Trump's second term: Long Island, how's it going?

Can you think of anyone who would have despised Donald Trump more than the spokesman for the little guy and gal, Woody Guthrie? To contrast Woody’s compassionate legacy, I submit this as a Trump version of Woody’s classic:

This land is my land, this land is my land

From the west coast commies to the New York woke land

From the oil refineries to the Mar-A-Lago

This land was especially made for me

As I went golfing on my own golf course

I saw a migrant and we had to use force

He tried to escape and run away

Now he’s long gone from the USA

I passed my big bad beautiful bill

With the help of all my congressional shills

I screwed Americans both left and right

And they never saw it coming - out of sight!

Our country is in dire need of a president for all people not just for a select few. Federal employees have lost their jobs. How will they be able to care for their families? Medicaid recipients are losing their benefits. Where will nursing home residents go if they lose those benefits? Researchers who have put their hearts and souls working on discovering medical breakthroughs have been stripped of their positions. Growing up, I never heard of a polar vortex or a tsunami. Summers are getting hotter. Water levels are getting higher causing unthinkable catastrophes. All proof that climate change certainly exists whether it is believed or not. It is happening before our eyes. This is NOT the way to make America great again. The prevailing discontent in our country is slowly destroying the fabric of our society.

I sincerely agree with those comments already presented on this page. It is truly astounding how so many readers all agree that the current administration is disappointing and disheartening to many of us. How did he get elected AGAIN? Why? Do we live in an alternate universe to the rest of the country? It is the stuff of nightmares!

I am a volunteer at Long Island Cares. This Trump administration cut $267 million to these food banks in N.Y. alone. Yet this administration cost our tax payers $45 million to display that military parade in Washington D.C. It is mind boggling.

I am feeling confident that so many New Yorkers like myself want to keep the freedoms we have not to be taken away by the current president

Every day I see and hear something that has happened and I ask myself is this really happening in the USA? As a 70- something I have lived through the sixties and years of protests and demonstrations and presidents. However, the mass firings, unqualified people leading major departments, stopping funding for health care and food to those most vulnerable, militarizing ICE, a military parade, pardoning insurrectionists, going after federal judges doing their jobs, and the list goes on! A big thank you to all those taking to the streets peacefully and to the judges with the courage to do their jobs. A question or maybe two to my fellow Americans: Are we great yet? Have we learned nothing from the past in terms of leaders attacking "them"; do we not understand that these are human beings first and foremost and that as we sit and say, it's those people, that sooner or later they start going after others and soon you who you thought couldn't be touched! Would be kings/dictators will target anyone who doesn't march to their tune, just a matter of time.

When making decisions that affect people's lives, the decision maker should base their policies on what past history tells us, the best experts in the field and what science tells us.
The Trump Administration has failed all three. On tariffs, in the past they were disastrous. The experts of today (like Warren Buffet, Goldman Sachs and many other financial institutions) all say that tariffs are a tax on the public. On vaccines, RFK (who is not a scientist nor a doctor) has caused many parents to stop inoculating their children against diseases that have been wiped out for years. Science over the years has produced life saving vaccines that have been proven to be safe and effective. And now Measles is the present danger. Also, the scientific community has shown through many trials that vaccines DO NOT cause autism. On nationalism, history has shown us that nationalism is dangerous and leads to worldwide conflict and that we need friends and allies throughout the world to remain safe. Also helping those in need around the world is good for us. The Trump administration has attacked our friends and allies and has turned toward the dictators of the world. Wake up America. Life will become worse with the coming days.

While President Trump has been very busy making America great again, I can't help but be reminded of that memorable Twilight Zone episode from the early 1960's starring Billy Mumy. In this episode, there is a room full of extremely nervous friends and neighbors gathered to celebrate a little boy's (Billy Mumy’s) birthday. Long story short, we soon realize everyone is scared to death of this little boy because, whenever anyone says anything that displeases him in any way, he has absolute power, including the power to send you to the "cornfield" where you resemble something between a scarecrow and a jack-in-the-box. The people in the room therefore bow and scrape before Anthony (Billy Mumy), over-praising him for whatever idea he comes up with. "Oh, Anthony! What a good idea to abolish the Dept. of Education! Oh, Anthony! We're all so happy you have made a Fox News commentator Secretary of Defense! And it's also good you sent Liz Cheney to the cornfield! She was a very bad person." The people in the room are all Republican members of Congress who are just too frightened for their careers and don't want to be sent to the political "cornfield." I don't think this analogy could possibly be more accurate.

In the morning the music of birds outside my windows brings joy. The different bird calls seem to blend like a natural jazz band. No one bird is “king,” as they share the same air and water, abundant tree branches, and flowers. In this “public and democratic” space, could these birds be smarter than we humans at getting along, at being more civilized? In the past three-plus months the Trump administration has launched an assault on our public spaces: public television and radio, education, libraries, health/safety nets, and due process with a solid judicial system. Agencies like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, to which we contribute, are in danger as well as protections for a sustainable environment. USAID has been stopped from helping the world’s poorest and most vulnerable; lives will be lost. And high tariffs will make it hard for ordinary folks to feed and clothe their children. Our free speech may no longer be free. The birds have no Constitution, yet they live it instinctively, in balance. My hope is that we the people raise our wonderful, different voices to both put a stop to an attempted dictatorship and rescue our democracy. Sing! Chirp! Tweet ─ while we still can.

It has been suggested that President Trump's desire to reopen Alcatraz followed a screening of the movie Escape From Alcatraz. Let's hope that Fail Safe and Dr. Strangelove are not on the movie list, as that might sadly result in The Sum Of All Fears.

Math has never been my forte. But one need not be a mathematical whiz to wonder how Donald Trump plans to pay for the big, beautiful military parade he has scheduled to honor the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army on June 14, which just happens to be his birthday? This will probably be a multi-million dollar spectacle. During his first term, Trump's plans for a similar parade was scuttled because of COVID and the damage that military vehicles would do to the streets of Washington D.C. Could the cost of this parade possibly be coming from the savings his hatchet (or chainsaw) man Elon Musk slashed by defunding federal agencies? Our U.S. Constitution clearly gives Congress the power to allocate money for the "defense and welfare of the United States." Is there no one in Congress who is unafraid to say NO to Trump's ridiculous and destructive exercise of executive authority?

As Newsday reported on May 1 (“Report: Food Prices Spiked”), the U.S. Agriculture Dept. is likely to cut some $1 billion in funding this year in food assistance for students and food banks. On Long Island, this will have a serious negative impact on food banks like Long Island Cares and Island Harvest. Is this how the Trump administration attacks waste, fraud and abuse in government, by depriving our seniors and our poor of access to food? Is Trump’s goal to make America hungry again, like in the 1930s Great Depression?

We as a country are on the verge of having our Democratic Republic implode. As a country, we are now on the verge of becoming an oligarchy- a government in which a small group exercises control, especially for corrupt and selfish purposes. There are 13 billionaires in Donald Trump's administration, individuals who will not be advocating on behalf of the vast majority of Americans. The direction our country is heading has left many Americans frustrated and angry. I remain proud to be an American because we are guaranteed the opportunity to unite in a nonviolent manner to defend "the last great experiment" and continue to pursue a more inclusive form of democracy and share in our prosperity.

It is time for everyone to recognize and call out the corruption and gaslighting that has led us to this moment. America is on the brink of fascism and truth has never been more precious. As our president touts the hypocrisy of DEI and has convinced many Americans that this is the root of all that ails us, including plane crashes and creating transgender youth, he fires the very qualified Chairman of the Joint Chiefs because of the color of his skin and a top female military officer because she is a woman. He then replaces Air Force General Brown with Dan Caine who has not had the requisite key military assignments for the job. Trump has created a Cabinet of the most unqualified people who have agreed to help him enact Project 2025, a plan that he supported and lied about during his campaign. He continues to lie about absolutely everything, calling the Ukrainian President a dictator while forming alliances with actual dictators. Wake up America before it's too late.

I can’t help but think Trump has a problem with me personally. I’m 75 yrs old. He’s going after my SSI and Medicare. I’m a Marine Corps veteran and he’s going after the VA. I’m under care of the World Trade Center Health System and he’s going after that. My 401K has tanked thanks to him. Prices on everything are going up. Yet he’s just made a crypto deal that made his family $2billion. Can’t wait to see how the next 100 days go. Thanks Donald.

Sometimes rattling the cage is what is needed. Instead of focusing on short term losses in stock portfolios, Americans should look at the money major companies are investing in our workforce. NAFTA was a disaster. In 100 short days, our president is looking to reverse the loss of many jobs. Elon Musk and his Doge partners have received death threats. As a reminder of what CAN be done, Elon cut Twitter's workforce.

New York, a national leader in addressing climate change, is in President Trump's crosshairs. His animus to renewable energy is motivated by his denial of climate change, favoritism to the fossil fuel industry, and political revenge against blue states like New York. Why else would he oppose the "mission to deliver a cleaner, healthier energy future," as stated by the head of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority? If we are to believe President Trump's declaration of a national energy emergency, he would adopt an all-of-the-above energy plan like New York's and reverse the misguided stop-work order on the Empire Wind 1 project.

