America has seen a lot of change just in the past few months. We’ve entered a new presidency albeit with familiar faces, but lots of new ideas and action. The White House says President Trump signed more executive orders on his first day in office than any other president in history. What exactly has happened while MV was in the midst of academia mania? What do all these orders mean for the “golden era” (White House) of America? It’s time to recount the first actions of President Trump’s second term.
The ‘Gulf of America’ and ‘Mt. McKinley’
Warning to students of geography: the following statements may cause distress. Google Maps has just announced that following Trump’s executive order, the Gulf of Mexico is to be renamed the Gulf of America. Additionally, Denali, Alaska’s tallest peak will be reverted to Mt. McKinley, honoring President William McKinley. In 2015, President Obama changed McKinley’s name to Denali, in response to calls from Alaskan natives, who had been using the colloquial “Denali” or “great one” for centuries before. As for the Gulf of Mexico, Trump has stated it’s overrun by cartels even though it’s under American operation. (ABC News)
Suspending the TikTok Ban
China and America’s top tech giants are always competing, driving the nations to enter constant turbulence. And when it comes to the “massive asset” (New York Post) TikTok, CBS said the ban was “a matter of national security” regarding concerns about data being sold overseas. Newsweek says this matter isn’t about China. John Greenblatt, CEO of the ADL (Anti-Defamation League) was caught in a leaked recording, making multiple statements against TikTok and its crowd of young people, early last year.
“We have a major, major, major generational problem. The issue in the United States’ support for Israel is not left and right—it is young and old. And so we really have a TikTok problem, a Gen-Z problem.”
The Washington Post adds that the connection goes deeper, even within the government. Government Official Jacob Helberg was responsible for drafting the TikTok ban bill. He currently serves as the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment. He also holds an executive position at Palantir Technologies, the company that provides surveillance services for Israel. This is a conflict of interest. Negative public sentiment on TikTok for these issues may affect Palantir’s business. Additionally, Representative Mike Gallagher, the man who sponsored the ban bill, allegedly bought copious amounts of stock in Meta along with several other politicians, just weeks before the ban. (Newsweek).
“This impacts millions of teenagers. They can’t express their creativity on the platform,” Freshman Araina Tiwari says. Over 63% of teens in the U.S. use TikTok (Pew Research). The entire purpose of this bill was to limit freedom of speech within our younger generation. Hundreds of students at MV felt the impact of losing this platform. President Trump’s executive order allows 90 more days of operation in the United States, until a U.S. buyer is secured. To Monte Vista students, this is a joy, albeit a short lived one. In a few months, TikTok may once again cease to exist on millions of teen smartphones.
The Declassification of the MLK, JFK, and RFK Sr. Files
On November 22, 1963, John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated. In 2025, the true perpetrators of his death are still unknown. Moreover, the mysteries surrounding Lee Harvey Oswald’s motives are still concealed. JFK’s brother, Robert Francis Kennedy Sr. and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. have similar stories. The release of their murder files has been a matter of contention, one man, Larry Schnapf going as far as suing the government for withholding the bulk of the issue. In an interview with Tucker Carlson, Schnapf described the release process as “disappointing, frustrating, and infuriating,” in December of 2022 after Biden had promised the disclosure of all “details” regarding the JFK and RFK Sr. assassinations. Both Schnapf and more recently, Trump, have said “the American people deserve to know.” New York Magazine describes the process as such; within 15 days after the executive order, attorney general and director of national intelligence must plan for the release of the documents. 45 days after, respective documents must be reviewed and further advised for the public eye. Students have been taught there was only one fanatic killer, with all the details and motives withheld. The truth about our country, especially the assassinations of public figures, politicians, and presidents is being obscured from the education system, and from the younger generation.
Progress will continue to be made over the next few years. Everyone, from infants and elderly to students and staff right here at Monte Vista will see our world changing, bill by bill. Already, the speed and haste with which the TikTok ban was introduced and taken away have Americans and millions of teens shocked. (The White House). Much more is bound to change, and much more is bound to be revealed. Change is pervasive everywhere, now more than ever. MV will have to be ready when that change comes.
