As Donald Trump prepares for his second term in the White House, his agenda for his first day in office has captured global attention. Plans range from international peace efforts to sweeping domestic policies that promise rapid start. Here's a breakdown of the key pledges he's made and what they could mean.
Ending the Russia-Ukraine War
Trump has confidently stated that he will end the war between Russia and Ukraine, even suggesting he could achieve this before officially taking office. His spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, mentioned plans to bring both nations to the negotiating table on Day One. However, achieving a resolution to this complex conflict might be more challenging than Trump anticipates.
TikTok ban delayed
The former president has delayed the proposed ban on TikTok and is pushing for a different solution. A joint venture where he wants the popular app to take a 50% stake through the U.S.
He added that he would propose to acquire a 50% stake in the Chinese application.
"I would like the United States to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture. By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands and allow it to say up. Without US approval, there is no TikTok. With our approval, it is worth hundreds of billions of dollars - maybe trillions. Therefore, my initial thought is a joint venture between the current owners and/or new owners whereby the US gets a 50% ownership in a joint venture set up between the US and whichever purchase we so choose," he said.
This decision is to allegedly safeguard national security but still, keep the outlet open for domestic users.
Largest deportation program in U.S. history
Trump has promised to initiate what he calls the biggest deportation program in American history on his first day back in office. The plan involves state police and the National Guard assisting federal agents in deporting millions of undocumented immigrants, a strategy that remains largely untested on such a large scale.
Border control and end of automatic citizenship for 'children of illegal aliens'
He has vowed to seal off the U.S. border completely to halt illegal immigration. The president also stated that he would end the birthright citizenship of children of undocumented immigrants through an executive order
No federal funding for schools pushing 'transgender insanity'
Trump plans to cut federal funding for schools promoting what he terms “transgender insanity” and critical race theory. He also intends to revoke protections against discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation, though recent court rulings have complicated these efforts.
Pardon January 6, 2021, Capitol attack convicts
He has vowed to vet and even pardon those found guilty of being involved in the January 6 Capitol riot. He says he will grant pardons to people he thinks have been wrongly charged.
“The moment we win, we will rapidly review the cases of every political prisoner unjustly victimized by the Harris regime, and I will sign their pardons on Day 1,” he said at Wisconsin rally on September 7, 2024.
Eliminating 'deep state'
Another promise is that of eliminating the so-called "deep state." Trump wants to reclassify a lot of the civil servants to political appointees, making them easier to remove, which could reshape the federal workforce.
“We will demolish the ‘deep state.’ We will expel the warmongers from our government. We will drive out the globalists. We will cast out the communists, Marxists, and fascists. We will throw off the sick political class that hates our country. We will rout the fake news media,” he said at New Hampshire rally in 2023.
“We’re going to find the ‘deep state’ actors who have buried into government, fire them, and escort them from federal buildings, and it’ll go very quickly,” he said at South Carolina rally on January 28, 2023.
Energy and trade: National emergency and tariffs
On energy, Trump has promised a national emergency declaration that will help boost domestic production through drilling and building of new refineries. Additionally, a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada, alongside additional tariffs on Chinese goods, to encourage domestic production
End of electric vehicle mandates
Lastly, Trump aims to roll back Biden-era mandates promoting electric vehicles, focusing instead on traditional fuel standards and domestic energy production.