The agenda for Trump's second term: What to anticipate
Equipped with an enhanced comprehension of governmental processes, Trump is anticipated to chase a more ambitious agenda at an accelerated pace compared to his initial term.
TroibNews 
Donald Trump has pledged to oversee the largest deportation of immigrants in U.S. history, implement sweeping new tariffs on imports, impose a freeze on climate-related regulations, overhaul federal health agencies, and introduce ideological shifts in the education system.
Now he has the opportunity to do so.
Trump insiders express confidence that he will move more swiftly in his second term than during his first to achieve these objectives.
During his first term, Trump initiated significant policy shifts but frequently lamented that bureaucracy hindered his most ambitious initiatives.
With that experience, he anticipates that officials in his next administration will navigate complex agencies and policy processes more effectively, facilitating a quicker and more ambitious agenda, as per Trump's advisers.
While some of Trump's priority items, such as tax cuts and modifications to the Affordable Care Act, will require congressional backing, many do not. The Trump administration can amend immigration enforcement, impose tariffs, alter health regulations, engage in overseas military actions, and reshape the education system without congressional support.
The president-elect has pledged to convert as many as 50,000 civil service roles into political appointments, effectively eliminating job protections for the existing officials and ensuring that loyalists remain in key positions.
Additionally, Trump supporter Elon Musk stated that, if he joins the administration to lead a new Department of Government Efficiency, he would identify $2 trillion in budget cuts.
Trump's policy aspirations go beyond merely reversing the actions of the Biden administration; he seeks to fundamentally transform policies and the federal agencies responsible for crafting them.
Here’s an overview of nine policy areas under the prospective Trump presidency—what the president-elect envisions, and what is actually feasible.
The president-elect has committed to constructing massive detention facilities, executing mass deportations on an unprecedented scale, recruiting thousands of additional border agents, reallocating military funds to enhance border security, and invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport suspected members of drug cartels and criminal gangs without due process.
Additionally, Trump has declared he would terminate "catch-and-release," which permits migrants to reside in U.S. communities while awaiting immigration court decisions, and reinstate the "Remain in Mexico" policy from his first term, requiring asylum seekers to wait in Mexico during their hearings.
He has also dodged inquiries regarding the potential revival of his contentious zero-tolerance, family separation strategy, which resulted in approximately 5,000 children entering the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement and being accommodated in shelters and foster homes while their parents faced criminal prosecution for illegal border crossings.
Despite the aggressive and comprehensive nature of these proposals, they generally lack specific details.
The president-elect has not clarified how he plans to round up undocumented immigrants or fund these initiatives. Trump may encounter difficulties in recruiting additional border personnel, a persistent challenge faced by the Border Patrol.
Legal obstacles may also arise around his intent to redirect military funds for border security, presenting potential hurdles for these policies.
In his prior term, many of Trump’s immigration measures, including "Remain in Mexico," confronted judicial scrutiny. His family separation policies also sparked substantial public outcry.
— Myah Ward
Trump has claimed that “tariff” is his favorite word and is expected to act swiftly on new trade restrictions that he committed to during his campaign.
He has stated that he will impose a 10 to 20 percent across-the-board tariff on all $3 trillion worth of U.S. imports and a 60 percent tariff on all goods from China. This would significantly expand the tariffs he instituted during his first term on billions of dollars' worth of steel and aluminum, as well as over $300 billion of Chinese imports.
The Trump campaign remained vague regarding the operational details of this initiative. Many trade analysts believe he could leverage existing authority like the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which enables the president to regulate economic transactions after declaring an emergency.
This approach could provoke legal challenges, but a recent analysis from the Cato Institute, a free-market think tank, cast doubt on the capacity of courts or Congress to limit Trump's actions. However, trading partners, including the EU, might retaliate with tariffs on U.S. exports.
Trump is also anticipated to adopt a confrontational position in the upcoming six-year review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, negotiated during his first presidency to replace NAFTA. This review formally commences in 2026, although preparations are underway. Trump might threaten tariffs to leverage Mexico's cooperation on immigration, similar to tactics he employed in 2019 via IEEPA.
