The First 100 Days

1 Course Unit

This course will focus on the decisions and events of the first One Hundred Days of the second Trump presidency in light of historic precedent and the factors that have typically accounted for success and failure of a president's term in office. Our assessment of the Trump transition will attend to multiple contextual issues: immigration and trade issues, the border, hemispheric relations, the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, confirmations, the issuance of executive orders and the passage of legislation. The course objective is to enhance students’ understanding of the presidency and national political leadership, with special emphasis on the critical role played by political communications. This course is a directed research seminar. Students will be required to write short reports and a final research paper on a relevant topic approved by the instructors. Students will be expected to base their papers, in part, on primary research materials such as historical materials available in online archives pertaining to past presidents and transitions and/ or interviews with or studies of past and present presidential staff, politicians, lobbyists, presidential appointees, journalists, and consultants involved in or knowledgeable about the transition process. Students will be expected to contribute fully to weekly discussions that will feature distinguished visitors experienced in presidential and national politics. 1 Course Unit