We are two days from a milestone that may mark a turning point — or a breaking point.
The warning signs have been there from the start.
In just the first three days, Donald Trump had pardoned 1,500 people, ordered mass government firings, and told the Justice Department to hunt for crimes among his political rivals.
He wasn’t easing back into power.
He was making it clear: second terms are about control, not caution.
For Trump’s supporters, it felt like long-overdue justice.
For others, it looked like the first shots in a war against the system itself.
Either way — particularly if you’re under 30 — you’re the one who will live with what comes next.
And the real shockwaves may not have even hit yet.
Fast Moves
On Day One, Trump signed mass pardons for people convicted—or still awaiting trial—for the January 6 Capitol riot.
“These people have been destroyed,” he said. “What they’ve done to these people has been outrageous.” (Politico)
For Trump’s base, it was seen as correcting an injustice.
For law enforcement officers who had defended the Capitol, it sent a different signal — that political violence might be negotiable.
Targeting Washington’s Insiders
Next came the deep cuts.