Ultimately, Donald Trump has Democrats to thank for carrying out the first legislative victory of his second term.
Hours after he took office, Senate Democrats joined all Republicans in approving a bill calling for the detention and deportation of immigrants accused of theft-related crimes. Moments later, the Chamber of Commerce unanimously confirmed his colleague, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, as Trump’s secretary of state.
The vote marked a sharp reversal from early in Trump’s first term. His narrow electoral college victory sparked a nationwide resistance movement and a series of democratic victories. But unlike eight years ago, Trump also won the popular vote while making significant inroads with the core of the democratic coalition: voters, people of color and young people.
His surprising return to power – four years after refusing to accept defeat, his supporters stormed the US Capitol and months after a New York jury convicted him on a count of 34 felonies. propelled the Democratic Party deep into the political wilderness. Facing a fusilade of executive orders on everything from trade and immigration to DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) programs to federal jobs, Democrats are on the brink of a plan to fundamentally restructure the American government. is still working to reconcile its vigilance and new Trump-era politics.
“Democrats need to get back on track, or the GOP will keep them at Bourdieu — and people will get hurt,” said the national president, founded as part of Trump’s 2016 Resistance Movement. Ezra Levin, co-executive director of Inivisible, an organization that supports elections, said in a statement this week. “Many Democrats are dissatisfied with the direction the leadership is moving and are rightly calling out the myopia, or lack thereof, of the current plan.”
Trump’s first week left little room for reflection. Leaderless and locked out of power in Washington, National Democrats oscillated between accommodation and confrontation in the speed of action on Inauguration Day. Some progressives are tossing the relatively muted approach as “spinless,” while others are seeing a strategic readjustment after the enormity of November’s losses.
For those looking for reassurance that Trump will face resistance, the bishop will use his sermon to stand up to the president, not by the leader’s actions on Capitol Hill but by the words delivered from a pulpit across town. And found solace in the words of a few sitting a foot below. .
During Tuesday’s interfaith service, Bishop Marian Badet, leader of the Diocese of Washington, called for mercy to “the people of our country who are now afraid,” including immigrants and LGBTQ+ Americans. I appealed directly to Trump. Budd told the New York Times that he had not originally planned to address the president with a sermon, but after his inaugural address, he asked, “Were you going to say something about the attitude of the country?”
Trump’s extraordinary pardon of more than 1,500 people involved in the January 6 Capitol riot, including those convicted of assaulting police officers, has ignited collective anger among Democrats.
“This moment is a test for our nation’s leadership,” Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, wrote in X. President of the United States. This is not the time to shrink or be shy. ”
Earlier this week, Murphy blocked Trump’s attempt to fast-track John Ratcliffe’s nomination to lead the CIA and called for a more robust discussion of his qualifications and ability to be objective in his role. did. The Senate ultimately confirmed Trump’s loyalty, with many Democrats objecting. Senate Democrats also blocked Republican-led anti-abortion measures, blocking them from advancing in the Chamber of Commerce, where 60 votes are needed to pass most legislation.
Taking stock of Trump’s first week, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters Thursday that his caucus “will make decisions based on what’s right for the districts we represent.” “I’m going to continue and politics will take care of itself.” .
pPerhaps no issue highlights Democratic uncertainty more than immigration. With his pen alone, Trump has already attempted to wholesale dismantle the country’s immigration system, directing the military to assist in efforts to stop illegal immigration while closing legal routes to the United States.
On Capitol Hill this week, Democratic leaders and Fragile Trump Nation Democrats telegraphed their willingness to work with the president on border enforcement, and many of their colleagues said the immigration crackdown is hurting families, farmworkers and so-called Dreamers. warned of the harm it could cause. .
New Mexico Democratic Rep. Gabe Vazquez, who represents border towns, said during the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Press, “We need to move beyond the divisive rhetoric and work with our colleagues to come up with solutions that Americans really care about.” I think it’s our collective responsibility to find out.” at Thursday’s Capitol meeting.
Other Hispanic progressive Democrats implored the party not to play on Republican terms and instead lead with its own solutions and message. While Americans have long supported a path to citizenship for young undocumented people brought to the country as children, many business leaders believe that large-scale deportations would hurt the economy. It warns that it will hurt and raise costs for families.
