Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Comment
Editorial

The Guardian view on Trump and children: protect the innocent from this dark vision of the US soul

A mother and daughter in Miami, Florida, listen to Nora Sandigo, an immigration advocate, speak about options for US-born children if their parents are deported.
A mother and daughter in Miami, Florida, listen to Nora Sandigo, an immigration advocate, speak about options for US-born children if their parents are deported. Photograph: Marta Lavandier/AP

“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children,” Nelson Mandela observed 30 years ago. Though the ugly heart of the Trump administration has hardly been hidden, there is an especially grotesque contrast between its vaunted family values and its treatment of the young.

On the campaign trail, Donald Trump declared: “I want a baby boom.” JD Vance, his vice-president, says he wants “more happy children in our country”. Maga pro-natalists are pushing incentives for families to have more children.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.