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Trump Administration

Donald Trump's Chaotic and Contradictory Day 1

Plus: A listener asks the editors about the validity of using emergency measures to restrict movement during the L.A. wildfires.

Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Matt Welch, and Nick Gillespie | 1.21.2025 5:02 PM

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Donald Trump's Chaotic and Contradictory Day 1

In this week's The Reason Roundtable, editors Peter Suderman, Matt Welch, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Nick Gillespie react to the second inauguration of President Donald Trump. The gang parses some of his contradictory ideas before touching on the saga of banning TikTok, the Chinese-owned social media application, in the United States.

01:46 - Donald Trump's second inauguration

14:20 - Trump's Day 1 executive actions

28:34 - Joe Biden's farewell address

42:25 - Weekly listener question

48:04 - TikTok ban

57:10 - This week's cultural recommendations

 

Mentioned in this podcast:

"Day 1," by Liz Wolfe

"Trump Signals a Crackdown on Legal and Illegal Immigration," by Fiona Harrigan

"Trump Promises To Be a 'Peacemaker,' Threatens Panama," by Eric Boehm

"Trump's 'External Revenue Service' Is a Public Relations Effort. It Won't Change How Tariffs Work," by Eric Boehm

"Many Workers Don't Want To Return to the Office. That Could Help Shrink the Government," by J.D. Tuccille

"The Equity Mess," by Matt Welch

"Biden's Preemptive Pardons Undermine Official Accountability and the Rule of Law," by Jacob Sullum

"Biden Attempts To Ratify the Equal Rights Amendment by Blog Post," by C.J. Ciaramella

"The Tech Bros Love Trump Because the Democrats Pushed Them Away," by Robby Soave

"State-Run TikTok Coming Soon?" by Elizabeth Nolan Brown

"TikTok Is Back Online as Trump Proposes Nationalizing It," by Joe Lancaster

"These Lawmakers Actively Use TikTok Even After Voting To Ban It," by Joe Lancaster

"SCOTUS Rules in Favor of TikTok Ban as Some Supporters Realize It's a Bad Idea," by Robby Soave

"Was David Lynch the Original Libertarian Democrat?" by Nick Gillespie

"Twin Peaks and the Moment TV Changed," by Jesse Walker

 

Send your questions to roundtable@reason.com. Be sure to include your social media handle and the correct pronunciation of your name.

 

Today's sponsors:

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Audio production by Ian Keyser

Assistant production by Hunt Beaty

Music: "Angeline," by The Brothers Steve 

  • Video Editor: Ian Keyser
  • Producer: Hunt Beaty

What are we consuming this week?

Katherine Mangu-Ward

  • Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

Matt Welch

  • Frost Science Museum exhibition: Bugs

Nick Gillespie

  • Cracker, live in concert

Peter Suderman

  • Wild at Heart directed by David Lynch

NEXT: Mike Pesca: How Will Trump 2.0 Transform America?

Peter Suderman is features editor at Reason.

Katherine Mangu-Ward is editor in chief of Reason.

Matt Welch is an editor at large at Reason.

Nick Gillespie is an editor at large at Reason and host of The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie.

Trump AdministrationDonald TrumpExecutive orderThe Reason RoundtableReason Podcast
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Hide Comments (45)

Editor's Note: As of February 29, 2024, commenting privileges on reason.com posts are limited to Reason Plus subscribers. Past commenters are grandfathered in for a temporary period. Subscribe here to preserve your ability to comment. Your Reason Plus subscription also gives you an ad-free version of reason.com, along with full access to the digital edition and archives of Reason magazine. We request that comments be civil and on-topic. We do not moderate or assume any responsibility for comments, which are owned by the readers who post them. Comments do not represent the views of reason.com or Reason Foundation. We reserve the right to delete any comment and ban commenters for any reason at any time. Comments may only be edited within 5 minutes of posting. Report abuses.

