Why the government built only 58 EV charging stations in three years
Marc J. Dunkelman is a fellow at Brown University's Watson Institute. His book 'Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress — and How to Bring It Back' will be published Feb. 18.
It was one of the proudest moments of the Biden administration: Charging stations for electric vehicles 'will be up and as easy to find as gas stations are now,' the president told cheering autoworkers at the Detroit Auto Show in 2022. The bipartisan infrastructure law he signed earlier in his term set aside $5 billion to fill in the gaps of a network of 500,000 charging stations that would stretch seamlessly across the nation by 2030.
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The Hill
2 hours ago
- The Hill
US citizens urged to ‘exercise increased caution' worldwide
The State Department issued a worldwide security alert Sunday advising U.S. citizens overseas to 'exercise increased caution' amid the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel. The alert came a day after the U.S. announced it bombed multiple nuclear sites in Iran, with President Trump warning of further strikes if Iran retaliates. The U.S. carried out the strikes a little over a week after Israel launched a broad attack on Iran, its top regional rival. The State Department alert noted that the Middle East conflict has caused travel disruptions and 'periodic' airspace closures across the region and also warned of 'the potential for demonstrations against U.S. citizens and interests abroad.' The State Department is urging citizens to check travel advisories and security alerts before traveling abroad. Similar security alerts have been issued over the years amid major conflicts. For example, an alert was issued in October 2023 advising caution after the Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel. More recently, but also under the Biden administration, the State Department last year issued an alert advising the LGBTQ community that they could be at increased risk of threat traveling abroad through June, which is celebrated as Pride month. The latest security alert comes as U.S. officials brace for possible Iranian retaliation after striking three Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. White House officials have urged Iran not to take actions against U.S. citizens or American interests and to come to the negotiating table to make peace, warning retaliation would bring more U.S. strikes. The Department of Homeland Security issued a federal bulletin on Sunday warning of a 'heightened threat environment' following the U.S. strikes. The bulletin warned of potential cyberattacks carried out by Iran or its proxies.
The Hill
2 hours ago
- The Hill
Trump's immigration policy is a resounding success
The Democrats' decisive defeat in 2024 exposed their catastrophic failures on immigration, yet they are doubling down on the chaos with calculated recklessness. By fueling anti-ICE riots and pushing lawless policies, they have declared war on America's safety and its citizens. Meanwhile, President Trump is demolishing them on this issue, as Americans rise up against the Democrats' dangerous, self-destructive illegal immigration agenda. Trump's 'Worst Goes First' policy is doing precisely what Democrats wouldn't — putting Americans first. In Trump's first 100 days, 75 percent of ICE arrests targeted criminals with convictions or pending charges, according to data from the Department of Homeland Security. This relentless crackdown is making communities safer, despite Democrats' cries of 'fascism.' The border numbers don't lie. In May 2025, border encounters crashed to 8,725 — a staggering 93 percent drop from May 2024, when 117,905 crossed under Biden. The real shocker? Not a single illegal border-crosser was released into the U.S. in May 2025, compared to more than 62,000 dumped into the country in May 2024 under Biden. Americans are fed up. A New York Times poll shows 87 percent support deporting illegal immigrants with criminal records. Even 63 percent back deporting those who entered illegally under Biden, and 55 percent want all illegal immigrants removed. These numbers obliterate Democrats' delusions. Legal immigrant voters may be turning on Democrats harder than anyone else. In 2020, they favored Democrats by 32 points on the immigration issue. Now they trust Trump and Republicans more by a net 8 points — an astonishing 40-point swing, per CNN's Harry Enten. The verdict is clear: Americans—and immigrants—are done with Democrats' lawless and calculated sabotage of border enforcement under Biden. They are rallying behind Trump's bold, results-driven vision of law and order. While Trump's immigration policies deliver results, Democrats are consumed by petty theatrics. Their obsession with stunts is endangering Americans. Rep. Lamonica McIver (D-N.J.) has been indicted for obstructing law enforcement during a DHS operation. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) turned a Homeland Security press event into a circus, only to be detained for his antics. These aren't isolated incidents — they comprise a pattern of Democrats prioritizing showmanship over safety. In Wisconsin, Judge Hannah Dugan was indicted for allegedly helping an illegal alien evade Immigration and Customs Enforcement. A judge betraying the very laws she's sworn to uphold? It is a disgrace that undermines trust in the justice system and cripples law enforcement. The contrast is stark: Trump delivers results, while Democrats play games with American cities fuel chaos, shielding dangerous criminal illegal aliens and crippling law enforcement. By refusing to work with immigration agents to hand over immigrants who have been arrested, these jurisdictions simply force them to go looking for them in neighborhoods — endangering both citizens and non-criminal illegal migrants, as well as wasting resources. Meanwhile, violent illegal alien offenders exploit these policies to escape justice. Worse, sanctuary policies push the lie that illegal entry is harmless. It isn't. Under Title 8 of the U.S. Code, illegal entry is a crime, and re-entry after deportation carries even more severe penalties. Ignoring these laws doesn't just erode the rule of law — it sends a reckless message: Break the law, face no consequences. Sanctuary cities don't protect — they endanger. Americans deserve better. Illegal immigration isn't just a border crisis. It is an all-out assault on America's sovereignty and safety. Under Biden, individuals from over 160 countries, including terror-sponsoring nations, stormed the border. Many destroyed their identification papers in order to avoid being vetted. Hostile regimes such as Venezuela and Cuba refuse to share intelligence, leaving America vulnerable. The result? Criminals and potential terrorists have been slipping through, endangering American lives. And to call them 'undocumented' instead of 'illegal' isn't compassion — it's a blatant lie. Democrats are intentionally whitewashing lawbreaking to push mass amnesty, all to secure a permanent voter base. This isn't policy — it's a reckless power grab that jeopardizes national security for the sake of political control. The price? Potentially catastrophic. Democrats' relentless obstruction of Trump's immigration policies is nothing short of a betrayal of America. By championing open borders and sanctuary cities, they have turned their backs on safety, security, and the rule of law. While Americans overwhelmingly demand stronger enforcement, Democrats bow to radical ideologies, leaving our nation exposed and vulnerable. Their reckless, self-serving agenda is an insult to every American. But in 2026, voters will again deliver a clear verdict: no more lies, no more chaos, no more betrayal. Ford O'Connell is an attorney, a veteran Republican operative and political analyst, and adjunct professor at George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management.
