By Dr. Sheila Nazarian, JNS
It’s easy to criticize someone you don’t like, but harder to think with a nuanced eye and give them credit when it is due.
The new Trump administration has only been in power for a few days but is already moving in the right direction for the Jews and the country.
As expected, there is a wide segment of left-leaning Americans, including many in the Jewish community, who decry anything that President Donald Trump does, citing “illiberalism,” “fascism” and various forms of hate. But it’s worth taking a hard look at the actual policies the president has already enacted, many of which will positively help America and its Jews, including those who oppose his presidency.
On the domestic front, he has rescinded several Biden-era executive orders relating to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), a harmful ideology that has been corroding institutions, destroying meritocratic values and marginalizing Jews to the position of privileged outsiders based on a flawed and biased racial hierarchy. Trump is swiftly acting to undo its deleterious effects with the president signing a sweeping order on his first day to completely dismantle the federal government’s DEI programs and return to “merit-based” hiring. DEI staffers in federal agencies have already been placed on paid leave, public DEI-oriented webpages have been taken down, and all agencies must cancel DEI-related training and outstanding contracts.
In another move, Trump ordered federal agencies to enhance their vetting and screening protocols on foreigners applying for visas or already present in the United States to make sure that they are not advocating for or aiding hostile actors. This order could target pro-Palestinian protesters who are attending American universities on student visas and work to allow those who cheer on Hamas and Hezbollah to be swiftly deported.
On the broader foreign-policy front, Trump already signed an order temporarily halting all American foreign aid for 90 days to reassess its alignment with our national values. While Israel is a major recipient of U.S. aid, it is not expected to see substantial aid reductions since that money is included in long-term packages and treaty obligations with decades-long histories.
However, openly antisemitic programs like the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA)—the so-called Palestinian aid agency with well-documented ties to the terrorists behind the Oct. 7 attack—will be severely impacted by this order and, potentially, even permanently axed. Elise Stefanik, Trump’s pick for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, has also pledged to combat the antisemitic rot in the world body. In her confirmation hearing, she repeatedly described the organization as a “den of antisemitism,” decrying its unfair focus on Israel, and pledging to make the country a “huge priority” in her tenure.
Trump’s executive orders also took aim at another organization with a troubling track record of persecuting American officials and spreading antisemitism: the International Criminal Court in The Hague. The ICC recently placed Israel under harsh and unfair scrutiny, culminating in its decision to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, for alleged war crimes and crimes against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
In his order, Trump revoked his predecessor’s decision to end U.S. sanctions against the ICC. Trump’s decision has opened the door for America to issue a wave of sanctions against the international court that could severely disrupt its operations. Washington could also revoke the visas for key court officials, including its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, who was recently accused of sexual misconduct.
The administration also bodes positively for the continued success of Israel’s war effort and national security initiatives. It is certainly no coincidence that the long-awaited hostage and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas arrived days before Trump took office—the president repeatedly threatened that the terror organization, and its proxies, would have “all hell to pay” if they didn’t acquiesce to American and Israeli negotiation efforts, applying the pressure that was sorely absent from the Biden administration’s dealings. On top of this, Trump said he would send Israel the 2,000-pound, bunker-busting bombs they ordered, reversing a sales ban enacted by the previous administration.
It is time for Trump’s most vehement opponents to take an honest look at his already-accumulating record, which contains many positive legislative signs that will only serve to improve the safety of the Jewish community and America’s broader national interests. It’s easy to criticize someone you don’t like, but harder to think with a nuanced eye and give them credit when it is due. That, though, would be the most pragmatic way to approach the next four years, especially when the administration is already giving the American public reasons to feel optimistic about the future.
