Political science and law professors sat on the Varsity Theater stage on Jan. 15 to discuss what lies ahead for society with Trump as the U.S. president.
Although Trump was the main focus of the discussion, a variety of topics were covered, ranging from the Watergate scandal to TikTok. Most importantly, the panel addressed questions that many of the hundreds of attendees had on their minds, submitted throughout the event.
The event was organized by Brigham Young University’s Political Affairs Society, or PAS. McDonald’s was served, but to the surprise of students like Joe Peterson, it quickly ran out, leaving only those who arrived early enough to enjoy it.
Peterson, the vice president of the the society, shared his thoughts on the unexpectedly large crowd.
“I was not expecting this turnout,” Peterson said. “It restored my hope in humanity a little more.”
According to Peterson, his goal was to host an event at BYU where anyone could participate in thought-provoking conversations. He added that the turnout showed students’ civic engagement and interest in learning.
“I think students want to hear from their professors outside of the classroom, and they want to be informed. It’s really hard to know where to turn for truth these days,” Peterson said. “I feel like opening up these panels to as many people as possible keeps people civically engaged in a very informative and cooperative way.”
Sydney Spencer, an attendee, shared her thoughts on the panel.
“It’s reassuring to know that people who have looked into the topic more than I have are not panicking or scared about what might happen, but instead have emphasized that it’s a normal part of the process in a lot of ways,” Spencer said.
Emma Johnson, another attendee, expressed her appreciation for the safe space the panel created.
“I think it’s good to have a place to get answers to questions in a nonpartisan way,” Johnson said.
With the potential TikTok ban just around the corner, many students were curious to hear the experts’ views on whether Trump has the authority to enforce it.
Bradley Rebeiro, a BYU law professor on the panel, shared his perspective.
“It seems like most of the justices are not very interested in overturning this TikTok ban. So, for those of you who have TikTok, your days are, unfortunately, numbered,” Rebeiro said.