The Hill
2 hours ago
- The Hill
Midway through year one, America is souring on Trump's agenda
Last week, President Trump signaled that he would soon make the most consequential foreign policy decision of his presidency, whether or not to order the U.S. military to strike Iran. In no uncertain terms, this decision may ultimately have greater impact than former President Biden's unilateral withdrawal from Afghanistan in summer 2021. Biden's polling numbers never recovered from the chaos that unfolded at that time. Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here With that in mind, it is important and instructive to look at what the polls say about how Americans feel about Trump's presidency thus far, both generally and on key issues such as foreign policy. Roughly six months into his second term, new polling shows that support for Trump has declined across the board and on key issues. Indeed, despite Trump's assertions that his approval ratings hit 'all-time highs,' the numbers tell a different story. Trump began his second term with 51 percent approval versus 44 percent disapproval, but now, those numbers have reversed. Just over half (52 percent) of Americans now disapprove of his job performance, compared to only 40 percent who approve — a net 19-point drop-off, according to the RealClearPolitics polling aggregator. To be sure, as chaos spreads in the Middle East and the question of American involvement hangs in the air, Trump's support on foreign policy is also critical. At the start of Trump's term, Ipsos polling showed Trump with a net plus-2 rating (39 percent to 37 percent), likely due to his promises to end wars and deliver peace through strength. Early on, he seemed to be delivering. He was instrumental in securing a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and oversaw the return of multiple Israeli hostages. According to polling from Data for Progress (Jan. 17-18), a plurality of Americans — 49 percent — credited Trump rather than Biden with the Israel-Hamas cease-fire. For context, Biden ended his presidency with a minus-18 point approval rating for his handling of the Israel-Palestine conflict, and Trump started his with a plus 12 percent approval rating on the same issue. Half a year later, Trump is practically on par with Biden on the conflict, at minus-17 — a 29-point net swing against him, according to Quinnipiac. Looking specifically at Trump's handling of Iran, 41 percent disapprove, versus 37 percent who approve, according to polling from YouGov. It is not that Americans disagree with Trump's perception of Iran as a threat. In fact, nearly three-quarters (73 percent) say they are worried about the threat Iran poses to U.S. national security, up 13 points from last year, according to polling from Fox News. But Americans' fear of the prospect of another forever war in the Middle East seems to be weighing on the mood. That same Fox poll, conducted last weekend, shows that Trump has lost the public's trust in another key issue area: the economy. Likely due to the chaos and uncertainty unleashed by Trump's tariff policy, a majority (58 percent) of voters disapprove of Trump's handling of the economy, while just 40 percent approve, a significant decline for one of Trump's former strengths. In fact, the 18-point margin of discontent is the worst spread Trump has seen in either of his terms. And it does not appear that Trump's cornerstone legislation, the 'big, beautiful bill,' will help. Six in 10 Americans (59 percent) oppose it, and 49 percent think that the bill will 'hurt' their families economically. Just as the economy went from a strength to a vulnerability, Trump's polling has also seen a reversal on immigration, a crucial issue that largely propelled Trump to victory last November. Americans are increasingly concerned about the administration's heavy-handed approach to immigration. This is not to say that Americans dislike Trump's policies generally; a majority (51 percent) approve of Trump's handling of the border, per NBC polling. And exceptionally strong support (87 percent) remains for deporting migrants who commit crimes, according to Economist-YouGov polling. Yet Americans are turned off by the administration's response to protests in Los Angeles specifically, and the belief that the administration is being too cavalier about whom it is deporting. The same poll shows that 57 percent believe the administration is making mistakes in whom it is deporting, and 74 percent say the government needs to make sure there are no mistakes in deportations. Taken together, polling six months into Trump 2.0 shows that many of his former points of pride and political strengths have lost considerable support among all but his most ardent supporters. But it would be a mistake to say the rest of Trump's presidency is doomed. Tariff uncertainty is likely to fade, either because people stop paying attention or due to signed trade deals. In that same vein, it's entirely possible that views on the economy rebound if the 'big, beautiful bill' delivers on Trump's pro-growth agenda. Moreover, tensions in the Middle East will eventually come to a head, with or without American involvement. Fears of a forever war in Iran are misguided, and it's still not at all certain that Trump will commit American forces. Finally, Trump is greatly assisted by the fact that Democrats are still unable to develop a compelling and politically viable alternative. Still reeling from their loss in November, the party continues to struggle to find its way and challenge Trump's excesses. Six months may just be too short a time period to predict the course of the next three and a half years. But it remains useful and informative to gauge the mood of the electorate at this delicate time. Whether or not Trump can reverse this downward trend remains to be seen. It will be extremely compelling to watch. Douglas E. Schoen and Carly Cooperman are pollsters and partners with the public opinion company Schoen Cooperman Research based in New York. They are co-authors of the book, 'America: Unite or Die.'
