Wider-Ranging Agenda for a Second Trump Administration
Immigration
Donald Trump’s plan for immigration in a second administration would be the "largest mass deportation program in history." He proposes using the National Guard and empowering domestic police forces to achieve this goal. However, he has provided scant details on how the program would work and how it would target only individuals in the US illegally. He has also called for "ideological screening" for would-be entrants, ending birthright citizenship, and reinstating policies such as "Remain in Mexico," limiting migrants on public health grounds, and severely limiting or banning entrants from certain majority-Muslim nations. This approach would not only crack down on illegal migration but also curtail immigration overall.
Abortion
Trump has downplayed the importance of abortion in a second term, even as he took credit for the Supreme Court’s decision to end a woman’s federal right to terminate a pregnancy and return abortion regulation to state governments. He maintains that overturning Roe v. Wade is enough on the federal level. Trump said on his social media platform, Truth Social, that he would veto a federal abortion ban if such legislation reached his desk. However, anti-abortion activists note that the GOP platform still asserts that a fetus should have due process protections under the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause, which could be a roadmap for conservatives to seek a national abortion ban through federal courts.
Taxes
Trump’s tax policies generally favor corporations and wealthier Americans. This is primarily due to his promise to extend his 2017 tax overhaul, with a few notable changes, including lowering the corporate income tax rate to 15% from the current 21%. This also involves rolling back Democratic President Biden’s income tax hikes on the wealthiest Americans and scrapping Inflation Reduction Act levies that finance energy measures intended to combat climate change. Trump has also emphasized new proposals aimed at working-class and middle-class Americans, such as exempting earned tips, Social Security wages, and overtime wages from income taxes. However, his proposal on tips, depending on how Congress might write it, could give a back-door tax break to top wage earners by allowing them to reclassify some of their pay as tip income – a prospect that, at its most extreme, could see hedge fund managers or top-flight attorneys taking advantage of a policy designed for restaurant servers, bartenders, and other service workers.
Tariffs and Trade
Trump’s posture on international trade is to distrust global markets as harmful to American interests. He proposes tariffs of 10% to 20% on foreign goods – and, in some speeches, has mentioned even higher percentages. He promises to reinstitute an August 2020 executive order requiring that the Food and Drug Administration buy "essential" medications only from US companies. He also pledges to block purchases of "any vital infrastructure" in the US by Chinese buyers.
DEI, LGBTQ+, and Civil Rights
Trump has called for rolling back societal emphasis on diversity and for legal protections for LGBTQ+ citizens. He has called for ending diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in government institutions, using federal funding as leverage. On transgender rights, Trump promises to end "boys in girls’ sports," a practice he insists, without evidence, is widespread. However, his policies go beyond standard applause lines from his rally speeches. Trump would roll back the Biden administration’s policy of extending Title IX civil rights protections to transgender students and would ask Congress to require that only two genders can be recognized at birth.
Regulation, Federal Bureaucracy, and Presidential Power
The president-elect seeks to reduce the role of federal bureaucrats and regulations across economic sectors. Trump frames all regulatory cuts as an economic magic wand. He pledges precipitous drops in US households’ utility bills by removing obstacles to fossil fuel production, including opening all federal lands for exploration – even though US energy production is already at record highs. Trump also promises to unleash housing construction by cutting regulations – though most construction rules come from state and local government. He also says he would end "frivolous litigation from the environmental extremists."
Conclusion
Donald Trump’s agenda for a second administration is characterized by a mix of traditional conservative approaches to taxes, regulation, and cultural issues, combined with a more populist bent on trade and a shift in America’s international role. His proposals aim to reduce the federal government’s role in various areas, such as immigration, education, and social issues, while expanding presidential powers.
FAQs
Q: What is Trump’s plan for immigration in a second administration?
A: Trump’s plan would be the "largest mass deportation program in history," using the National Guard and empowering domestic police forces to achieve this goal.
Q: What is Trump’s stance on abortion in a second term?
A: Trump has downplayed the importance of abortion in a second term, even as he took credit for the Supreme Court’s decision to end a woman’s federal right to terminate a pregnancy and return abortion regulation to state governments.
Q: What are Trump’s tax policies?
A: Trump’s tax policies generally favor corporations and wealthier Americans, with proposals such as exempting earned tips, Social Security wages, and overtime wages from income taxes.
Q: How does Trump approach international trade?
A: Trump’s posture on international trade is to distrust global markets as harmful to American interests, proposing tariffs of 10% to 20% on foreign goods and promising to reinstitute an August 2020 executive order requiring the Food and Drug Administration to buy "essential" medications only from US companies.
