Surviving Trump: The Aftermath of an Administration

Since Biden has taken up residence in the White House, he and his administration have begun to make good on promises to overturn polices enacted during the Trump era. From healthcare to women’s reproductive rights, there are a total of eight overturned policies with an additional 22 in process. During his first few hours in office, Biden signed more than 17 executive orders, many of them focused on reversing Trump policies. 

Many of the policies Biden has overturned via executive order pertain to the Affordable Care Act. Also known as Obamacare, the Affordable Care Act provides affordable health insurance to millions of Americans. One overturned policy cut funding for ACA outreach programs which strive to help ease the process of enrollment. Another policy still in process of being overturned rescinded non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ populations under the ACA. 

Within his first 100 days, Biden also overturned decisions to remove the U.S. from the World Health Organization as well as the Paris Climate Accords, the landmark framework for global action against climate change. Biden has also since restored funding to the U.N. family planning agency, which provides sexual and reproductive healthcare services to families worldwide. 

Biden rescinded a permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline and issued an order aimed at strengthening the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program after Trump attempted to end it. 

On the immigration front, Biden reversed a Trump proclamation that barred foreign nationals seeking a green card who are outside the United States from entering the country. The Biden reversal did not lift restrictions on temporary work visas, however. 

But even as the current administration slowly begins to undo some of the policies put in effect by Trump, Americans are still working to recover from the traumatic four years. Science denying and conspiracy theories continue to plague the republican party months after a new administration has taken office. 

For many, the last year has been especially difficult. A global pandemic left many unemployed, stuck in isolation, and killed more than 500,000 Americans. Twenty-twenty also saw an increase in viral videos depicting police brutality and violent deaths like that of George Floyd, which sparked a global movement for social justice. In addition to this, last year was the deadliest on record for transgender Americans, as 44 trans or gender-nonconforming Americans were shot or killed in violent attacks. 

It’s going to take time for Americans to heal from the disaster that was last year. Some of those feelings have been reflected in nationwide surveys, with a significant increase in stress about the country’s future and political climate after the 2016 election. And in 2020, 68 percent of Americans said the election was a significant source of stress in their lives, up from 52 percent in 2016.

Clinical psychologist Jennifer Panning even coined the term “Trump anxiety disorder” to describe the stress many people were feeling in the weeks and months following the 2016 election. “People tended to experience things like ruminations and worries of what’s going to be next” as they awaited each new tweet or action by the president, Panning told Vox News. 

It’s also going to take time to heal from the previous administration and the hate that spread across the country because of it. For many healing will begin with the admission that the last four years have been especially traumatizing. As individuals take steps toward healing, it’s also a time when we can look at bigger changes to the country’s mental healthcare system. That includes providing child care, flexible hours, and other supports to make therapy more accessible to all Americans. 

In addition to seeking help, giving back is also a viable way to begin recovering from Trump trauma. Activism can be one way to heal, by joining movements for social justice or giving back to the community. But most importantly, make time to rest and take care of yourself.