NEW YORK (AP) – A mass deportation operation. A new Muslim ban. Tariffs on all imported goods and “freedom cities” built on federal land.
A large part of the 2024 presidential campaign has been dominated by the myriad of investigations into former president Donald Trump and the subsequent accusations against him. But with less than a year until Election Day, Trump dominates the race for the Republican nomination and has already outlined a broad set of policy goals should he win a second term.
His ideas, and even the issues he focuses on most, are very different from President Joe Biden’s proposals. If implemented, Trump’s plans would represent a radical overhaul of government, arguably more far-reaching than that of his first term. His presidency, especially early on, was marked by chaos, infighting and a wave of hastily written executive orders quickly overturned by the courts.
Some of his current ideas would likely end up in court or be obstructed by Congress. But the Trump campaign and allied groups are putting together policy playbooks with detailed plans.
An overview of his agenda:
THE DISMANTLING OF THE “DEEP STATE”
Trump would attempt to strip tens of thousands of career employees of their public service protections. This way, they could be fired as he seeks to “totally wipe out the deep state.”
He would attempt to accomplish this by reissuing a 2020 executive order known as “Schedule F.” This would allow him to reclassify masses of employees, with a particular focus, he said, on “corrupt bureaucrats who have weaponized our justice system” and “corrupt actors in our national security and intelligence apparatus.” intelligence”. Given his anger at the FBI and federal prosecutors filing criminal charges against him, Trump would likely target people connected to those charges in retaliation.
Beyond firings, he wants to crack down on government officials who communicate with journalists. He also wants to require federal employees to take a new civil service test.
THE US-MEXICO BORDER
Trump pledged to “immediately stop the invasion of our southern border” and end illegal immigration.
As part of the plan, he said he would immediately order U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to begin the largest domestic deportation operation in American history. It would target people who live legally in the United States but who harbor “jihadist sympathies” and revoke the student visas of those who espouse anti-American and anti-Semitic views.
In an effort to secure the U.S.-Mexico border, Trump announced he would move thousands of troops currently stationed overseas and assign federal agents, including those from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the FBI, to immigration control. He also wants to build more of the border wall.
Trump wants to reimpose his travel ban that originally targeted seven Muslim-majority countries and expand it to “keep radical Islamic terrorists out of the country.” Following Hamas’ attack on Israel, he pledged to implement “ideological control” for immigrants. Its goal: to exclude “dangerous madmen, haters, fanatics and maniacs,” as well as those who “sympathize with terrorists and radical Islamic extremists.”
To deter migrants, he said he would end birthright citizenship, using an executive order that would introduce a legally unverified interpretation of the 14th Amendment. The order would prevent federal agencies from automatically granting citizenship to the children of people who are in the United States illegally. At least one parent would need to be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident for their children to be eligible for passports, Social Security numbers and other benefits.
TRADE
Trump says he will institute a system of tariffs on maybe 10% on most foreign products. Sanctions would increase if trading partners manipulate their currencies or engage in other unfair trade practices.
He will urge Congress to pass a “Trump Reciprocal Trade Act,” giving the president the power to impose reciprocal tariffs on any country that imposes one on the United States.
Much of the agenda focuses on China. Trump has proposed a four-year plan to phase out Chinese imports of essential goods, including electronics, steel and pharmaceuticals. He wants to ban Chinese companies from owning vital US infrastructure in sectors such as energy, technology and agriculture, and says he will force Chinese owners to sell all their stakes “that jeopardize national security from America “.
FOREIGN POLICE
Trump claims that even before his inauguration, he will have resolved the war between Russia and Ukraine. This involves, he says, ending the “incessant flow of American treasures into Ukraine” and asking European allies to reimburse the United States for the cost of replenishing the stockpile.
It is unclear whether he would insist that Russia withdraw from Ukrainian territory it seized in the war it launched in February 2022.
Trump said he would stand with Israel in its war against Hamas and support Israel’s efforts to “destroy” the militant group. He says he will continue to “fundamentally reassess” NATO’s purpose and mission.
TRANSGENDER RIGHTS
Trump says he will ask Congress to pass a bill establishing that “only two sexes,” determined at birth, are recognized by the United States.
As part of his crackdown on gender-affirming care, he will declare that hospitals and health care providers that offer transition hormones or surgical procedures no longer meet federal health and safety standards and will not be able to no longer receive federal funds, including Medicaid and Medicare dollars.
He would push Congress to ban hormonal or surgical procedures for transgender minors in all 50 states.
Doctors usually guide children to therapy before a medical procedure. At this point, hormonal treatments such as puberty blockers are much more common than surgery. They have been available in the United States for more than a decade and are standard treatments supported by major physician organizations, including the American Medical Association.
ENERGY
Trump’s goal, he says, is for the United States to have the cheapest energy and electricity of any country in the world, including China.
Under the mantra “DRILL, BABY, DRILL,” he says he would increase oil drilling on public lands and provide tax breaks for oil, gas and coal producers. It would undo the Biden administration’s efforts to encourage the adoption of electric cars and reverse the trend. new pollution limits proposed this would require at least 54% of new vehicles sold in the United States to be electric by 2030.
And once again, he says, he will leave the Paris Climate Accords, end wind energy subsidies, and eliminate regulations imposed and proposed by Biden’s admiration targeting incandescent light bulbs, gas stoves, gas, dishwashers and shower heads.
EDUCATION
Trump has pledged to abolish the Department of Education, but he also wants to wield enormous influence over local school districts and colleges.
It would push the federal government to give funding preference to states and school districts that abolish teacher tenure, adopt merit pay to reward good teachers, and allow direct election of school principals by parents .
He said he would cut funding for any school with a vaccination or mask mandate and would encourage prayer in public schools.
Trump also wants a say in school curricula, pledging to fight for “patriotic education.” He says that under his administration, schools will “teach students to love their country, not hate it as it is currently taught” and promote “the nuclear family”, including “the roles of mothers and fathers” and the “things that make men and women different and unique.”
To protect students, he says he will support school districts that allow trained teachers to carry concealed weapons. It would provide federal funding so schools can hire trained veterans, retired police officers and other gun owners as armed guards in schools.
HOMELESS
Trump wants to drive homeless people off city streets by building tent cities on large, open plots of cheap land. At the same time, he says he will work with states to ban urban camping, giving violators the choice between being arrested or receiving treatment.
He also wants to bring back large psychiatric institutions to reinstitutionalize those who are “severely mentally ill” or “dangerously disturbed.”
PUBLIC SAFETY
Trump is reportedly pushing again to send the National Guard to cities like Chicago that are grappling with violence. It would use federal funding and prosecutorial authorities to strengthen local governments.
He says he will require local law enforcement agencies that receive Justice Department grants to use controversial policing measures such as stop-and-frisk. As a deterrent, he says local police should be empowered to shoot suspected shoplifters in the act. “Very simply, if you rob a store, you can expect to be shot as you leave that store,” he said during a recent speech.
Trump has called for the death penalty for drug traffickers and those who traffic women and children. He also promised a federal takeover of the nation’s capital, calling Washington a “dirty, crime-riddled death trap” that is no good for the country.