One Month of a Mad King
A timeline of "arbitrary and capricious".
Checks and balances, especially judicial review, not only ensure a representative government—they also ensure policy stability, avoiding “arbitrary and capricious” changes to administrative law.
Some background information:
Trump really hates windmills. See Trump International Golf Club Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers.
Trump has run his mouth about Panamanian control of the Panama Canal for years. He got kicked out of operating a hotel in Panama, in a dispute that led to an actual police standoff.
January 20, Inauguration Day
In his Inaugural Address, Trump announces that he will rename the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America,” among other things.
Issues a memo withdrawing all offshore areas from eligibility for wind energy permits.
January 23
Claims that China is operating the Panama Canal.
January 24
Decides to withdraw a proposed rule that, if adopted, would have banned menthol and other flavored cigarettes.
January 25
Buckles down on his quest to buy Greenland.
January 26
Defense jester Pete Hegseth sends a handwritten note to his staff that says “DOD =/= DEI”.
Trump has been threatening increased tariffs for decades, but few expected that the first concrete threat of his new administration would be targeted tariffs on Colombia.
January 27
Jokes (“jokes?”) about running for a third term. “I’ve raised a lot of money for the next race that I assume I can’t use for myself, but I’m not 100% sure,” he said.
January 29
Court whisperer (shouter?) Elon Musk claims $50m was spent on condoms in Gaza. This was incorrect, but he was very correct when he said “Some of the things I say will be incorrect.”
January 30
Blames DEI policies for plane collision near DCA.
February 2
Trump once again threatens to take over the Panama Canal.
February 3
Trump establishes a “sovereign wealth fund” to buy TikTok, despite the fact that it’s a little weird for a nation that operates on debt and deficits to have a wealth fund.
February 4
Suggests—to the apparent shock of his Chief of Staff—that Gazans should be forcibly relocated to Jordan and Eqypt.
February 7
Trump denounces supposed oppression of white Afrikaners in South Africa and offers them refugee status in the U.S.
February 9
Happy Gulf of America Day!
Treasury stops producing pennies.
February 10
Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg, after Confederate general Braxton Bragg) is renamed Fort Bragg, after Private 1st Class Roland L. Bragg, who once, in a notable display of humility and understanding of responsibility, turned down a military promotion. With this, U.S. continues policy of not naming installations after Confederate officers.
Bans federal use of paper straws, claiming in an official order that there is “An irrational campaign against plastic straws”.
Names former acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell the interim executive director of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
February 11
An Associated Press reporter is barred from White House events because the AP continues to say “Gulf of Mexico", which the Administration calls “lies”.
February 14
Fires then unfires employees responsible for maintaining the safety and readiness of the nuclear arsenal. Oops.
February 15
Trump quotes Napoleon by announcing that “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law.”
February 18
Issues an executive order expanding presidential power over supposedly independent agencies.
Secretary of Energy minion says Britain’s clean energy goals are “sinister”.
February 19
White House announces that Trump is a King.
All kings end up dead!
The list could be much longer for sure. Craziness. There could be addtion to each point on the list. Republican Congress and Senators ignore what Donnie says.