Other potential measures, such as revoking permanent normal trade relations with China or implementing a carbon-border adjustment tax, will require congressional consent. Congress may also address trade and tariff matters when renewing Trump's 2017 tax cuts, which will expire next year. Trump has suggested that import tariffs could serve as a source of revenue and help diminish the U.S. trade deficit.
— Doug Palmer and Christine Mui
Trump has expressed that he wants Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to conclude the war in Gaza by January if he regains the presidency. Similarly, he has insisted that the conflict in Ukraine must end, though he has not proposed a specific course of action to facilitate a cessation of hostilities between Kyiv and Moscow.
Trump’s perspectives on Gaza and the West Bank markedly contrast with those of the Biden administration. While Biden has advocated for the departure of Israeli troops from Gaza and for Netanyahu to pursue a two-state solution, Trump has previously supported a plan that would afford Israel enhanced control over Palestinian territories. In this plan, he promised to guide $50 billion in international investments to bolster the Palestinian economy.
Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner played a pivotal role in shaping the previous administration's Middle East policy, including the development of the Israeli-Palestinian plan and the brokering of the Abraham Accords, which saw Bahrain and the UAE recognize Israel’s sovereignty. There have been no indications that Kushner will maintain an active role in another Trump administration.
During his previous tenure, Trump adopted a hardline approach toward Iran, enacting a "maximum pressure" campaign to impose stringent sanctions aimed at crippling the Iranian economy. These sanctions targeted high-ranking officials of the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps among others. Trump was responsible for the termination of former IRGC Commander Qassem Soleimani in a January 2020 operation, an act that invoked Iranian vows of retribution, including threats against Trump himself.
Trump's stance on Iran is likely to inform his strategies regarding the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, and could heavily influence his overall Middle East policy. While relations between Trump and Netanyahu have been strained, it is plausible that any policy implemented to address Tehran and its affiliates would include a marked increase in support for Israel. The two leaders have had recent communications, indicating ongoing discussions about a potential second Trump term.
As on the topic of the Middle East, Trump has claimed he could quickly broach a peace deal to resolve the war between Ukraine and Russia—stating during the campaign his intention to initiate negotiations before taking office.
However, when queried about his desire for Ukraine to emerge victorious in the conflict, he refrained from providing a direct answer. Trump has criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the war and has threatened to withdraw investment from the country if he assumes office again.
Zelenskyy expressed that he is not overly concerned about Trump's divergence from long-established U.S. foreign policy tactics, suggesting that he sees Trump’s rhetoric as mere election posturing. Notably, Zelenskyy visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago in late September.
Trump's China policy has been predominantly influenced by his broader “America First” doctrine. His first term was characterized by an effort to curtail Chinese aggression in trade, implementing severe penalties for intellectual property infringement. Throughout his administration, efforts were directed at decreasing reliance on Chinese goods and mitigating the country’s technological advancements. Trump is expected to persist with this approach, although a key challenge will be managing an assertive U.S. position toward China without exacerbating tensions with Beijing.
— Erin Banco
If Trump stays true to his declarations, he is poised to overhaul health policy dramatically.
He has promised to let vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “go wild” in a significant health-related role, which would pivot the Republican agenda from policy discussions around legislation and regulation to more fundamental debates regarding the government's role in healthcare.
Kennedy has propagated the discredited narrative that vaccines are linked to autism, authored a book accusing former NIH official Anthony Fauci and tech entrepreneur Bill Gates of colluding with pharmaceutical companies to market Covid vaccines, and launched a movement aimed at “making America healthy again.” This initiative includes plans to replace officials at regulatory agencies he views as overly influenced by the industries they supervise, eliminate “toxic additives and pesticide residues” in food, advocate for alternative medicine, and cease the fluoridation of public water supplies.
Further modifications are anticipated.
On the issue of abortion, Trump has attempted to distance himself from his role in appointing three Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade. He has denied any intention to advocate for federal legislation aimed at banning or restricting abortion, asserting instead that he would veto any strictures that landed on his desk.
Nevertheless, Trump has not committed to enshrining abortion protections akin to Roe or pursuing measures to enhance accessibility in states that have imposed restrictions.
