Politics

The Trump administration is seeking to eliminate Section 8, the federal program that provides housing vouchers to assist low-income households. The White House is also looking to enact major cuts to other housing assistance and to transfer much of the authority of housing support to the states, even as experts warn of negative impacts to individuals and a worsening of the housing crisis as a result of these proposals.

White House proposes major cuts to housing assistance programs

NPR first reported that the Trump administration had sent a proposal to the Department of Housing and Urban Development to make major cuts to the federal government’s housing assistance programs. The cuts would essentially eliminate Section 8 and other voucher programs and cut the amount of federal spending on rental aid by about 40%. Additionally, the federal government would convert the remaining aid to block grants that would be given to states, leaving it up to state governments “to design their own rental assistance programs based on their unique needs and preferences.”

While the budget proposal would grant $25 million to provide assistance to individuals aging out of the foster care system, it would also limit eligibility for rental aid to two years for all able-bodied adults, thereby shifting a larger percentage of aid to elderly recipients and those with disabilities. Overall, the proposed changes would make even less aid available than the current system, which only provides assistance to about one in four eligible people. The budget also cuts federal aid to address homelessness by 12%. These cuts would coincide with the expected end of a Biden-era program that provided emergency housing vouchers to those at risk of homelessness or domestic violence; that program is expected to run out of money by 2026.

Trump administration touts cuts while experts warn of consequences

The proposed rental aid cuts are part of a larger package of $163 billion in federal spending cuts proposed by the Trump administration. While these changes are only proposals that can be rejected or altered by Congress, they signal the administration’s priorities in the midst of other major budget and spending cuts. The Office of Management and Budget released a statement that these new policies will “fix our broken federal housing policy and ensure that assistance goes to those who need it most.” The current system provides housing assistance to roughly 10 million people, including 2 million who receive Section 8 assistance.

Experts warn that the proposed budget would exacerbate the homelessness crisis persisting across the country. Eric Oberdorfer, director of policy and legislative affairs at the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, said that “devastating cuts like those proposed in the budget [for] public housing or to Section 8 would directly hurt families, communities and local economies,” according to The Washington Post. He estimated that 3.8 million people would be affected by the budget changes. Will Fischer, senior fellow and director of housing policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, meanwhile, pointed to the two-year cap on assistance as leaving many people vulnerable. “There are going to be lots of folks who continue to need help to pay the rent, and if this policy arbitrarily cuts off their assistance after two years, a lot of those people will not be able to pay the rent,” Fischer said, per The Washington Post. Without continued assistance, Fischer warned, “They’ll fall behind, they’ll be at risk of eviction.”

Overall, then, millions of people could find it harder to pay for and maintain housing if the Trump administration’s cuts go through. The administration’s proposed cuts might be altered or rejected during the budget process, but it is clear that the White House wants to see major changes, including significant budget cuts, in the ways that the federal government fights homelessness and unaffordable housing.

President Donald Trump accomplished quite a lot in the first 100 days of his second term. According to The American Presidency Project, Trump signed over 140 executive orders during his first 100 days in office. This is almost as many as former President Joe Biden issued during his entire term in office. Several of these executive orders have had widespread impacts throughout the government and the country, such as his executive orders banning Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs. As reported by NBC News, President Trump effectively canceled several federal holidays that celebrate marginalized communities and people with these executive orders.

Can President Trump really cancel federal holidays?

After he signed the DEI executive orders, President Trump issued a memorandum. This document listed eleven holidays that the federal government will no longer commemorate in order to comply with Trump’s DEI executive orders. The executive orders don’t outright ban celebrations of these holidays. Trump can’t actually cancel any federal holidays via executive orders. According to the ACLU, executive orders are used to change policies at federal agencies. They cannot change federal or state law.

So, Trump’s DEI executive orders can prevent federal employees from getting time off for some of the holidays listed in the memorandum. They can also force all federal agency employees to stop celebrating these holidays while at work or in places where they represent their workplace. But he can’t use an executive order to prevent non-federal employees from celebrating any holiday. Since federal judges across the country are blocking the enforcement of Trump’s DEI executive orders, he might not succeed in canceling celebrations of these holidays within federal agencies either.

DEI executive orders have a major impact beyond canceling holidays

That being said, executive orders can still have a major impact on American citizens. Government agencies are responsible for administering programs that affect all Americans’ everyday lives. Trump’s DEI executive orders can force government agencies to revoke funding from federal programs that support people of the global majority, the LGBTQIA+ community, and other groups that have been historically persecuted.

