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KCRW's Left, Right & Center

Can the president do that? Should he?

KCRW's Left, Right & Center

KCRW

352865, News

4.24.8K Ratings

🗓️ 24 January 2025

⏱️ 51 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This week, President Donald Trump got right to business on Inauguration Day, following several additional speaking engagements. He signed executive orders and pardoned over 1,500 people charged with crimes relating to the January 6th insurrection. The use of pardons by Trump on his way in — and Joe Biden on his way out — have raised questions about its potential abuse. Could this set a dangerous precedent?

Trump has moved to end birthright citizenship in the U.S., though attorneys general nationwide are challenging it in court. While it may not be legal now, is there a path for Trump or Congress to change America’s approach to citizenship? Is there a better way to discuss policy around immigration?

A reverend’s plea for mercy at the National Prayer Service drew the ire of Trump. Did the reverend politicize the pulpit? Plus, our LRC panel discusses what mercy could look like from the White House.

Transcript

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0:00.0

All right, everybody. We are ready for another left, right, and center. I am David Green.

0:05.9

You know, you can't judge a presidency based on the first few days, but it has been quite an active first few days of Donald Trump's second presidency.

0:15.3

And I want to spend some time today, you know, trying to understand what we have been witnessing, what it could mean,

0:21.6

and we're going to do it with Sarah Isker on the right and Moelethi on the left. Hello, you two.

0:27.0

It feels like it's been an age since we spoke, but also just like a minute, somehow.

0:32.0

Get ready for the next four years. Yeah, both all at once. You know, I think one of the really interesting parts of this first few days of the Trump presidency, we have to remember how rare it is for a U.S. president to have been elected to two non-consecutive terms. So here is Trump kind of reintroducing himself to the American public in the role of president and commander in chief. And I guess I just wonder, Sarah, I mean, you were on the inside in 2017 involved in the confirmation process and then directing public affairs at justice. I mean, what's the same and what's different in these early days and hours?

1:11.7

There's a lot that's different.

1:15.8

I'm hard pressed to think of things that are the same.

1:19.7

But overall, my theme is the same as it's ever been.

1:25.3

Whether you like what Donald Trump is doing or hate what Donald

1:28.1

Trump is doing, you should be deeply concerned about the amount of power we have now put in the

1:32.3

office of the president instead of in Congress where it belongs. Okay. And I want to get to that,

1:39.9

because I think we saw some elements of that, not just when it comes to Donald Trump,

1:43.9

but the end of Joe Biden's presidency.

1:46.8

Exactly.

1:47.5

But let me go to you, Mo.

1:48.6

What has surprised you?

1:49.6

What hasn't?

1:50.6

Yeah, we hosted a panel here at Georgetown just earlier this week on what a GOP trifecta means.

2:00.5

Mike Dupke, who's sat in on the show before, former communications director in the

2:05.9

Trump White House.

2:07.2

When I asked him, what does Trump 2.0 look like?

...

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