On ‘Radio Times:’ Has Trump changed America?

 This combination of 2016 and 2017 photos shows, (top row from left), Alan Halsey, Rebecca Esparza, Laverne Jones Gore and Marjan Vayghan; (middle row from left), James McDonald, Brooke Streech, Suliman Bandas and Rick Yearick; (bottom row from left), Kate Young, Carolee Upshur, Amellia Sones and Ed Harry. One hundred days into Donald Trump’s presidency, The Associated Press asked people from across the country to write a letter to the president. (AP Photo)

This combination of 2016 and 2017 photos shows, (top row from left), Alan Halsey, Rebecca Esparza, Laverne Jones Gore and Marjan Vayghan; (middle row from left), James McDonald, Brooke Streech, Suliman Bandas and Rick Yearick; (bottom row from left), Kate Young, Carolee Upshur, Amellia Sones and Ed Harry. One hundred days into Donald Trump’s presidency, The Associated Press asked people from across the country to write a letter to the president. (AP Photo)

It may seem like a silly question, but when it comes to actual changes to the country, how much of an effect has the Trump presidency actually had? 

On Friday’s Radio Times, host Marty Moss-Coane was joined by Princeton professor and presidential historian, Julian Zelizer, and NPR’s national political reporter, Mara Liasson, to discuss the recent turmoil that has befallen the White House through a series of potentially incriminating leaks.

Towards the end of their discussion, a listener comment from a Trump supporter prompted a back and forth about Trump’s base, and his effectiveness thus far.

Zelizer commented that “he’s not doing what he wanted to do. We’ve had no legislation out of this White House.” Liasson amended Zelizer’s comment by pointing to the effect that the president has already had on the country such as “legal immigration, application to universities from foreign students.” She added “People are not coming here. If you are a smart Indian engineer, you want to go to Vancouver, you don’t want to go to Silicon Valley. That’s the Donald Trump effect… And whether that’s good or bad, you can decide that for yourself.”

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Marty was also joined through the hour by Reuters reporter Jonathan Landay, who discussed former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn’s past communications with Russian officials, and by Amie Ferris-Rotman of Foreign Policy who discussed Russian satire of President Trump.

To hear more, listen to the full interview on Radio Times.

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