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Donald Trump’s Promises [1]
['Michael D. Shear', 'Michael Gold']
Date: 2025-01-19
Donald Trump’s Promises
Doug Mills/The New York Times
President Donald J. Trump has made scores of promises that, if kept during his second term in office, would significantly reshape American life, culture, economics, politics and diplomacy.
Over the course of the 2024 campaign, and since his election in November, Mr. Trump has offered a road map to what he calls an America First agenda and what his critics say would be the dismantling of democratic norms and a decades-old international order.
His promises range from the vague (“I will unite our country by bringing it to new and record levels of success”) to the specific (“You’re going to get full expensing. In other words, you have a one-year write-off”) to the vengeful (“I will appoint a real special prosecutor to go after the most corrupt president in the history of the United States of America, Joe Biden, and the entire Biden crime family.”) Many of his economic promises were aimed squarely at Americans who have struggled with the rising costs of housing, groceries and other goods.
He vows to shut down the southern border, pardon Jan. 6 felons, end foreign wars, slash taxes, ban transgender women from playing in girls’ sports, eliminate the Education Department, fire “woke” generals from the military and impose vast tariffs. He wants to eliminate regulations, impose the death penalty on migrants, re-evaluate the use of some vaccines, get rid of windmills and end financial incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles.
Taken together, those promises and many more are among the metrics by which history will judge Mr. Trump at the end of his second term as president.
That reckoning about Mr. Trump’s legacy was interrupted by Mr. Biden's presidency. In a speech last month, the president said he had “campaigned on an agenda of delivering profound change to Washington.” He promised to “embark on the most exciting and successful period of reform and renewal in all of American history.”
Whether his presidency lives up to those lofty aspirations will be determined by historians years after he leaves the Oval Office.
“Donald Trump was elected by American voters after being very candid about the sweep of the changes he wishes to make in our society, our structure of government and our role in the world,” said Michael Beschloss, a presidential historian. “During the campaign, he was also very open about using formidable presidential power to make that transformation. For both his supporters and his opponents, the result could be a crucial moment in American history.”
Economy, inflation, and cost of living End inflation “Starting on Day One, we will end inflation and make America affordable again.” Aug. 9, 2024 / Bozeman, Mont. Voters’ frustration with inflation was one of the biggest factors in Mr. Trump’s victory. But many economists argue that Mr. Trump’s policy proposals, especially his promise to impose steep tariffs on imports, are likely to drive prices higher. Still, inflation has already dropped, and the Federal Reserve appears intent on bringing it down further. Lower grocery prices “Groceries, cars – everything. We're going to get the prices down.” Sept. 29, 2024 / Erie, Pa. Mr. Trump began backing off this promise after he won, acknowledging the difficulty. It is possible that prices could drop for some individual items that have experienced particularly rapid increases. But few economists would want prices overall to drop. A broad decline in prices, known as “deflation,” is usually associated with economies mired in deep recessions. Get the price of gasoline below $2 a gallon “That means we're going down and getting gasoline below $2 a gallon.” Sept. 5, 2024 / Economic Club of New York Energy analysts have suggested that there is no obvious way for him to fulfill this rather concrete promise, in part because gas prices are so hard to change. A president doesn’t directly control the oil companies, and the United States is already pumping more crude oil than any country in history. Cap credit card interest rates “While working Americans catch up, we're going to put a temporary cap on credit card interest rates at 10%.” Sept. 24, 2024 / Savannah, Ga. The Trump campaign did not provide details on how such a plan, which Mr. Trump framed as an effort to help families struggling with rising housing and food costs, might work. Similar proposals to address credit card fees and interest rates have stalled in Congress. And efforts to address the issue through the federal government would most likely face legal challenges from banking and business groups. Reverse U.S. auto industry declines. “We will bring our auto-making industry to the record levels of 37 years ago, and we’ll be able to do it very quickly through tariffs and other smart use of certain things that we have that other countries don't.” Sept. 5, 2024 / Economic Club of New York Automakers would need to more than double their production to reach 1980s levels, an unlikely prospect. Tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada, as threatened by Mr. Trump, would disrupt the flow of parts and materials and would lead to higher car prices, analysts say. The auto industry’s biggest problem is lack of demand, which tariffs would not address. Lower housing costs By eliminating regulations “We will eliminate regulations that drive up housing costs, with the goal of cutting the cost of a new home in half.” Sept. 5, 2024 / Economic Club of New York
Banning unauthorized immigrants from obtaining mortgages “We also cannot ignore the impact that the flood of 21 million illegal aliens has had on driving up housing costs. That's why my plan will ban mortgages for illegal aliens.” Sept. 5, 2024 / Economic Club of NY
Opening up portions of federal land for housing “We're going to open up tracts of federal land for housing construction. We desperately need housing for people who can't afford what's going on now.” Aug. 15, 2024 / News conference at Bedminster, N.J. The problem for Mr. Trump is that most of the most expensive and onerous regulations are imposed by state and local governments and outside the federal government’s control. Opening up federal land can be done — but immediate access to cheaper stock isn’t likely. Raw land needs roads, sewers, power and other basic infrastructure, a process that is usually measured in decades. And finally, while immigration has clearly raised the demand for rental housing, only a tiny fraction of mortgages were issued to borrowers without Social Security numbers in 2023; banning them would probably have little impact on access to homeownership for citizens.
