In his inaugural address, President Donald Trump evoked the late 19th century, an era, in his estimation, seemingly of American greatness. It was an era when strong nations subjugated weaker ones, political corruption was widespread, slavery took new forms in Jim Crow laws, income inequality reached extremes comparable to today, and, perhaps most importantly, girls were girls and men were men. Historians call it the Gilded Age.

Now, Mr. Trump promises a new golden age of American greatness. Based on his latest actions, we suspect future historians will likely refer to this period as the Dumb Age or the Age of Dumb.

“Dumb” may not be the first word most of us would use to describe Trump 2.0. Others have used the words terrifying, horrific, tragic, cruel, silly, savage, reckless, malicious, and vindictive. Of those, terrifying may seem the most apt. But “terrifying” evokes panic. “Dumb” brings down the temperature in the room. And that’s what is needed now – cool, calm minds working efficiently to counter the threat to our democracy, human rights, and climate. And while all those words may accurately describe what’s happening, it may be the dumbness of it all that will be the undoing of it all.

Consider tariffs.  Mr. Trump believes tariffs will right the wrong of other nations “treating us badly.” He thinks tariffs will fill the Treasury’s coffers so that he can extend his tax breaks for the rich, and usher in a new era of American manufacturing. But none other than the Wall Street Journal dubbed his first tariff gambit as the Dumbest Trade War in History. And most historians and economists who have actually studied tariffs think differently. Tariffs, especially universal tariffs of the kind advocated by Mr. Trump, are more likely to increase the cost of living, reduce employment, and hurt manufacturing.

Consider also Mr. Trump’s war on immigration. Given the chaos in Washington, we would not be surprised if many of the foreign entrepreneurs, engineers, and scientists who might have otherwise emigrated to the United States, to our immense benefit, are having second thoughts. And if Mr. Trump is successful in deporting all those who are here illegally now, he will drive up the cost of many services and products.

Finally, there’s the matter of Mr. Trump’s support for fossil fuels. Consider the EV tax credits. As we have written elsewhere, ending the credits will undermine U.S. automobile manufacturers’ efforts to catch up with the Chinese. As Kia executive Steve Center said, “It would just be dumb.” If Mr. Trump wants to lower Americans’ cost of living, he should be all in on EVs. After all, EVs are the only kind of car whose prices are dropping. Chinese consumers can now get a very capable EV for less than $10,000. Extending the era of the internal combustion engine only prolongs consumers’ dependence on expensive gas and servicing, reduces air and water quality, and subjects all of us to premature death from air pollution.

And then there is his hostility to solar and wind. While some of the technologies he seems to support —carbon sequestration, advanced geothermal, and nuclear—can have benefits for the climate, they are also the most expensive sources of low-carbon energy. Meanwhile, he wants to curtail the cheapest forms of clean energy: solar and onshore wind.

If we are right, Mr. Trump will prove to be his own worst enemy. Reality will kick in, the cost of living will go up, many other really bad things will happen, and the consequences will be a rout of Republicans in the 2026 elections. But the physics of climate change requires that we do everything we can now to keep moving forward on climate wherever possible.

To that end, here is our prescription for CANdoers in the coming two years, in order of importance:

1. Get involved in Democratic politics. We are not partisan by choice, but the Democratic Party is the only national party taking climate change seriously. Swing Left, Indivisible, and Sister District are just a few examples of organizations that can help you start laying the foundation for Democratic victories in the next election. If Democrats take the House and Senate in 2026, President Trump will likely be impeached in the House and, quite possibly, convicted in the Senate, perhaps with the help of a few Republican Senators who will be happy to see the back of him.
   
2. Advocate for more climate action in blue states and cities. To do this, make sure your phone’s settings allow us to send you the Action of the Day notification. Our team is queuing up hundreds of well-researched, well-written messages you can send to leaders at the state and local levels to advance climate priorities.
   
3. Walk the talk. As our readers know, CAN emphasizes systemic change over lifestyle change. However, when the options for systemic change are limited, lifestyle changes like reducing beef consumption, electrifying your home, and using electric vehicles for transportation (EV tax credits are still in effect!) have a role to play. They are a form of systemic action, sending signals to producers telling them where to invest. Perhaps more importantly, they are something else you can do and set an example for others. At a time when many of us feel powerless, taking any action affirms your power.

Action is the antidote to despair.Don’t lose faith. Keep on carrying on!