NASW Statement on Donald J. Trump Election as 45th U.S. President

Association urges President-Elect to help heal divisiveness, trauma from his campaign

By Rebecca Gonzales

The National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter (NASW-CA) issued the following statement after the election of Donald Trump as the 45^th President of the United States.

The Association is deeply concerned by statements Mr. Trump has made regarding women, people of color and immigrants. The NASW Code of Ethics makes clear the importance of social justice. We cannot support any efforts to marginalize or oppress any group of people, and will always work to assure that human rights extend to everyone. Social workers continue to strongly advocate for our country’s most vulnerable populations.

In order to continue our advocacy, we acknowledge that we must work with the new administration to address pressing issues of the day, including justice reforms, racial and gender inequality, access to health care for all, and helping more Americans achieve economic self-sufficiency and stability.

President-Elect Trump has said he is committed to restoring economic prosperity to the United States, helping more Americans afford care for their children and relatives who are older adults, and providing more services to our nation’s brave veterans and their families. We hope to build on these commonalities to move our country forward and will hold Mr. Trump accountable for his promises.

We also urge Mr. Trump and his administration to help heal the divisiveness and trauma his campaign has caused among some communities and populations.  NASW, the largest professional social work association in the world with more than 125,000 members, is ready to help ensure these actions are done in a socially responsible and unifying manner.

NASW firmly supports our nation’s efforts to move forward in a positive way that acknowledges the inherent dignity and worth of all people.  Specifically, NASW will work to ensure that President-Elect Trump appoints justices to the U.S. Supreme Court and judges to the Circuit Courts of Appeals and lower Federal District Courts who come from diverse gender and ethnic backgrounds and will protect the rights of all citizens.

Lastly, NASW congratulates Democrat nominee Hillary Rodham Clinton for her years of service. Mrs. Clinton has a long history of working for positive social change in areas of importance to social workers, including health care reform; the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP); HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment; reproductive rights for women; racial justice and equal rights for people who are LGBT.

We share Mrs. Clinton’s hope for the future.  Everyone deserves the chance to pursue and achieve their dreams.

As Mrs. Clinton said in her concession speech, “let’s do all we can to keep advancing the causes and values we all hold dear; making our economy work for everyone not just those at the top, protecting our country and protecting our planet and breaking down all the barriers that hold any American back from achieving their dreams.”