The CNN article compares Franklin D. Roosevelt’s transformative New Deal policies to Donald Trump’s second-term agenda, which seeks to dismantle many of the systems FDR built. Roosevelt expanded government to combat the Great Depression, creating programs like Social Security and fostering international trade through the Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act. In contrast, Trump, working with figures like Elon Musk, aims to reduce government influence by cutting federal jobs, dismantling agencies, and reversing trade policies.
The article highlights key differences: FDR worked with Congress to pass laws, while Trump relies on executive power. FDR’s policies built enduring coalitions and institutions, while Trump’s changes are seen as more personal and less institutionalized. The piece also explores Trump’s reversal of FDR’s tariff policies, his approach to the judiciary, and his use of social media compared to FDR’s fireside chats. Ultimately, the article frames Trump as an “anti-FDR,” seeking to undo the legacy of the New Deal.
Sources
https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/05/politics/what-fdr-built-trump-wants-to-tear-down/index.html
MAGA is E-V-I-L
https://becerraj.substack.com/p/dispelling-the-spell