After watching NBC News’ Kristen Welker interview President Donald Trump earlier this month, I’m more convinced than ever that Trump has no business being in the White House.

No, Trump did not have a landslide victory in November! He said he would end the war in Ukraine and lower prices on his first day in office. Well, we all know how that worked out!

Trump made a stupid comment about higher prices and said, “I don’t think a beautiful baby girl that’s 11 years old needs to have 30 dolls. They can have three dolls or four dolls.”

I raised two girls and I’m quite sure neither of them ever had 30 dolls.

Then Trump said we’re all going to have to suffer for a little while. Of course, his billionaire friends won’t be suffering and their little girls will probably get 30 dolls. And the billionaires will be making more money off of our suffering.

Yes, we do want more things made in America. But even though we’re working hard to make more things here, it will take years to accomplish most of that. I remember when there were four shoe factories and a couple of garment factories in Elizabethtown and a shoe factory in Mount Joy. Who do you think would be working in those now? And how many years do you think it would take to start them up again?

When Welker questioned Trump about the deportation of the immigrants who are here illegally and noted that, according to the Constitution, everyone is entitled to due process, Trump stammered through his answer and essentially said giving everyone due process would take too long. So, instead of doing what’s right, he wants to do what’s fast.

Trump seems to think that anyone who doesn’t agree with him or says anything bad about him is automatically an enemy, and possibly a criminal. I’m thinking that because I’m so outspoken about him, maybe I should start worrying about my own safety. Perhaps one day I will open the door to a law enforcement officer standing there because I’ve disagreed with Trump.

We’re living in a very scary time and it doesn’t look like it’s going to get better anytime soon.

Jackie Arndt

Rapho Township

While I don’t agree with the way the Department of Government Efficiency is attempting to cut the cost of government with its slash-and-burn approach, I do agree that there are opportunities to reduce the size and cost of government.

Therefore, I want to support the effort by pointing out an obvious saving opportunity that DOGE should immediately look into.

During Donald Trump’s first presidency, it cost taxpayers more than $150 million to fund Trump’s golf outings.

This year, Trump has already played golf at least 13 times and is on pace to cost taxpayers between $200 million and $250 million for those golf outings during his time in office.

I always knew that golf could be an expensive sport, but a quarter of a billion dollars seems a bit over the top.

While Trump has pledged to donate his $400,000 salary to various federal agencies and initiatives, he will essentially make much, much more by playing golf at the resorts and golf courses he owns. He only plays at his locations and, whenever possible, everyone in his considerable entourage stays, eats and drinks at these locations, all at full price.

During his four-year term, Trump’s businesses should clear a nice multimillion-dollar profit because of his golf outings.

The message to DOGE should be: There is plenty of opportunity to cut waste, fraud and abuse in our government, but you have to look in the right places, starting at the top. I would pay to be in the room if Elon Musk asked Trump to play less golf or cut the associated costs somehow. It will never happen, but one can always dream.

Charles Painter

West Lampeter Township