minneapolis
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