Tariffs Impose a “universal” tariff of up to 20 percent on all goods. “We're going to have 10 to 20 percent tariffs on foreign countries that have been ripping us off for years.” Aug. 14, 2024 / Asheville, N.C. In contrast to more targeted tariffs in his first term, Mr. Trump has proposed putting a tariff on nearly all foreign products, arguing it would raise revenue to offset tax cuts and promote U.S. manufacturing. Mr. Trump has a variety of legal authorities he could use to do this, though they could face challenges in court. Impose a 25 percent tariff on all goods from Canada and Mexico. “On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders.” Nov. 25, 2024 / Truth Social Imposing hefty tariffs on Canada and Mexico, two of the United States’ biggest trading partners, would have big consequences for the economy, stock markets and a range of industries, from carmakers to farmers. While Mr. Trump seems set on threatening and potentially enacting these tariffs, he may view them more as a lever in negotiations and could be persuaded to walk away from them if Canada and Mexico offer him concessions. Impose tariffs of 60 percent or more on China and remove permanent normal trading relations. “We have to do it. … Maybe it’s going to be more than that.” Feb. 4, 2024 / Interview on “Sunday Morning Futures” on Fox News Mr. Trump put significant tariffs on Chinese products in his first term, but he has promised to do even more to sever trade between the countries in his second. He could immediately impose tariffs on China using existing authorities. Removing permanent normal trading relations – which would also practically result in higher tariffs – would require an act of Congress. Match tariffs that other countries put on American goods “We will pass the Trump Reciprocal Trade Act so that if China or any other country charges us a 100 or a 200% tariff, then we will charge them a reciprocal tariff or tax of 100 or 200%. And we will do it immediately.” Sep. 29, 2024 / Erie, Pa. Mr. Trump has floated the idea of reciprocal trade provisions since his first term. This measure would require an act of Congress, and some lawmakers might hesitate to give Mr. Trump additional tariff authorities that could disrupt U.S. trade.
Crime and policing Create stricter penalties for human trafficking: a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence for human smuggling, a life sentence for child trafficking, and the death penalty for sex trafficking of children or women “Working with local law enforcement, we will launch a federal task force to dismantle the gangs, the street crews and the criminal networks that are ravaging our towns. This will include a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence for anyone guilty of human smuggling. A guaranteed life sentence for any[one] guilty [of] child trafficking. And the death penalty for drug dealers and anyone guilty of child or woman sex trafficking, which they are doing at numbers which are massive. And we’re also calling for a strong death penalty for anyone who kills a police officer.” Sep. 6, 2024 / Charlotte, N.C. Mr. Trump cannot change federal sentencing on his own. He will need the help of Congress to create stiffer penalties for human smuggling or child or sex trafficking. He could, however, instruct federal prosecutors to use their discretion to pursue the most serious charges available in these cases. Push for the death penalty for unauthorized immigrants who commit deadly crimes “And I’m hereby calling for the death penalty for any migrant that kills an American citizen or a law enforcement officer.” Oct. 11, 2024 / Aurora, Colo. Mr. Trump has shown that his embrace of the death penalty is not limited to rhetoric. He oversaw 13 executions in the final six months of his presidency, more than three times as many people as the federal government had put to death in the previous six decades. Mr. Trump could ask the Justice Department to direct federal prosecutors to pursue the death penalty in certain cases when it is allowed under existing law. Those prosecutors will ultimately have discretion, though. Give police “immunity” “We're going to let them do their job, and I'm going to give them immunity. We're going to protect them, because they do things and they end up getting sued.” Oct. 15, 2024 / Cumming, Ga. Mr. Trump has framed himself as a “law and order” president while accusing Democrats of not supporting the police. He is hoping to maintain support among police unions to push that message. Mr. Trump could influence whether federal prosecutors pursue charges against the police. But it would be up to Congress to pass a law amending the current qualified immunity standard.