Perhaps more importantly than their actual impact, these executive orders communicate what Trump wants to accomplish while he’s in office. Essentially, he intends to put a stop to “diversity, equity, and inclusion,” which has become shorthand for his ultra-conservative agenda.

So, exactly what holidays did Trump cancel? The holidays that Trump chose to list in that memorandum, and effectively ban for government employees, are telling.

Black History Month, and all other Heritage Months

Many of Trump’s executive orders related to halting DEI programs were signed during the last few days of January 2025. The timing was not random. He planned to sign the orders on the eve of his second presidential term’s first Black History Month, a clear message to the Black community. In case that wasn’t clear enough, the memorandum that outlined which holidays federal agencies would no longer commemorate included Black History Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, National Hispanic Heritage Month, and National American Indian Heritage Month.

However, Trump did issue the traditional proclamation declaring February Black History Month on January 31, 2025. His predecessors have done the same yearly since 1976, when the observance became a federal holiday.

In that proclamation, he even said, “I call upon public officials, educators, librarians, and all the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.”

Though this statement blatantly opposes the orders he issued to federal agencies, government officials made his position clear with their own statements, CNN reported. The Department of Defense stated, “Identity months [are] dead.” Other high-ranking government members, including Treasury Secretary Sean Duffy, publicly declared their refusal to celebrate Black History Month or other “identity-based observances.”

Juneteenth and MLK Day

Black History Month wasn’t the only holiday celebrating Black history that Trump’s executive orders canceled for federal agencies. Juneteenth and Martin Luther King Day were also included in the memorandum. This effectively erases all federal celebrations of holidays dedicated to Black folks and the Black community.

However, the memorandum specifically stated that the ban on federal celebrations of these holidays does not mean they will no longer be recognized as federal holidays. So, the federal government will still recognize Juneteenth and MLK Day each year, but it won’t commemorate them with any special events.

Though Trump’s executive orders have no impact on public celebrations of either Juneteenth or MLK Day, Newsweek reported that many cities are choosing to cancel or alter their Juneteenth celebrations. In New Jersey, a local NAACP chapter moved its Juneteenth event off federal property because of concerns that it would violate the executive order. In Oregon and Illinois, major cities canceled their celebrations altogether because organizers were concerned that the political climate could compromise participants’ safety.

Pride Month

Also encompassed by the vague term “identity-based observances,” Trump’s memorandum canceled Pride Month celebrations at all federal agencies. This aligns with Trump’s mission to eradicate what he and other ultra-conservatives call “gender ideology.”

In late January, federal employees received another memorandum ordering them to remove any content dubbed “gender ideology” from government websites, social media accounts, documents, and emails. Federal employees were even directed to remove pronouns from their email signatures. Trump has also been very clear about his intentions to ban gender-affirming care for transgender individuals.

Though Trump’s DEI-related executive orders don’t stop people from celebrating Pride Month, they have exposed brands that capitalize on Pride Month for sales. According to USA Today, several multinational brands that often run promotions or marketing campaigns for Pride Month have canceled their efforts because of pressure to cut back on DEI programs.

Women’s History Month and Women’s Equality Day

Though it hasn’t received as much attention as some of the other holidays canceled for federal agencies by Trump’s memorandum, Women’s History Month and Women’s Equality Day, celebrated annually on August 26, were also on the chopping block.

On the surface, this seems odd since Trump has positioned himself as a champion of women. He even gave an impassioned speech when he issued his official proclamation for Women’s History Month in March 2025.

“Together, we are working to honor the women in our history. No longer will our Government promote radical ideologies that replace women with men in spaces and opportunities designed for women, or devastate families by indoctrinating our sons and daughters to begin a war with their own bodies… By fulfilling my promise to protect women and girls from gender extremism we have brought back common sense to society.”

It doesn’t take a discerning eye to see that this statement addresses anti-trans hate rather than authentic support for women. It also doesn’t take a discerning eye to see that Trump’s other executive orders belie his so-called support for women. The SAVE Act, which supposedly protects against voter fraud, could prevent women who’ve changed their last names after getting married from voting. And Trump has been clear that he will continue to gut reproductive rights, preventing women from making decisions about their own bodies.