Regarding Obamacare, even conservative health policy experts who favor repealing the Affordable Care Act concede that comprehensive repeal is unlikely. Instead, they predict Trump will focus on loosening regulations governing insurers and targeting specific aspects of the law for repeal or amendment. Vice President-elect JD Vance aims to reduce costs for younger, healthier individuals by permitting them to select insurance plans based on their health risks, which could result in higher premiums for older individuals and those with pre-existing conditions, who are currently safeguarded from risk-based pricing under Obamacare.
Trump had previously shown support for allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices during his 2016 campaign but later backed away from that position. Currently, he will oversee ongoing negotiations mandated by Congress under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which is expected to encompass dozens of new drugs during his term. Every Republican in Congress opposed that legislation. Now, Trump’s Justice Department is charged with defending it against challenges from pharmaceutical companies in court.
— Daniel Payne
Trump has criticized Biden’s student loan measures as a misuse of taxpayer funds but has not indicated how he plans to address the growing student debt crisis. Numerous facets of Biden’s debt relief initiatives are currently embroiled in litigation, and Trump has not clarified his course of action should these challenges advance.
The Republican platform does not explicitly mention student loans but advocates for dismissing “radical Left accreditors” to lower tuition costs. Trump has previously suggested overhauling accrediting bodies that supervise colleges and universities and establishing new requirements that might eliminate staff focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Additionally, the platform calls for creating “more affordable alternatives to a traditional four-year college degree” and funding “proven career training programs.” However, Trump has proposed significant cuts to the Education Department, which allocates billions in scholarships to assist low-income students in accessing higher education.
Any substantial dismantling of the department will necessitate congressional approval, yet Trump may pursue significant funding reductions and transfer some of its essential responsibilities to different agencies.
During his initial term, Trump proposed a budget in 2021 that eliminated a popular student loan forgiveness initiative. Although that proposal did not pass, his administration effectively denied nearly all applicants from that program.
— Rebecca Carballo
The 2024 Republican platform pledged to reduce federal funding for schools that incorporate discussions of race and gender, prevent transgender women from participating in women’s sports teams, and deport international students who expressed support for Palestine.
Many promises made by Trump in this regard could be fulfilled in his future administration, even without congressional involvement.
He has threatened to withdraw federal funding from schools that offer particular race-related coursework, a course which he could implement by directing his Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights to launch inquiries into these programs and suspend their funding.
His previous administration employed a comparable strategy. Former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos ruled that permitting transgender women to participate on women’s teams contravened federal anti-discrimination law (Title IX) and employed this rationale to warn a local school district of potential legal action or funding loss.
Trump has vowed to reform Title IX and restore a 2020 ruling that outlined how schools should address reports of sexual misconduct. The Biden administration overturned this rule, which is currently facing legal challenges. A newly minted regulation could further elucidate what “sex” encompasses and determine the eligibility of transgender students for participation in sports or use of facilities reflecting their gender identity.
The president-elect has also promised civil rights investigations against schools that apply race in admissions processes and pledged to reinstate his 1776 Commission, aimed at “promoting fair and patriotic civic education.”
— Bianca Quilantan
Trump could initiate a substantial regulatory freeze beginning in January. Upon taking office on January 20, he is expected to reverse the Biden administration’s proactive climate change agenda that aimed to decrease fossil fuel reliance and curtail greenhouse gas emissions. In contrast, Trump has pledged to preserve the nation’s aging coal-fired power plants and ramp up the extraction of oil and natural gas, despite the U.S. already achieving record production levels in these areas.
However, the process of repealing and replacing Biden's regulations could prove to be lengthy. Trump’s first EPA faced criticism for its slow pace in regulatory changes in 2017, though insights gained during his initial term may lead to more expedient action by those he appoints this time around.
This endeavor will also encounter complexities concerning key climate regulations. Trump’s previous power plant climate initiative was struck down in 2021, coincidentally on the last full day of his presidency. The rule had mandated coal-fired plants to implement minor efficiency improvements. A federal appellate court decreed that the EPA should have considered alternative regulatory measures, such as carbon capture technology, which is the backbone of Biden's current replacement regulation. Although the 2021 ruling has been effectively vacated, it may still inform the approaches of Trump’s legal team.