Immigration and the Border Close the border on Day 1 “The border will be sealed. The invasion will be stopped.” Oct. 11, 2024 / Aurora, Colo. There is no way to “seal” the border. But Mr. Trump can put in place various measures to limit or block asylum, as he did in his first term. He is expected to try to bring back Title 42, a measure that allows border agents to quickly turn back migrants at the southern border. Carry out the largest mass deportation in U.S. history, starting on Day 1 “On Day 1, I will launch the largest deportation program in American history. We’re going to get the criminals out. I will rescue every city and town that has been invaded and conquered, and we will put these vicious and bloodthirsty criminals in jail, then kick them the hell out of our country as fast as possible.” Oct. 28, 2024 / New York Mr. Trump’s deportation promise will need a major influx of money and resources. He will also need more cooperation from jails and local jurisdictions that have limited cooperation with immigration officials. End birthright citizenship “As part of my plan to secure the border on Day 1, in my new term in office I will sign an executive order making clear to federal agencies that under the correct interpretation of the law, going forward, the future children of illegal aliens will not receive automatic U.S. citizenship.” May 30, 2023 / Campaign video Keeping this promise would be a sea change in U.S. immigration policy and undoubtedly be challenged immediately in federal court as unconstitutional. He could push for a constitutional amendment, but garnering the necessary support in Congress would be nearly impossible. Mr. Trump first raised the possibility of such executive measures in his first term. Restore and expand the travel ban he enacted in his first term that barred entry into the United States by people from certain Muslim-majority nations “On Day 1, we will restore the Trump travel ban on entry from terror-plagued countries, and we will implement strict vetting and ideological screening for all new entrants into our country.” Nov. 8, 2023 / Hialeah, Fla. Trump’s initial travel ban was enacted through an executive order in the first days of his term. After widescale protests, court challenges and some revisions, the Supreme Court ultimately upheld a version that blocked travel from several predominantly Muslim countries, Venezuela and North Korea. End sanctuary cities “First of all, we are going to end all sanctuary cities, immediately. We’re going to end them..” Oct. 15, 2024 / Cumming, Ga. The issue of sanctuary cities is crucial to Mr. Trump’s deportation promise. He will need more cities and jurisdictions to turn over immigrants in jails to deportation officers if he wants to lift numbers to a historic level. It’s unclear how he could persuade more areas to return to working with ICE, however. End the government’s practice of allowing unauthorized immigrants to be released from detention while awaiting immigration court proceedings, which allows them to remain, sometimes for years, in the U.S. “I will end catch and release.” Oct. 11, 2024 / Aurora, Colo. Ending what Mr. Trump calls “catch and release” is easier said than done. The government’s ability to detain everyone crossing the border is limited by the amount of detention space it has at any given time. Still, Mr. Trump could increase detention at the border, turn back migrants immediately and force others to stay in Mexico for their proceedings. Bring back his first-term “Remain in Mexico” policy “I will restore Remain in Mexico.” Oct. 11, 2024 / Aurora, Colo. The policy forced migrants seeking asylum in the U.S. to stay in Mexico for the duration of their cases. It was roundly criticized by immigrant advocates and Democrats, but the Trump administration saw it as a key part of its effort to deter migrants from trying to enter the U.S. Suspend refugee admissions and resettlement programs “On day one of the Trump presidency, I will restore the travel ban, suspend refugee admissions, stop the resettlement and keep the terrorists the hell out of our country.” July 27, 2024 / St. Cloud, Minn. This is well within Mr. Trump’s executive authority. By the end of his first term, Mr. Trump had cut down refugee admissions and hollowed out the program entirely, proposing that the U.S. accept only 15,000 refugees in 2021. President Biden rebuilt the program, with about 100,000 refugees entering the U.S. in 2024.
