The first 100 days for the Trump-hating left

Op-ed views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

President Donald Trump’s approval declined after he announced broad tariffs not just on China but on trading partners who, in his opinion, take advantage of America with their tariffs on American goods. But how quickly those rooting for Trump’s failure forget the mood of the country during the Biden administration.

In September 2024, NBC News wrote: “Two in 3 voters say the country is on the ‘wrong track’ as voters weigh whether Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump would be better able to change that less than two months from Election Day.” Not exactly a tough act to follow.

Critics call Trump 2.0 an “imperial” presidency careening toward a “constitutional crisis,” meaning Trump intends to ignore lower court rulings that thwart his agenda. Yet most sat silently when one of the Democrat stars, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-N.Y.,) demanded that President Joe Biden ignore a 2023 lower court ruling to ban the so-called abortion pill. AOC called the ruling a “mockery of our democracy and a mockery of our law.”

When the Supreme Court ruled the Biden student debt forgiveness program unconstitutional, Biden insisted the ruling left him undeterred. He said, “The Supreme Court tried to block me from relieving student debt. But they didn’t stop me.”

Trump has secured the southern border and is fulfilling his promise to deport the estimated 15 million illegal aliens — prioritizing violent criminals — intentionally admitted into the country by Biden. Former First Lady Michelle Obama recently fretted: “I worry for people of color all over this country. … And that makes me — that frightens me. It keeps me up at night.”

Michelle Obama must not have gotten much sleep during her husband’s administration, when even Democrats derisively referred to President Barack Obama as “deporter-in-chief.” In January 2024, PolitiFact wrote: “Under Trump, from fiscal year 2017 to fiscal year 2020, the Department of Homeland Security recorded 2 million deportations … During Obama’s first term, fiscal year 2009 to fiscal year 2012, there were 3.2 million deportations (removals and returns).”

Suddenly, Democrats are pro-“insurrection.” Democrat Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker recently called for “mass protests” against Trump: “It’s time to fight everywhere and all at once. Never before in my life have I called for mass protests, for mobilization, for disruption. But I am now.”

“Fight everywhere and all at once”? The governor will no doubt claim he means “fight” peacefully. But when Trump, on Jan. 6, 2021, urged his supporters to “fight like hell,” his critics described this as the equivalent of ordering his supporters to set the country on fire. Never mind Trump also said, “I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.”

Suddenly, “mocking” one’s disability isn’t such a bad thing after all. An August 2016 Bloomberg poll of likely voters found what most bothered them about then-candidate Trump was that he supposedly “mocked” a disabled reporter, something Trump has denied doing. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Trump supporter, has since 1984 been paralyzed from the waist down. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) in March, at a California Human Rights campaign event, elicited laughter when she said: “Y’all know we got Governor Hot Wheels down there. Come on now. And the only thing hot about him is that he is a hot a— mess.” Crickets from most Democrats.

Polls show a majority of Americans support Trump’s border wall and a plurality support his goal of mass deportation. Democrats therefore find themselves thrashing about to decide on an effective anti-Trump attack strategy. What’s their message? Waste, fraud and abuse are to be protected? Illegal alien MS-13 gang member Kilmar Abrego Garcia is the equivalent of a political prisoner? Teslas are bad — so much for climate change?

Democrats continue to claim that only the very rich stand to benefit from extending the Trump tax cuts. Biden in his first major speech since leaving office repeated the nonsense that Trump wants to “cut and gut” social security. So, there’s that.

If Trump is proven right on his tariff strategy and our trading partners cut deals that eventually turbocharge the economy, what’s left for the Democrats? Apart from mass suicide, there’s always the Trump’s a “racist/fascist/Nazi” card. It’s better than nothing.

Larry Elder is a bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio talk-show host. To find out more about Larry Elder, or become an “Elderado,” visit www.LarryElder.com. Follow Larry on X @larryelder. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.

Larry Elder is a best-selling author, radio and TV talk show host. To find out more about Larry Elder visit www.LarryElder.com.

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