Moreover, Trump will be unable to completely rescind Biden's substantial methane regulation that compels the oil and gas sector to address emissions of this potent greenhouse gas. He did fully repeal this initiative in his initial term, yet legislative changes since then essentially obligate the EPA to carry out regulation. Nonetheless, he can make a series of adjustments that the industry might welcome.
— Alex Guillén
Trump has committed to facilitating a decrease in regulations to assist builders in increasing housing supply to help lower costs. The Republican National Committee has also endorsed the proposal of selling off federal lands for housing development, a priority for Utah Republicans in Congress.
During his first presidency, the Trump administration sought to recapitalize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two government-controlled enterprises that support approximately half of the nation’s residential mortgages. However, efforts to eventually privatize these governmental entities stagnated due to the pandemic's impact. The administration may now have another shot at this agenda, depending on who Trump appoints to lead the Treasury Department and the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
— Katy O’Donnell
Trump maneuvered through his campaign with minimal elaboration on his strategies for the impending tax debates, but practical realities are soon to confront him.
Tax cuts amounting to $4.6 trillion from Trump’s initial term are approaching expiration at the end of 2025. He has asserted his intention to make these cuts permanent while simultaneously proposing extensive new tax cuts, such as abolishing taxation on tips and permitting deductions for auto-loan interest.
Congress will need to assess the viability of his proposals even as it grapples with the financial implications of renewing the extant tax cuts.
These cuts predominantly impact individual taxpayers, meaning that almost everyone's taxes would increase if they are allowed to expire at the end of next year.
Lawmakers will have to deliberate how much in total they aim to allocate for a tax overhaul—a fundamental issue that may take time to resolve, especially given the deep divisions over addressing the nation’s $2 trillion deficit. Trump has suggested using tariff increases to finance income tax reductions. While protectionist sentiments are gaining traction in Congress, many legislators may resist the substantial tariffs Trump has proposed.
Republicans may also seek to rescind the green energy tax incentives established by Democrats, though some members have come to support these provisions, making repeal challenging. Alternatives, such as a brief extension of the tax cuts, are other avenues Republicans might explore to reduce costs.
— Brian Faler
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
Now he has the opportunity to do so.
Trump insiders express confidence that he will move more swiftly in his second term than during his first to achieve these objectives.
During his first term, Trump initiated significant policy shifts but frequently lamented that bureaucracy hindered his most ambitious initiatives.
With that experience, he anticipates that officials in his next administration will navigate complex agencies and policy processes more effectively, facilitating a quicker and more ambitious agenda, as per Trump's advisers.
While some of Trump's priority items, such as tax cuts and modifications to the Affordable Care Act, will require congressional backing, many do not. The Trump administration can amend immigration enforcement, impose tariffs, alter health regulations, engage in overseas military actions, and reshape the education system without congressional support.
The president-elect has pledged to convert as many as 50,000 civil service roles into political appointments, effectively eliminating job protections for the existing officials and ensuring that loyalists remain in key positions.
Additionally, Trump supporter Elon Musk stated that, if he joins the administration to lead a new Department of Government Efficiency, he would identify $2 trillion in budget cuts.
Trump's policy aspirations go beyond merely reversing the actions of the Biden administration; he seeks to fundamentally transform policies and the federal agencies responsible for crafting them.
Here’s an overview of nine policy areas under the prospective Trump presidency—what the president-elect envisions, and what is actually feasible.
The president-elect has committed to constructing massive detention facilities, executing mass deportations on an unprecedented scale, recruiting thousands of additional border agents, reallocating military funds to enhance border security, and invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport suspected members of drug cartels and criminal gangs without due process.
Additionally, Trump has declared he would terminate "catch-and-release," which permits migrants to reside in U.S. communities while awaiting immigration court decisions, and reinstate the "Remain in Mexico" policy from his first term, requiring asylum seekers to wait in Mexico during their hearings.
