WASHINGTON — Donald Trump has indicated that he has ambitious plans for his first day back in the White House, stating that he wouldn’t be a dictator, “except for Day 1.” He intends to aggressively initiate a series of policies designed to reshape immigration, education, and government structure. His agenda includes implementing mass deportations of immigrants, reversing Biden administration initiatives surrounding education, systematically dismantling parts of federal employment, and providing pardons to those involved in the January 6 Capitol riot.
Trump is keen on enforcing strict border control and increasing energy production, declaring, “I want to close the border, and I want to drill, drill, drill.” When he assumed office in 2017, he also had an extensive agenda that included trade renegotiations and immigration reforms, but not all items were accomplished immediately.
As Trump outlines his intentions for a potential second term, one of his primary focuses seems to be on addressing his legal challenges, especially the federal cases against him. He has claimed he would dismiss Jack Smith, the special counsel, “within two seconds” of taking office. Smith is reportedly exploring methods to conclude these cases due to the longstanding policy that prevents the prosecution of sitting presidents. The charges against Trump include conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election and mishandling classified documents.
While he cannot issue a self-pardon for state-level convictions, such as the New York hush money case, he may take steps to mitigate the significance of his felony conviction. The legal issues stemming from Georgia’s election interference case may linger, likely extending indefinitely with the case sitting inactive until at least 2029, following the prosecutor’s recent reelection.
On the issue of the Capitol riot, over 1,500 individuals have faced charges in connection with the January 6 events. Trump has attempted to recast the insurrection as a rallying point for his campaign, labeling the participants as “unbelievable patriots” and assuring assistance for them on his first day back in office. As president, he retains the authority to grant pardons for federal offenses, which could halt ongoing prosecutions if he chooses to instruct the Attorney General accordingly.
Trump also aims to diminish what he refers to as the “deep state,” seeking to revoke civil service protections for tens of thousands of federal employees. He envisions a significant reduction in the federal workforce, as he believes it is an unnecessary burden on the government, while simultaneously pursuing the dismissal of career officials he perceives as politically adversarial. This shift could involve reinstating “Schedule F,” an executive order aimed at converting career roles to political appointments, which could effectively allow for mass firings and staffing changes in favor of his loyalists.
Another salient focus in his agenda includes imposing tariffs on imported goods, particularly targeting products from China. Trump argues that such tariffs would protect domestic manufacturing jobs, lessen the federal deficit, and lower consumer prices. His tariff proposals are bold, suggesting a minimum 10% tax on all imports, with even steeper tariffs on specific countries. Trump has previously shown he can impose tariffs unilaterally, citing national security concerns.
Furthermore, Trump has expressed intentions to dismantle protections for transgender students, pledging to repeal Biden-era measures that aim to prevent discrimination against these students. His campaign strategy has placed emphasis on opposition to transgender rights, indicating plans to reverse these protections on his first day.
He intends to invigorate fossil fuel production and rollback environmental policies aimed at curtailing greenhouse gas emissions. Through an executive order, he plans to lift restrictions that would boost oil drilling, including potential operations in the Arctic, asserting that this would ease energy costs for Americans.
Trump has also voiced ambitions to mediate the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine quickly, insisting he can achieve a resolution within a day. However, experts suggest that the complexity of international relations makes such a rapid settlement highly improbable.
Additionally, Trump reiterated his commitment to commence mass deportations of undocumented migrants immediately upon taking office. While he can initiate procedures to remove individuals illegally residing in the U.S., the logistics of executing a deportation operation on the scale he envisions poses significant challenges. He has alluded to employing the Alien Enemies Act and potentially utilizing the National Guard to facilitate these sweeping removals.
As Trump outlines these extensive plans, one thing remains clear: his administration would prioritize executing this ambitious agenda from day one in an effort to reshape numerous facets of U.S. policy and governance.