Second Essay 2025

Pick any executive order that President Trump has issued in 2025. Your task is not just to write a summary, but to dig into its political and institutional context. In your essay, address the following:

1. Why this order?

   • What problem (or perceived problem) did the order claim to address?

   • What political, social, or economic forces made this issue urgent for the president?

   • Look closely at the text of the executive order and at least one statement from the White House (press release, remarks, or social media post). Quote and analyze the president’s own words.

2. How did Congress react?

   • Identify at least two members of Congress (by name) who publicly supported or criticized the order. Quote from floor speeches, press releases, or interviews.

   • Were the reactions partisan, regional, or responsive to particular interest groups?

3. So what?

   • Assess the early impact of the order. Did it immediately change policy, trigger lawsuits, or provoke oversight hearings?

   • Explain whether this order is likely to endure or face judicial or legislative challenge.

   • Avoid writing an editorial on whether you support or oppose this order or Trump's policies in general.

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Requirements

• Length: Essays must be double-spaced and no more than three pages long. I will not read past the third page.

• Format: Submit as a Word document only. Do not submit pdfs or Google docs. Cite all sources with endnotes (not footnotes) in Chicago/Turabian style. Endnote pages do not count toward the page limit.

• AI Policy: You may use AI to locate sources or generate a list of possibilities, but you may not copy AI-generated summaries or arguments into your essay. Misrepresenting AI output as your own work is plagiarism and may result in referral to the Academic Standards Committee.

• Writing: Watch your spelling, grammar, diction, and punctuation. Errors will count against you. Read Strunk & White and watch my writing lecture before drafting.

• Deadline: Upload essays to Canvas by 11:59 PM, Friday, October 10. (If you have trouble with Canvas, email it to me as a Word attachment.) I reserve the right to dock essays a grade point for one day’s lateness, and a full letter grade thereafter.