No matter how many column inches are written about the Trump administration to analyze its behavior, the facts do not change and they lead to an inescapable conclusion, best summarized by Bruce Springsteen on the opening night of his European tour in mid-May:
“In my home, the America I love, the America I've written about, that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years, is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous administration.”
He goes on with a concise set of statements that rolls up the behavior we've all been writing about as follows:
“The current administration has been cutting aid to the poor, abandoning allies, rolling back civil rights protections, defunding universities, and deporting people without due process.”
In subsequent appearances during his tour, Springsteen has continued to open his concerts with a statement that speaks for many of us at this juncture. I have no doubt that he will continue to speak out when he and the E Street Band return to this country.
His remarks that night caused me to think harder about the particular damage that Trump is inflicting on universities and the contributions that universities have made to society since their inception. It’s hard not to be aware that commencement festivities have already begun for many. Though I retired as an emeritus associate teaching professor in 2023, I have received regular updates on the situation with the federal government from University of Washington (UW) administrators and regularly read several newspapers to follow how Columbia and Harvard have been treated. The University of Washington is an R1 research university, recognized for its volume of research output, substantial federal funding, and extensive doctoral programs. Within this classification, the UW is also one of the highest recipients of federal funds for research work in the arts and sciences, and its unmatched record in medical research and public health. The university is dealing with notices of cancellation of federal funding across the institution. It is unfortunate that the DOGE personnel overseeing cancellations did not actually read the content of the contract, but most probably used an AI tool and certain words and phrases to make their decisions. Most universities will spend the summer trying to figure out next steps in response to these decisions.
In the meantime, not all graduates have secured jobs made possible by their degrees. Openings in the job market will narrow further as more government workers are let go. The job market is particularly anxious for international students looking to find a position where the employer will support a green card process. Add to this the disruptions of foreign student visas and green card eligibility, and we have massive disruption in one of the best aspects of universities like UW: expanding the options and access of international students to first class American higher education.
So how in the midst of such chaos shall we proceed? Yes, there is the “No Kings” protest planned in over 1500 locations on June 14. Showing up to speak at your local and Congressional representatives’ constituent meetings is still an effective tool, including, in some cases, putting direct pressure on the Trump administration on some issues. And for those in or close to Washington D.C., there’ll be protests around the president’s birthday parade which also salutes the 250th anniversary of the Army. We have seen this weekend how dissent against ICE has resulted in an overblown response from Trump, who ordered out 2,000 National Guard to Los Angeles protests at a deportation center without having had a request for such from the governor of California.
The immediate difficulty is that the Trump administration has already hampered the ability of federal agencies to monitor such fundamental matters relevant to all petitions of grievance, with elimination of thousands of federal employees, effectively limiting the effectiveness of organized protest.
What remains for all of us is to seek reliable information, starting locally, and recognizing the rising of disinformation. We also need to talk to each other, without reliance on apps and social media.
I have previously tried to avoid the use of terms like ‘authoritarian’ or ‘fascist.’ I think Springsteen is right in his use of the terms “corrupt, incompetent and treasonous.” We are clearly close to the edge on this matter, with 3.5 years to go