President Trump Takes Office
by Noah Jacobs ’25
Donald J. Trump’s inauguration on Monday, January 20, 2025, was a significant political event, marking his return to the White House for a second term after his defeat in 2020. He is the second president in all of United States history to be elected for a nonconsecutive second term to the first, the other one being Grover Cleveland.
The inauguration was held indoors, which is only the fourth indoor inauguration since they started to be held outside in 1817. Trump’s reason for holding it inside was the freezing temperature and wind chill. The last inauguration to be held indoors was in 1985 when Ronald Reagan was sworn into his second term, also due to freezing temperatures.
“As a supporter of the president, I was disappointed that the inauguration was held indoors and so scaled back,” said Will Brochu ‘26
The guest list of the inauguration included many influential people such as Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook, Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai, Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos, and Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk. These tech billionaires took the front
row above Trump’s cabinet picks.
“I understand the concerns about the tech billionaires being at the inauguration but Trump won’t be returning for re-election so he won’t be reliant on their money for a second campaign,” said Brochu ‘26
Some other notable politicians in attendance were former presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden. Vice President Kamala Harris, former Vice President Mike Pence, and former Vice President Dan Quayle also attended, as well as, former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, all nine Supreme Court justices, and former Justice Stephen Breyer.
There were also several prominent people who refused to attend, such as former First Lady Michelle Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who did not provide a reason for their absence.
In 2021, when President Biden was sworn in, Trump did not attend the ceremony, making him the first president in more than 150 years to skip his successor being sworn in, and only the fifth in U.S. history to do so.
For Trump’s inauguration on January 20, President Biden and First Lady Jill
The Life of Jimmy Carter
by
James Earl (Jimmy) Carter, the 39th president of the United States, died on December 29, 2024 at 100 years old. He had been in hospice care for 19 months before he passed away. His death came just over a year after the death of his wife of 77 years, former First Lady Rosalynn Carter. His funeral was held on January 9, and the flags will be at half mast in his honor through January, excepting Donald Trump’s inauguration on the 20th. However, many feel this is disrespectful as flags have always stayed at half mast for recently deceased presidents even during inaugurations.
Born on October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia, Carter came from a family of peanut farmers and was a very dedicated member of the Baptist Church. He first met his wife when he was three and she was just one day old as his mother Lillian was one of the nurses who helped deliver her. Growing up Rosalynn was friends with
Biden were in attendance.
Many impactful things happened during his first days in office, including his announcement of the departure of the United States from both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Paris Climate Agreement. Leaving the WHO means the United States will lose access to its global public health data, which could leave agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention without vital data.
Trump also renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and changed the name of Mt. Denali in Alaska back to its former name of Mt. McKinley. The mountain had been unofficially named Mount McKinley in 1896 and officially by the federal government in 1917 to honor the 25th president William McKinley, who was assassinated in 1901. In 2015, President Barack Obama renamed the mountain cont. on pg. 2
his younger sister Ruth, and they ended up getting married when he was 21 and she was 18. They had four children. He graduated from the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland in 1946 and served as a naval officer for seven years. Upon returning to Georgia he became more involved in state politics and was elected Governor of Georgia in 1970. He was a Democrat who advocated for greater emphasis on racial equality and public service as well as environmental reformation.
Carter was elected President in 1976, beating out Republican Gerald Ford who would have been serving his second term. He attempted to strengthen the economy, and while adding millions of jobs, inflation at the end of his presidency was still extremely high.
Continuing to pursue environmental sustainability, he created a new energy policy. However, even at the start of his presidency, he did a number of things to earn disapproval from both the public
and the government.
“The first thing he did, pretty much right off the bat: he pardoned all the draft dodgers from Vietnam. During the campaign, about 55% percent of Americans were in favor of the pardons. He did it right off the bat and people
got really upset with him,” said Mr. TJ Palmer, a history teacher at Brewster Academy. “He re-polled and it was only 20% approval. This hurt him with the public and with Congress.”
Additionally, a significant event
Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter working at Habitat for Humanity. Photo taken from USA Today.
Donald J. Trump sworn in to office as the 47th president, after serving as the 45th president as well.
