Trump's Campaign Promises

Trump Campaign Promises

Defense

Pursue isolationist policy

no public action

The promise: Trump favors what he has termed an “America First” approach to foreign and trade policy that includes shutting out imports, building an “iron dome” air-defense system over the United States and ensuring the U.S. military doesn’t get entangled in foreign wars. He has strayed from isolationism in recent weeks, however, saying the United States should acquire Greenland and threatening to retake the Panama Canal.

End wars in Ukraine and the Middle East

no public action

The promise: Trump has said he will bring a swift end to the conflict in Ukraine — potentially on terms that would require Kyiv to cede a significant share of its territory to Russia — and has threatened dire consequences if the militant group Hamas does not release hostages captured in its October 2023 attacks on Israel before he takes office. Israel and Hamas last week reached a hostage and ceasefire agreement after more than 15 months of violence in Gaza.

Target diversity initiatives in the military

underway

The promise: Trump and those around him have promised to reverse what they describe as “woke” policies affecting the U.S. military, criticizing efforts to require diversity training and to permit service by transgender troops. His pick for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, also has said women should not be permitted to serve in combat roles even if they can meet the entry standards.

Actions taken: On his first day in office, Trump rolled back an executive order of Biden’s that allowed transgender people to serve in the military. He also issued a broad executive order to end all diversity, equity and inclusion programs across the federal government, including the military.

Carry out strikes against Mexican drug cartels

no public action

The promise: Trump has proposed using military assets to “wage war” on cartels. He suggested he would carry out strikes if Mexico doesn’t “straighten it out really fast,” and in an executive order signed on his first day, Trump designated cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. Deploying armed forces to Mexico without its consent could violate international law.

Democracy

Retaliate against his political enemies

underway

The promise: Trump has indicated he will seek retribution against those he perceives as his enemies, and some have begun preparing for the possibility. Trump has nominated Kash Patel, who created a list of Trump’s antagonists, to head the FBI. He also said he will sue newspapers and media outlets and supports any indictments of the prosecutors who charged him with crimes. Trump also suggested using the National Guard or military against American citizens, saying the United States was under threat from “the enemy from within,” including “radical left lunatics.”

Actions taken: Trump signed an executive order that he said will end the “weaponization” of the federal government that he has claimed unfairly targeted him for years. He also revoked security clearances for former aide John Bolton and former intelligence officials who he said downplayed the significance of Hunter Biden’s laptop as “a Russian information operation” in the 2020 presidential election.

Reshape the federal government

underway

The promise: Trump and his allies said they would make mass job cuts in the federal workforce and slash hundreds of billions of dollars in federal spending, using an outside governmental body led by tech billionaire Elon Musk that is facing a legal challenge. Also proposed: closing some departments and moving others out of Washington, a return-to-office mandate, diluting the power of federal employee unions and converting thousands of career civil servants to “at-will” employees who could be fired and replaced with political loyalists.

Actions taken: Trump issued about half a dozen executive orders targeting the federal workforce, including removing job protections that could allow tens of thousands of them to be fired at will. The orders also implement a hiring freeze, require federal workers to return to full-time in-person work, and eliminate government diversity programs — including the termination of positions for those working in offices relating to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Change voting requirements

no public action

The promise: Trump wants to require identification and proof of citizenship for voting. He also wants to conduct elections exclusively with same-day voting, eliminating absentee and mail-in voting, early voting and electronic voting kiosks — though at times during the campaign, he promoted mail-in voting. He frequently pledged to “secure” American elections, using the phrase to establish doubt about the nation’s election systems, which he had falsely told supporters were rigged since losing the 2020 election. He has not cast doubt on election results since his victory in November.

Pardon Jan. 6 defendants

completed

The promise: Trump promised to pardon at least some people charged with crimes in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. He has cast those and other legitimate court cases, including against him, as political persecution by Democrats that he also pledged to stop.

Actions taken: On his first day, Trump signed an executive order pardoning virtually all of the Jan. 6 defendants and commuting the sentences of the remaining 14 — a broad move that gives some form of clemency to all those charged or convicted in the riot.

Economy

Impose tariffs on goods from other nations

underway

The promise: Trump has proposed tariffs of at least 10 percent on all imports and a 60 percent tariff on all goods from China. In November, he said he would enact tariffs of 25 percent on Mexican and Canadian goods and 10 percent on Chinese imports on his first day in office. Trump has argued that high tariffs will spur domestic manufacturing, but economists say they will drive up prices and could have seismic global effects.

Actions taken: Trump has said the first new taxes on foreign products from China, Mexico and Canada could be announced Feb. 1, and on his first day, he signed an executive order that among other things, directed his secretaries of commerce and treasury and the chief trade negotiator to explore the creation of an “External Revenue Service” for the collection of tariff revenue. Their reports are due April 1.

