Walls Students React to Impending Trump Inauguration

United States Capitol Building – Zoe Fisher

As the election results rolled in this past November, intense reactions from both sides of the political spectrum emerged throughout the nation.

In D.C., a Democratic stronghold and the home of the president and the inauguration, the results hit especially close to home. Now, with the January 20th inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump on the horizon, Walls students are grappling with similar emotions once again.

Many students expressed their general worry over the implications of another Trump presidency. Porter Jackson (‘28) said he felt “surprised and disappointed that so many people don’t see through Trump’s lies, especially when they directly and negatively affect them.” 

Chiara Cerletti Giraudy (‘28) agreed, explaining, “It's really scary to not trust your president, and how so many people are in danger.”

Other students voiced strong concerns over reproductive rights and Trump’s past use of racist rhetoric, and what that would mean for the upcoming term. Armani Gordon (‘28) said he was “deeply concerned about the upcoming inauguration… I am African-American and I don’t think I could support Trump because his beliefs and his policies do not align with my personal experiences and values regarding equality and equity.” He also noted that, in his view, Trump’s policies are often harmful to minority communities, fail to adequately address systemic racism and social justice issues, and lack representation for a variety of voices.

Echoing that sentiment, Addis Getachew (‘27) remarked, “I think it’s messed up that a proven racist president is being inaugurated on MLK weekend.”

As D.C. residents, some students also raised concerns over what the influx of Trump supporters for the inauguration would mean for the environment in the city. Evelyn Webster (‘28) said, “Last time Trump fans were in D.C., our BLM sign ended up in the middle of the street, so I don’t have high expectations for their treatment of our city.” Webster also mentioned her plan to be out of town that weekend, as did many students who either already have plans or will make plans to leave D.C. This stems from negative past experiences when MAGA supporters came to D.C., “like the January 6th insurrection,” said Webster.

Despite the wide array of concerns, some students expressed a limited hope about the next four years. The Rookery conducted a survey asking 16 students to rate their feelings on the Trump inauguration on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being terrible and 10 being great. The average score among students who responded was 2.6, reflecting some, even if limited, optimism among the deeply Democratic student body. One anonymous respondent noted that they didn’t think it would be the “end of the world” due to hope for a Democratic win in the midterms.

Though the political future of the country holds many unknowns, one thing remains clear: on January 20th, most Walls students won’t be celebrating the next four years. As one anonymous student expressed, “It’s Trump.”