With his victory in the U.S. presidential election, Donald Trump is returning to the White House. During his campaign, he made various promises, including those related to the economy, immigration, and the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
The day after winning the election, Donald Trump said on Wednesday, ‘I will lead the country with a simple goal, which is to fulfill the promises I made. We will deliver on our promises.’
Through this election, Trump’s Republican Party also gained a majority in the U.S. Senate, making it easier for him to achieve his goals. Let’s take a look at the seven things Trump plans to do as the new president.
Deportation of Illegal Immigrants
During his campaign, Trump repeatedly stated that he would deport the largest number of illegal immigrants in U.S. history. He also promised to complete the construction of a wall along the Mexico border, a project he initiated during his first term.
However, experts view Trump’s stance on illegal immigrants with some skepticism. They have told the BBC that the scale of deportation Trump is proposing would involve immense legal and logistical challenges. Additionally, it could slow down the U.S. economy.
Focus on the Economy
Right after the election, exit polls revealed that one of the biggest concerns for voters was the U.S. economy. Trump has already promised to curb inflation. Under the current President Joe Biden, the prices of everyday goods had risen to record highs.
Additionally, Trump has promised tax cuts. He plans to impose at least a 10% tariff on foreign goods to reduce the trade deficit and wants to increase tariffs by an additional 60% on products imported from China. Experts warn that these measures could drive up the prices of goods even further.
Cuts to Climate Policy
After becoming president in 2016, Trump rolled back several environmental protection laws. The United States was the first country to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement under his leadership.
This time, Trump has again promised to cut climate policies, with the goal of supporting the U.S. automobile industry. He is opposed to electric vehicles and has also pledged to increase the extraction of fossil fuels in the United States.
End the Ukraine War
The United States has been providing hundreds of billions of dollars to Ukraine in its fight against Russia. Donald Trump has been a consistent critic of this approach. He has promised that, if in power, he will end the war through negotiations within 24 hours.
However, in the case of the Gaza conflict, Trump has declared himself a strong supporter of Israel. He has urged Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government to end the war, and he is also in favor of ending the conflict in Lebanon.
Abolishing Abortion Rights
Keeping in mind the wishes of some of his supporters, during a campaign debate with Kamala Harris, Trump stated that if he came to power, he would not sign any law to revoke the right to abortion. In 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court had overturned the constitutional right to abortion. The majority of conservative justices on the court supported this ruling.
Pardon for the January 6 Rioters
Donald Trump lost the 2020 election to the current President Joe Biden, but he did not accept the defeat. To overturn the election results, on January 6, 2021, Trump’s supporters attacked the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., resulting in several deaths. Trump was accused of inciting the riot by encouraging his supporters.
Trump stated that hundreds of his supporters had been politically imprisoned on riot charges and many of them were unjustly detained. He promised that, if in power again, he would grant “clemency” to some of them.
Firing Special Counsel Jack Smith
Special Counsel Jack Smith is investigating two criminal cases against Trump: one for inciting the Capitol riot on January 6 and another for removing classified government documents. Trump has denied all the charges.
At one point, Trump had stated that he would fire Jack Smith “within two seconds” of sitting in the White House. Now that he has returned to power, with criminal charges still pending, it remains to be seen what action he will take regarding Smith.