Holocaust Days of Remembrance

Trump’s outspoken support of Israel didn’t prevent him from canceling Holocaust Days of Remembrance events at federal agencies. As with Black History Month and Women’s History Month, Trump still issued an official proclamation commemorating Holocaust Days of Remembrance, even after directing federal agencies to stop acknowledging the holiday.

In the proclamation, he stated, “My Administration is proudly upholding the basic truth that anti-Semitism has no place in a civilized society. As President, I signed an Executive Order directing the Federal Government to use all available and appropriate legal tools to combat the explosion of anti-Semitic harassment in our schools and on college campuses — including through the removal of resident aliens who violate our laws. We are also steadfastly committed to investigating and swiftly punishing all anti-Semitic discrimination in leftist, anti-American colleges and universities.”

Again, Trump used an official proclamation about a holiday to make a statement about unrelated hot-button issues. Just days later, Trump fired multiple staff members from the board of trustees of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Per ABC News, the move was widely criticized for “politicizing” Holocaust remembrance.

Frequently asked questions:

What are all the holidays that President Trump canceled?

The complete list of holidays in Trump’s memorandum include:

Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday

Black History Month

Women’s History Month

Holocaust Days of Remembrance

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Pride Month

Juneteenth

Women’s Equality Day

National Hispanic Heritage Month

National Disability Employment Awareness Month

National American Indian Heritage Month

Did President Trump create two new national holidays?

At the beginning of May, President Trump announced two new national holidays, according to The Hill. One will be celebrated on November 11, marking the end of World War I, even though November 11 is already Veteran’s Day. The second will be celebrated on May 8, to commemorate the end of World War II.

The name Alcatraz still elicits thoughts about the shady characters kept in isolating (and poor) conditions that made the former federal prison infamous. Alcatraz was nicknamed “The Rock” for its fortified island location in the San Francisco Bay. It was home to some of the most dangerous criminals and became a cultural phenomenon over the years. Since its days as an active penitentiary, the prison has become a relic of some of America’s dark past. Wondering why Alcatraz closed and why it still even exists? Well, you wouldn’t be the first.

Despite the atrocities that occurred there, over the last few decades, Alcatraz Island has offered tours of the grounds to locals and visitors alike year-round. But recently, this prison has (once again) made headlines as the Trump Administration makes another unexpected move. POTUS has proposed that the high-security prison be opened once again. This has sparked widespread controversy, but it has also made people wonder about the history behind the prison.

When did Alcatraz shut down, and why?

(Clement Falize/Unsplash)

According to The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), Alcatraz officially closed as a federal penitentiary on Mar. 21, 1963, after 29 years. This shutdown happened for surprising reasons, as one of the prison’s biggest strengths, as a high-security and hard-to-reach federal prison, became its greatest downfall. The fact that Alcatraz is located on an island contributed to the exorbitant costs of maintaining the facility. As BOP cites, the building needed to be renovated, which would have cost a cool $3-5 million on top of the facility’s daily operational bills. The latter included food and supplies being delivered to Alcatraz by boat.

Basically, the federal government cut its losses and decided to close Alcatraz because it no longer wanted to pay. This decision was made after transforming the former military site into a prison in 1934, as CNN reports, so it had a relatively short run. With the prison closed, the island no longer had a purpose. But in 1972, Alcatraz Island became a part of the National Park Service unit. After a bit less than a year, the island became available to the general public. Since then, it has become one of the most popular sites of its kind. 

Did the Alcatraz escapees survive?

While Alcatraz was known for its high security, there were some hiccups over the years. As the FBI notes, during the prison’s heyday, there were at least 14 escape attempts. With the cold Pacific Ocean surrounding the prison and strict security protocols in place, escaping Alcatraz seemed like an impossible feat. The majority of these attempts ended in prisoners either dying due to the conditions or being recaptured – but there were three inmates whose whereabouts still remain a mystery.  

As inmate Allen West told the FBI after aiding and being abandoned by the escapees, their plan was elaborate. Brothers Clarence and John Anglin and Frank Morris were discovered missing on June 12, 1962. All of them had a history of prison escape attempts, but what brought the trio together was Morris’ intelligence. As fate would have it, the trio already knew each other from other prison sentences and were assigned to connected cells. 

