It’s a reasonable question. And time will surely tell. After all, we’re barely through the first 100 days of his term. But Trump’s cowboy persona is under fire, and we’ve got receipts.
The High-level Perspective
The 10,000-foot view shows a macrocosm of movement. That’s the good news. The days of paralysis by analysis are waning. There’s just too much to be done, and more actors are getting involved. As quickly as the Executive Orders are dropping, outrage is mounting. High-level sources like Just Security’s Litigation Tracker (currently tracking over 200 cases filed since January 25 and updated daily), Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s Federal Action Tracker (following federal actions and how they impact Michigan residents), and even U.S. News and World Report are keeping score. And as the numbers mount, we can quickly see patterns emerge.
A Forest Full of Trees
What’s the best way not to lose something? Use it. As the Rule of Law suffers blow after blow, we’re witnessing pushback from all angles. Public sector, private sector, academia, press, and, yes, even the “other two” branches of government are toeing the line and closing the gap that all this autocratic isolationism is causing.
From due process violations to voting rights impingements, the courts are getting an earful, and this is exactly whom we want listening. As we watch adjudicators take a stand, choosing propriety over party, we can take heart that our democratic system of checks and balances still has plenty of gas left in the tank.
Law firms revenge-targeted for their refusal to fall in line are not only pushing back but pulling together—a behavior truly out of the ordinary for law firms. Just look to Perkins Coie, Susman Godfrey, WilmerHale, and Jenner & Block for evidence of a new leaf turning in strange (but powerful) bedfellowship.
Universities are banding together to confront the gamut of Executive outlash. From challenging the coercive use of public research funding to forming anticipatory NATO-like defense pacts to pool resources, coalitions among previously rivalrous academic institutions are becoming the norm rather than the exception. One need only look to how it’s going for Columbia University after folding to Trump’s extortive demands for proof that capitulation to a despot just doesn’t work. Lesson learned: when given the choice (and there’s always a choice), be a Harvard.
Come for their DEI, and corporations, associations, and even whole states aren’t playing either. Nor is the Press when the First Amendment is being bandied about like a toothless chainsaw (yes, we went there). Nor are scientists and public health experts, who are forming their own, independent coalitions and initiatives around healthcare—some funded by private money (not to name names, but a certain Walmart heiress is involved) — to bridge the metastasizing gap between science-based information and the current coterie of toadies embedded in and encircling the Department of Health and Human Services.
And let’s not dismiss our elected representatives, even if it has taken them a hot minute to start making some noise. Big shouts go out to Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) for actually standing up for Democracy (25+ hours!), to Senators Slotkin (D-MI), Murkowski (R-AK) for speaking up despite their usual leanings, and to Senator Van Hollen (D-MD) and State Representatives Ansari (D-AZ), Dexter (D-OR), Frost (D-FL), and Garcia (D-CA) for showing up to demand due process and equal protection for all of us, bar none. (Nor should we gloss over the veto power exercised by Governor Kelly Armstrong (ND-R) to push back against legislative overreach and censorship of library books in his state.)
Hell, even if we just follow the money, here’s what we’re seeing. Some of his most newsworthy (and well-funded) supporters from the early moments in this term have turned tail on Trump with all manner of fancy-footed backpedaling. Highlights include hedge fund megadonor Ken Griffin as he Moonwalks from “I voted for him” to “he’s a threat to the American brand,” as well as Delta’s CEO Ed Bastian’s Electric Slide as he chokes on a full “breath of fresh air” with the pain of Trump’s “wrong approach” tariff policy.
What We Perceive, We Can Achieve
The past 100 days of new-administration-turned-whack-a-mole-assault has done a number on nervous systems around the globe. But as the notable actions above solace us, they have also inspired us (yes, the everyday folks) to our own forms of activism and engagement. There is so much power in our numbers.
Homegrown Resistance
Events like Hands Off, 50501, and May Day Strong are proving our show of force by reclaiming the streets we live on. Communities like Sacket Harbor, NY (home to Tom Homan, the US’s very own “border czar”) who see something are not just saying something but doing something. And in every moment, we can continue to seize opportunities for engagement by registering people to vote, attending town halls with elected officials (we’re looking at you, Mike Lawler (R-NY), and appreciating you all the more, Chris Murphy (D-CT)), and having regular old conversations with everyday people about why our government matters. Find some important talking points in our most recent Speaker Series episode where Juliette Kayyen and Tom Nichols discussed why American democracy and national security matter and what we can do to protect them.
Sarah Rosenberg is a dynamic force at the intersection of business strategy, storytelling, and community impact. Based in Atlanta, she brings over two decades of experience as a small business consultant, event producer, and nonprofit leader. Her career spans roles with BCG BrightHouse, LifeLine Animal Project, and RealEats, where she’s known for transforming complex ideas into compelling narratives. Whether scaling nonprofit operations or shaping corporate values, Sarah’s work consistently bridges vision with action.