  1. Rick James   4 months ago

    Restricting movement during an emergency? I can't imagine such a thing!

    Log in to Reply
  2. JesseAz (mean girl ambassador)   4 months ago

    What was chaotic? Lol.

    What the fuck.

    Log in to Reply
    1. Stupid Government Tricks   4 months ago

      I almost thought of listening in to find out, but it would still be stupid.

      Log in to Reply
    2. Don’t get eliminated   4 months ago

      Eventually someone will come along and listen to this drivel and tell us.

      Log in to Reply
    3. Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)   4 months ago

      Well trump did what he said he would do, and all of it will benifit America, reason is confused about loving the USA and wanting it to succeed, and by a politician doing what he said he would do

      Log in to Reply
    4. Ron   4 months ago

      and contradictory, only to those who have TDS

      Log in to Reply
  3. Dillinger   4 months ago

    Donald Trump is wrong about Day 1!

    Log in to Reply
    1. Gaear Grimsrud   4 months ago

      No. Vance is wrong. Trump is evil.

      Log in to Reply
    2. Public Entelectual   4 months ago

      Chill - 47 just pardoned all the 1-21 Yuma Oompa Loompas

      Log in to Reply
  4. Diarrheality   4 months ago

    Huh? Chaotic?

    Log in to Reply
  5. Dillinger   4 months ago

    also long live Garth Hudson. take a load off.

    Log in to Reply
  6. Ken Shultz   4 months ago

    Has anyone tried to impeach him yet, or are they waiting for day 2?

    Log in to Reply
    1. JesseAz (mean girl ambassador)   4 months ago

      Someone already started a website to impeach him. See roundup thread.

      Log in to Reply
    2. DesigNate   4 months ago

      I'm sure the Democrats in the House have already drawn up the paper work and are just waiting and hoping they retake it in the midterms.

      Log in to Reply
  7. VULGAR MADMAN   4 months ago

    “Outside the classroom, they’ll explore Chicago’s vibrant culture.”

    Will they be handing out complimentary bulletproof vests?

    Log in to Reply
    1. Vernon Depner   4 months ago

      Why cower on defense? Hand out rifles.

      Log in to Reply
      1. VULGAR MADMAN   4 months ago

        I assumed they’d be libs.

        Log in to Reply
  8. Gaear Grimsrud   4 months ago

    It makes me sad to say this but I'm afraid Reason editors will soon have to face the fact that they have made themselves completely irrelevant. Nobody gives a shit what they think about...well anything. Fortunately they have irrelevant friends at The Bulwark to commiserate with.

    Log in to Reply
    1. Ken Shultz   4 months ago

      Are you paying $25 a year for this and reading everything they post?

      Somebody cares about what they think.

      Log in to Reply
      1. Stupid Government Tricks   4 months ago

        The $25 is not to read what the Reason editors think; that much is free. The $25 is to tell them how wrong they are.

        Log in to Reply
      2. Gaear Grimsrud   4 months ago

        I'm grandfathered. I don't pay shit. If they shut me down I'm outa here.

        Log in to Reply
        1. VULGAR MADMAN   4 months ago

          Me too.

          Log in to Reply
        2. Uncle Jay   4 months ago

          I agree.

          Log in to Reply
        3. JesseAz (mean girl ambassador)   4 months ago

          I may pay 25 to make fun of sarc and Jeff.

          Log in to Reply
          1. DesigNate   4 months ago

            Lol.

            Log in to Reply
          2. Fire up the Woodchippers! (Trump Ascendant!! )   4 months ago

            It is a great for of daily entertainment. Especially with Trump back in the saddle. It must be amplifying their pain tenfold.

            Log in to Reply
        4. MasterThief   4 months ago

          Same. I assumed they backed out on it. If they're going to charge to comment and view comments then I'm done. The articles are only good as a starting point to mock and then discuss reality.