Over time, they plotted to escape Alcatraz and even created a secret workshop to build the supplies they needed. FBI reports show they used stolen materials like rain jackets to create rubber rafts. Then they got to the roof through ventilation pipes. Before escaping, the men placed home-made dummies in their beds to trick night guards on the night of June 11. Once they got to the roof, they snuck to the island’s shore and used their makeshift rafts.

While West informed the FBI about the rest of the plan, this is where the investigation becomes a mystery. They were meant to get across the bay and then to Marin County, but there has been no trace of them since then. With the low likelihood of the trio making it across the over-mile-long swim to shore, there was a search for both bodies or traces of the men. After a 17-year investigation, evidence has been inconclusive. So, whether or not the Alcatraz escapees survived is a big mystery to this day. 

Trump’s reason for reopening the infamous prison

Per Forbes Breaking News, Trump is attempting to restore Alcatraz as a symbol of “law and order” so plans are being made to make his idea come to life. But just like the first time Alcatraz was open, there are likely to be many bumps in the road for his plan. The upfront cost to restore the deteriorating prison has not been fully assessed yet. But as NBC News reveals, “In addition, there are other costs associated with operating a maximum-security facility that requires state-of-the-art technology and infrastructure, particularly for a property that has had a long and colorful history of escape attempts.” But it’s not just the cost that will be considered; the usefulness of such a facility is of particular importance. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How many prisoners died at Alcatraz?

In total, around 30 inmates at Alcatraz died, according to AlcatrazHistory.com. From that total, five men committed suicide, eight people were murdered by inmates and 15 other men died from natural causes like disease.

Who was the most feared man in Alcatraz?

Alcatraz held a high number of dangerous inmates, so it’s hard to name just one as the most feared. But an inmate known as “The Birdman of Alcatraz”, whose real name is Robert Stroud, was considered the scariest because he had a reputation for being a sociopath and killing even behind bars. 

Washington D.C. police arrested renowned faith-based leader Rev. William Barber and fellow Christian leaders for collectively praying.

According to Religious News Service, the civil rights leader entered the government building with Rev. Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove and Steve Swayne, the director of St. Francis Springs Prayer Center, and positioned themselves in the U.S. Capitol’s Rotunda to pray publicly on April 28. The fellowship focused on calling for divine opposition against the budget cuts that would impact those on Medicaid, SNAP, TANF and child welfare programs. 

BREAKING: Police just surrounded Rev. William Barber, prominent activist and pastor, as he and others prayed in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.Police then expelled everyone (including press) to (presumably) arrest them.Covered protests here a lot. Never seen anything like it. pic.twitter.com/kJqNHostNa— Jack Jenkins (@jackmjenkins) April 28, 2025

Rev. William Barber and others were arrested after protesting inside the Capitol Rotunda

Less than 20 minutes after the men began, a large number of police officers approached the trio, some ready to detain them. 

“When we cannot depend on the courts and the legislative power of human beings, we can still depend on … the power of your love and your mercy and your truth,” Barber said when he noticed authorities around them, according to Religious News.

Following the law enforcement advising the church leaders to stop, they completely removed everyone on the same floor before arresting them for “crowding, obstructing and incommoding” because the Rotunda is “not a dedicated press area unless it’s for a pre-approved event,” according to a Capitol police spokesperson. 

There were concerns about how Barber held up while in police custody since he has a sporadic walking disability due to a chronic illness. He confirmed with Religion News that there weren’t any tense encounters with the police. Although the reverend was taken aback by what occurred, he’s glad it attracted attention to help shine a light on the proposed changes to the federal safety net initiative.

“To think that we went in to pray — pray against the budget, but to pray nonetheless — and the order now is that, evidently, if you pray, you are seen as violating the rules of the Rotunda,” he shared. “What we hope is that folks will see this and it will begin to remove some of the fear, and people will understand that this is the time — now — that we must engage in nonviolent direct action to register our discontent.”

Faith leaders rally outside the Supreme Court building

In his defense, Barber and his supporters chose to protest at the U.S. Supreme Court building. Other religious leaders like Rev. Teresa Hord (Owens of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)), Sheila Katz (CEO of the National Council of Jewish Women), Imam Talib M. Shareef (the historic Masjid Muhammad), Marc H. Morial (National Urban League), and Sarah Anderson (Institute for Policy Studies) were in attendance.

“Forty-three percent of women and almost half of all children are poor and low income,” Barber told the crowd, citing an assessment of Economic Policy Institute data. “Somebody ought to say something … Somebody gotta challenge this budget.”