Oregonians Express Concern Over Trump’s Executive Overreach at Packed Hillsboro Public Meeting
Hundreds of Oregonians expressed fear and concern when they turned out in record numbers to Senator Ron Wyden’s annual report-back in the Hillsboro J.W. Poynter Middle School on Saturday.
They discussed several of President Donald Trump’s latest executive orders that lay waste to long-held beliefs and traditions.
Senator Ron Wyden Addressed a Record-Breaking Crowd
Despite cold and snowy conditions, the numbers of concerned citizens were so great that many had to be turned away as the hall has a 1,200 capacity – a stark contrast to Wyden’s previous report-back when less than 200 people turned up.
Oregonians are fearful of the Trump Administration’s decisions that are invasive to the privacy of all Americans by accessing Social Security and tax information, freezing federal employment, and privatizing Medicare.
They are concerned about other executive decisions like barring transgender people from serving in the military.
Traditional Government Processes are Now Being Trampled
After the one-and-a-half-hour town hall meeting, Wyden stopped and chatted with groups who had gathered outside in the cold to discuss and share their concerns. Acknowledging their fears and concerns, Wyden commented that Americans were worried about traditional government processes that were now being trampled.
Wyden said the atmosphere at the meeting was a ‘very different kind’ to his previous visit, adding that ‘people are frustrated and scared.’
Unlike other years when Wyden answered questions on a range of issues, Saturday’s meeting focused on a single topic – the Trump administration.
Elon Musk and his new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) took center-stage with its executive powers to access individual Social Security numbers and personal taxation history.
Amid thunderous applause, the Oregon senator pulled no punches when he told the audience that the new federal government was creating chaos and confusion and acting lawlessly.
Wyden said while he did not oppose measures to curb wasteful spending by Congress, he believed that federal budgeting was the job of Congress and not political appointees.
Another sensitive issue raised at the meeting was Trump’s anti-abortion stance and some Oregonians wanted clarity of what protection was in place for accessing reproductive healthcare facilities. Wyden conceded that reproductive healthcare is under siege and that grassroots support would have to try to restore these rights.
On a fearful note, senior citizen Jeremy Rauschert (73) said Trump was ‘going after our Medicare.’ Wyden assured that he was going to do everything he could to put a stop to the administration’s wishes to privatize Medicare.