President Donald Trump is acting on his campaign promises at an unprecedented pace, sending shockwaves through the government, legal system, science community, and around the world. In his zeal to make good on his pledges, Trump is delivering gifts to his most loyal supporters, making progress toward conservative goals, and showcasing his populist, nationalist, and right-wing ideology.
Trump’s three-day sprint through his to-do list has already made the United States a different country, and official Washington a changed town. With only one member of his Cabinet confirmed and GOP congressional majorities yet to fully gear up on his priorities, Trump’s conservative overhaul is likely to continue.
In a flurry of activity, Trump has taken aim at liberal governance, spelling out the price Democrats will pay for former Vice President Kamala Harris’ election loss and Joe Biden’s decision to initially seek another term. He has imposed his will on government, border, and bureaucracy, and has given his critics every reason to think their worst fears for his new presidency will be realized and worse.
Trump has taken several actions, including ordering federal prosecutors to investigate and charge state and local officials who refuse to cooperate with his mass deportation program, deploying thousands more active-duty US troops to the southern border, and putting government employees in all federal diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility offices on paid administrative leave.
He has also halted agreements that require reforms of police departments where the Justice Department found a pattern of misconduct, pardoned two Washington, DC, police officers over their role in the death of 20-year-old Karon Hylton-Brown, and unconditionally pardoned January 6 rioters and alleged participants in the US Capitol attack.
Trump’s administration has also directed federal health agencies to pause external communications, including regular scientific reports, updates to websites, and health advisories, and has ordered DOJ attorneys to pause their cases. In addition, he has pulled the United States out of the World Health Organization and has instructed public health agencies to have all documents and communications approved by a presidential appointee.
While Trump is delivering for his MAGA base, swing-state voters who are angry over high prices for groceries and housing are still waiting to see how he will live up to his promise to help them. His constant threats to slap tariffs on Canada, Mexico, the European Union, and even Russia are raising the prospect of even higher consumer costs.
Trump’s increasingly extreme start to his second term may give Democrats an opportunity to form a new strategy, and opposition is stirring overseas to his trade war and land grab threats.
