The following article originally appeared in Juniata High School's newspaper The Arrowhead.  

On April 29th, President Donald J. Trump spent his 100th day as the President of the United States at a rally in the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, PA. Historically, the first 100 days are some of the most influential days in a President’s term. At the rally, President Trump bashed the media for being fake news and talked about his upcoming plans for the rest of his term. Usually to mark his 100th day, the President and his cabinet would attend the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, D.C. but Trump told his audience in Harrisburg, “I would rather spend my 100th day with all of you.” 

Donald Trump has gone into his presidency with the lowest approval rating ever for an American President. Despite this, Trump has signed 30 executive orders, which is more than any president since Franklin Roosevelt. Trump has also worked with Congress to enact 28 laws. No other president since Truman  has worked on more legislation within their first 100 days. Trump has successfully named Neil Gorsuch as the newest Justice on the Supreme Court, against some Democrats’ wishes, as well. During the time period, he also placed a temporary travel ban on Muslim-dominated countries that sparked protests and riots across the nation. The ban has been blocked by the federal court system.

Using social media, Trump has sent out 993 tweets since taking office and spent 81 out of his 100 nights in the White House. The other nights he spent at his winter home in Florida called Mar-a-Lago,  where he met with world leaders like the Prime Minister of Japan and his wife. Trump has fought allegations that he and his campaign team have connections to the Russian government. Internationally, Trump took a stand in Syria after chemical weapons were used by the Syrian government against innocent civilians. Fighting against terrorism, the U.S. government also dropped a large bomb on an ISIS base on April 13th . The bomb is known as the Mother of All Bombs, or MOAB, and is the biggest, most powerful non-nuclear bomb known to the U.S. government.

Some people are calling the President’s first 100 days a success, while others are calling it an utter failure. It cannot be argued, however, that it has been an extremely fast paced 100 days with pressure coming from all sides. As his first year continues, some of his main goals are now to move forward on his infamous wall between the United States and Mexico, to start his new health care reform program, and to continue handling tense international affairs.