End inflation

underway

The promise: Bringing down prices was a top Trump campaign pledge. He has also pledged to cut Americans’ energy bills in half and to lower gas prices — frequently mentioning the price of $1.87 a gallon, which would be impossible to achieve without negative consequences, according to energy economists.

Actions taken: On his first day, Trump signed an executive order that ordered heads of federal agencies to “deliver emergency price relief” and “increase the prosperity of the American worker.” The language of the order was broad, but Trump instructed his economic team to report back on their progress every 30 days.

Cut taxes

no public action

The promise: Trump during the campaign vowed to cut taxes by more than $7 trillion over 10 years. The centerpiece of these changes would be extending the tax law he approved during his first term, much of which is set to expire this year. Doing so probably would add substantially to the national debt and risks fueling inflation.

Eliminate taxes on tips and overtime

no public action

The promise: These changes could help some workers, but economists say not taxing tips won’t help the majority of low-income Americans. Both steps would cost the government billions of dollars and could spur employers to make changes in how work hours are reported that could harm employees.

Promote cryptocurrency

no public action

The promise: Cryptocurrency companies and investors backed Trump’s campaign, and he promised that he would make the United States “the crypto capital of the planet.” He has pledged to adopt proposals written by industry insiders, and the Republican platform says it will keep crypto transactions “free from Government Surveillance and Control.”

Actions taken: Trump on Thursday signed an executive order that aims to ease cryptocurrency regulations. The order established a working group that will advise Trump on crypto policy and tasked federal agencies to review their rules on the financial technology. It also revoked an order issued under Biden designed to improve cryptocurrency safeguards.

Education

Eliminate the Education Department

no public action

The promise: Pledging to make good on a longtime conservative goal, Trump has proposed dismantling the department — whose employees he has baselessly claimed “hate our children” — and assigning some of its functions to other federal agencies. The department enforces civil rights laws, administers key funding programs for low-income children and those with disabilities, and oversees the federal student loan program. Experts in both parties, though, say legislation to shut down the department would require a supermajority in the Senate, which is unlikely.

Cut federal funding to penalize schools

no public action

The promise: Trump has promised to cut federal funding to schools that promote what Republicans label as “critical race theory” or “radical gender ideology.” That could include schools that offer support to transgender students or teach about racism in the United States. Trump has also suggested cutting funding to and revoking accreditation from universities deemed by the administration to be tolerating anything they label as “antisemitic propaganda.” He has promised to fire government accreditors and hire replacements who will require that schools promote conservative values to receive funds.

Target transgender policies in schools

underway

The promise: Trump campaigned on getting “transgender insanity out of our schools,” rhetoric that he more often used as a political tool than a policy platform. He has pledged to ban trans athletes from participating in women’s sports in schools, and his administration is expected to argue that school policies allowing trans students access to bathrooms, locker rooms and sports teams are a violation of Title IX, the law barring sex discrimination in federally funded schools. The House recently passed legislation that would codify that interpretation into law, banning transgender athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s sports in elementary school through college. If the measure becomes law, schools that allow trans girls or women to compete could lose federal funding.

Actions taken: On his first day, Trump signed an executive order officially recognizing only two sexes (male and female). The order did not directly address how schools’ transgender policies are affected, but in another executive order he rolled back a number of the Biden administration’s protections for trans students.

Fund school vouchers

no public action

The promise: Trump promised to back school-choice programs, which provide taxpayer funds to parents to pay for private school. His allies are hoping to include a federal tax credit that would support state voucher programs in a tax package expected to move through Congress this year.

Environment

Roll back environmental regulations

underway

The promise: On the campaign trail, Trump promised to dismantle dozens of rules and policies designed to curb air pollution, fight climate change, protect endangered species and achieve other environmental goals. He also pledged to scrap federal policies aimed to accelerate the nation’s shift to electric vehicles.

Actions taken: Trump signed several executive orders on energy policy on his first day. He instructed agencies to review dozens of Biden’s environmental policies and, if possible, quickly reverse them — including those that could speed the transition to electric vehicles.

Expand oil and gas production

underway

The promise: As oil and gas executives gave millions to his campaign, Trump made “drill, baby, drill” a signature slogan. He called for expanding oil and gas drilling in the United States, restarting liquefied natural gas exports and removing regulations for oil, natural gas and coal production. Environmental experts say his plans threaten the United States’ gains in combating climate change.

Actions taken: In the order declaring a national energy emergency, Trump called for “unleashing” domestic fossil fuel production. The executive orders on energy policy aim to expand oil and gas drilling on federal lands and waters, resume the approval of new liquefied natural gas exports and remove regulations for oil, natural gas and coal production.

Pull out of the 2015 Paris climate agreement

underway

The promise: Trump said the United States would again withdraw from the Paris climate agreement, which is aimed at limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above preindustrial levels, a critical threshold. The United States had rejoined the pact during Biden’s presidency.

