Executive Order Survey
In January, CACE sent a survey to the Wheaton College student body to gauge the campus’s interest and reception of the Executive Orders signed at the beginning of the Trump Administration. Among 119 students surveyed, 24% said they were “very familiar” with the content of the Executive Orders, 50% said they were “somewhat familiar,” 22% replied that they were aware of the new Executive Orders, but knew none of the content thereof. Four percent of students surveyed said they knew nothing about the new Orders. When asked to name specific orders they had heard of, respondents most commonly mentioned:
- The renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America
- The cutbacks on DEI measures in the government and corporate worlds, including the federal recognition of only two genders.
- The pardoning of those imprisoned for their involvement in the January 6 Capital riots.
- Issues relating to the Southern border, including more expansive deportations, the termination of birthright citizenship, and the increased ability of ICE to enter spaces previously designated as “safe,” such as churches and schools
- Freezing federal funding towards grants and loans.
- Pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Health Organization.
- Ending restrictions on the utilization of Alaska’s natural resources.
When asked about the sources of information from which they drew their knowledge about the current administration’s activities, the highest proportion of those surveyed said they relied mainly on traditional news outlets, such as the New York Times, CNN, or FOX (38%). Other participants indicated that they relied on social media and/or podcasts for this information (28% and 11%, respectively. A small minority of students listed friends, family, or professors as sources for information on the Executive Orders. Seven out of 119 respondents answered that they had read the Executive Orders directly off the White House website or other government media.
To the question, “What has been most to your liking [about these actions]?,” a large proportion of respondents answered “Nothing.” Those who did view at least some actions favorably mainly mentioned President Trump’s conservative approach to DEI and transgenderism, as well as the comparatively pro-life inclination of his administration, including pardoning pro-life prisoners and a renewed commitment to enforcing the Hyde Amendment. Others also referred favorably to the administration’s tightening of border security. When asked about the actions that most concerned them, respondents most often expressed fear over the welfare of America’s immigrant population, the appeal of international aid programs such as PEPFAR, and the effects of increasingly severe tariffs on the US economy and relationships with other countries.
In an effort to see the “on the ground” effects that the new administration was having on Americans’ lives, the survey also asked, “How does what you know [about the Executive Orders] affect you?” The responses reveal that the actions of the federal government are, for many Wheaton students, anything but theoretical. Many indicated that, due to decreased federal support, they were having to reconsider career choices or reevaluate financial situations that previously were more stable than they are now. One respondent, who plans to become a teacher after graduation, said that the prospect of ICE being able to enter school “horrifies” her. Others cited more large-scale concerns such as the ramifications of President Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement.
On the subject of engaging those with whom one disagrees, responses ranged from charitable (“The majority of them are nice, fairly normal people”; “I see those I disagree with as having different experiences, understandings, and priorities”; “Their opinions matter and open conversation is crucial”; “They are my brothers/sisters in Christ”) to befuddled (“I don't understand how Christians can be in support of these policies.”) to disgusted (“I think that someone who does not believe we have a mandate to care most of all for the poor and the oppressed is selfish, cruel, and cowardly. Or at the very least, incredibly ignorant.”).
Respondents closed the survey by unanimously affirming that their Christian faith strongly influences their political engagement, though in the details, they disagreed as to whether their faith leads them to a positive or critical evaluation of the Trump administration's actions to date.
Steven Preston, CACE Student Fellow