Although I am disheartened by the damage done by President Donald Trump in just 100 days, I am hopeful because I know that this experiment we call America has survived for 250 years through civil war, global conflicts, pandemics, economic depressions, racism and sexism. We can Make America Great Again - but it will take a concerted effort by all of us to do it!

Bruce Blakeman should be ashamed of himself supporting ICE roundup of migrants and undocumented LIers given his family background with the Holocaust. This looks and feels like Nazi Germany! He needs to find his soul and compassion. I’m all for deporting criminals but NOT the roundup of families who came here for a better life and who contribute to making life pleasant on LI. Look what trump has done to alienate Canada, Mexico, NATO nations. Not to Mention how much money we have all lost in the stock market and how much more everything thing will cost as a result of those ridiculous tariffs.

Just about everything the president is doing runs contrary to my beliefs and values. As a health care professional and educator for many years, I am fully cognizant of the repercussions which will inevitably result from the president's executive orders, some unconstitutional or at least illegal. I have spent my whole professional life championing the principles of human worth and dignity, and of equal rights and justice. I particularly fear that health care delivery will not improve or even regress because of what the president is doing, especially with the loss of so much important research. I also fear the unfortunate effects on higher education institutions, which will not be able to function without uncalled for government interference. And on a local note - the president needs to stop his interference with the state ban on the use of Native American nicknames and mascots. It is none of his business. Asking the Department of Education - which he wants to eliminate - to ‘look into the situation’ is ironic and inappropriate.

DOGE has defined Trump’s first 100 days and so much of what has been done through DOGE, which Trump set in motion, is illegal. Actions taken without the approval of Congress. The power of the purse is foundational to the Constitutional Separation of Powers. I am a senior citizen who has depended on the safety nets of Social Security, Medicaid, HUD, and SNAP due to a rare autoimmune disease that was once life-threatening but is now thankfully "only" an ongoing chronic condition. I have always been very grateful for the safety nets that assist me in maintaining my health and independence. I am concerned about losing these benefits, even though Rep. Lalota keeps saying he is fighting for us not to lose our Medicaid (after he voted yes on the framework for the budgetary cuts). But none of this means anything in a country where fellow human beings are not being given due process. Due process is the foundation of our country. Trump has trampled on that human right. It starts with the undocumented. Where does it end?

The IRS is in Holbrook and is way overstaffed. I worked for the government and they were always overstaffed. The Republican Party is finally doing something about the bloat in government and the funds that hard working Americans see being sent to absolutely ridiculous places which had no business getting our money. I have found that trying to explain what is happening to this country to any liberal mind falls on deaf ears. Our country is absolutely ruined. Trump and Musk are trying to fix us and if it's not done this way we will not have a country left. We will be bankrupt, finished, done. I feel sorry for you all. No patriotism at all. Wake up.

He has brought chaos, insecurity and fear into Long Island homes and our lives. Grocery prices are up, my IRA is down, and tariffs (in fact increased taxes) are starting to bite. And this is only planting season. Deportations are a cruel, lawless attack on immigrant workers and little children born in America. It will mean a shortage of farm and vineyard workers without whose labor this agricultural area will suffer and our production will shrink. All in all, a disastrous 100 days and we dread the next. Thank god for the judges and courts holding down the fort.

What strikes me most about President Trump’s first 100 days is the level of incompetence. He promised to reduce inflation, and instead, his tariffs are unleashing higher prices. He wants to bring back American industry, but is defunding research that is essential to innovations that will create jobs and guarantee our children’s future. He promised to make the United States stronger in relation to China, yet he has alienated precisely the allies whose support is needed to put pressure on that country. He promised to make government more efficient, but he allowed Elon Musk to cut into the muscle and bone of government, rather than the fat, as can be seen in staff cuts at the Veterans’ Administration, Social Security, and the IRS (at tax time!). He promised to give us better leaders, yet we have ended up with Hegseth, Gabbard, RFK Jr. He promised to reduce crime, but his approach is to put the military on our streets instead of dealing with the most serious crime wave that we’re facing, which is cybercrime and telephone fraud. He promised to make America great again, but all he has done is to make America more fearful.

Here’s an idea. Instead of shutting down Social Security offices and firing Veteran Affairs employees and terminating leases on buildings that house critical environmental agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, how about demanding Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg and other billionaires pay their fair share of taxes.

In the article describing why war plans should not be shared with Musk, Trump praised Musk as a patriot. I think as president, Trump needs some education as to who deserves to be called a patriot. When speaking of John McCain, Trump called him a "loser" because he had been captured by the enemy. If someone is risking his life to fight in the service of his country, he is not a loser, he is the true patriot. McCain's family was so insulted by Trump's behavior that he was banned from McCain's funeral services. A billionaire wielding a chainsaw to indiscriminately cut programs is not a patriot. He's a henchman doing his boss's bidding. And a man avoiding the draft due to heel spurs is certainly not a patriot. He's a coward. Get your definitions straight Mr. President.

I’m sure just about everyone in this country and all over the world has seen the despicable, made-for-TV show that President Trump put on to ambush and belittle the president of Ukraine. What a disgusting, shameful, disgraceful and shocking way for our elected officials to act in front of the whole world, a cowardly display. This man was there to ask for help to save his country that was invaded by Putin three years ago after hundreds of thousands of its people have suffered. This whole situation is not just embarrassing for this country, it makes us look weak and pathetic, but it also makes us unsafe. I think Zelenskyy is the hero in this story, and Ukraine is lucky to have this man fighting for them.

The president and his team of “merry men” are getting into the meat of their objectives: huge cuts to education, with health, free speech, and our treasured safety net of social security all on the cutting board. I’m a retired educator for 41 years, anc can tell you it takes good funding to get the proper student-teacher-teacher aide ratios for special education and to get the best trained adults in the classroom with your child, it takes a good college and graduate level education, which costs money and usually requires financial support. All necessary programs, services, and jobs that are being cut right now will create more poverty and more need for exactly the programs we’re losing. We were a country where differences were not only tolerated but appreciated. What happened?

If nothing else is clear, this is: Donald Trump and Elon Musk have absolutely no respect for anyone working in the public sector. Federal employees are simply slots in an agency who are easily eliminated and/or replaced. At the cabinet meeting, Musk said that his "pulse check" on federal employees was to ensure that those working for the government have a "pulse and two neurons." No value is attached to those who work for the common good. That includes office workers who field calls from citizens with concerns about lead in their water, scientists who are working to find treatments for Alzheimer's, mechanics who keep the trucks running to bring aid to communities affected by natural disasters, on and on. If, as in business, a direct line cannot be drawn from one's work to a dollar earned, there is no value. It behooves those who work in the public sector and all those who recognize their value to speak up NOW and LOUDLY!

President Trump embodies the “bull in a china shop”cliché, tearing through the fabric of our democracy. Trump seems too tired or bothered to do the damage by himself so he sells himself to the highest bidder, that being Elon Musk, to follow through. Together, they have demonstrated a reckless dismantling of programs, departments, jobs, etc., without forewarning or considering the implications of their destruction. These men are lacking tact and empathy, abandoning needed assistance to the world's needy as well as throwing veterans, workers, scientists and soon, educators among others unnamed to the street. We will soon experience the fallout only to be exacerbated by the now-enacted tariffs, which also portray the flailing of a wild bull. Trump and his couch mates “bullied” Ukrainian President Zelenskyy.

As Elon Musk and DOGE are allegedly saving federal expenditures and are doing so with transparency, I have a question: Has DOGE quantified the costs that it has incurred by the lawsuits for federal worker' being fired without just cause that its actions have caused?

Sinclair Lewis wrote a novel in 1935 titled “It Can’t Happen Here,” about how a fascist dictator could rise to power in the United States. I urge everyone to read it. Lewis was seeing what was happening in Germany and the stirring of citizens in the United States sympathetic to the Nazi cause. Today I read that President Erdogan of Turkey had the mayor of Istanbul arrested, claiming corruption and a terror link. Mayor Imamgolu has been a critic of Erdogan and as in many authoritarian governments, the playbook is to quash your opponents. President Trump has made it clear that he intends to go after his “enemies.” To those who admire Trump, I say “Beware.”

I hope those who voted for President Trump are ready to be ruled by a Russian communist, because that is what Trump is doing to this country in siding with him and not President Zelenskyy.

I'm reading that legal battles are delaying the progress of DOGE. To rebuild DOGE's momentum and reignite public enthusiasm for it's cause in making America more efficient and profitable, President Trump should challenge the American people to come up with ideas to either cut costs and/or increase national revenue. Any suggestion that proves viable should receive a one-time, one percent commission to the person who submitted the idea. Now one percent sounds like a nominal percent--and it is--but when dealing with the federal government, the numbers are so gargantuan that one percent can easily amount to life-changing money.

Kudos to Cathy Young for pointing out Trump's using his supposed combatting of antisemitism while in reality enabling it., Trump is using an imaginary battle against anti-Semitism as a smoke screen to attack our liberties, while enabling anti-Semites who serve his agenda.

In just one day alone, there were reports of Trump/Musk cuts to the Veterans Administration and to nutrition and education assistance programs. If asked whether these cuts might seriously affect the health and well-being of Long Islanders, the least awful, honest answer that local officials who are supporters of Trump give is "I don't know." But, in the face of this admitted uncertainty, if they are pressed further for a justification for these program cuts that will disproportionately affect the most vulnerable members of our community, the spirit of their response would have to be along the lines of, "Am I my brother's keeper?"