          Log in to Reply
        5. Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)   4 months ago

          Same

          Log in to Reply
          1. Alberto Balsalm   4 months ago

            Can't happen fast enough imo

            Log in to Reply
      3. Gaear Grimsrud   4 months ago

        And I do not read most of the anti liberty statist propaganda served up here. I generally read Liz and the comments if I bother to show up.

        Log in to Reply
      4. Nobartium   4 months ago

        Not enough to simply kill off free commenters.

        It's been 11 months since they announced that you have to pay to read and debate their opinions.

        Either it raised enough money already, and the coders are lazy, or this was an empty threat.

        Log in to Reply
      5. Sevo, 5-30-24, embarrassment   4 months ago

        Nope.
        At one time (before the DC office) Reason got a pretty sizeable annual check. Which declined over the years as the DC office seemed to undermine the policies of what was formerly a libertarian organization. Unfortunately, there are now none, AFAIK. Liberty Unbound turned into a fundy X-ian site; worthless.
        Now Reason gets $5 each year, which seems to keep me in the 'contributor' basket with commenting privileges.

        Log in to Reply
        1. Alberto Balsalm   4 months ago

          That's gotta be the only reason you haven't gotten ban-hammered for all the assholory that you are composed of.

          Log in to Reply
      6. Ron   4 months ago

        I thought about paying but their TDS is really showing and even their articles are filled with chaos and are contradictory to libertarian values.

        Log in to Reply
    2. JesseAz (mean girl ambassador)   4 months ago

      They hit that point years ago. Most come cor just the comment thread.

      Citation: js;dr

      Log in to Reply
    3. With Trump in, "now Lord you can let your servant go in peace"   4 months ago

      Have to agree...did this person listen to Kamala's. talk for firemen. At least be thankful. The editors on this article remind me of the Jewish grandmother at the beach who falls to knees after grandson swept out by wave "Oh God spare him , return him....." and a wave brings him back alive and plops him on the shore. She looks at him and then speaks to God "Where is his hat, he was wearing a hat"

      Log in to Reply
  9. Gaear Grimsrud   4 months ago

    And for the record, David Lynch's relevant creative output began and ended with Eraserhead. Full stop.

    Log in to Reply
    1. VULGAR MADMAN   4 months ago

      Bullshit.

      Log in to Reply
    2. Square = Circle   4 months ago

      IMHO Blue Velvet is a masterpiece. My problem with Lynch is that he pretty much spent the rest of his career remaking Blue Velvet over and over again, but never quite recapturing the tone.

      Log in to Reply
    3. Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)   4 months ago

      Twin peaks

      Log in to Reply
      1. Fire up the Woodchippers! (Trump Ascendant!! )   4 months ago

        I really like Twin Peaks. It’s a shame there will never be a season 4 now.

        Log in to Reply
  10. Uncle Jay   4 months ago

    Trump has done more work and good work at that than Biden did his four years...much to the chagrin of the leftist vermin.

    Log in to Reply
    1. Sevo, 5-30-24, embarrassment   4 months ago

      That would be the TDS addled shit piles who currently write for Reason.
      All of whom should fuck off and die.

      Log in to Reply
    2. Fire up the Woodchippers! (Trump Ascendant!! )   4 months ago

      The press isn’t used to a non vegetable occupying the White House.

      Log in to Reply
  11. Ama Valde Intellectum   3 months ago

    You said nothing when in his first week , from pure spite and with no explanation, Biden recscinded "Promoting Beautiful Federal Civic Architecture"

    " a National Civic Art Society survey by the Harris Poll. It found that "72% of American adults prefer classical and traditional design for federal buildings. There were wide majorities for tradition across all demographic groups, including political party affiliation,""

    REASON HATES IT WHEN ANYONE HAS STANDARDS. Too cloose to religion or morality or normalcy. You have to be an Empiricist Utilitarian atheist to be Libertarian. May it fall in my lifetime.

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