Rhode Island State Senator Gives President Trump an ‘A’ for First Weeks in Office

State Senate Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz of North Smithfield says Donald Trump is following through on his campaign promises in many areas, including domestic spending, foreign tariffs, and immigration policy

State Senator Jessica de la Cruz of North Smithfield.
State Senator Jessica de la Cruz of North Smithfield.
Capitol TV
Share
State Senator Jessica de la Cruz of North Smithfield.
State Senator Jessica de la Cruz of North Smithfield.
Capitol TV
Rhode Island State Senator Gives President Trump an ‘A’ for First Weeks in Office
Copy

Interview highlights:

On President Trump’s performance in his first weeks in office

Jessica de la Cruz: I would say [he gets] an A. He campaigned on these promises and now he’s following through. I just feel that sometimes if I put my phone down for a couple of hours, I’ve missed what could be two days worth of news, but he is moving at lightning speed.

On President Trump’s proposed takeover of Gaza

de la Cruz: I don’t know much about the plan. I’ve only just heard that he made the statement about developing Gaza. I don’t think that means that we’re gonna have a 51st state. He’s a developer. If he’s talking about developing Gaza, that would be my assumption along that line. Once more information comes out, then I could speak more authoritatively on it.

On response to President Trump’s proposed federal funding freeze

de la Cruz: I heard from a lot of people. Some of them were really happy with it. Some of them were very concerned. Some of them were administrators in the state who said we’re concerned about this agency and that agency. I get that concern because if there’s a pause on funding, people automatically question, ‘Well, are we going to have the funding necessary to pay our employees and pay this vendor?’ Those are valid concerns, but a pause in funding to review whether or not funding is being allocated properly and being used prudently, I’m not against that. I think everybody, including a family budget, needs to be reviewed to ensure that we’re spending money properly and it’s not being spent frivolously.

This interview was conducted by The Public’s Radio. You can read the entire story here.

“Reducing your footprint” became one of the most familiar ways to talk about climate change, but why did that framing catch on? And what does it leave out?
A recycling nonprofit, through its New Bedford warehouse, puts used nets, ropes and other marine debris in the hands of local artists
Republican John Loughlin says he would reshape the office into a taxpayer oversight and accountability agency similar to a state inspector general
Federal cuts to Medicaid and food assistance complicate an otherwise encouraging revenue picture
Jewish advocacy leaders say the numbers are improving, but incidents remain higher than before the Oct. 7 attacks and the Gaza war
A Greek restaurant hiding inside a jazz club, a reimagined oyster bar and a group of diners with matching notebooks: meet the people keeping local restaurants buzzing