He has also dodged inquiries regarding the potential revival of his contentious zero-tolerance, family separation strategy, which resulted in approximately 5,000 children entering the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement and being accommodated in shelters and foster homes while their parents faced criminal prosecution for illegal border crossings.
Despite the aggressive and comprehensive nature of these proposals, they generally lack specific details.
The president-elect has not clarified how he plans to round up undocumented immigrants or fund these initiatives. Trump may encounter difficulties in recruiting additional border personnel, a persistent challenge faced by the Border Patrol.
Legal obstacles may also arise around his intent to redirect military funds for border security, presenting potential hurdles for these policies.
In his prior term, many of Trump’s immigration measures, including "Remain in Mexico," confronted judicial scrutiny. His family separation policies also sparked substantial public outcry.
— Myah Ward
Trump has claimed that “tariff” is his favorite word and is expected to act swiftly on new trade restrictions that he committed to during his campaign.
He has stated that he will impose a 10 to 20 percent across-the-board tariff on all $3 trillion worth of U.S. imports and a 60 percent tariff on all goods from China. This would significantly expand the tariffs he instituted during his first term on billions of dollars' worth of steel and aluminum, as well as over $300 billion of Chinese imports.
The Trump campaign remained vague regarding the operational details of this initiative. Many trade analysts believe he could leverage existing authority like the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which enables the president to regulate economic transactions after declaring an emergency.
This approach could provoke legal challenges, but a recent analysis from the Cato Institute, a free-market think tank, cast doubt on the capacity of courts or Congress to limit Trump's actions. However, trading partners, including the EU, might retaliate with tariffs on U.S. exports.
Trump is also anticipated to adopt a confrontational position in the upcoming six-year review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, negotiated during his first presidency to replace NAFTA. This review formally commences in 2026, although preparations are underway. Trump might threaten tariffs to leverage Mexico's cooperation on immigration, similar to tactics he employed in 2019 via IEEPA.
Other potential measures, such as revoking permanent normal trade relations with China or implementing a carbon-border adjustment tax, will require congressional consent. Congress may also address trade and tariff matters when renewing Trump's 2017 tax cuts, which will expire next year. Trump has suggested that import tariffs could serve as a source of revenue and help diminish the U.S. trade deficit.
— Doug Palmer and Christine Mui
Trump has expressed that he wants Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to conclude the war in Gaza by January if he regains the presidency. Similarly, he has insisted that the conflict in Ukraine must end, though he has not proposed a specific course of action to facilitate a cessation of hostilities between Kyiv and Moscow.
Trump’s perspectives on Gaza and the West Bank markedly contrast with those of the Biden administration. While Biden has advocated for the departure of Israeli troops from Gaza and for Netanyahu to pursue a two-state solution, Trump has previously supported a plan that would afford Israel enhanced control over Palestinian territories. In this plan, he promised to guide $50 billion in international investments to bolster the Palestinian economy.
Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner played a pivotal role in shaping the previous administration's Middle East policy, including the development of the Israeli-Palestinian plan and the brokering of the Abraham Accords, which saw Bahrain and the UAE recognize Israel’s sovereignty. There have been no indications that Kushner will maintain an active role in another Trump administration.
During his previous tenure, Trump adopted a hardline approach toward Iran, enacting a "maximum pressure" campaign to impose stringent sanctions aimed at crippling the Iranian economy. These sanctions targeted high-ranking officials of the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps among others. Trump was responsible for the termination of former IRGC Commander Qassem Soleimani in a January 2020 operation, an act that invoked Iranian vows of retribution, including threats against Trump himself.
Trump's stance on Iran is likely to inform his strategies regarding the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, and could heavily influence his overall Middle East policy. While relations between Trump and Netanyahu have been strained, it is plausible that any policy implemented to address Tehran and its affiliates would include a marked increase in support for Israel. The two leaders have had recent communications, indicating ongoing discussions about a potential second Trump term.
As on the topic of the Middle East, Trump has claimed he could quickly broach a peace deal to resolve the war between Ukraine and Russia—stating during the campaign his intention to initiate negotiations before taking office.
However, when queried about his desire for Ukraine to emerge victorious in the conflict, he refrained from providing a direct answer. Trump has criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the war and has threatened to withdraw investment from the country if he assumes office again.
