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Kentucky Democratic leaders ramping up responses as Trump administration moves at full tilt

Morgan McGarvey, X
Morgan McGarvey, X

With the second Trump administration taking swift action on immigration, federal spending, US aid, and a host of other issues, it's setting off alarm bells for Kentucky Democrats — some of whom are taking to social media more frequently and with increasingly urgent messages.

Amid criticism from some Trump opponents that the Democrats are not acting quickly enough to counter his chaotic moves., some Kentucky leaders appear to be putting their foot on the gas, at least online.

Among them is Congressman Morgan McGarvey, Kentucky's lone Democrat on Capitol Hill.

Take this video from McGarvey in which he says media commentators who say Trump is, "pushing the limits of presidential power" are being far too timid in their assessment.

"Donald Trump is ripping up the Constitution in front of our very eyes, doing exactly what our Founding Fathers tried to prevent, the creation of a monarchy, a dictatorship where all the power is with one person," he said in one video post on X.

Or take governor Andy Beshear, who isn't waiting until his typical Thursday press briefings these days to weigh in.

"Hey, everybody. It's Andy. It is Sunday morning. Today, I'm thinking about tariffs. Listen. The president's tariffs are going to hurt our working families," he began a recent post.

Whether attempts to match the breakneck pace of the president's early actions ramps up resistance on the left remains to be seen.

Kentucky Republicans — such as Congressman Andy Barr and Sen. Rand Paul — are cheering actions that align with their top concerns, whether it's an aggressive economic stance or cuts in US aid.

"What President Trump brings to this country is a new sense of hope, a new sense of optimism, a confidence. And we see that in our constituents," Barr recently told Fox Business.

Democrats in the Kentucky General Assembly, meanwhile, are set to lay out their agenda in a Tuesday morning press conference. With little chance of scoring many wins on their top priorities in the GOP-led legislature, the more telling variable might be what tone they choose to take in addressing the GOP supermajorities and their standard bearer.

Josh James fell in love with college radio at Western Kentucky University's student station, New Rock 92 (now Revolution 91.7). After working as a DJ and program director, he knew he wanted to come home to Lexington and try his hand in public radio.