WASHINGTON - Marylandian -- The first 100 days of President Donald Trump's second term have unleashed a wave of actions that public health leaders, healthcare advocates, and civil rights experts warn are endangering healthcare access, public safety, and fundamental freedoms across the United States.

Kavelle Christie, a leading voice in health policy and global health systems, said the administration's actions reflect a deliberate unraveling of protections millions across the country rely on.

"What we are seeing is not just poor governance — it is a systematic breakdown of healthcare access, public health infrastructure, and basic rights," Christie said. "When hospitals close, when Medicaid is cut, when reproductive health is pushed further out of reach, it is working families and vulnerable communities who pay the highest price."

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Hospitals, especially in rural and underserved areas, are closing at an alarming pace. Proposed Medicaid cuts and mounting restrictions on reproductive healthcare are pushing essential care even further out of reach for low-income families, Black and Indigenous communities, and rural populations already facing systemic barriers.

"We are not talking about theoretical risks. We are seeing it play out in real time," Christie added. "Maternal deaths are rising. Public health programs are being hollowed out. And at every turn, communities that were already vulnerable are being asked to survive even more neglect."

The appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, alongside deep cuts to infectious disease preparedness and public health surveillance, has raised additional alarms about the nation's ability to respond to emerging health threats at home and abroad.

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"Public health is not just another line item in a budget. It is the foundation that keeps communities safe," said Christie. "When you dismantle that foundation, you do not just put the country at risk — you put the world at risk."

Civil liberties have also been challenged. From restrictions on protest rights to new efforts targeting academic and press freedoms, advocates warn that the administration's attacks on fundamental rights are intertwined with efforts to dismantle health and social protections.

President Trump's approval rating after his first 100 days stands at the lowest point of any modern U.S. president over the past 70 years, a reflection of growing public alarm over the administration's priorities.

"Declining trust is not a coincidence. It is the direct result of choices that put ideology ahead of people's lives," Christie said. "We need leadership that strengthens communities, not leadership that leaves them to fend for themselves."