New Trump Administration's Policies

Concerning the Economy:

President Trump signed an executive order imposing a 25% tariff on products from Canada and Mexico, as well as a lower rate of 10% on Chinese imports, on February 1. Although last-minute deals with President Claudia Sheinbuam of Mexico allowed this measure to be delayed for one more month, it has sparked widespread threats of retaliation. Experts estimate that it would lead to GDP losses of 2-3% for the two North American states. The White House has defended them as needed to address trade deficits and pressure other governments to crackdown on fentanyl trafficking and illegal immigration.

Another important policy change imposed by the new administration suspended the hiring of all new government employees for 90 days. The existing federal workforce was also affected: it has been ordered to work only in-person from now on, and changes made it easier to terminate their contracts in the future. Lastly, seeking to boost growth, the White House overhauled U.S. energy policies and deregulated fossil fuels, dismantling Biden-era renewable energy programs. 

Concerning Immigration:

For an administration known for its opposition to immigration, many of Trump’s executive orders focused on strengthening federal control of the border. This included limiting asylum access and authorizing sweeping raids to arrest undocumented persons. He also blocked the entry of many refugees from countries like Venezuela and Haiti, who had already been cleared by the previous administration. However, the DREAMER program, dating back to the Obama years, remained in place, protecting millions of noncitizen adolescents who emigrated to the United States at a very young age.

Controversially, Trump moved to wield the government in retaliation against so-called sanctuary cities. These cities are those which have invoked their constitutional right to refuse to cooperate with the President and abstain from participating in immigration enforcement. The administration has decided to withhold federal funds from these localities, and empowered friendly officials.

Finally, one move that is nearly certain to have little long-standing impact is Trump’s decision to sign a degree denying citizenship to the American-born children of illegal migrants. This directly violated the Fourteenth Amendment and a (conservative) judge has already, accordingly, issued a ruling blocking the new guideline.

Concerning Civil Rights:

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives have long been a part of a greater effort to make the federal government more representative of the American population. Trump and the broader Republican Party had recently turned against them, and the President signed documents putting an end to them within state agencies. The effort extended past controversial initiatives: Trump revoked a 1965 civil rights-era order that had banned discrimination in government contracting, a cornerstone of affirmative action. This will likely lower protections for minorities and historically marginalized groups.

Lastly, in a blow to the LGBT rights movement, Trump signed an executive order that mandated that government recognition extended to only two genders: male and female. This will reverse a change made by the Biden White House, which recognized nonbinary and trans people on their official papers, like passports or bathrooms in U.S. federal buildings. Some experts have raised concerns that this may be harmful to national security, by making it harder to identify individuals with the gender they present as.

Concerning Foreign Policy:

Although the new President has shown more restraint on foreign affairs than may expected, the change in government has also affected how the U.S. will interact with the rest of the world. First of all, Trump withdrew the United States from the World Health Organization, redoing a move he had already made in his first term. Critics argue this move, which includes suspending U.S. aid and funding, will undermine global disease control efforts. Secondly, Trump ordered a freeze for 90-days U.S. foreign development aid. This move will impact critical programs, like PEPFAR. As a result, over a million could be at risk if the decree is not rescinded. Another notable departure from Democratic rule was the reinstatement of the Mexico City rule, which prohibits NGOs that benefit from U.S. funding from referring patients for abortion.

Other Changes:

Lastly, Trump will leave an impact on other areas. This includes cryptocurrency, as he ended an older slew of regulations around AI and created a commission to explore policy proposals in the field. Furthermore, the TikTok ban has already been extended. Lastly, Trump canceled a plan to extend healthcare coverage to low-income Americans.