We’ll start with just a few things: About a week ago, Google maps officially changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America for U.S. users - a change that was led by Trump’s administration.
This past week, in social media posts, Trump claimed - falsely - that it was Ukraine that initiated war with Russia when it was Russia that invaded Ukraine in 2022.
Then, just yesterday the official White House Instagram and X social media accounts posted an illustration of Trump wearing a crown with the caption “Long live the king”.
Annenberg Media reporter Jasmine Ying met with a member of USC College Republicans as well as the president of the Trojan Democrats. She joined Annenberg Radio News hosts Liam Wady and Sophia Ainsworth to talk about how members of both parties on campus are processing the news that keeps coming from the White House. Here’s a transcript:
Q: So Jasmine, let’s start with “Long live the king.” First, can you tell us what that was all about?
A: Well, the post that went up yesterday contained a reference to what’s called congestion pricing in New York. That’s basically a fee that drivers have to pay when they are driving in heavily congested areas in big cities. The transportation department withdrew support for the plan in New York, and in the post, Trump was taking credit. The post read, “Manhattan and all of New York is Saved, long live the king!” It featured a drawing of a grinning Trump against the New York skyline wearing a gold crown.
Both candidates had very different reactions upon seeing the post. Sara Xiao Steinecker is the president of the USC College Democrats - her reaction was disbelief.
Xiao Steinecker: “I admit that when I first saw the post, I thought it was a satirical from a source like The Onion. I did not think that the official White House Instagram account would post something like that...I think it’s kinda gross to elevate yourself to the level of king...and I think that you know as an elected official it is your role to understand that you were elected by the people for the people.”
Dakota Driemeyer, on the other hand, didn’t take it seriously. He’s a member of the USC College Republicans.
Driemeyer: I saw this as the ultimate level of trolling of the left...they don’t care about the criticism from the left, because you know what, they’ve called him a fascist and a dictator the entire time, none of which are true. And he goes you know what, long live the king...I got a good laugh out of it and I think at least half the country did.
Q: You also talked to both sources about their thoughts regarding President Trump’s false claims about who started the war in Ukraine. Did they have anything to say about that?
A: This was the one thing, despite Trump’s claims that Ukraine started the war on their own land, that both candidates agreed on: Driemeyer is aware that Russia started the war, however, he had some additional thoughts about what Trump’s purpose has been in this war so far.
Driemeyer: Yes, Ukraine did not start this war. Trump has taken more of a stance because we need to be critical about all this money that we’ve sent...He’s always said I want the killing to stop. I want the dying to stop...But you know we need to be critical. We can’t just, you know, send a black check without at least asking for some sort of accountability and trying to see where we’re at because that’s not fair to American taxpayers.
Xiao Steinecker, on the other hand, said Trump’s false claim made her question the president’s dedication to democracy.
Xiao Steinecker: He has no respect for the power of democracy, the principle of a democratic republic, and by insinuating that Ukraine started the war against Russia, it also shows a disregard for fat and truth...And I think that shows just how much loyalty Trump has not to democracy, but instead to Putin.
Q: Lastly, you also asked for their opinions on the official Google Maps name change from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. What did they think about that?
A: Driemeyer strongly agrees with this name change and provided some interesting insight as to how this new name could be viewed.
Driemeyer: I agree with renaming the Gulf of Mexico to now rightfully the Gulf of America. You know, it’s more reflective of you know, the whole continent here and also American pride...we might as well embrace it.
Xiao Steinecker pointed out the other side of the underreported and labeled the name change as one of many media distractions.
Xiao Steinecker: All these things are just noise for the media while Trump is doing some really dangerous things that have been underreported. Trump and the Republican party ran on this idea that the Democrats were running on social justice issues and not things that affected real Americans. Last time I checked the name of the Gulf of Mexico did not affect egg prices, or interest rates, or unemployment...All these things are just distractions for the American people.
As expected, both sources had very different responses to what’s been coming from the White House. But it was good to hear their perspectives.