Health care Make in vitro fertilization fully covered for all Americans “Under the Trump administration, your government will pay for, or your insurance company will be mandated to pay for, all costs associated with I.V.F. treatment.” Aug. 29, 2024 / Potterville, Mich. Fulfilling this pledge would be an uphill battle, according to health policy experts. I.V.F. is expensive. Requiring insurers to pay would most likely mean passing laws in Congress or getting I.V.F. added to a list of free preventive women’s health services established by the Affordable Care Act. Make the Affordable Care Act “much better” “I’m running to “make the ACA, or Obamacare, as it is known, much better, stronger, and far less expensive” March 26, 2024 / Truth Social After initially threatening to overturn the law, Mr. Trump signaled willingness to make marginal changes instead. But inaction could have a big impact. Republicans generally do not support an extension of the subsidies that help more than 20 million Americans afford health insurance. And some experts have warned of potential cuts to Medicaid, which the A.C.A. expanded. Protect Medicare; won’t “play around” with Medicaid. “We’re not going to play around with Social Security, and we’re not going to play around with Medicare, Medicaid. I will always protect Medicare and Social Security for our great seniors.” June 25, 2023 / Novi, Mich. Mr. Trump has long promised to protect Medicare, though at various times he has signaled openness to cuts to help reduce the federal deficit. Mr. Trump has not offered detailed plans for how he might address financing shortfalls. He rarely mentioned Medicaid while campaigning, but while in office previously, his budget proposals called for major cuts to the program. Veto a federal abortion ban, should one reach his desk, and leave abortion to the states. “Everyone knows I would not support a federal abortion ban, under any circumstances, and would, in fact, veto it, because it is up to the states to decide based on the will of their voters (the will of the people!).” Oct. 1, 2024 / Post on X After a number of shifts, Mr. Trump distanced himself from a federal ban, saying abortion should be left to the states. It was a strategic stance, as a ban has slim prospects of making it through the Senate. But Mr. Trump has been less clear on how his administration would regulate the abortion pill mifepristone, for example. Make America healthy again. “We’re going to make America healthy again.” Aug. 30, 2024 / Johnstown, Pa.
Foreign Policy/National Security End the war in Ukraine in “24 hours” once he is in office “First, I’ll meet with Putin, I’ll meet with Zelensky. They both have weaknesses and they both have strengths. And within 24 hours that war will be settled. It will be over. It will be absolutely over.” May 11, 2024 / CNN town hall On the debate stage, Mr. Trump promised he would have the war settled before he even took office. That didn’t happen — no surprise, given that peace talks have not yet even been established. But Mr. Trump has appointed a special envoy for the conflict, and incoming Trump officials say they will press for a swift peace, without providing details. Bring about “peace in the Middle East” “We’re going to bring peace. You're going to have peace in the Middle East.” Nov. 1, 2024 / Dearborn, Mich. After the war in Gaza, analysts see little hope for an Israel-Palestinian agreement anytime soon. Mr. Trump may focus on the more attainable goal of clinching formal diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, perhaps in exchange for vague Israeli commitments to an eventual Palestinian state, and thereby declare his promise fulfilled even if conflicts are likely to persist. Reassess the North Atlantic Treaty Organization “Finally, we have to finish the process we began under my Administration of fundamentally reevaluating NATO's purpose and NATO's mission.” March 16, 2023 / Video on campaign website Under a new law, presidents cannot pull the United States out of NATO without congressional approval. But Mr. Trump could test the boundaries of that law, or he could scale back America’s role. He has suggested that he might oppose using U.S. troops to defend NATO allies that he feels have not met defense spending obligations.
Taxes Extend and expand the Trump tax cuts “The fifth pillar of my plan is to make the Trump tax cuts permanent. They are massive tax cuts, biggest ever. Permanent, and to cut taxes even more.” Sept. 5, 2024 / Economic Club of New York Many of the tax cuts that Mr. Trump signed into law in 2017 are set to expire at the end of the year. Republicans control Congress, and they are preparing to pass legislation extending those cuts — but they are likely to do so only temporarily because of the cost. That would set up another fight in the future over whether to keep the tax cuts in place. Targeted tax breaks No tax on tips “Because when I get to office, we are going to not charge taxes on tips, people making tips. We're not going to do it, and we're going to do that right away, first thing in office.” Jun. 9, 2024 / Las Vegas Of the tax pledges Mr. Trump made on the campaign trail, Republicans are treating this idea as the most serious one. They are figuring out how to translate the slogan into legislation and prevent abuse by high-paid Americans who could restructure their earnings into tips to avoid taxes.