Illinois Congressman Chuy Garcia attacked Trump’s immigration plan as “hateful and xenophobic” during a press conference with members of the Progressive Caucus. “I’m an immigrant who represents a district with a lot of immigrants,” he said, pleading with the president and his Republican allies to offer real solutions “in the guise of policy, not propaganda that creates fear and confusion.” I called on you to bring it.
Many of the major immigration battles will unfold in states where Democratic governors and attorneys general are on the front lines of the fight over the administration’s “shock and awe” immigration agenda. The rapid pace of Trump’s executive actions has forced Democratic-led states and civil rights groups to launch immediate legal responses to his first week of actions, and the strategy is already paying dividends. are paying.
This week, a federal judge joined with a coalition of Democratic lawyers challenging Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship. District Judge John Coonol, a Ronald Reagan appointee, said the order was “blatantly unconstitutional” and temporarily blocked it from taking effect.
“He’s been in office for less than a week, and he’s seen federal courts with judges appointed by a Republican president, a president supported by much of America’s conservative movement. “I think what you’re going to see is a more sophisticated legal response this time, because civil society… I think it’s much more organized and savvy for this playbook.”
Democracy Forward is one of more than 350 organizations that have joined the coalition known as Democracy 2025, with the express purpose of “disrupting efforts by the Trump Vance administration to attack our rights.” I am.
“The message we want to send to all Americans across the country is that there are lawyers and advocates who are fighting for your rights every day. It will do the same thing,” Perryman said.
That project will depend heavily on Democratic leaders looking for a path out of political exile while staring down another four years of Trump.
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dEmocrats are at the “low point.” This was acknowledged by Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Cleave, who is running for president of the Nebraska Democratic Party (ASDC). “Reset required.”
A post-election survey by Pew Research found that Democrats are especially more pessimistic than they were after Hillary Clinton’s loss in 2016. Republicans, by contrast, were more optimistic about their party’s future than at any point since their 2016 victory.
The Democratic Party’s high-stakes race for chair has so far failed to produce the debate from the robust place many crave. Faiz Shakir, who managed Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign, made a late entrance into the race amid growing complaints that contestants were focused more on mechanics than vision.
“We can’t expect working-class audiences to look at us differently if we’re not offering anything new or substantial to attract their support,” Shakir said. wrote in a memo announcing his decision to seek the chairmanship.
Cleave said the race is naturally centered around nuts and bolts issues, as the National Party provides the infrastructure and its candidates develop the messaging. She acknowledged that Democrats have much work to do to change their image as “elite winks” and reconnect with working-class voters who once formed the cornerstone of their political base. Ta.
“Democrats have to start connecting the dots,” Cleave said. He pointed to Trump’s pledge of mass deportations as an example of policies that ultimately hurt working families. “Instead of $3 to $5 to $5 per pound of ground beef, you’re paying $13 to $20.”
“This is about corporate consolidation, and Republicans always protect big business,” she continued. “Democrats have to start laying it down for voters or we’re going to keep losing.”
As they search for their souls, many Democrats are looking to the state for fresh leadership and direction. Swing state governors such as Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer and Pennsylvania’s Josh Shapiro will likely help propel the party forward.
In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom, who frequently clashed with Trump during the president’s first term, warmly welcomed Trump on the tarmac in Los Angeles, where he surveyed wildfire damage.
Trump has been sharply critical of Newsom’s response to the fires that devastated Los Angeles and suggested Republicans may condition federal disaster aid on the state. Before Trump’s inauguration on Monday, Newsom invited him to visit the city and see the destruction for himself. At the same time, the governor launched a website to correct misinformation about the fires that was amplified by other high-profile figures such as Trump and Elon Musk.
But they put politics aside Friday. “We have every expectation that we can work together,” Newsom told the president.
“We’re going to fix it,” Trump responded.
Earlier this month, Democrats won a pair of special election contests for the Virginia General Assembly. It’s an early test of the political mood and glimmer of hope for the party in a state where Republicans have benefited in recent years.
Kannan Srinivasan, who won the state Senate race by ensuring that his party retained control of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, won the state Senate race by ensuring that his district’s voters – in the capital with a large proportion of immigrants and federal workers – Diverse Suburbs – said he “absolutely” expects Democrats to fight.
“The fear and uncertainty I can feel among my constituents is real,” said Srinivasan, a naturalized citizen who came to the United States as an Indian student. “We make a deal with Americans, we make a deal with Virginians, and we will stand by them and push back on policies that are not good for working families.”
Joan E Greve contributed reporting from Washington
