Anti-Trump protests:
They’ve been happening across the country. In New York, protesters have gathered outside Trump Tower in Manhattan, where the president-elect resides. In Los Angeles, 8,000 people marched through the streets in a demonstration Saturday, and 1,000 students staged a walkout Monday. Seven people were arrested at a rally in Indianapolis on Saturday, but no one was seriously injured, according to the Indianapolis Star. Demonstrations have been largely peaceful.
Hate crimes:
According to The Southern Poverty Law Center, there have been over 400 reported instances of hateful intimidation or harassment since Nov. 8. The majority of these were directed toward immigrants or African-Americans, and almost 100 occurred inside a K-12 school. In a “60 Minutes” episode that ran Monday, Trump looked into the camera and told his supporters to “stop it.”
Reince Priebus:
Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, will serve as the White House chief of staff during Trump’s presidency. Priebus stayed neutral — refusing to either support or denounce Trump — during the campaign, and he has been known to focus on fiscal issues. As chief of staff, he will manage the entire White House staff, set agenda strategies, control who gets access to the president and make sure his decisions are carried out.
Steve Bannon:
Trump named Bannon as his White House chief strategist, a role that is not well-defined but is expected to give Bannon some weight in important legislative and foreign policy decisions. It’s a controversial decision because of Bannon’s role as executive chairman of Breitbart News, an alternative right-wing news site that has openly criticized members of the GOP — especially newly re-nominated House Speaker Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin. He has also been accused of white nationalism and anti-Semitic remarks.
Conflict of interest:
Trump has an empire of businesses and financial holdings. This can be tricky, because we don’t want our country’s leaders to make decisions according to what benefits them rather than the country as a whole. Most executive branch employees are not allowed to have a say in matters where they might have a financial interest, but the president and vice president are exempt from this rule. Trump has said he will put his children in charge of his companies, which is worrisome to those who think he should put a wider divide between his business and his presidency.
Rudy Giuliani:
A former mayor of New York City, Giuliani is rumored to be Trump’s top choice for secretary of state after his enthusiastic support of Trump throughout the campaign. However, he is also dealing with some conflict-of-interest issues — he has business ties all over the world, including places like Russia and Qatar.
Philando Castille:
You might remember Castille as the African-American man who was fatally shot by a police officer during a traffic stop and whose girlfriend live-streamed the aftermath from inside the car. On Wednesday, Jeronimo Yanez, the officer who shot Castille, was charged with second-degree manslaughter and two felony counts of dangerous discharge of a firearm. Some are hopeful that this means more scrutiny is being applied to officers who use deadly force, while others believe Yanez should have been charged with murder rather than manslaughter, which carries a maximum prison sentence of only 10 years. Whether Yanez will be convicted is yet to be determined.
cnheeke@indiana.edu