In the past 50 days of the Trump Administration, much has been done to diminish our “Rule of Law.” First was the election of a convicted felon, then the pardoning of the Jan. 6 insurrectionists who brutally attacked the White House police and broke in violently to our cherished capitol and many other pardons of various cheats and fraudsters who were supporters of the President. Then there was the illegal firing of federal workers with no concern to the rules that govern this action. Then came the arresting kidnapping and detention of Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia student with a valid green card, for protesting against Israel. And most recently the administration ignored a court order to stop the deportation of gang members and the administration's attack on the judge who rendered this stay. His ignoring of court orders is very troubling. A democracy follows the orders of the court. All of these actions are a threat to our democracy. Without true, unbiased following of our laws, we shall fail as a democracy and become just like other autocratic countries. Be vigilant and involved, or we will quickly follow their path.

As the sister of a dedicated public servant for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) I am appalled by the Trump administration’s unconstitutional dismantling of the agency and the destruction of classified documents in blatant violation of the Federal Records Act of 1950, erasing the record of where our taxpayer money has gone. Shouldn’t we get to see the receipts for all the “waste, fraud, and abuse” DOGE has found at USAID? Or, perhaps there is not much to see. But I am not surprised. This is only the administration’s latest betrayal of USAID’s employees and the global population they serve, many of whom will die without the support USAID provides. Decades of progress have been recklessly undone by this administration. I have witnessed firsthand the sacrifices my sister has made to serve our country through humanitarian and development work. She, like so many men and women of USAID, has operated in some of the world’s most dangerous places for the betterment of American global security. I only wish Congress and the American people could see how much good people like my sister do.

Let me start off by asking if either this Elon Musk person or President Trump have ever been to a VA facility? Do they even know what goes on there? Can they even imagine what services are rendered and how many people are impacted? Do they see how hard the staff works to help these veterans? I have only the utmost respect for the VA facility that handles all these veterans, including my husband. The care is of the highest quality and the caring and understanding of the staff is just as high. To cut back on staff and to overload the staff remaining is a terrible thing.

Where is it written that a government is supposed to be run like a business? Making a profit is the purpose of a business, while a government is supposed to supply services, infrastructure and protection for its citizens. I have no doubt that there’s waste and overspending in our government, and in some cases possible fraud. However, taking a chainsaw to our spending and government employees is like a surgeon using a chainsaw instead of a scalpel.

IAs a Long Island native, I am deeply concerned about recent discussions to defund the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). This agency, operating on less than 1% of the federal budget, plays a pivotal role in both global stability and our local economy. USAID’s initiatives have opened international markets for American goods, directly benefiting Long Island’s diverse agricultural sectors. Notably, Suffolk County leads New York State in the wholesale value of agricultural products, with robust industries in greenhouse and nursery crops, vegetables, and aquaculture. By fostering economic growth in developing nations, USAID creates demand for products “Grown on Long Island,” sustaining local jobs and businesses. It’s alarming that influential figures, some with vast wealth, are spreading misinformation to undermine this vital agency. Their narratives overlook the substantial returns USAID provides in economic and security terms. I urge our community and representatives to recognize USAID’s indispensable contributions and to advocate for its continued funding. Our prosperity and safety are intertwined with the agency’s mission.

I read about Linda McMahon being confirmed as Head of Department of Education, the article about the House lifting the cap on bank overdraft fees and the article on Trump withholding Ukraine aid. Every day there's a new way to remove protections and services for American people and people abroad. These acts are flying in the face of everything the USA has always stood for. Trump and his cabinet chiefs and his cronies, like Elon Musk, and others, are destroying our democracy in order to further their own power and to increase their personal wealth. The elected representatives in Congress need to develop some courage and stop this now.

I’ve been reading recent letters which basically support Ukraine. I am not enamored with President Trump nor with his opponent this last November. I voted for neither. At this point, being neutral, I must say Trump treated Zelenskyy in a pedantic manner, like he was a child. The man and Ukraine have been fighting for their freedom versus overwhelming odds. Agreed, the United States has been giving Ukraine great support. What I find objectionable is how Trump and Musk are capitulating to dictator Putin. How do they have the nerve to do this? Are Trump and Musk beholden to Putin?

Idiocracy is increasingly shaping America's democratic system. Trump has stated that violence against Tesla dealerships will be dramatically labeled as domestic terrorism, and the criminal protesters will “go through hell.” By showing political favoritism towards Musk’s Tesla, Trump appears willing to adopt a Stalinist authoritarian approach, reinterpreting protesters as enemies of the state. This rhetoric suggests that Trump is spreading an authoritarian rule, like gangrene, undermining the faith in democracy.

The ignorance of President Trump was displayed again on national television during his speech to congress. He said America was spending money on the study of transgender mice. Actually, the money is being used on transgenic mice. It was laughable. Big difference. Look it up. Trump needs to always be fact checked.

I believe you can support our president and yet disagree with some of his policies. No one is infallible and sometimes even President Trump can be on the wrong side of issues. Supporting a dictator who invaded a sovereign nation without provocation is wrong, and I believe most Americans do not support Russia and the invasion of Ukraine even if they support our president on most other issues.

The integrity of discourse before Congress is a cornerstone of American democracy. The President of the United States when addressing Congress holds a unique and influential platform. Given the gravity of such addresses and their impact on national policy, I propose that any president speaking before Congress be required to take an oath to tell the truth before delivering their remarks. Lying to Congress is already a serious federal crime, punishable under multiple statutes. These laws exist to preserve the integrity of congressional proceedings and ensure that lawmakers, and by extension, the American public, receive accurate information upon which to base decisions. However, unlike private citizens, officials, and witnesses testifying before Congress, the President is not required to take an oath of truthfulness before addressing the legislature. I urge Congress to adopt this simple yet powerful measure to reinforce the principle that truthfulness is not optional but a fundamental obligation for all who stand before the people’s representatives.

I watched the Zelenskyy meeting in the Oval Office and was horrified. Clearly Zelenskyy was set up. We stand with Ukraine because they are fighting a dictator who invaded their country. Please don’t ever think that what went on in that office was a show of strength. It was ignorance on full display. If you voted for Trump, I hope you open your eyes and see what is going on before it’s too late. He is gaslighting you. Half the country voted for Trump, but what about the half who did not? Has he tried to be our president too? The mark of a true leader is someone who listens not just to his followers, but all of the people in the country he leads.

I just do not understand how "acting president" Elon Musk can be so happy in cutting thousands of government jobs. Why use a "hatchet " to cut these essential government jobs? Why cause needless fears for our dedicated government workers and their families> Why not cut the bloated defense spending budget? Oh I get it Musk needs billions for Mars and, I almost forgot, he needs tons of money for his Starlink company.

Instead of negotiating with Russia, force them into an unconditional surrender. The free world did this when we fought Hitler and the free world can do this as Ukraine fights Russia. Offer our boots on the ground and planes in the sky or if not that at least give Ukraine the billions needed to finish the job. Russia cannot last. It is not in China’s interest to save Russia. It is in the interest of Trump and the Republican Party that Russia beat and destroy Ukraine and then move on to more. They think the U.S. will get the spoils.

I went to a budget briefing yesterday which had a panel that was headed by Rep. Gillen and Rep. Suozzi. They explained to us the details of the Republican House's budget. It cut $880 billion from the Commerce and Energy Dept. The only place this money could come from is Medicaid. Medicaid includes two thirds of people in nursing homes, disabled people, poor children and adults and hospitals. Rural and public hospitals would close without Medicaid. What would happen to all these people without it? Not to mention cutting SNAP, school breakfasts and lunches, supplementing the Affordable Care Act (which people can't afford without the help). The reason for all these cuts that are helping so many people is to give big tax cuts to the rich and corporations who don’t need it. To make things worse Elon Musk and DOGE are indiscriminately firing people from all over the federal government who are hardworking people doing important work. One of these people who spoke was a woman who worked for the IRS in Holtsville who was seven months pregnant. She lost her health care just as she's about to have a baby. Can you think of anything more cruel?

Our president is a manager. He manages his cabinet who are responsible for managing their departments. The managers should be called upon those they manage to weed out waste. Terminate, if necessary, unproductive employees. Eliminate outdated policies. But this self proclaimed unparalleled businessman has authorized wholesale firings and is eliminating justified positions that provide services to the people paying their salaries.

About 300,000 children of undocumented immigrants become U.S. citizens each year because they were born in the United States. One of the first acts of President Donald Trump was to proudly sign an executive order that attempts to revoke their U.S. citizenship. If these children are denied U.S. citizenship they will become stateless because they have never lived in any other place. The sheer evil of this executive order leaves me aghast.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and President Trump had an appointment to sign their mineral deal as a precursor to moving forward toward a peace deal with Russia. At the last minute the U.S. Democrats ambushed Zelenskyy and fed him unrealistic goals of pressing for a guarantee that Russia would not invade Ukraine again. No country in Europe can do that. Democrats’ hatred for President Trump has caused irreparable harm in the peace talks

Elon Musk wants to continue to amass wealth and power. He has zero interest in helping us, the American people. Musk is keeping control of companies with billions of federal contracts as he guts government agencies. He is destroying the watchdog agencies that would keep him in check. There certainly is no transparency or accountability in the government right now! Elon Musk must go!

