President-elect Donald Trump has made headlines with a bold declaration: he’ll act like a “dictator”—but only on his first day in office. This provocative comment, made during a town hall with Fox News host Sean Hannity in December 2023, underscores Trump’s ambitious plans for his return to the White House. With a long list of executive orders and sweeping policy changes, Trump is setting high expectations for his second term. This blog discusses what Donald Trump promised to do on day 1 of his presidency.
Here is what Donald Trump promised to do on day 1 of his presidency
Sweeping Day-One Priorities
Donald Trump promised, during his campaign, to do what he calls “day-one fixes” on matters ranging from immigration to energy policy. These include reinstating controversial policies from his first term and rolling out new initiatives that will have a lasting impact.
One of Trump’s most widely discussed priorities is immigration reform. He has promised to start “the largest deportation program of criminals in American history” within hours of assuming office. Trump said this operation would focus on millions of undocumented immigrants and involve military assets. However, how such a program would be carried out is not clear.
He will restore the travel bans commonly known as the “Muslim ban,” which exclude entry from specific Muslim-majority countries and bar resettlement for refugees. “We will keep the terrorists the hell out of our country,” Trump said, referring to this set of restrictions.
Economic and Regulatory Change
On the economic side, Donald Trump promised to eradicate what he says are “onerous regulations” strangling American businesses. Among his sweeping deregulation efforts would be reversing offshore drilling bans introduced by President Biden and emissions rules on automakers.
His tariff policy will also be upfront. He has advised a generic tariff to stimulate domestic manufacturing by up to 60 percent on goods and products from China. Economists have expressed skepticism over this move, saying the measures could trigger trade wars, which will adversely affect the US economy.
Culture War and Social Policies
Trump’s day-one agenda includes cultural and social issues with the promise to roll back “woke” policies. Trump vows to prohibit transgender women from competing in women’s sports, as well as bar minors from receiving gender-affirming care. The president also says he will end federal funding to schools that advocate critical race theory or other material deemed inappropriate by Trump.
In a move targeting accountability, Trump has pledged to seek resignations from top officials involved in the chaotic 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal. This commitment reflects his broader theme of holding government officials accountable for what he sees as failures.
Bringing an End to Global Conflicts
Among his most ambitious promises is that he would end the wars raging in Ukraine and Gaza. He claims he could end the Russia-Ukraine conflict within 24 hours of his taking office, although critics believe such a solution may not be feasible. Trump’s team has suggested that he would urge Ukraine to negotiate with Russia and make concessions to end the war.
What’s Next?
Of course, much of what Donald Trump said he would do during his campaign remains to be seen in implementation, as it will depend on the challenge of legal procedures and political resistance. His ardent supporters are eager to see him act upon his promises, but his critics warn that most of these propositions may face a hill to climb in Congress and the courts.
As Trump prepares to take the oath of office, all eyes will be on how he navigates the challenges ahead and whether he can deliver on his promises.
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