On February 8, 2024, The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in former president Donald Trump’s 14th Amendment case. Although Trump has never fully vanished from the media, this unprecedented case and his recent win at the Nevada Republican Caucus have certainly catalyzed a significant resurgence of the disgraced former television star. As it stands, the possibility of another four years of Trump is not entirely unfeasible—so what could another term mean for the future of American criminal justice?
Should he win the 2024 presidential election, Donald Trump has made a number of guarantees under the name “Agenda47”—presumably indicative of the presidential enumeration. Under this agenda, “President Trump Announces [his] Plan to End Crime and Restore Law and Order.” The plan includes seven steps to reverse the “cesspools of bloodshed and crime” resulting from Biden’s term and efforts to defund the police in cities across the United States. I want to delve into a few of the key points outlined in Trump's agenda.
The first goal listed is the “...record investment in hiring, retention, and training for police officers. The bill will increase vital liability protections for America’s law enforcement officers.” Trump claims that ‘the Democrats’ aim to decrease protections and funding for law enforcement, thereby making it more difficult to do their jobs properly. However, in August of 2022, the Biden Administration passed the Safer American Plan which increased police funding to add over 100,000 additional police officers on the streets. It seems neither party is eager to eradicate police funding anytime soon.
Following his response to ‘Defund the Police,’ Trump continues to claim that he “will take on the radical Marxist prosecutors who have abolished cash bail and refuse to charge criminals.” He states his plan to hire District Attorneys that are completely opposite to the “Soros District Attorneys,” and who will be legal warriors against crime and communist corruption. I question the former President’s grasp on Marxist philosophy with regards to George Soros and his PAC. A billionaire (capitalist) funding a political action committee to control elected officials without concern for public scrutiny is not what I would consider to be inherently Marxist or communist. Rather, this agenda item reads as fear-mongering, political rhetoric to preserve classist and racist policing and prosecuting policies in our justice system. If Trump truly desires prosecutors that are completely opposite to billionaire funded District Attorneys, they may more closely resemble Marxist philosophy than he intends
The third and final agenda item that I am going to address is “President Trump will instruct the Department of Justice to dismantle every gang, street crew, and drug network in America. President Trump has also called for the death penalty for drug dealers and human traffickers.” I am curious as to whether this standard will apply to the Medical Unit that served under his administration who, according to the U.S. News and World Report, illegally provided prescription drugs, including controlled substances, to ineligible staff. Both Ambien and Provigil were distributed without patient verification. Additionally, the brand-name drugs were elected over the cheaper generic version and illegally paid for using Department of Defense funds.
The hypocrisy in many of the agenda items does not go unnoticed, and another four years under Trump may indicate a bleak future for criminal justice. However, no matter the administration, we can and should continue to advocate for those impacted by the criminal justice system, and urge our local lawmakers to pass more fair and equitable policies surrounding justice and law enforcement. See the links below to read more from Trump’s ‘Agenda47,’ and visit our website to see how you can become an advocate for a more just society.
References
Aboulenein, A. (2024, January 28). Trump White House Pharmacy Improperly
Provided Drugs and Misused Funds, Pentagon Report Says. USNews.com.
Donald J Trump for President 2024, Inc. (2023, February 20). Agenda47: President Trump Announces Plan to End Crime and Restore Law and Order | Agenda47. Trump 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2024, from https://www.donaldjtrump.com/agenda47/agenda47-president-trump-announces-plan-to-end-crime-and-restore-law-and-order
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