Katherine Twombly ’26
Editorial/Opinion
The Life of Jimmy Carter
towards the end of Carter’s term was the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan. Instead of choosing to merely condemn this violence, as was the most popular opinion at the time, he chose to boycott the 1980 Olympics being held in Moscow. This decision further brought down his already diminishing public opinion.
Unfortunately, his strong commitment to human rights appeared to be ahead of its time for much of the world. He was particularly disliked in Iran after the Iranian Revolution in 1979 which overthrew the Shah, who had been a United States ally, and replaced him with Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Even though the Shah detested the United States government, President Carter granted him a visa to the United States in order to receive cancer treatment. Taking advantage of their opportunity with the Shah being away, his supporters stormed the U.S. embassy, taking 52 Americans hostage. Many living at the embassy had warned President Carter not to permit the Shah entry for fear of their own safety. As this incident took place towards the end of Carter’s term this became a major issue to voters, especially considering that his attempts at freeing the hostages were unsuccessful and led to the deaths of multiple military personnel.
“It wasn’t his fault but it made us
and him look weak,” said Mr. Palmer.
While it could be argued that none of these events had anything to do with his presidency and were simply untimely obstacles that anyone would have had trouble coming back from, they ultimately impacted his campaign for reelection. Carter ended up becoming only a one-term president and lost to Ronald Reagan in 1980.
Minutes after Reagan was inaugurated, Iran agreed to release the American hostages, intentionally keeping them through Carter’s term in order to damage his reputation. Additionally, evidence was released in 2023 that supported the long-held suspicion that Reagan asked for Iran to hold the hostages until he was president. However, Carter was invited to meet the hostages in Germany after they were released. Walter Mondale served as Carter’s vice president and was the Democratic presidential candidate in 1984 also losing to, then-incumbent, President Reagan.
Losing the presidency didn’t stop Carter from reinvesting his time into humanitarian work and it gave him more access to direct influence. He wanted to create more positive change in the world and knew that there was a way to do it outside his past official role. Continuing to work, he traveled around the world advocating for human rights and the necessity of peaceful negotiation
President Trump Takes Office
cont. from pg. 1
to Mt. Denali as part of an effort to honor the long-standing tradition of the native Alaskan Koyukon people
Trump also declared a national emergency at the southern border. This proclamation paves the way for him to send military troops to secure the border. He also got rid of the places ICE was not allowed to raid, which included schools, hospitals, and churches.
Another impactful thing Trump did was cut all government diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. All government DEI employees were fired and their departments dissolved. Though Trump can not control the DEI
departments of private companies, his decision will most likely have impacts on them as well. Many companies have already gotten rid of their DEI programs, including Amazon, Meta, Walmart, and McDonald’s. In addition, Trump announced that the United States would only recognize two biological genders, male and female.
“Donald Trump’s executive orders that target Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives undermine the principles of equal opportunity and social progress by restricting necessary workplace diversity training, discouraging efforts to address systemic inequalities, and perpetuating
Tensions Increase in Hollywood Scandal
cont. from pg. 3
Reynolds had his own spot in Baldoni’s lawsuit. Baldoni claimed that Reynolds supported taking over the film and the efforts to ruin Baldoni’s career. Reynolds also accused Baldoni of ‘fat shaming’ Lively. Baldoni states that he did not do this, attacking Reynolds. Baldoni is suing the New York Times for $250 million. He is suing them for supporting Lively and what she has been spreading, as they published an
in addition to working for Habitat for Humanity. These distinguished him as a humanitarian and solidified his legacy well beyond his controversial time in the White House. His work also earned him the United Nations Human Rights Prize in 1998 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.
“He was a really good human being. Strong character, strong faith, a really good person. He thought what was right would happen, but that’s not how Washington works,” said Mr. Palmer.
Even throughout his declining
discrimination under the disguise of combating ‘divisive concepts’” said Charrise Darsaw ‘25. “These policies not only threaten the advancement of marginalized communities but also hinder our nation’s ability to foster a more inclusive and safe community and are basically undoing the work of many that have come before us.”
The executive orders Trump signed on his first day in office will shape the rest of his term as well as the future of this country. Whether you are happy, sad, scared, or hopeful, it is important to use your voice to advocate for what you believe in, get involved, and vote.
health and time in hospice care, he remained a strong advocate for human rights. Notably during this past election, he made very clear his support for the Democratic party and candidate, Kamala Harris. His son spread his message by revealing that Carter told him he only wanted to survive until the election in order to cast his ballot for Harris. He succeeded in his goal, passing away only about a month and a half later.