When the American public chose Trump to be president of the United States, they did not realize what they were getting as our leader. He said what he was going to do, now he is going to harm the average American in ways that they cannot understand. There are abuses in the government for sure, but shock and awe approaches without planning will harm handicapped people and elderly fixed income persons who depend on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid in order to survive. I am or was a Republican, but blind loyalty, fealty to man who clearly is not for the average American is just not a correct approach, action at this time. I am now in favor of coalitions of doctors, pharmaceutical executives, business executives and people who have knowledge of what consequences will happen if all of Mr. Musk's proposals and actions are put into place.

If the Trump administration really wants to cut waste and fraud why has it fired the inspector generals of agencies that have oversight of government waste? The inspector generals have rooted out fraud and waste that would save billions, but it was the lack of government funding that allowed this waste to continue. OIG is doing its job and should not be a scapegoat. We should ask why is this administration really going after them?

Idiocracy is increasingly shaping America's democratic system. Trump has stated that violence against Tesla dealerships will be dramatically labeled as domestic terrorism, and the criminal protesters will “go through hell.” By showing political favoritism towards Musk’s Tesla, Trump appears willing to adopt a Stalinist authoritarian approach, reinterpreting protesters as enemies of the state. This rhetoric suggests that Trump is spreading an authoritarian rule, like gangrene, undermining the faith in democracy.

Some have said they believe that President Trump’s contradictions and constant conflicts are his ultimate cover; that is, as a deliberate strategy. Trump said he wants to run for a third term, or he doesn’t. He says he wants to have Canada as the 51st state, but maybe not. He wants to make Gaza into an American tourist area, but maybe not. Are Trump’s contradictions his ultimate cover, or are they signs of a man who has shown an increasing inability to multitask rationally? The writer is a retired NYPD lieutenant and an attorney.

Congress and President Trump are hiding behind Elon Musk to do the dirty work. Congress authorized the expenditures of governmental agencies. If they overspent, they need to be responsible for the cuts being made now. Let’s see them vote on individual cuts. My representative Nick LaLota stated he does not think we need any additional revenue. I disagree entirely. When you are in debt you maximize your income as well as cut your wasteful spending. Rehire the IRS auditors who go after wealthy tax cheaters. Let’s make sure the government gets all it is owed.

I love Matt Davies but his Feb. 25 cartoon portraying Democrats as unresponsive is unfair. Democrats are being asked to fend off hundreds of executive orders at the same time, while having ZERO power in the House or Senate. They have aggressively, passionately and intelligently fought against Trump's unqualified appointments, AOC, Jasmine Crockett, Adam Schiff, Chris Murphy, Bernie Sanders and others have been speaking out constantly. Democrats are far from perfect, but hold the Republicans doing all this accountable. Hold the voters that put them there accountable. If Americans want Democrats to have any say in government, get out and vote next time.

I was ashamed to learn that the US had sided with North Korea and Russia in the UN Security Council vote on Russian aggression towards Ukraine in 2014's Crimea seizure and the three year brutal attack against Ukraine. I read that this appears to have been simply a prelude to a neo-Hitler-Stalin pact, only this time it is Ukraine to be dismembered, not Poland. God help the USA to survive this despicable betrayal of Ukraine, a country proud and brave enough to resist this Russian/North Korean invasion.

The US abandoned Ukraine and our Western allies by refusing to blame Russia for invading Ukraine on the third anniversary of that brutal invasion. Instead our country locked arms with the likes of Russia, North Korea and Belarus. We used to value having the moral authority to be the leader of the free world. Is this what Long Islander’s voted for, or did we sell our souls for empty promises about curbing inflation and the price of eggs?

A letter writer recently commented that other presidents had unelected advisers, similar to Elon Musk. The big, big difference being none of those advisers contributed millions dollars to the presidential campaign to effectively buy entry into the administration.

How typical of our President to chide President Zelenskyy using conscripts to fight in Ukraine. He hasn't changed his stance since the Vietnam War. He was so against using conscripts, he got a medical deferment for "bone spurs" to avoid the draft (synonymous with conscript). You have to wonder if President Zelenskyy hadn't interrupted Trump with facts, would Trump have offered South Korean troops to counter the North Korean mercenaries being used by Russia? While it has been an unwritten rule for past presidents not to comment on the current president, perhaps it is time for Presidents Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Biden to jointly condemn this bizarre behavior of Trump and the path he is taking our great country.

I just learned that there was Russian news media in the Oval Office during the Trump/Zelensky meeting. Was our current president doing an online audition to become the next Russian friendly autocrat?

What happened in the Oval Office showed the world that America is no longer the leader of the free world. While we may appear to be the strongest and most powerful nation, our President showed he’s a bully. For a country that has always stood up to protect democracy around the world, he and his cohorts tried to bully an ally who has more patriotism, class and character than they ever will. Finances have never been part of protecting democracy, until now. We should all be embarrassed and ashamed of how our President and Vice President acted, though they obviously aren’t. As we all sit back and watch Europe stand with Ukraine, eventually one of those countries and leaders will take our place in the world. I want to take this opportunity to apologize to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people.

President Trump and his VP embarrassed themselves at the meeting with the president of Ukraine. Their ignorance was beyond comprehension, they believe that Ukraine started the war with Russia. What country would start a war with another country that possessed six thousand nuclear weapons and theirs zero, a nation with twice its military and other resources? Maybe Trump and his VP need a lesson in military logistics. Americans should be worried about our future and the future of our families.

What happened in the Oval Office showed the world that America is no longer the leader of the free world. While we may appear to be the strongest and most powerful nation, our President showed he’s a bully. For a country that has always stood up to protect democracy around the world, he and his cohorts tried to bully an ally who has more patriotism, class and character than they ever will. Finances have never been part of protecting democracy, until now. We should all be embarrassed and ashamed of how our President and Vice President acted, though they obviously aren’t. As we all sit back and watch Europe stand with Ukraine, eventually one of those countries and leaders will take our place in the world. I want to take this opportunity to apologize to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people.

Donald Trump’s recent scolding of Ukrainian President Zelenskyy during his invited visit to the Oval Office, asserted that Zelenskyy was risking millions of people’s lives and possibly igniting WW3. This struck me that once again, Mr. Trump was projecting precisely what he himself is doing in his turning his back on Ukraine. Many people seem to forget Trump’s total mishandling of the COVID-19 outbreak, where so many Americans lost their lives, many needlessly so.

As an American veteran I am ashamed of President Trump. Isn't he supposed to be the leader of the free world? Putin is a war criminal for invading Ukraine. The Ukrainian people have suffered enough with their lives disrupted. Russia should pull out and give back Crimea.

Why Greenland? National security? Absurd. If Greenland is important to national security, certainly the U.S. could develop a mutual security treaty with the Netherlands to guaranty U.S. presence in Greenland for security purposes. We have this with other allies. The U.S. does not have to steal the territory for security purposes. Other fascist nations have strengthened and grown while the world quietly watched this way. It is the only motivation for stealing Greenland that makes sense.

I was extremely relieved that the majority of letters sent in were siding with Zelenskyy, acknowledging the disgraceful treatment of the wartime president. In the Oval Office with President Trump and VP Vance was a spectacle that was and forever will be an embarrassment for America. Yet one reader noted they found “this hard to believe,” citing the reason that "almost half" the country voted for Trump and he "won both Nassau and Suffolk counties.” Perhaps those who wrote in after seeing the spectacle that day know America only became weaker - and Americans became less safe - when an American President sided with a fascist dictator rather than a loyal ally who has been keeping the enemy at bay for three years. So, yes, “let’s get this narrative right,” the true patriot is President Zelenskky.

I worked for a large aircraft company on Long Island for many years. Each year we were told to fill out a report of our five goals for the year and our position and responsibilities. This report was handed back to our supervisors. In turn, it went up the chain of command, and each supervisor had to fill out their own report. At the end of the year, each person was reviewed by their individual supervisor and graded from one to five on how they performed to their goals. With one being bad to five being excellent. Now these reports were used to determine raises and if the conditions were slow possible layoff criteria. So welcome to the real-world government people. The writer is a former aerospace employee and Navy veteran. 

More than 200 years ago when the Founding Fathers composed the Declaration of Independence they proclaimed that the American president must be a naturally born citizen of the United States. When President Trump was elected the first thing he did was to appoint a man named Elon Musk, a billionaire,born in South Africa to be the de facto president of our country. Musk's first action was to fire thousands of hardworking federal employees. In truth we are now led by foreigners with no regard for the American people. Shame on you President Trump.

President Trump and Musk seem to think it is cute and fun to destroy thousands of lives by having mass firings. Musk thinks it’s fun by waving a chainsaw in the air as if it’s a game by destroying people’s lives. Trump and Musk’s plan is to divide and conquer. The only tactic government employees have is to have all departments go on strike and shut down the government. If the department heads feel that employees under them are not doing their job then they should be let go. But blanket firing is just wrong.

