Summarizing the scandals of the Trump presidency

   Donald Trump has experienced and overcome controversy many times since he entered the political spotlight in June 2015 when he announced his candidacy for the 2016 election. Beginning on the first day of his campaign, he called Mexicans “killers and rapists” and weeks later declared that John McCain, an established Republican Senator and Vietnam War veteran, was not a war hero.

    Different scandals continued to plague Trump throughout his campaign, many pertaining to things he said earlier in his life, as well during the election cycle.

    But the scandals have become increasingly more damaging since Trump has entered the White House.

    Just after his inauguration, Trump and his Press Secretary Sean Spicer claimed that Trump’s inauguration crowd size was the largest in history. When the facts showed this to be false, Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway said Spicer was citing “alternative facts” in his argument.

    The scandal that seems to have the greatest potential implications for the United States is the controversy surrounding Trump’s connections to Russia.

    Before the election occurred, as well as in the interim between Trump’s election and inauguration, there was public outcry over Russia’s possible meddling in the 2016 election.

    When an intelligence dossier alleging ties between Russia and Trump was reported on January 10, many declared it illegitimate and false.

   However, the scandal has gained legitimacy since Trump was inaugurated. On March 20, James Comey testified before the House Intelligence Committee that the FBI was investigating whether collusion occurred between the Trump administration and Russia.

    Many of Trump’s top advisors have been connected with the scandal. This includes former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn (who resigned from his position days into the presidency), Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Senior Advisor to the President Jared Kushner, former Campaign Manager Paul Manafort and former Trump foreign policy advisor Carter Page. They have all been connected to Russia in different ways, many of them having met with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak without reporting it.

   In the long-term, it is possible that Trump is able to shake off the scandal with Russia like he has with many of the others in recent years. However, only time will tell if the truth will show that there was significant collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian government or not.

    Either way, Trump has already been a president marred by more controversy than most, which could have serious implications for his effectiveness as president and in future elections.