Politics and views in the United States.

Donald Trump's second term as President begins. Organizations prepare legal challenges to mass deportations and other Trump executive orders, and students study how best to bridge the political divide.

TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to 2025 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

I, Donald John Trump, do solemnly swear.

I, Donald John Trump, do solemnly swear.

That I will faithfully execute.

That I will faithfully execute.

The office of President of the United States.

The office of President of the United States.

Donald Trump is officially the 47th President of the United States.

In his inaugural address, Trump outlined his plans promising a golden age for America and what he calls a revolution of common sense.

Trump is issuing scores of executive orders, withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement, pardoning 1,500 January 6th rioters, and freezing new regulations, among others.

One declares a national emergency at the border ahead of expected mass deportations popular with his supporters.

Immigration groups are preparing legal challenges.

Barbara Lopez with Make the Road Connecticut says migrants contribute nearly $30 billion to Social Security and Medicare, and raids will separate families and remove longtime U.S. residents.

These threats are not only inhumane, but threaten to tear apart the fabric of our communities across the U.S.

Immigrants are the backbone of our economy and vital to the strength and vibrancy of our nation.

Biden helped frame the new Gaza ceasefire, but Trump may impact its remaining phases.

Sonia Meyerson-Knox with the progressive group Jewish Voice for Peace calls him an active supporter of autocratic governments in the Middle East and the hard right in Israel.

Trump and Netanyahu are well committed to entrenching Israeli apartheid, expanding the dispossession of Palestinians from their homes, from their land, reinforcing the military occupation.

A landmark California animal welfare law may clash with the new administration's farm policies.

Proposition 12 sets minimum space requirements for breeding pigs, egg-laying hens and veal calves.

Some conservative lawmakers say it could drive pork production to China, but Alison Ledtke with the Animal Legal Defense Fund says overturning it would create legal chaos.

It would have really damaging implications on states' rights, the regulation of animal products, pesticides, so forth.

I think it could really cause chaos throughout the industry, both for producers and regulators.

Trump is also promising national unity at a time of deep division.

Students at University of Pennsylvania's Political Empathy Lab crisscrossed that state discussing the 2024 campaign's issues and seeking ways to bridge the divide.

Lab director Leah Howard says the students emphasized using active listening.

Democratic listening is one of the most important and undervalued things happening right now because we're just so inundated by talk, expression.

We don't get enough time to practice listening to another human being.

Though the post-election period has been calmer than the 2020 election, experts monitoring the process say there are no future guarantees.

Maria Teresa Kumar with Voto Latino says candidates and voters have to understand and buy into the process to keep elections fair, free, and safe.

We have to remind the American public that regardless of who wins, the person that loses has to concede effectively.

I'm Edwin J. Vieira for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

Find our trust indicators at publicnewsservice.org.