Former President Donald J. Trump’s 2024 candidacy looms large, promising to reignite debates, rally supporters, and reshape the trajectory of the nation’s political discourse. As the Republican Party grapples with its identity in the post-Trump era and Democrats prepare for another electoral showdown, the prospect of Trump’s bid for the White House once again commands attention, stirring both fervent enthusiasm and staunch opposition across the political spectrum.
Immigration Reform
Trump proposed significant changes to the U.S. immigration system, including building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border to curb illegal immigration, implementing stricter vetting procedures for refugees and immigrants, and restricting certain forms of legal immigration, particularly through merit-based systems.
Mass Deportation
Trump has vowed to “immediately stop the invasion of our southern border” and end illegal immigration. Trump has called for moving U.S. troops currently stationed overseas and shift federal agents to immigration enforcement.
Ban On Terrorist Sympathizers
Trump will likely to reimpose a travel ban that originally targeted seven Muslim-majority countries. Trump’s goal is to “keep radical Islamic terrorists out of the country.” Trump claims a number of Islamic nations have a significant population of poeple who “empathize with radical Islamic terrorists and extremists.”
Tax Reform
Trump’s administration passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017, which aimed to reduce individual and corporate tax rates, simplify the tax code, and stimulate economic growth.
Healthcare Reform
Trump sought to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly known as Obamacare. While efforts to repeal the ACA were unsuccessful, Trump’s administration made changes to the law through executive actions and supported various legislative proposals to modify or replace it.
Trade Policies
Trump pursued an “America First” approach to trade, advocating for renegotiating or withdrawing from trade agreements such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). He also imposed tariffs on imports from countries like China, aiming to reduce trade deficits and protect domestic industries.
Foreign Policy
Trump pursued an unconventional foreign policy approach, including seeking to renegotiate or withdraw from international agreements and organizations such as the Iran nuclear deal and the Paris Climate Agreement. He also prioritized achieving diplomatic breakthroughs in regions like North Korea and the Middle East.
Infrastructure Investment
Trump proposed a $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan to rebuild and modernize U.S. infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and airports. However, this proposal did not advance significantly in Congress during his presidency.
Deregulation
Trump’s administration pursued deregulation across various industries, aiming to reduce regulatory burdens on businesses and promote economic growth. This included rolling back environmental regulations, financial regulations, and healthcare regulations implemented during previous administrations.
Second Amendment Rights
Trump advocated for protecting and expanding Second Amendment rights, including opposing stricter gun control measures and supporting the National Rifle Association (NRA).
Judicial Appointments
Trump prioritized appointing conservative judges to federal courts, including the Supreme Court. His administration successfully nominated three Supreme Court justices, as well as numerous federal appellate and district court judges.
Veterans Affairs Reform
Trump pledged to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to improve healthcare services for veterans, including expanding access to private healthcare providers through the VA Choice Program and implementing measures to address issues like veteran homelessness and suicide.
Opioid Crisis
Trump declared the opioid epidemic a public health emergency and proposed various measures to address it, including increasing funding for addiction treatment and prevention programs, cracking down on illegal drug trafficking, and promoting alternatives to opioid painkillers.
Education Reform
Trump’s administration advocated for expanding school choice initiatives, including charter schools and voucher programs, to provide families with more options in K-12 education. Additionally, there were proposals to reduce federal involvement in education and to roll back some Obama-era education policies.
Criminal Justice Reform
Trump supported the First Step Act, a bipartisan criminal justice reform bill aimed at reducing recidivism and reforming federal sentencing laws, particularly for nonviolent offenders. The bill was signed into law in December 2018.
Energy Policy
Trump pursued an energy policy focused on promoting domestic energy production, including expanding offshore drilling, rolling back regulations on the coal industry, and withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement. He also supported the development of renewable energy sources like wind and solar power.
Border Security
In addition to building a border wall, Trump proposed increasing funding for border security measures such as hiring more Border Patrol agents, deploying technology along the border, and implementing stricter immigration enforcement policies.
Infrastructure Development
Beyond the proposed infrastructure plan mentioned earlier, Trump also advocated for streamlining the permitting process for infrastructure projects and investing in key sectors like transportation, broadband internet, and rural infrastructure to spur economic growth.
Space Exploration
Trump’s administration prioritized space exploration and proposed initiatives to revitalize NASA’s space exploration efforts, including returning astronauts to the Moon under the Artemis program and eventually sending humans to Mars.
Social Welfare Reform
Trump proposed reforms to social welfare programs, including Medicaid and food stamps (SNAP), with an emphasis on work requirements for recipients and efforts to reduce dependency on government assistance.
Government Spending and Budget
Trump proposed various budget plans aimed at reducing government spending, cutting non-defense discretionary spending, and balancing the federal budget over time. However, these proposals often faced challenges in Congress and did not result in significant changes to overall spending trends.
Combating Terrorism
Trump focused on combating terrorism through measures such as increasing military spending, strengthening border security, enhancing intelligence-sharing partnerships with allies, and taking a more aggressive approach towards groups like ISIS.
Drug Pricing Reform
Trump proposed initiatives to lower prescription drug prices, including allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, importing cheaper drugs from other countries, and increasing transparency in drug pricing practices.
Regulatory Reform
In addition to deregulation efforts, Trump proposed reforms to the regulatory process itself, aiming to reduce regulatory burdens on businesses by requiring agencies to offset the costs of new regulations by eliminating existing ones and implementing regulatory budgeting.
Tech Policy
Trump’s administration addressed various issues related to technology and telecommunications, including efforts to expand broadband access in rural areas, reforming H-1B visa programs for skilled workers, and scrutinizing the market power of large tech companies.