President Trump plans tariffs on Mexico and Canada, while doubling existing 10% tariffs on China, and I commend the president for trying to make inroads towards our country's $36 trillion dollar debt. That’s something that our entrenched politicians at multiple levels have failed to do the past 25 years. As stated by many economic minds, this country is heading towards bankruptcy that will doom future generations. We can no longer tax our way out of this enormous problem. The more we give our hardworking dollars to the government, the more it spends. Every American is taxed to the max. New updated tariffs in place may hurt a bit in the short term, but long term will bring more jobs back to the USA and help pay off some of our massive federal deficit. Government fraud, corruption and wasteful spending are next. We all deserve a more efficient government, especially the next generation.

Trump went to Florida, Vance went skiing in Vermont. Musk should fire both of them for not being at their desks in the office working.

I was a strong supporter of President Trump and my congressman and realize there is a need to eliminate waste and fraud in the government expenditures. But the method being used to arbitrarily fire newly-hired workers regardless of their performance makes no sense. Many talented federal employees are now unemployed. The future recruitment of talented people will be difficult since people would not want to leave a secure job and possibly relocate to work for the government knowing that they could be fired. How many of the fired workers have financial obligations that could go into default? For every fired employee, there will be at least five other people who could possibly lose their jobs due to reduced purchasing of products or services. This could be the beginning of a recession or even depression.

President Trump’s attempts to slow offshore wind development is inconsistent with the administration’s claims that it wants to advance an “all-of-the-above” strategy to achieve American energy dominance. In the coming decade, New York, like the rest of the country, will need more energy, not less, to power our homes and businesses. Offshore wind provides a huge opportunity to tap into a vast and reliable domestic energy resource. Offshore wind’s benefits for New York’s economy are clear: good-paying careers that don’t require a four-year degree, investment in local economies, and port revitalization. But offshore wind can also meet peak energy demand when our system has been historically stressed. The presidential administration has signaled support for maximizing America’s energy potential to meet demand and Congress has a critical role to play in delivering this strategy. Rep. Nick LaLota has been an advocate for offshore wind before and the many benefits it delivers. With Rep. LaLota's support now, Long Island can continue to lead the way in embracing offshore wind energy as part of a diversified energy mix to meet our growing energy needs. The writer is the Executive Director of Renewable Energy Long Island.

President Trump is a disgrace to the office and an embarrassment to the United States. He was extremely rude to President Zelenskyy. Trump has shown that he values Putin, a dictator more than helping a country that has been attacked by Putin. This whole meeting should have taken place privately and not played out on national television. But then again Trump just loves the spotlight.

I’m sure just about everyone in this country and all over the world has seen the despicable, made-for-TV show that President Trump put on to ambush and belittle the president of Ukraine. What a disgusting, shameful, disgraceful and shocking way for our elected officials to act in front of the whole world, a cowardly display. This man was there to ask for help to save his country that was invaded by Putin three years ago after hundreds of thousands of its people have suffered. This whole situation is not just embarrassing for this country, it makes us look weak and pathetic, but it also makes us unsafe. I think Zelenskyy is the hero in this story, and Ukraine is lucky to have this man fighting for them.

The display of disrespect Zelenskyy was given by President Trump and Vice President Vance was appalling. He was brought there under the guise of negotiating peace and ambushed. It was obviously all a show for Putin to show him loyalty. Then of course all the other Republicans lined up to somehow blame Zelenskyy. Unfortunately for them the rest of the free world doesn't agree and are backing Zelenskyy. The U.S. used to always back the underdog and is now behind the bad guys. What a sad day to be an American.

There were so many things to object to in the Trump/Vance clash with Zelensky that it could be a "flooding the zone" tactic all by itself. However two things were especially disturbing. Shortly after the clash Trump posted, "He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished oval office." This from the same guy who incited the defiling of our nation's Capitol and then pardoned the defilers, even the most violent of them. Trump told Zelenskyy, "You're not in a good position. You don't have the cards." Zelenskyy doesn't have the cards, except for the highest card – the moral high ground of a patriot fighting for the survival of his invaded country. Trump, of course, wouldn't understand that. He has never held that card.

The world and certainly us Americans owe a debt of gratitude to President Donald Trump and and the vice president.We as Americans can now be clear-eyed about the genesis and direction of our international agenda. The world has now been informed that we are no longer a reliable partner in the continuing support of democracy throughout the world. We have now become a member of the axis of evil.

I hoped that Donald Trump might grow into this important job of president of the United States, but he disappoints again. The bully in charge, and his sidekick JD Vance, managed to threaten and demean a little guy from a little country, trying valiantly to fight off another bully Putin. In all my 92 years on this earth, I have never been so ashamed of my country. A president who takes up with dictators, and other miscreants, a Republican Party with no spine, and a not so subtle threat against a free press. Where is my country going?

I have never been more ashamed of a United States president and vice president than I was at the Feb. 28 White House meeting with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine. This courageous and determined leader was here to try to find a way to bring peace to his war ravaged country and to implore the United States to remain an ally in their fight against the tyrannical invasion of their democracy by the ruthless dictator, Vladimir Putin. Instead he was bullied and chastised by Trump and Vance in an obvious “set-up” to disparage Zelenskyy and show Putin that he can count on the U.S. to give Russia whatever they want. President Zelenskyy has thanked the U.S. repeatedly for all the support we have shown over the three years this war has gone on. Instead of accepting this thanks, Trump and Vance did everything they could to discredit and humiliate Zelenskyy. I believe that the American people want to continue to support Ukraine and I hope that Congress will stand up for the democratic principles that our country has championed for almost 250 years.

American foreign policy has never been a bed of roses, to say the least. The Mexican American-War was a young nation’s stab at Manifest Destiny. The Spanish-American War was an exercise in spreading that Manifest Destiny overseas. Vietnam was Cold War paranoia run amok. Iraq was a jerky neoconservative attempt at securing Iraqi oil fields. You can’t sugarcoat this stuff. But what happened on Feb. 28, 2025 will go down in history as a special kind of malfeasance. American soldiers have lost their lives defending our sovereignty. World War I and especially World War II and Korea are examples of a nation dedicated to protecting freedom. President Franklin Roosevelt did not shake Winston Churchill down and berate him for despising Herr Hitler. President Truman did not annex South Korea. Our nation once proud is no longer the leader of the free world. We are just another power hungry behemoth. My father served as a proud member of the U.S. Navy in the Pacific from 1942-1945. He signed up on December 8, 1941 - the day after Pearl Harbor, what FDR called a day that would live in infamy. I am glad John Santora is no longer alive to have witnessed Feb. 28 – another day of infamy.

As a senior whose father fought this same evil in the South Pacific during WWII, I could not be more ashamed. I was highly disappointed in Newsday's coverage of the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting in Saturday's paper. You chose to use an AP story as the main report and some of the more consequential things about the meeting were totally ignored by AP. For example, many reports noted that while AP is banned from Oval Office events, the Russian state news service TASS was allowed in and was actually live-streaming the meeting. That lends credence to this being a planned attack on Trump's part. Many observers noticed immediately that Trump's tirade consisted mainly of Russian talking points, a full reversal of American foreign policy as it applies to Russia. Trump defended Putin. How is that possible from an American president? There is an existential crisis on the way for American democracy, and Newsday needs to improve its reporting to make sure U.S. citizens fully understand it.

I am truly worried about the United States of America. When I see a president and vice president berate another president on national television, I wonder where this will all lead. Ukraine was attacked by Russia, there is no denying that. How can we side with a dictator (Putin) over Ukraine? It seems preposterous, yet that is where we are. I am afraid of the future and truly worry what the next four years will bring. We are the beacon of light for so many people around the world but the anxiety and fear that is being sown will have long-lasting effects for generations to come. Will the United States survive this? I hope so but I am truly scared about our future. We need our allies and our allies need us. The world is better off when we work together.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and President Trump had an appointment to sign their mineral deal as a precursor to moving forward toward a peace deal with Russia. At the last minute the U.S. Democrats ambushed Zelenskyy and fed him unrealistic goals of pressing for a guarantee that Russia would not invade Ukraine again. No country in Europe can do that. Democrats’ hatred for President Trump has caused irreparable harm in the peace talks

After watching the meeting between Presidents Trump and Zelenskyy this past Friday, I along with many Americans found it shocking and disturbing to see what transpired in that relatively short meeting. It will be debated for weeks, months or even years who was right and who was wrong. Unfortunately all this will do is further divide the country. What bothered me the most is that Trump and Vance said Zelenskyy showed disrespect to the president. Meanwhile halfway through the meeting when the question of a ceasefire came up, Zelenskyy stated “ask our people about a ceasefire what they think.” Trump's reply was “That wasn’t me, that was with a guy named Biden, who is not a smart person.” I was appalled that a sitting president would call a former president “not smart,” especially in front of a foreign leader and the entire world. I know the entire time Biden was in office, Trump would second guess everything he did from the sidelines and even worse call him names. It’s one thing not to respect the man in the office, but quite another not to respect the office. I don’t think Trump has any feelings about how many people are dying in Ukraine. I think his greatest disappointment Friday was that he could not close a business deal with Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the mineral rights he was so eager to obtain. I believe the real reason he would like to see this war end is to take the credit for it to satisfy his own ego.

We are the United States of America in name only. Show some respect for all our veterans, past and present, and change our name to something else, anything else. They didn't fight and die to protect this. They fought and died so we would never become this. Since Donald Trump Republicans are all in, they should have first crack at coming up with the new name. May I suggest The United Traitors of Trumpelon (U.T.T.). That seems about right.

