(The hill) – President-elect Trump is expected to get to work immediately after taking office, enacting sweeping changes to immigration, energy and foreign policy.
Trump indicated overdue last year that he would not rule as a dictator “until day one,” a sign that he intends to aggressively apply executive power to push through changes in immigration policy and particularly energy policy.
Trump has also signaled that he would quickly roll back protections for transgender youth and fire the man who brought a criminal case against him.
Here’s a look at what Trump will do “on day one.”
immigration
Much of Trump’s first day agenda is likely to focus on tackling immigration.
“With all of the secure border policies that we have in place with President Trump, he can just flip the switch and put them back in place the way they were before. “They didn’t need an act from Congress,” said Jason Miller, senior campaign adviser, on Wednesday on NBC’s “Today” show.
At nearly every campaign rally this cycle, the former president’s prepared remarks included the line: “On day one, I will launch the largest deportation program in American history.”
Carrying out such a massive deportation operation, which Trump says targets people living in the country illegally and particularly those with criminal records, will pose a huge logistical challenge. He said he would rely on local police departments for assistance, but the effort would require extensive coordination with federal authorities and would likely face resistance from some local jurisdictions.
It will also be exorbitant. The American Immigration Council published a study in October It found that a mass deportation aimed at removing 13 million immigrants from the country illegally would cost at least $315 billion.
Other actions Trump could take immediately would likely rely on executive authority. Trump has vowed to sign “on day one” an executive order to prevent federal agencies from automatically granting U.S. citizenship to children of illegal immigrants. An attempt to abolish citizenship by birth would face certain legal challenges.
The president-elect would also likely resume construction of a wall along the southern border, which the Biden administration had halted, and Trump could also seek to reinstate measures such as the “Remain in Mexico” program, which forced would-be asylum seekers into Mexico to remain awaiting the results of their cases in U.S. immigration court.
Energy and climate measures
Trump promised on day one: “Drill, baby, drill,” a vague campaign slogan that signals he will seek to further enhance oil production from already record-breaking levels. He also laid out more concrete steps he will take to roll back Biden-era environmental regulations.
On his campaign website, Trump promised from day one to “reverse any Biden policies that brutalize American autoworkers.” Trump has repeatedly signaled that he would seek to roll back regulations that require automakers to meet certain emissions standards that incentivize increased production of electric vehicles.
Trump said in August that he would eliminate a Biden administration rule that cracks down on climate-damaging emissions and other pollution from power plants. During his time in the White House, Trump issued significantly less strict rules for power plants.
At a rally in New Jersey earlier this year, Trump said told the crowd He would sign an executive order on “day one” to halt wind power projects that target a key source of neat energy.
Trump could also seek another withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement, thereby withdrawing the US from the global pact to reduce emissions. Trump withdrew from the agreements in his first term in office, but President Biden did rejoined the agreement after taking office.
Foreign policy
Trump vowed on day one to “return to a foreign policy that puts America’s interests first,” a keen about-face from the Biden administration that emphasized international alliances and cited support for Ukraine in its war against Russia.
He has claimed he would end the war between Russia and Ukraine before taking office, but has given no specifics on how he would do so. Trump’s comments have sparked concern among Ukraine’s allies that he will demand a peace deal that allows Russia to claim Ukrainian territory it has attacked.
Trump has similarly raised concerns about his commitment to NATO. Congress last year approved legislation This would prevent any president from withdrawing the United States from the alliance without Senate approval or an act of Congress.
The former president also mused that he would do it not protecting a NATO ally from attack if they had not contributed an appropriate amount to defense spending.
Reversal of Biden orders on equity
One of Trump’s biggest cheers at rallies has always been when he promised to keep men out of women’s sports and end “transgender madness,” and he has already outlined how he will roll back protections for transgender youth.
Trump has said he will repeal protections for transgender students from day one that the Biden administration put in place earlier this year. The Education Department unveiled a final set of changes to Title IX in April to cover discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity for the first time. The Supreme Court in August sided with ten Republican-led states that had sued to prevent enforcement of the modern rules.
The former president has also said he would rescind a Biden executive order on day one to “embed principles, policies and approaches to justice throughout the federal government.” Trump has said he would reinstate him an order for 2020 from his own ban on promoting concepts that the US is fundamentally racist or sexist, or that any race or gender is inherently superior.
The former president has also threatened to cut off federal funding for schools that promote vaccination mandates. The threat arose amid disputes over COVID-19 vaccination and mask requirements, but that is the case alarmed health experts Who fears that this would also apply to other vaccines such as measles?
Jack Smith’s dismissal and pardoning the perpetrators of January 6th
Trump has signaled he will move almost immediately After taking office, he fired special counsel Jack Smith, who is leading the federal case against Trump in Washington, D.C., over his efforts to undermine the 2020 election and stay in power.
“I would fire him in two seconds,” Trump said in overdue October.
The President-elect has also repeatedly pledged to pardon people convicted of crimes for their actions on January 6, 2021, when his supporters violently stormed the Capitol to prevent the certification of the election results.
“Once we win, we will quickly review the cases of all political prisoners who were unjustly victimized by the Harris regime. And I will sign their pardons on day one,” Trump said at a rally in September.
The former president has also signaled that he would take action against Democratic prosecutors in response to lawsuits filed against him in recent years over his handling of classified documents, his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and his business practices.
“In Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and every other city where these lunatics have seized power, prosecutors’ offices should expect federal subpoenas of their employees, their emails, and their records to determine whether they are blatantly violating “violated federal civil rights law,” Trump said in one Video posted through his campaign in April 2023.