No tax on overtime “We will end all taxes on overtime.” // “Your overtime hours will be tax free.” Sept. 12, 2024 / Tucson, Ariz.
No tax on Social Security Benefits “To help seniors on fixed incomes who are suffering the ravages of inflation, there will be no tax on Social Security.” Aug. 14, 2024 / Asheville, N.C. Not taxing Social Security benefits, while a popular idea, is also the most expensive of these promises. Social Security is subject to special procedural rules in Congress, meaning Republicans most likely won’t be able to pursue this idea as part of their planned tax package. Republican lawmakers are instead looking at other ways to cut taxes for older Americans. Lower the corporate tax rate to 15% from the current rate of 21%, but only for companies that make their products in the U.S. “To further support the revival of American manufacturing, my plan calls for expanded R&D tax credits, 100 percent bonus depreciation, expensing for new manufacturing investments, and a reduction in the corporate tax rate from 21 percent to 15 percent solely for companies that make their product in America.” Sept. 5, 2024 / Economic Club of New York Trump signed corporate tax cuts into law in 2017 that cut the rate to 21 percent from a high of 35 percent. Republican members of Congress are primarily focused on preserving the current corporate rate and reviving some lapsed tax breaks for corporate investment and research. Restore the state and local tax deduction, which Republicans capped at $10,000 while Trump was president “And for all the suburban households paying high property taxes here in Pennsylvania, I will restore the SALT deduction – do you know what that is? SALT deduction? You will. To save you thousands of dollars.” Sept. 23, 2024 / Indiana, Pa. Republicans capped the state and local tax deduction at $10,000 to offset the cost of the Trump tax cuts in 2017. Republicans in high-cost states like New York, New Jersey and California have pushed to restore it, making their support for a broader tax bill contingent on addressing the issue. Expand the child tax credit “To lift up American families, I will protect and expand the child tax credit we created. We created it." Nov. 2, 2024 / Gastonia, N.C. The Trump tax cuts doubled the child tax credit, and some Republicans want to expand it even further. Doing so is expensive, though, and it is still unclear how much money Republicans are willing to dedicate to their tax legislation this year.
Energy Roll back the federal incentives for people to purchase electric vehicles. “On Day 1 of the Trump administration, I will terminate Kamala’s insane electric vehicle mandate, and we will end the green new scam once and for all.” Oct. 21, 2024 / Greenville, N.C. Promises to eliminate $7,500 tax credits and other incentives for electric vehicle buyers could face resistance from Republican lawmakers in states like Tennessee, Georgia and North Carolina whose voters have benefited from jobs and investment in electric car and battery factories. Rapidly increase U.S. production of fossil fuels to lower energy costs by half within a year. “We're going to lower your energy costs by 50 percent within one year. We're going to drill, baby, drill.” June 6, 2024 / Phoenix, Ariz. Energy experts say that presidents have limited tools to influence the prices of gasoline or electricity. And Mr. Trump will have little control over global oil markets, which make it difficult for him to fulfill what was one of his most specific promises on the trail. No new wind farms. “So we're going to try and have a policy where no windmills are being built.” Jan. 7, 2025 / West Palm Beach, Fla. Mr. Trump has for years taken aim at wind energy, making false claims that wind turbines harm whales and calling them eyesores. But wind energy is one of the fastest-growing and lowest-cost sources of electricity. Mr. Trump will be able to influence whether wind power can be produced on federal lands and waters, but he would not be able to control what is built on private land.