For the first time as an American, I am experiencing fear and feeling shame. The fear is of my government and the shame is in sharing citizenship with those who enabled what’s happening. Since taking office, President Donald Trump has managed to circumvent our Congress and Judiciary, disrupt commerce, impede the operation of many public service agencies, the lives of those employed by them and sadly, the well-being of those who have come to rely on them. His promise to bring efficiencies to the government has resulted in chaos and litigation. In alienating our allies, he has emboldened our foes, derailed diplomatic discourse and jeopardized travel abroad. We no longer have a government of the people, by the people, for the people. Donald Trump has replaced it with government in spite of the people. Far from perfect, our democracy has been said to be the “worst form of government except for all the others.” Throughout its entire history, people from every corner of the globe, often at great sacrifice, have migrated to our shores in search of a better life. Never has it been the other way around. There was a time when Americans could rest assured knowing their president had their back. FDR assuaged the anxiety of the Great Depression with his fireside chats. Ronald Regan inspired us from behind his desk in the oval office by reminding us that we are “a shining city on a hill.” Donald Trump, in bold, capital letters on social media, posts threats against all who oppose him. How did we get here?

Until Friday, I was proud to be an American. Now, not so much. Watching the “leader of the free world” and JD Vance bully a leader of another nation was demoralizing to Zelenskyy, all Ukrainians and me as an American. Our president needs to rise above pettiness. We are becoming the “ugly Americans” again.

How are we Americans to accept the actions of an outrageously dangerous man in the White House? The behavior with Volodymyr Zelenskyy was the opposite of what was called for in such an important encounter. It was shockingly irresponsible and childish. I refuse to stay quiet while Donald Trump puts Americans in danger. And he ended the debacle by saying it makes great television. God help us!

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer made the ridiculous accusation that Donald Trump and JD Vance “are doing Putin’s dirty work.” One could easily respond that Schumer has been doing Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s dirty work, blindly funding a war on behalf of a foreign government that has its own corruption. For three years, Schumer and his fellow war hawks in Congress have forced America to be co-belligerents in a conflict so unimportant that Congress hasn’t even bothered declaring war on Russia. So, who is more of a threat to our freedom, reputation and wallets? The likes of Schumer or some far-off dictator like Vladimir Putin? I’d choose the former.

The pompous, arrogant spectacle displayed by Donald Trump and JD Vance toward Volodymyr Zelenskyy was repulsive and contemptible. Zelenskyy was admonished for insufficient gratitude toward Trump, a wannabe king/dictator. Condescending insults were hurled at Zelenskyy, a leader who exemplifies dignity and bravery. A Trump supporter derided Zelenskyy for not wearing a suit. How have we sunk so low? To think that in these times, any country can stand on its own against tyrants is ignorant. Our president praises and seeks alliance with Putin — a paradigm of aggression. We must fight to defeat all enemies of freedom and democracy, within or without, who push us nearer to the final seconds on the Doomsday Clock.

When Donald Trump says he wants a peace deal in Ukraine, he really means he would like the Ukrainians to hand over their country to him and Vladimir Putin. Trump does not want a deal unless the U.S. extortion demands are met, no future security guarantees are given and Putin gets everything he wants. The ambush was a disgrace for our nation, and as an American citizen, I feel deeply ashamed. Also, why was Russian media there for this show? Of course, Zelenskyy hates Putin, who is a dictator and a liar. Didn’t every American hate Adolf Hitler during World War II? Unless congressional Republicans start to open their eyes and ask questions, we are headed for irreversible changes in our country’s direction, a loss of our most valuable alliances and an abandonment of our long-held values of supporting freedom and democracy.

Feb. 28, 2025, will go down in history as one of the grimmest days for American diplomacy [“Heated exchange at White House,” News, March 1]. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance’s petulant insistence that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy grovel at Trump’s feet has made the United States a laughingstock, at best, and a pariah, at worst. Americans need to remember that we owe Ukrainians a huge debt of gratitude. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Ukraine voluntarily gave up the third-largest nuclear arsenal under the Budapest Memorandum in 1994, with security guarantees for its territorial integrity from the United States, France, Britain and Russia. In return for relinquishing nuclear weapons, Ukraine was promised protection, promises that Russia has violated. Had Ukraine kept its nuclear weapons, it would have been among the best nuclear-armed nations, and Russia likely would never have invaded. The West committed to defend Ukraine in exchange for denuclearization, so there’s no need for Ukraine to thank the United States for honoring its promises. Ukraine’s resistance also has prevented Russia from expanding further into Europe. Ukraine serves as a barrier, preventing the spread of Russian authoritarianism. Thank you, President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people.

Fire Elon. Trump and Republicans are continuing their war on women, eroding the freedoms we fought so hard for. Look at the complete chaos directed at the Constitution, the core of our institution. New leadership allowing idiotic orders to slash critical services with zero accountability or efficiency. DOGE’s blatant inaccurate propaganda has hurt swaths of Americans. Our foreign allies are losing any trust in us as a world leader. So far it has been austerity theater coupled with lies. We cringe at the deluge of daily incompetence and ask, how did we get here? Message from the people: We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king.

It pains me each day to see the destruction or dissolution of so many things that our government has put in place to protect the health and welfare of our citizenry. I've never worried so much about the economy (think tariffs), environment (think loss of environmental protections), education (especially of our neediest students), privacy (of our records), security (think alienation of our international allies), loss of support for life (sustaining research), and especially for the rule of law. Instead of using a scalpel to find and eliminate waste,Trump, Musk, and a rogue gallery of unqualified Cabinet members are using an unfocused sledgehammer to destroy the institutions that protect us as individuals and as members of a community. Pushback on many fronts is starting to make clear the level of discontent. I hope he begins to realize that this is not what we voted for.

I won't waste my time telling you what I think, you don't want to hear it.

While President Trump is hoping that we take our eyes off the ball by issuing executive orders, chaotic worker layoffs, deportations and disparaging our allies, Elon Musk and company have been allowed to infiltrate most of the computer systems that run our government. What vetted government ITs from these agencies are with Elon's men as they access our systems? Who is making sure that nothing is added or removed and that no trap doors are left behind? Who is checking systems after they leave? Where is collected data stored? How long can they access systems? Are we sure it is "Read Only"? What happens when President Trump's term is over, are we sure they can't get back in? President Trump gave the keys to our government to someone who has major ties to China through his companies. Elon Musk thinks it is fun to take a chainsaw to our government. I am talking about systems that have vast sums of money, as well as, military, legal and intelligence information that keeps us safe. This should scare all of us.

He's doing what he said he would do and more. Unfortunately a lot of it is not his to meddle with. He seems like a kid in a candy store with no grown-ups around. Lies and taunts and exaggeration are his stock in trade but now he has moved into international trolling. Why? He hasn’t managed to really fix anything yet, just cause chaos and anxiety in government workers. Any ethical civil servants (remember that phrase?) have left or will soon leave.

I am appalled at the destruction that the Trump regime has inflicted on not just the U.S. but the entire world. From Trump's lies about who started the war in Ukraine (it WAS Russia) to the slash and burn tactics used to hobble public health. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice meeting was “postponed,” for what reason other than to pander to the antivax RFK Jr.'s longstanding conspiracy beliefs putting everyone in this country at risk for vaccine preventable diseases. The assault on our personal information in Social Security and the IRS by Musk, who I might remind people was not elected by anyone, breaks even more laws that had previously been held sacred in this country. We are less safe with the removal of the joint chiefs of staff and I know both Russia and China cannot believe their good luck having a U.S. president who kisses up to Putin rather than our friends in Europe and Canada who we have stood by for generations. I think we have a very short memory if we do not remember the “peace in our time” words from Neville Chamberlain from Great Britain who handed over Czechoslovakia to Hitler. May I remind people how that turned out. If Putin wins in Ukraine the rest of Europe will be the next to feel the hammer of Putin. And it seems that rules are just for those in power to do with as they wish. Yes we needed some tweaking to all of the agencies but not outright destruction. Need I go on? We need to force our legislators to do the right thing and represent us and not this administration. The only hope we have is that the court system stands up to this assault on our democratic republic because at this point we are now living in an oligarchy run by a despot.

I have read virtually all of the current posts. It is hard to believe the state of affairs that we find ourselves in. However, we must act, this is our country. There are things we can do. For one, I've contacted my representative, Nick LaLota, five times since Trump took the Oath Of Office. Our representatives and senators work for us. Contact them. Tell them what you think about the current state of affairs in our country. Get involved. For one, check out American Opposition. They are planning a series of events. Weekly protests to resist fascism on Sundays at noon until March 4 at your local Town Hall; a Total Economic Blackout to apply economic pressure on Feb. 28 (don't buy anything) and a National Day of Protest on March 4 at noon at your local Town Hall. We must not be silent.

I'm not personally "L", "G", "B", "T", "Q" or even "+", but now that Donald Trump has ordered that the capital letter "T" be removed from every "LGBTQ" in the Stonewall National Monument's webpages, I suggest that the letter "T" also be removed from Trump's last name, thereby leaving his name appearing as "Donald RUMP"---which is quite appropriate given that the word "rump" is defined in various dictionaries as "rear end", "buttocks", "backside", "hind part" or "the last or inferior part."

