‘A masterclass of incompetence and cruelty’: Looking back on Trump’s first 100 days in office

President Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office officially comes to a close on Tuesday with him holding one of the lowest approval ratings ever for a president during that period. Pennsylvanians have also begun to push back against Trump’s tariffs, the increase in costs, and the attacks against federal government workers and programs. 

“A masterclass of incompetence and cruelty.”

That’s how State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D-Philadelphia), who also serves as Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee, described the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term in office. 

“It’s something about the pronounced danger that we’ve all been living through when those two things are aligned,” Kenyatta said in an interview. “We have people who not only don’t know what the fu*k they’re talking about, but who revel in trying to make things worse for people. That’s really where we find ourselves, where literally you have an administration who celebrates the suffering that they’ve inflicted on the American people.”

Trump’s first 100 days in office comes to a close on Tuesday, and polls have shown him having some of the lowest approval ratings of any president ever at the 100-day mark. 

Pennsylvanians facing higher food and energy costs

While campaigning throughout Pennsylvania during the presidential election, Trump made many promises to lower food and energy costs, but those promises were broken when Trump decided to, unilaterally, start a trade war with the rest of the world. 

“Starting the day I take the oath of office, I will rapidly drive prices down and we will make America affordable again. We’re going to make it affordable again,” Trump said campaigning in Wilkes-Barre this past August. “We’re going to get your energy prices down. We’re going to get your energy prices down by 50%.” 

Instead, prices are going up. 

Trump imposed 25% tariffs on most Canadian and Mexican imports, while also levying 10% tariffs on energy imports from Canada. He has also imposed a 145% tariff on China, our largest trading partner, and 10% tariffs on 180 countries and the European Union.

A tariff is a tax imposed on imported goods once they come into the country, and those costs are usually pushed onto consumers. Pennsylvanians are expected to pay an additional $3,800 per year due to Trump’s tariffs, according to Climate Power. 

Trump’s tariffs have already cost hundreds of Pennsylvania residents their jobs. Mack Trucks, which makes heavy duty trucks in the Lehigh Valley, announced earlier this month that they laid off 250-350 workers because of Trump’s tariffs and the unstable economy he has created. 

Pennsylvania Got DOGE’d 

Trump’s heavy handed tactics during his first 100 days have been felt in every corner of the commonwealth.  

Hundreds, if not thousands, of federal workers lost their jobs across Pennsylvania because of Trump’s Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE), a new government initiative headed by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and those effects have rippled throughout the commonwealth.

Trump and Musk claimed they established DOGE to cut trillions of dollars in waste, fraud, and abuse throughout the federal government, but instead, it’s become a ploy to lay off hundreds of thousands of federal employees and take an axe to government agencies that will take years, if not decades, to rebuild.

DOGE has failed to meet its lofty goals, reportedly only saving taxpayers $160 billion, while costing another $135 billion, according to an estimate from the Partnership for Public Service. 

The ripple effect of the cuts could be far greater than dollars and cents, though. 

In an effort to save money, the Trump administration cut programs that help food banks across Pennsylvania source their food from local farmers. The cuts pulled funding for roughly 200 farms that help stock 14 food banks.   

The administration has also cut inspectors that test the quality of milk and check for salmonella in chicken and poultry products. They also cut the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau staff by close to 90%, leaving Americans more vulnerable to fraud and scams. 

Another local example includes Raystown Lake, one of Pennsylvania’s most popular spots for outdoor enthusiasts. Over 425 campgrounds, including Raystown Lake, had to cancel camping reservations over the summer thanks to Musk and DOGE cutting jobs at the Army Corps of Engineers. 

The popular camping destination generates over $60 million a year for the rural county and supports over 400 jobs within 30 miles of the lake.     

Pennsylvanians Fight Back

Whether it’s at the Pennsylvania capitol, a Tesla dealership, a local national park, or in cities, towns, and communities across the commonwealth, Pennsylvanians are pushing back. 

Demonstrations part of the 50501 movement began to pop up in February and have morphed into a larger movement against Trump. Protesters have gathered on the Pennsylvania Capitol steps every couple weeks since February and the demonstrations continue to grow, attracting some of the largest rallies seen at the capitol in years.

On top of the actions and rallies, Kenyatta points to the town halls Democrats have been holding in Republican areas across the country as another form of push back against Trump. 

“ I think they have been a key part of the pushback in this moment because people want an opportunity for their stories to be heard,” Kenyatta said.