Co-Editors in Chief: Noah Jacobs ’25
Eliza Spindler ’25
Managing Editor: Grace Watson ’26
News Editor: Katherine Twombly ’26
Features Editor: Mila Bahr ’27
Nameplate art: Shemar Joseph ’19
Staff members: Wren Baden ’28
Moasiah Bility ’25
Alli Colannino ’28
Kevin Duan ’26
Everett Ehlen ’27
James Hatzos ’26
Erin Kenah ’27
Molly Kirschenbaum ’26
David Mason ’26
article based on Lively’s claims.
In the next few months, there should be updates regarding all of the legal claims both sides are making. Many are speculating and reacting to their own theories with the Lively and Baldoni drama.
Some fans who are interested in the affairs have stated that they think the issues arising are truly from Reynolds. People are spreading rumors of how Reynolds is a controlling husband on
sets of other movies. They speculate that he saw texts between Lively and Baldoni and got very defensive, placing himself on set every day to ‘protect’ his wife.
As people discussed the scandal, they started to speculate and began spreading gossip and rumors. Some believe that Baldoni and Lively actually built a strong connection and when Reynolds saw their texts to each other,
Faculty Advisor: Jennifer Metcalfe Dumont
From the Editors: The Browser is a student publication, written, edited and proofread by the students under the direction of the faculty advisor. The authors and editors take full responsibility for any errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar that may occur.
Former President Jimmy Carter, center, with some of the Americans who were taken hostage by Iran in 1979. Newly-elected President Reagan sent President Carter to escort the hostages home after they were released. Photo from the New York Times.
Violence in the United States
by Mila Bahr ’27
Violence rate in the U.SSince 2023 reported crime has gone down by 10.3%, murder has decreased by 22.7%, rape by 17.7%, robbery by 13.6%, and aggravated assault by 8.1%, according to FBI.gov. Though many believe otherwise, perhaps America is slowly moving forward, in regards to criminal statistics. But that doesn’t change the impact of violent crime. People have lost their family members and friends due to the hate the world is facing. No amount of statistics can compensate for the lives lost by impulsive and cruel decisions. Here are some tragic cases that have recently caught the nation’s attention.
Man pushed in front of subwayJoseph Lynskey, age 45, was waiting for the subway in West 18th Station, in Manhattan, on New Year's Eve, right before being violently pushed in front of an oncoming train. Lynskey miraculously survived but maintained serious injuries including a fractured skull to a ruptured spleen. The man who doubled back and pushed him, Kamel Hawkins, age 23, was held without bail on attempted murder and assault and was later charged with both. Authorities referred back to court records to find out that Hawkins has a history of harassment, assault, and weapons possession. After the initial video of
the assault was posted, more follow-up videos were posted of Lynskey being pulled out from under the train and being put on a stretcher, with one woman exclaiming in amazement, “He’s alive!”
Woman set on fire-
On December 22, a woman was burned alive aboard a Brooklyn train. Debrina Kawam, age 57, was the victim of an apparent random attack on some random Sunday. Being burned beyond recognition, fingerprint analysis confirmed her identity. Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, age 33 was charged with first-degree murder and arson, after being accused of setting Debrina Kawam on fire with a standard lighter. When authorities looked back on Debrina’s high school yearbook they saw her vibrant picture with a list of her goals and aspirations. While Debrina had some troubles and obstacles in life, she was a human being and nothing can justify the actions that ended her life.
New Orleans attacker-
Shamsud-Din Jabbar, age 42, drove a pickup truck into a crowd of people on January 1st, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jabbar killed 14 people and then died in a shootout with the police. After his death, authorities found a flag of the Islamic State terrorist group, known as ISIS. After a rough childhood filled with divorce and change, Jabbar lost track in college with an addiction to drinking. Later, he enlisted in the military. His half-brother said that the military “gave him some discipline. It grounded him,” according to the New York Times.
