What Is "Easy D"? Trump’s Tweet Is... Confusing

Twitter users found themselves baffled on Wednesday afternoon following one of President Donald Trump's signature manic tweets: "Big increase in traffic into our country from certain areas, while our people are far more vulnerable, as we wait for what should be EASY D!" OK, we know he's not into immigrants, but what in the world is "Easy D"? Many speculated that it might be the president's new rap alter-ego, but that seems unlikely. Other users have made not-so-subtle jokes about which D-word he might want, which I won't get into here.

This is a familiar quandary for anyone with older relatives intent on keeping up with the youths via digital means. Raise your hand if your mom has ever texted you with her own made-up abbreviations that require a cipher key to unscramble. The prevailing theory is that the "D" Trump is waiting for is the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals' decision on whether or not to uphold his controversial travel ban on on people from seven Muslim-majority countries. According to the Los Angeles Times, a ruling is expected this week. The ban, Executive Order 13769, was implemented in January 27, and it was an easy D for U.S. District Senior Judge James Robart to issue a temporary restraining order halting the ban on February 3.

The TRO was in response to a complaint filed by Washington state Solicitor Gen. Noah Purcell on behalf of both Washington and Minnesota, but its application is nationwide. The Trump administration has appealed Robart's decision, and on Wednesday, a panel of three federal judges heard oral arguments from Purcell and August Flentje, special counsel to the assistant attorney general. The judges, two Democratic appointees and one Republican, are expected to uphold Robart's ruling, and the case is expected to eventually go to the Supreme Court.

Robart's ruling found that the ban caused Washington and Minnesota "immediate and irreparable injury" by impacting the states' "operations tax bases, and public funds," and also adversely affected residents "in areas of employment, education, business, family relations, and freedom to travel." The states demonstrated direct evidence of these hardships. In order to overturn the order, according to the Los Angeles Times, the Trump administration would have to prove that the United States "would suffer irreparable harm if the travel ban is not immediately reinstated." The executive order is set to expire after 90 days, so the case may not reach the Supreme Court in time. And if it's heard before a ninth judge is confirmed, it could result in a tie, which would then revert back to Robart's ruling. Looks like the D isn't so easy, after all.