President-elect Donald Trump, during his two-year campaign trail, made over a dozen promises about his first day in office.
Trump’s day-one plans are extensive, encompassing mass deportation of undocumented immigrants, sweeping tariffs that economists warn could have severe and detrimental effects on the U.S. economy, and pardons for defendants charged in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
In contrast, on his first day of his previous term, Trump signed only one executive order, targeting Obamacare. Here are some of Trump’s most significant day-one promises for this term:
Immigration:
– Launch a mass deportation program: As he did during his previous campaigns, immigration has been the core of Trump’s 2024 pitch. He repeatedly vowed to deport undocumented migrants. On October 27, just days before the election, Trump reiterated during a rally in New York City, “On day one, I will launch the largest deportation program in American history to remove the criminals.”
– In 2022, the number of undocumented migrants living in the U.S. was estimated to be nearly 11 million, according to a federal estimate, though the exact number is uncertain. As of September, Immigration and Customs Enforcement reported that fewer than 500,000 undocumented immigrants had criminal backgrounds.
– When asked in November about the cost of a mass deportation plan, Trump stated, “It’s not a question of a price tag.” That same month, Trump confirmed a post by another Truth Social user, who claimed that the Trump administration would be prepared to declare a national emergency and utilize military assets for a deportation program. Trump shared the post, exclaiming, “TRUE!!!”
– End birthright citizenship:
Anyone born in the U.S. is automatically granted citizenship, a right outlined in the 14th Amendment. However, Trump aims to change this, a logistically challenging move that would likely lead to legal battles. In a December interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” moderator Kristen Welker inquired about Trump’s current stance on ending birthright citizenship on his first day in office. Trump responded, affirming his intention to do so.
End Biden-era border policies
Trump has also expressed strong opposition to President Joe Biden’s immigration policies, vowing to “terminate every open-borders policy of the Biden administration” on his first day in office. During a New Hampshire campaign event in October, he further emphasized his commitment to using Title 42, a public health law implemented during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic. Title 42 allowed the White House to expedite the deportation of migrants, although it was partially continued during the Biden administration and ceased to be used in 2023.
DEMOCRACY
Pardon Jan. 6 defendants
Regarding democracy, Trump has repeatedly stated his intention to swiftly pardon individuals convicted of their involvement in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. In a December interview with NBC News’ Welker, Trump clarified his timeline for pardons, stating, “I’m looking first day.” He further elaborated in an interview with Time magazine published last month, mentioning his intention to consider pardons for individuals involved in the first nine minutes of the attack. During a January press conference, Trump was asked if he intended to pardon Jan. 6 defendants charged with violent crimes. He responded, affirming his consideration of the matter and expressing his intention to make “major pardons.”
Bill Clark / CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
As of now, over 1,580 defendants have been charged and more than 1,270 have been convicted in the January 6 investigation, encompassing a range of charges from unlawful parading to seditious conspiracy. Notably, there are over 700 defendants who have either received sentences without imprisonment or have already completed their sentences. This means that Trump could potentially pardon hundreds of Jan. 6 defendants without significantly impacting the practical consequences of the investigation.
Just a few Jan. 6 defendants are still detained pretrial at the order of a federal judge, while all other incarcerated Jan. 6 defendants have been sentenced to prison after their conviction. They either admitted to committing the crimes they were charged with or were found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt by a judge or jury.
FOREIGN POLICY
Ending the war in Ukraine
In terms of foreign policy, one of Trump’s most ambitious promises was to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office, or even before. He asserted during a September debate with Vice President Kamala Harris in Philadelphia, “That is a war that’s dying to be settled. I will get it settled before I even become president.”
Trump also mentioned his close relationship with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that they respect his president, but not Biden.
Alex Kent / Getty Images file
Regarding the economy, weeks after his election, Trump promised to sign an executive order implementing a 25% tariff on products imported from Mexico and Canada, two of America’s largest trading partners.
ECONOMY
Implement tariffs
On November 25, 2023, in a post on Truth Social, former President Trump announced that he would sign all the necessary documents to impose a 25% tariff on all products entering the United States, in conjunction with his criticism of the country’s “ridiculous Open Borders.” This move marked a significant escalation from his previous proposal of 10% tariffs across the board.
Throughout his campaign, Trump had consistently praised tariffs, referring to them as “the most beautiful word in the entire dictionary of words.” However, his recent comments about Mexico and Canada went beyond this initial proposal.
Economists have expressed concerns that consumers could bear the brunt of these sweeping tariffs, potentially leading to higher prices. Companies may respond by purchasing products domestically instead of internationally or by raising prices to offset the cost of the tariff. Alan Deardorff, an economist at the University of Michigan, had previously warned that Trump’s tariffs would be akin to a sales tax, as consumers nationwide would ultimately end up paying the increased costs.
In contrast, President Biden signed an order in 2021 setting a nationwide goal of achieving 50% of new car and truck sales by 2030 to be zero-emission. In March 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency finalized tailpipe emission limits, and electric vehicles were seen as a crucial tool to help meet these ambitious targets. Additionally, California has enacted a law requiring all new car sales in the state to be zero-emission by 2035.
Cancel the electric vehicle ‘mandate’
Trump has broadly labeled all these initiatives as “electric vehicle mandates,” despite no mandatory car purchase requirement. At a Houston campaign event in November, he reaffirmed his promise, stating, “On my first day in office, I will cancel Crooked Joe’s electric vehicle mandate.”
Another recurring promise is Trump’s commitment to boosting oil drilling in the United States. During a December town hall interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Trump clarified that he wouldn’t be a dictator except on the first day, intending to use that authority to “close the border” and “drill, drill, drill.” Trump has consistently claimed that increasing U.S. oil production would significantly reduce energy costs.
Drill, drill, drill
Last month, incoming Trump press secretary Karoline Leavitt assured Fox News that the administration would expedite permits for drilling and fracking nationwide, aiming to immediately lower the cost of living.
In 2023, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that U.S. energy production surpassed consumption by a record amount.
‘Made in America’ auto industry
Trump emphasized during a September rally that a vote for him would ensure the future of the American automobile industry. He envisioned the industry fueled by American energy, sourced from American suppliers, and built by American laborers. He asserted, “It’s going to happen, and we’ll do it. First day in office.”
Despite recent layoffs in the major auto industry, General Motors and Ford Motor reported their best domestic vehicle sales since 2019 in January.
TRANSGENDER RIGHTS
Limit participation in women’s sports
On a different note, Trump has advocated for limiting transgender participation in women’s sports.
Trump has repeatedly referred to transgender women as men, promising his supporters that he will ensure transgender women cannot compete in women’s sports. In an October speech in West Palm Beach, he declared, “I will ensure men are excluded from women’s sports, 100%, immediately, on the first day.” During the same speech, he vowed to sign an executive order on his first day in office to cut federal funding for schools that “push critical race theory, transgender insanity, and other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content to our beautiful children.”
Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda / Orlando Sentinel via Getty Images file
End gender-affirming care practices
Furthermore, Trump has consistently criticized gender-affirming care practices, which may include hormone therapy. During the Biden administration, the White House provided resources and guidance to ensure accessibility and information about the available care options. In a video posted to his campaign website on February 1, 2023, Trump stated, “On my first day, I will revoke Joe Biden’s cruel policies on so-called ‘gender affirming care.’”
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