Jabbar had a noticeable interest in the Muslim faith though did not attend or engage in any mosques or communities within the religion. Later in life, he had three unsuccessful marriages, was ordered to pay $1350 in child support for his youngest, and had a significant amount of debt regarding his mortgage.
Tensions Increase in Hollywood Scandal
by Molly Kirschenbaum ’26
One of the most controversial movies of 2024 was the movie It Ends with Us. This movie was an adaptation of the book written by Colleen Hoover. The movie stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni.
Everyone was excited for this movie, especially fans of the book. The controversy began while the cast was doing press conferences. While a majority of the cast, especially Baldoni, spoke out about domestic abuse and tried to spread awareness; people saw Lively as doing the opposite. In many of her interviews, she did not try to spread awareness of domestic violence. In a TikTok, from the It Ends with Us account, Lively says something that many perceived as controversial: “Grab your friends, wear your florals, and head out to see it.” While Lively seemed to embarrass herself by downplaying domestic violence, Baldoni’s fan base was growing.
While doing his press tour, Baldoni highlighted the issues of domestic violence. He shared how the movie was a great way to raise awareness of a tragic issue. He continued to be praised and people started to believe that Lively had messed up badly.
Fans of the movie also noticed how at the red carpet for the premier of the movie there seemed to be no picture of
the two together. Lively appeared in pictures with other cast members and with Hoover, the author, but Baldoni was left out.
Four months after the film launched, Lively filed a legal complaint against Baldoni for sexual harassment. The complaint listed Wayfarer Studios as well as Baldoni’s production company, which produced It Ends with Us
The complaint accused Baldoni and Jamey Heath, CEO of Wayfarer, of sexual harassment and other disturbing behavior. Some female cast and crew have also spoken up about the filing allegations.
During the filming, a meeting
was held in January to address the hostile work environment. Everyone in attendance agreed to a list of requests. One of the requests was that Baldoni and Heath could no longer give descriptions of their genitalia which apparently they had been doing.
Lively also accused Baldoni of trying to ruin her reputation in the press. She said he was seeking to destroy her reputation and her platform. She claimed Baldoni and Heath used the media to misconstrue her image and make her look bad. After all of the bad press towards Lively, her hair care company, Blake Brown, lost many sales.
A few weeks after Lively’s
Jabbar soon became recognizably more expressive on social media with the things that “were not in accordance with what God commanded us to do.” On a SoundCloud account, traced from digital records off Jabbar's electronics, there were “many recordings that the user had ‘liked,’ several of which expressed views about Islam that have sometimes been used by extremist groups as justification for killing non-Muslims,” said the New York Times.
accusations, Baldoni retaliated back, suing both Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds for $400 million. He is claiming that the two of them are trying to destroy his career. Baldoni and his team attacked Lively and her representatives for defamation, civil extortion, as well as invasion of privacy. Lively’s legal team states that he is using tactics to shift the blame off of himself. They claim she came out with solid evidence for harassment and he is just trying to ruin her name.
Baldoni claims that Lively took control over the creative direction of the movie. He also claims that Lively had Reynolds rewrite certain parts of the script. Baldoni shared text exchanges where he is seen praising her script change, yet also shares how she was pressuring him to comply. Baldoni claims that the fallout from the accusations has smeared his reputation as well as the movie’s success. He said the movie was meant to raise awareness about domestic violence, but the legal drama has stolen the spotlight.
Baldoni’s team claims that Lively’s accusations caused him to be dropped by his talent agency, WME, which represents both Lively and Reynolds. WME is denying any involvement. They also stated that her claims have caused him to lose awards.
Luigi Mangione being escorted by police in New York, awaiting four counts of federal charges.
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds with Brandon Sklenar, leaving Justin Baldoni out of the picture.
WORD ON THE STREET
by Eliza Spindler ’25 and Molly Kirschenbaum ’26
Questions
1) What's your irrational fear?
2) What was your New Year's resolution and have you kept it?
3) If you could pick anyone, dead or alive, to be the president of the United States, who would you pick?
4) Who is your Brewster Valentine?
5) Which Disney princess would you be?
Cyrus Hutchinson ’26
1) Spiders
2) I didn't make one.
3) Playboi Carti
4) Tayden
5) Belle
Meghan Reilly ’28
1) Carrots
2) To become a millionaire (still working on it).