Zelenskyy expressed that he is not overly concerned about Trump's divergence from long-established U.S. foreign policy tactics, suggesting that he sees Trump’s rhetoric as mere election posturing. Notably, Zelenskyy visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago in late September.
Trump's China policy has been predominantly influenced by his broader “America First” doctrine. His first term was characterized by an effort to curtail Chinese aggression in trade, implementing severe penalties for intellectual property infringement. Throughout his administration, efforts were directed at decreasing reliance on Chinese goods and mitigating the country’s technological advancements. Trump is expected to persist with this approach, although a key challenge will be managing an assertive U.S. position toward China without exacerbating tensions with Beijing.
— Erin Banco
If Trump stays true to his declarations, he is poised to overhaul health policy dramatically.
He has promised to let vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “go wild” in a significant health-related role, which would pivot the Republican agenda from policy discussions around legislation and regulation to more fundamental debates regarding the government's role in healthcare.
Kennedy has propagated the discredited narrative that vaccines are linked to autism, authored a book accusing former NIH official Anthony Fauci and tech entrepreneur Bill Gates of colluding with pharmaceutical companies to market Covid vaccines, and launched a movement aimed at “making America healthy again.” This initiative includes plans to replace officials at regulatory agencies he views as overly influenced by the industries they supervise, eliminate “toxic additives and pesticide residues” in food, advocate for alternative medicine, and cease the fluoridation of public water supplies.
Further modifications are anticipated.
On the issue of abortion, Trump has attempted to distance himself from his role in appointing three Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade. He has denied any intention to advocate for federal legislation aimed at banning or restricting abortion, asserting instead that he would veto any strictures that landed on his desk.
Nevertheless, Trump has not committed to enshrining abortion protections akin to Roe or pursuing measures to enhance accessibility in states that have imposed restrictions.
Regarding Obamacare, even conservative health policy experts who favor repealing the Affordable Care Act concede that comprehensive repeal is unlikely. Instead, they predict Trump will focus on loosening regulations governing insurers and targeting specific aspects of the law for repeal or amendment. Vice President-elect JD Vance aims to reduce costs for younger, healthier individuals by permitting them to select insurance plans based on their health risks, which could result in higher premiums for older individuals and those with pre-existing conditions, who are currently safeguarded from risk-based pricing under Obamacare.
Trump had previously shown support for allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices during his 2016 campaign but later backed away from that position. Currently, he will oversee ongoing negotiations mandated by Congress under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which is expected to encompass dozens of new drugs during his term. Every Republican in Congress opposed that legislation. Now, Trump’s Justice Department is charged with defending it against challenges from pharmaceutical companies in court.
— Daniel Payne
Trump has criticized Biden’s student loan measures as a misuse of taxpayer funds but has not indicated how he plans to address the growing student debt crisis. Numerous facets of Biden’s debt relief initiatives are currently embroiled in litigation, and Trump has not clarified his course of action should these challenges advance.
The Republican platform does not explicitly mention student loans but advocates for dismissing “radical Left accreditors” to lower tuition costs. Trump has previously suggested overhauling accrediting bodies that supervise colleges and universities and establishing new requirements that might eliminate staff focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Additionally, the platform calls for creating “more affordable alternatives to a traditional four-year college degree” and funding “proven career training programs.” However, Trump has proposed significant cuts to the Education Department, which allocates billions in scholarships to assist low-income students in accessing higher education.
Any substantial dismantling of the department will necessitate congressional approval, yet Trump may pursue significant funding reductions and transfer some of its essential responsibilities to different agencies.
During his initial term, Trump proposed a budget in 2021 that eliminated a popular student loan forgiveness initiative. Although that proposal did not pass, his administration effectively denied nearly all applicants from that program.
— Rebecca Carballo
The 2024 Republican platform pledged to reduce federal funding for schools that incorporate discussions of race and gender, prevent transgender women from participating in women’s sports teams, and deport international students who expressed support for Palestine.
Many promises made by Trump in this regard could be fulfilled in his future administration, even without congressional involvement.