America is the richest country in terms of gross domestic product, nearly doubling the GDP of its nearest rival, China. We have an obligation to our allies and friends to support and defend them – like they've done for us. Some of these countries are very poor with few resources. If we cut off aid by scuttling USAID, we will be looked on as the ugly Americans and our adversaries will fill the void. This is not corruption, this is humanitarian aid. These are not giveaways to undeserving people, this is ensuring the safety and health of the human race. Granted, some nations and some people are corrupt. Only a small fraction of the world's population would attempt to take advantage of us. If we turn our backs on the disadvantaged, we as a species are doomed. If we turn our backs on science, we are doomed. If we ignore climate change, we are doomed. We must push back and speak out against these harbingers of doom. What you have in President Trump's actions is an executive coup. His is the ultimate political corruption of Democracy. If you think Democracy is a bad form of government, if you think personal freedom and freedom of speech is not worth the effort, then support Donald J. Trump.

This is government that usually works slow, so Trump is off to a fast pace and has outside help from a proven person. Everyone is screaming calling names because of people being laid off. No one wants to see a person lose a job, but I don’t see any reactions to all the people losing their jobs at Rite- Aid, Amazon, Cisco, Google, Joann’s, Macy’s. They are all losing their jobs and no fuss. Let the president do what he said he was going to do and let’s see the results.

The firings of all these government workers is frightening and concerning [“Trump administration fires 1,600 USAID workers,” Nation & World, Feb. 24]. Does anyone have the feeling that President Donald Trump and his adviser Elon Musk are trying to decimate this country so that perhaps we are at the mercy of Russian President Vladimir Putin or their other oligarch friends? Who will run these agencies? What is going on? Do the Republicans even notice the turmoil gripping this country?

Fraud, waste, and abuse are happening daily in the Internal Revenue Service, Defense Department, Social Security and others. During Bill Clinton’s administration, then-Vice President Al Gore was tasked in 1993 with the same mission as Elon Musk — cut waste. Then-President Barack Obama signed an executive order in 2011 establishing the Campaign to Cut Government Waste. Clinton and Obama thought it was the right thing to do, and it was welcomed. Now, Donald Trump, who ran on this very platform, implements a real plan, starts the process, and what happens? Everyone melts down! The Democrats shout that Elon Musk was not elected. No, he wasn’t — he is an adviser to the president like Valerie Jarrett, also unelected, was for President Barack Obama, and Susan Rice, unelected, was for President Joe Biden. Unelected advisers are always in a president’s White House, so no new news here. Trump is going to look behind the curtain and let us all know what he finds and begin the process to clean it up. Listen for those who scream the most in Congress and start looking there first.

As a Melville warehouse trainer, I work with a diverse team, many of whom are immigrants. Federal policy changes on Employment Authorization Documents, especially for Haitians, have put some out of work. By Aug. 3, unless work permits are extended, they could be deported, too “We are part of the fabric of Long Island,” News, Feb. 22]. These changes reflect the malfeasance of the Trump administration, leaving workers struggling to provide for their families. These individuals followed the legal process but now face prolonged uncertainty that could force some into undocumented work. This is not just an injustice — it’s a failing that impacts businesses, communities, and our economy. As companies fill gaps from delayed and denied renewals, we face training costs and inefficiencies. Every day without authorization costs us productivity and drives up business expenses. The human cost is immeasurable because it’s not merely an economic issue; it’s a moral one. The workers I train have given this country loyalty, time and effort. This cruel decision must be rescinded so our nation can live up to its promises of fairness and opportunity.

After Joe Biden had removed Andrew Jackson's portrait, Donald Trump has now re-hung it. History hasn't been kind to Jackson's bigotry toward Native Americans, thousands of whom died during their forced evacuation of their homelands during the "Trail of Tears." Now, Trump’s bigotry has raised its ugly head again. In his first administration, he instituted the Muslim ban disqualifying Muslims from immigrating to America. Now, following in the footsteps of Jackson, Trump wants to remove Palestinians from Gaza to initiate his own "Trail of Tears." How sad, but, apparently, this is who and what Americans wanted.

An occasional puff piece about someone with Long Island roots rising to national prominence is not surprising, but the article on Kash Patel went too far [“Kash Patel’s path to nomination to become FBI director started on Long Island,” News, Feb. 17]. To say his nomination “has not been without controversy” is an understatement, as he has openly advocated using the FBI as a tool for Donald Trump’s retribution against opponents and likely lied under oath to the Senate about purging the FBI and the Department of Justice.

As a Republican stronghold, a majority of Suffolk County voters chose Donald Trump for president. No doubt many at the Holtsville IRS office voted for him. What a cruel irony that those very people are hearing the phrase that made Trump a TV star: "You're fired!"

Make no mistake: Discrimination based on race, gender and religion is alive and well in America. The fact that DEI has been necessary at all is an indicator of the state of affairs in our country. With the current administration's support of groups such as the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, discrimination will increase and become more accepted as we saw in Donald Trump's first term. If there wasn't obvious bias based on gender, race and religion, DEI would not be necessary.

I am heartsick at the actions of Donald Trump, but his words and deeds regarding Ukraine are particularly enraging. It is unjust, unfair, untrue, and immoral to call Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a dictator who started the war with Russia and to abandon Zelenskyy, Ukraine, and our European allies to side with Vladimir Putin, a true dictator who is engaging in a power grab. At this moment, I am ashamed of our country.

A reader made a good comparison between the 1938 attempt to appease Adolf Hitler and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s current aggression in Ukraine [“Dueling views on Trump, Musk,” Letters, Feb. 19]. I’m not a Republican, but I can only imagine what former President Ronald Reagan and former Sen. John McCain would say about the cowardly meeting between the United States and Russia excluding Volodymyr Zelenskyy. We are selling out the Ukrainians to appease Putin and undermining NATO at the same time. Disgraceful.

Elon Musk and Donald Trump are making headlines trying to cut government fraud and waste by capriciously and callously firing middle-class civil servants. Two fairer ways to do this: One, make a serious commitment to go after billionaires and millionaires like Trump and Musk to pay their fair share of taxes. Two, deny Social Security disability payments to people who should be working and not fraudulently collecting monthly payments.

About 300,000 children of undocumented immigrants become U.S. citizens each year because they were born in the United States. One of the first acts of President Donald Trump was to proudly sign an executive order that attempts to revoke their U.S. citizenship. If these children are denied U.S. citizenship they will become stateless because they have never lived in any other place. The sheer evil of this executive order leaves me aghast.

So Donald Trump wants America to take over Greenland one day, annex Canada another. Now, America will take over Gaza and Palestinians may or may not be allowed to return. I think Trump's many actions are to get everyone looking at all the different farfetched or smart proposals, depending on your viewpoint, while our country is looted and taken over by people no one elected.

Thank you for bringing attention to several executive orders signed by President Trump, which also appear in the Project 2025 document. However only a handful were highlighted and it’s a 900-page document. I’ll admit I haven’t read anything in the Project 2025 document, but I assume it contains both logical and ridiculous items. Many believe this administration is fulfilling campaign promises as per their election mandate, not because they appear in that document. Presenting a two-page spread suggesting that the executive orders are linked to enacting the Project 2025 agenda is misleading at best.

We have been witness to the slaughter of women, children, and elderly, along with journalists and medical professionals as well as the deliberate destruction of Gaza. The ghoulish smirks of Netanyahu and Trump in describing the ethnic cleansing of the beleaguered remaining Palestinian population for what is essentially a "real estate deal" to further enrich the Trump family is sickening. Where are the sane heads? Human life cannot be devalued in this way.

Donald Trump promised the American people that, if elected, he would make America safer. Immediately after his inauguration he pardoned or commuted the sentences of more than 1,000 insurrectionists from Jan. 6, including several convicted of seditious conspiracy. Those who he chose to be in his administration have done his bidding in similar ways. Inspectors General have been fired, FBI and CIA agents have had their identities compromised and are at high risk for retribution from malevolent actors. USAID has been suspended, which many say keeps millions of people from famine and disease around the world. Promises made, promises kept? Do we feel safer?

Trump is closing many of the departments in the federal government to save money that he considers wasteful. On the human side what are all these people going to do to survive? Many will be able to get jobs in the private sector, but many people will not. The burden of caring for these people will be borne by each state, not the federal government. Trump will justify his tax cuts for the wealthy from all the money the federal government will be saving. In the process the government will be very inefficient from the loss of experienced employees. Morale will be terrible for those remaining. Mr. Trump, how are you making improvements to our country?

Has anyone bothered to tell the Republican Congress who are afraid to disagree with Trump that he is on the way to becoming a fascist autocrat and that the same thing happening to government workers, the FBI and USAID could happen to them? Trump took a vow to "protect and defend the Constitution" then went into his office and signed all of those terrible executive orders which will have a profound effect in this country. Taking the oath of office were just words to him. He is not up to the job, and I sincerely believe impeachment is a consideration. This country cannot continue on this terrible path.

