The end of an era: how Trump changed America

Drew Mattson - Senior | Opinions

Of all the presidents the United States has seen, Donald Trump is, without a doubt, the most controversial. Even before his 2016 presidential run, the businessman and TV personality had his fair share of both fans and critics. Trump’s relationship with “fake news” is no secret; ol’ 45 regularly critiques left-leaning media, and for good reason.

Looking back at the last four years, Trump has been the subject of relentless criticism, and little attention has been given to his accomplishments as our president. Donald Trump deserves a more unbiased look into all that he’s done over his term.

First, President Trump dissolved the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA. NAFTA was an agreement between the USA, Mexico, and Canada that allowed for free trade between the three nations. This would supposedly increase jobs and reduce costs for American citizens. However, the results of NAFTA were not positive for the USA.

According to the American Federation of Labor, America lost over 700,000 jobs to Mexico. Mexico’s Zapatistas also suffered from NAFTA, as their private land was overrun with cheap imports, which caused the indigenous farmers to declare war on Mexico.

Trump’s demolition of NAFTA leads the way for a new deal: the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA. Established on July 1, 2020, Trump pledges to improve after NAFTA, stating “All of our countries will benefit greatly.”

Secondly, Trump became the first US president to meet with a North Korean leader. In June of 2018, President Trump met Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un at the Singapore Summit. Trump and Jong-un discussed demilitarization of North Korea and returning the remains of soldiers who died in the Korean War.

This meeting was a massive step forward for both the USA and North Korea. Trump and Jong-un met two times after the initial summit, including a summit in North Korea, marking the first moment a US president has set foot on North Korean soil. These meetings have greatly increased diplomatic relations between the two nations, and differentiated Trump from past president Barack Obama, as Obama never met the Supreme Leader.

Lastly, President Donald Trump established the Space Force. The United States Space Force, an offshoot of the Air Force, is designed to protect the USA’s satellites from harm, specifically from militant countries. Established on December 20, 2019, the USSF aims to increase space security, and paves the way for a greater emphasis on outer space and its exploration.

Donald Trump has made notable mistakes in his four year run, but his accomplishments oftentimes go under the radar. Trump’s tenure has not been without great positive change, and his impact as an American president and figure will be remembered for years to come.