He has threatened to withdraw federal funding from schools that offer particular race-related coursework, a course which he could implement by directing his Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights to launch inquiries into these programs and suspend their funding.
His previous administration employed a comparable strategy. Former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos ruled that permitting transgender women to participate on women’s teams contravened federal anti-discrimination law (Title IX) and employed this rationale to warn a local school district of potential legal action or funding loss.
Trump has vowed to reform Title IX and restore a 2020 ruling that outlined how schools should address reports of sexual misconduct. The Biden administration overturned this rule, which is currently facing legal challenges. A newly minted regulation could further elucidate what “sex” encompasses and determine the eligibility of transgender students for participation in sports or use of facilities reflecting their gender identity.
The president-elect has also promised civil rights investigations against schools that apply race in admissions processes and pledged to reinstate his 1776 Commission, aimed at “promoting fair and patriotic civic education.”
— Bianca Quilantan
Trump could initiate a substantial regulatory freeze beginning in January. Upon taking office on January 20, he is expected to reverse the Biden administration’s proactive climate change agenda that aimed to decrease fossil fuel reliance and curtail greenhouse gas emissions. In contrast, Trump has pledged to preserve the nation’s aging coal-fired power plants and ramp up the extraction of oil and natural gas, despite the U.S. already achieving record production levels in these areas.
However, the process of repealing and replacing Biden's regulations could prove to be lengthy. Trump’s first EPA faced criticism for its slow pace in regulatory changes in 2017, though insights gained during his initial term may lead to more expedient action by those he appoints this time around.
This endeavor will also encounter complexities concerning key climate regulations. Trump’s previous power plant climate initiative was struck down in 2021, coincidentally on the last full day of his presidency. The rule had mandated coal-fired plants to implement minor efficiency improvements. A federal appellate court decreed that the EPA should have considered alternative regulatory measures, such as carbon capture technology, which is the backbone of Biden's current replacement regulation. Although the 2021 ruling has been effectively vacated, it may still inform the approaches of Trump’s legal team.
Moreover, Trump will be unable to completely rescind Biden's substantial methane regulation that compels the oil and gas sector to address emissions of this potent greenhouse gas. He did fully repeal this initiative in his initial term, yet legislative changes since then essentially obligate the EPA to carry out regulation. Nonetheless, he can make a series of adjustments that the industry might welcome.
— Alex Guillén
Trump has committed to facilitating a decrease in regulations to assist builders in increasing housing supply to help lower costs. The Republican National Committee has also endorsed the proposal of selling off federal lands for housing development, a priority for Utah Republicans in Congress.
During his first presidency, the Trump administration sought to recapitalize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two government-controlled enterprises that support approximately half of the nation’s residential mortgages. However, efforts to eventually privatize these governmental entities stagnated due to the pandemic's impact. The administration may now have another shot at this agenda, depending on who Trump appoints to lead the Treasury Department and the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
— Katy O’Donnell
Trump maneuvered through his campaign with minimal elaboration on his strategies for the impending tax debates, but practical realities are soon to confront him.
Tax cuts amounting to $4.6 trillion from Trump’s initial term are approaching expiration at the end of 2025. He has asserted his intention to make these cuts permanent while simultaneously proposing extensive new tax cuts, such as abolishing taxation on tips and permitting deductions for auto-loan interest.
Congress will need to assess the viability of his proposals even as it grapples with the financial implications of renewing the extant tax cuts.
These cuts predominantly impact individual taxpayers, meaning that almost everyone's taxes would increase if they are allowed to expire at the end of next year.
Lawmakers will have to deliberate how much in total they aim to allocate for a tax overhaul—a fundamental issue that may take time to resolve, especially given the deep divisions over addressing the nation’s $2 trillion deficit. Trump has suggested using tariff increases to finance income tax reductions. While protectionist sentiments are gaining traction in Congress, many legislators may resist the substantial tariffs Trump has proposed.
Republicans may also seek to rescind the green energy tax incentives established by Democrats, though some members have come to support these provisions, making repeal challenging. Alternatives, such as a brief extension of the tax cuts, are other avenues Republicans might explore to reduce costs.
— Brian Faler
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