It has now been three weeks since a new President took the oath of office. I keep waking up every morning wondering just what Twilight Zone episode will I find myself in today? Trump and his top henchman Elon Musk are now looking to fire practically every FBI agent that was involved not only in investigating him but rioters who stormed the Capitol. They are now in the process of closing down the Department of USAID. Not to mention clean out the Justice Department of anyone suspected of not pledging full allegiance to Trump. I ask you is there any Republican senator or congressman who has any backbone left to say “wait a minute this has now gone too far” or did they all drink the same Kool Aid?

Congress should do their job and stop the unconstitutional takeover of federal departments, agencies, and programs by private citizens. Elon Musk and his staff at DOGE are systematically attacking institutions and programs they don’t like and dismantling the structures and funding that support them. Their goal is the undoing of our democracy, our civil rights, and the lifesaving environmental protections that have been painstakingly established over the past 50 years. The federal government and the civil servants who make it run are critical to so many facets of life in the United States. I’m particularly concerned about the laws that protect our natural world, the air we breathe, our waterways, wildlife, and public lands. We need strong agencies with seasoned, trained professionals overseeing federal programs. Congress is, by the Constitution, responsible for purse strings. Please do everything in your power to stop this illegal takeover of the U.S. government.

We should all be very concerned about the sudden absence of Congress in governing and abdicating its constitutional responsibilities. Elon Musk is taking over the role of Congress regarding the oversight and decision making of funding for programs already authorized by Congress. He is doing this with the endorsement of our elected Republican representatives. Why does a private citizen have access to the sensitive, private information regarding the treasury department’s payments system of more than $5 trillion, data on Social Security and Medicare benefits and grants, and data on government contractors, even those in direct competition with Musk’s own companies. Who elected him as our representative? If our elected officials abdicate their constitutional authority why should we pay them at all? They should take a sabbatical and come back when they are ready to do their job. That will save the government a substantial amount of wasteful spending.

Here’s a little thought experiment: Let’s say that Joe Biden, or another Democrat, did exactly what President Trump is now doing in office. Would the now feckless Republicans in Congress, fearful of reprisal from the soulless Elon Musk and the mad Emperor Trump, along with their MAGA minions, continue to sit silently and watch this hostile takeover? You can bet they’d be screaming for the President’s ouster and start impeachment proceedings. I truly fear for our country.

Perhaps our two Republican County Executives can take a page from the current Trump administration and create a local DOGE team to root out inefficiencies and bloating in Long Island's county agencies with any cost savings passed directly on to us taxpayers.

When is it terrible to stop waste and reduce a bloated bureaucracy? It's terrible when essential services that keep our country safe are cut, when our nuclear arsenal is not managed that could lead to a catastrophe, when indiscriminate firings leave our country vulnerable to foreign attacks, when diseases won't be cured or contained because of research being halted, when the planet becomes uninhabitable due to climate initiatives being dropped, when cyberattacks leave sensitive data vulnerable, when farmers lose mass amounts of the food that feeds us due to cuts in their assistance, and when veterans are denied the help they need after valiantly serving our country. It's terrible when hard working and dedicated personnel making average middle class salaries are fired without justification, moving them from taxpayers to drawing unemployment, worrying about how they will feed and shelter their families while our president costs the taxpayers millions so he can go to the Super Bowl, the Daytona 500, and play frequent rounds of golf in Florida instead of attending to the critical business of our country at the White House.

In the few short weeks since Donald Trump began his term, he has put the most incompetent people in charge of our agencies. He has allowed Elon Musk, an unelected civilian to decimate our civil service employees and gain knowledge to our personal information without explanation. Now he has turned his back on our European allies. He is now praising a war criminal Vladimir Putin and spreading propaganda about Ukraine and its president. Are there any patriots left in the Republican party willing to take a stand against this President before we lose our great democracy?

President Donald J. Trump, enabled by spineless Congressional loyalists and a Supreme Court that crowns his authority, is methodically dismantling America one nut and bolt at a time. I think Trump understands that to remake America in his image, he must first dismantle its existing institutions. To that end, our once-glorious nation—built through the blood, sweat, and tears of 12 generations—is being hollowed out, its foundations weakened, its very bedrock eroded before our eyes until it collapses and is bulldozed. In its place, Trump seeks to erect his warped, carnival-mirror version of the country, one that, in time, will inevitably collapse under the weight of its own rot, corruption, and deceit.

I'm confused. Who is the leader of this country? Is it Donald Trump? Elon Musk? Elon Trump? Donald Musk? I guess it really doesn't matter. They're all interchangeable with the word "king.” The Founding Fathers, as I understand history, were very concerned about replacing one despot with another and so they created a republic, where people have a right to express their needs and tell those elected officials what they wanted from their government. No more. Since he took office, Donald (Elon) Trump (Musk) has ruled by decree.

I am disappointed in how much the media has minimized Trump's declaration of kingship. Other than Matt Davies' political cartoon and the reporting of Gov. Hochul's response to the congestion pricing cutoff, nothing was mentioned about it. Trump's "LONG LIVE THE KING!" comment in his Truth Social post was just another example of Trump's treasonous destruction of the U.S. Constitution. Trump swore and oath to "preserve, protect and defend" the Constitution, but he is doing just the opposite. The media needs to stop sane-washing Trump's off the wall approach to the government of this country.

As far as Kash Patel goes, please elaborate on calling him an "unserious" man. He did pretty well in business so he must be serious about something. And as far as "theories" about the Justice Department being weaponized against Trump, I'd say sending a team to Mar-A-Lago over some documents makes it more of a reality than a theory. Joe Biden didn't get the same treatment.

Long Island is home to a remarkable number of residents who have amounted to professional greatness. Kash Patel is not one of them [“Kash Patel’s path to nomination to become FBI director started on Long Island,” News, Feb. 17]. Make no mistake the U.S. Senate already knows how grossly unfit he is to lead our chief law enforcement agency. Unfortunately, their oath to the Constitution has been usurped by the fear of a far-right primary, and for that we will all suffer the consequences of an unexperienced and grievance-driven FBI Director in Kash Patel. There is no need for Newsday to normalize or otherwise sugarcoat someone who so deviates from the rules and norms that this position requires.

(Editor's Note: Cunningham was six-year chief of staff in the NYS Assembly)

The way to respond to a bully’s demands is to not enable the bully by caving in, but to stand your ground and do what’s right. Once others see that the bully is a paper tiger, he’s no longer a feared bully. In the case of congestion pricing, New York has just rendered the bully trump impotent for the time being. Secretary Sean Duffy, at Trump’s request, issued a directive to Governor Hochul and MTA to end congestion pricing. NYS politely but firmly stood its ground. Trump will likely seek retribution possibly by trying to cut funding to NYS. This too can and will be challenged. It’s too bad GOP legislators in Congress are too cowardly and feckless to stand their ground like the Empire State.

Welcome to a White House of extreme contradictions. Instead of supporting our allies, the White House is now negotiating with an alleged war criminal. Instead of upholding democratic beliefs and leadership, the White House has a dictator making pronouncements. Instead of supporting our long-established institutions and the people that actually do the hard work for this great country, the White House is embracing a dysfunctional government. Instead of upholding the constitution (and not to mention regulations) the White House is at the mercy of a billionaire. The list could go but clearly this is not making America Great Again! The fact of the matter is that America is great what is missing is great leadership.

It is time for everyone to recognize and call out the corruption and gaslighting that has led us to this moment. America is on the brink of fascism and truth has never been more precious. As our president touts the hypocrisy of DEI and has convinced many Americans that this is the root of all that ails us, including plane crashes and creating transgender youth, he fires the very qualified Chairman of the Joint Chiefs because of the color of his skin and a top female military officer because she is a woman. He then replaces Air Force General Brown with Dan Caine who has not had the requisite key military assignments for the job. Trump has created a Cabinet of the most unqualified people who have agreed to help him enact Project 2025, a plan that he supported and lied about during his campaign. He continues to lie about absolutely everything, calling the Ukrainian President a dictator while forming alliances with actual dictators. Wake up America before it's too late.

The current president has been talking about a DOGE initiative for some time now. DOGE has no power other than to look into spending that has already occurred so that our representatives can make decisions whether or not it was a good use of taxpayer money and should we continue to spend on those grants. I do the same thing with my personal budget and spending. Now, if folks do not like the initiative, there’s nothing I can say that will help them. If they think the same thing can be accomplished using a plan they develop, then I say bring it on. Present their plan to cut out wasteful spending and propose how we can pay down the trillions in debt that we already have.

The United States and Russia having peace talks without Ukraine not being there is like Hamas and Hezbollah having peace talks without Israel being there.

The accounts of the severe cuts to federal civil service employees are devastating to read. I am retired now, but worked as a civil service employee for 20 years, first as a caseworker serving very poor, disabled people at Goldwater Hospital on Roosevelt Island for 2 years and 18 years at the Suffolk County Office for the Aging in various case management roles serving seniors countywide. In order to obtain these jobs, I had to take tests and compete with hundreds of other people and pass probation after being hired. At SCOFA the caseworkers, who are civil service employees, visit seniors in their homes to assist them applying for many programs and services. These are not 9-5 jobs. Caseworkers work very hard. How can our president allow Elon Musk to fire federal civil service employees without cause? I am very fearful of the direction our country is going. I urge people to contact their congressional representatives and speak to them about standing up for federal employees.

This wonderful country and democracy are doomed as long as if Congress does not show any backbone. History is repeating itself.