Actions taken: The United States is set to once again withdraw from the agreement as Trump has signed an executive order that removes the country from the pact. The withdrawal will take effect in one year.

Health

Lower health-care costs and prescription drug costs

no public action

The promise: Trump said he had “concepts of a plan” to replace the Affordable Care Act during the debate against Vice President Kamala Harris in September. He said he would seek to repeal the 2010 law if the party can come up with a plan that costs less and provides better care. “But until then, I’d run it as good as it can be run,” he said. Trump has not detailed specifics of plans to lower prescription drug costs, and on the campaign trail, he backed away from an effort unveiled in his first administration to tie government payments for medicines to lower prices paid overseas.

Preserve Social Security and Medicare

no public action

The promise: Trump has pledged not to cut either program, though he has promised his administration will cut what he describes as “waste” within the agency that oversees Medicare and Medicaid. He is also considering significant changes to Medicaid, a program for low-income adults, children, pregnant people, elderly adults and people with disabilities.

Leave abortion laws up to state legislatures

no public action

The promise: Trump’s campaign has said he will not sign a national ban on abortion. He also made the repeated vague pledge to “protect women” during his campaign.

Make IVF free

no public action

The promise: Trump pledged to ensure that Americans’ in vitro fertilization costs are covered by the government or insurance.

Immigration

Carry out mass deportations

underway

The promise: Trump vowed to use local, state and federal resources — including the military — to launch “the largest domestic deportation operation in American history.” Presidential administrations have deported immigrants for decades, including recent border crossers and people with criminal records, but Trump heavily focused his 2024 campaign on his pledges to curb immigration.

Actions taken: On his first day as president, Trump declared a national emergency on the U.S.-Mexico border, where he is preparing to send 10,000 troops, according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection briefing document obtained by The Post. Trump also said during his inaugural speech that he plans to use the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 — last used during World War II to intern Japanese immigrants and others — to quickly remove people the administration deems to be a threat.

Restore the ‘Remain in Mexico’ program

underway

The promise: Trump pledged to quickly reinstate a program that required tens of thousands of migrants seeking asylum in the United States to await their hearings in Mexico, which led to thousands of asylum seekers setting up camps over the border in his first term. Officials said the program discouraged illegal immigration and false asylum claims, but some say the Trump protocols would be less effective than the current policy under the Biden administration, which has implemented even tougher asylum restrictions.

Actions taken: On his first day, Trump signed an executive order that directed officials to reinstate the program as soon as possible.

Reinstate a travel ban

no public action

The promise: This policy, which Trump implemented in his first term, restricted people from several majority-Muslim countries and others from traveling to the United States. The ban separated thousands of families before it was reversed by President Joe Biden, whose party viewed it as anti-Muslim. Trump pledged to bring it back, as he claimed it strengthened national security, though experts said there was little evidence to back that assertion.

End birthright citizenship

faces legal challenges

The promise: Trump pledged to sign an executive order directing federal agencies to deny citizenship unless at least one parent is already a citizen or a permanent resident. Trump has argued that ending birthright citizenship, which many legal scholars say is guaranteed by the 14th Amendment, will disincentivize people from coming to the United States to give birth or to stay illegally. Legal experts say rescinding this right would most likely require changing the Constitution, which is difficult.

Actions taken: Trump issued an executive order on his first day that plans to end birthright citizenship for children born to unauthorized immigrants and people who are in the country on temporary work, student or tourist visas. States and civil rights groups have sued the administration. A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked Trump’s order.

Cut federal funding to cities that don’t cooperate with deportations

underway

The promise: Trump’s advisers have said they will withhold funds from cities that refuse to participate in deportations. Local authorities decline to cooperate for a variety of reasons. Some say they don’t have the money or staff to detain immigrants, and many emphasize that aiding immigration enforcement makes people in their communities fearful of calling the police or serving as witnesses. Trump has long wanted to punish such “sanctuary cities,” and in his first term, he attempted to push back against them with little success.

Actions taken: On his first day, Trump signed an executive order that instructed agencies to withhold access to federal funds from sanctuary jurisdictions. It remains to be seen whether the administration will be able to do this.

Institute the automatic death penalty for migrants who kill American citizens

underway

The promise: Trump promised this to campaign rally crowds, including in October in Aurora, Colorado, where he promoted false claims that a Venezuelan gang had taken over an apartment complex there.

Actions taken: Trump signed an executive order on his first day that called for the Justice Department to seek more federal death sentences, including “for every federal capital crime” in which a law enforcement officer is murdered or the defendant is in the country illegally.

Complete the border wall between U.S. and Mexico

underway

The promise: Trump pledged to build the wall and did not finish it during his first term, but his campaign has said the remaining construction could be done quickly and cheaply.

Actions taken: On his first day, Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border, which directed the departments of Homeland Security and Defense to complete construction of the border wall.

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