3) Kaya Moulton
4) Jane Ryckman
5) LEGO Batman
David Mason ’26
1) Middle-aged white women
2) To get a buzzcut. Have I done it? No.
3) Stephen Hawking
4) Tommy Larson
5) Ariel
Maddie Nichols ’28 1) Tunnels
2) Shoot pucks every day (halfkept).
3) Chloe McLain
4) Katie Tasso
5) Rapuzel
Hollywood Scandal
cont. from pg. 2
Lively said Baldoni was making her uncomfortable, so Reynolds would not think anything of the two. It then escalated of course causing lawsuits to come out.
Most of the theories created accuse Reynolds of being controlling and Lively not having that much to do with it. In the Deadpool & Wolverine movie people believe one of the characters, NicePool, resembles Baldoni. Reynolds portrayed the character as a big feminist, using some of the same phrases that have been attributed to Baldoni in the past. There are many theories arising and the only way to know is to wait it out and see what comes out to be true.
Ryan Cifuni '25
1) Dying
2) To go to the gym everyday, and I've kept it.
3) Soji
4) Nobody, unfortunately.
5) Rapunzel
Hall Talk
“Damn coach why don’t you do that?” – CD
Trent "The Show" – TD
“You're just a little guy. Just a special little snowflake.” – RMR
“I’m directionally challenged.” “I'm just regularly challenged.” – GW and MP
“He's just an old guy with issues.” –ND
“I'm lost in a grocery store.” – KP
“Have you considered Canada?” – MR
"I have the sudden urge to spin." – BM
"I'm seasoning the ground!" – WB
"Is George Washington a curious George?" -MK
“It’s not sharp!” – MR
"I'm not crashing out" -MS
"You're using up your bro quota" -CWB
"Do you know who checked out
Marx?" – JH, MD, LC, LR
"Can I go back and see if my room is on fire?" (IB) "No, watch it burn." (MF)
"Water it down because it's too strong? IT'S SWEET TEA?!" - JH
Violence in the United States
cont. from pg. 3
On his way to New Orleans, he made recordings from 1:29 am to 3:02 am. In these recordings, he was addressing his family talking about how he had planned to harm them but didn't follow through with it because it would takethe focus off of the “war between believers and disbelievers.” He also chanted “pledges bayat”, a thing ISIS followers say signaling their alliance with the group. After the attack, authorities found materials in Jabbar’s home to make explosives, including “acetone, bottles of sulfuric acid and bags labeled as potassium nitrate,” recorded by the New York Times. His family claims that they did not know this side of Shamsud-Din Jabbar. He was living a double life that none of them were aware or supportive of.
CEO assassination-
Brian Thompson, age 50, was the CEO of an insurance company, United Healthcare. On December 4, 2024, in midtown Manhattan, he was shot and killed. Luigi Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania after a fast food worker recognized him and called the authorities. After Mangione was taken into custody he was charged with firearm violation and forgery. Including both Pennsylvania and New York charges, he now has 20 counts. He has 11 counts in the state of New York spanning between murder, forgery, and gun-related charges. Mangione has four federal counts, two of stalking and the other two are gun-related. Finally, five counts in the state of Pennsylvania of gun possession and false identification. Along
with the federal charges, Mangione is eligible for the death penalty. After pleading not guilty to first-degree murder in furtherance and in support of terrorism in the courtroom, his next court appearance is set for February 21st. It is believed Mangione's motive was ongoing resentment towards what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies. Documents in his possession state things such as “frankly, these parasites had it coming,” according to police.
Another reason that people might feel that there is more violence in our society today, is that everything is filmed or captured in some way. Perhaps this is the whole reason crime is being seen as increasing or more prevalent. So now when something happens, it is recorded and blasted all over the internet, leaving room and right for people to voice their opinions in a way never seen before. The internet is a very powerful tool and nothing is stopping people from saying what comes to mind. This is not to degrade or devalue the weight of these situations and crimes, but everything being put on footage can certainly elevate the situation thoroughly.
With all these recent violent outbreaks and the obvious abundance of hate in the world, it is clear that we need to do better. Even though videos and surveillance have projected these heinous crimes onto the internet, violence in the world is diminishing. the key is to stay positive and treat others how you wish to be treated. Be the change you want to see in the world.