Justice Department and retribution Direct a criminal investigation into former President Joseph R. Biden and his family. “I will appoint a real special prosecutor to go after the most corrupt president in the history of the U.S.A., Joe Biden, the entire Biden crime family and all others involved with the destruction of our elections, borders and the country itself.” June 13, 2023 / Bedminster, N.J. Mr. Trump and his Republican allies spent years accusing Mr. Biden and his family of corrupt behavior. The main target was Hunter Biden, the president’s son, who pleaded guilty to nine federal tax charges and was convicted of three felony counts for lying on a federal firearms application. Mr. Biden pardoned his son after Mr. Trump won. Prosecute tech giant Google for showing “bad stories” about him “This is an ILLEGAL ACTIVITY, and hopefully the Justice Department will criminally prosecute them for this blatant Interference of Elections,” he added. “If not, and subject to the Laws of our Country, I will request their prosecution, at the maximum levels, when I win the Election, and become President of the United States!” Sept. 27, 2024 / Truth Social Since emerging on the political scene more than a decade ago, Mr. Trump has seized on the power of social media to advance his agenda. But he has also railed against internet companies like Google, Facebook and others, accusing them of being biased against him and his allies. Facebook this month said it would pull back on fact-checking Mr. Trump, demonstrating the power of his threats to wage a legal battle against big tech companies. Pardon some, if not most, of the rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, on his behalf. “The moment we win, we will rapidly review the cases of every political prisoner unjustly victimized by the Harris regime. And I will sign their pardons on Day One.” Sept. 7, 2024 / Mosinee, Wisc. Presidents can issue pardons for federal crimes. Mr. Trump, who has tried to recast the violent effort to interrupt the peaceful transfer of power as an act of patriotism by his supporters, has never specified the criteria he would use to evaluate the cases, which range from nonviolent offences to accusations of assaulting police to seditious conspiracy. Commute the life sentence of Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road “And if you vote for me, on Day One, I will commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht to a sentence of time served.” May 25, 2024 / Libertarian Convention in Washington, D.C. Mr. Trump made this promise at the Libertarian Party’s convention, where he was trying to win the party’s nomination, part of a number of targeted promises he made to broaden his coalition. Mr. Ulbricht was sentenced to life in prison, and his release has been a major demand of Libertarians.
Trans rights and diversity, equity and inclusion Cut federal funding to schools that teach "critical race theory" and "transgender" content “On Day 1, I will sign a new executive order to cut federal funding for any school pushing critical race theory, transgender insanity and other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content onto our children.” Feb. 22, 2024 / Nashville, Tenn. Public K-12 schools rely on federal funds for only a small fraction of their budget, with the overwhelming majority coming out of state and local funds. While the Education Department could initiate investigations into schools over their curriculum, withdrawing funding on a case-by-case basis would be difficult practically and subject to legal challenges. End Title IX discrimination protections for transgender students on Day 1 “We’re going to end it on Day 1. Don’t forget, that was done as an order from the president. That came down as an executive order. And we’re going to change it — on Day 1, it’s going to be changed. We’re going to end it. … Tell your people not to worry about it. It’ll be signed on Day 1. It’ll be terminated.” May 10, 2024 / “Kayal and Company” A federal judge already struck down the Biden administration's revised Title IX rules that expanded campus protections for transgender students. The new administration is expected to release its own narrower interpretation of Title IX, but any action related to transgender students would most likely only cement the court's ruling. Defund colleges and universities enacted D.E.I. policies “And schools that persist in explicit unlawful discrimination under the guise of equity will not only have their endowment taxed, but through budget reconciliation, I will advance a measure to have them fined up to the entire amount of their endowment.” May 2, 2023 / From campaign video During his first administration, Mr. Trump signed a bill requiring a small subset of colleges to pay a slight tax on income from their endowments. But persuading lawmakers to fine colleges with diversity policies through the budget process could be a tall order for Congress, as this would amount to a major departure. Ban transgender people from the military “And I will restore the Trump ban on transgender in the military.” July 15, 2023 / Turning Point in Palm Beach, Fla. Presidential administrations have gone back and forth on this issue since 2016, when Barack Obama lifted a ban on transgender service members. Trump’s ban in his first term, issued via executive order, survived court challenges but was lifted by President Biden in the first days of his term. Sign an executive order “instructing every federal agency to cease the promotion of sex or gender transition at any age.” “I will sign a new executive order instructing every federal agency to cease all programs that promote the concept of sex or gender transition at any age.” Feb. 1, 2023 / campaign video Mr. Trump and his advisers used transgender rights as a cultural wedge in the hopes of appealing to suburban voters who are turned off by the practice of transition, especially among young people. He repeatedly vowed to prohibit transition from one gender to another but was vague about what federal powers he would use to effect that ban. Eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs across the government “We will terminate every diversity, equity and inclusion program across the entire federal government.” Jan. 21, 2024 / Rochester, N.H. Mr. Biden issued a number of executive orders aimed at bolstering D.E.I. initiatives in the federal government. Mr. Trump is expected to issue his own executive orders reversing them. Get rid of “woke” generals “We have some people at the top that are woke – they'll be gone so fast, your head will spin.” Oct. 15, 2024 / Atlanta, Ga. As commander in chief, Trump has the authority to relieve generals from their assignments.
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