The actions that Donald Trump will take in his first few days as US president will be mostly symbolic. In all likelihood, this will be a mix of domestic and foreign policy measures. He will want to show voters that he is serious about fulfilling his promises and demonstrating to the world the power of America.
Government with presidential executive orders
To get things moving quickly, Trump will rely on presidential executive orders - they bypass the need for congressional approval. These executive orders can cover a variety of issues, such as national security or foreign policy. On January 20, he will probably be waiting for a whole bunch of executive orders that he will only have to sign.
However, the executive orders do not give Trump comprehensive powers and can only be used to guide the actions of the executive branch, says Dan Mallinson, an associate professor of public policy and administration at the University of Pennsylvania. However, these powers can "be quite broad - for example, be related to his promise to close the border", he told DW.
Immigration and mass deportations
Even during his first election campaign, the issue of the border with Mexico and illegal crossings from there was central to Trump. During his first term, he wanted to finish building a wall between the two countries and make Mexico pay for it.
Four years later, stopping illegal immigration was one of the main issues that helped Trump win reelection. He is likely to resume the “remain in Mexico” policy, which requires asylum seekers to wait in Mexican territory while their immigration applications are processed. For those who have already entered the United States illegally, he is pushing for mass deportations that would be the largest in the country’s history, announcing that criminals would be deported first, followed by other illegal immigrants. Despite all the intentions and decrees to speed up deportations, their implementation will take time and the support of local and state authorities. And there will be legal challenges.
In addition to cracking down on illegal immigration, Trump is likely to make it harder to get legal immigration, including by making it harder and more expensive to get work permits, green cards, and visas. This could affect skilled workers and university students.
In an interview with “Meet the Press“ Trump confirmed that he intends to end birthright citizenship - this would be a priority from his first day as president. However, this could prove quite difficult, since the principle that anyone born in the United States automatically becomes an American citizen is enshrined in the Constitution.
Threats of higher tariffs on imported goods
Trade is another area that Trump is paying close attention to. He recently proposed a 10% tariff on all goods entering the United States. And for Mexico, Canada and China, the country’s biggest trading partners, Trump has set even higher tariffs.
“It’s still unclear to what extent that will happen and whether the threat of tariffs is being used to push some countries into trade talks,” Mallinson said. However, based on his past experience, he believes Trump will impose at least some new tariffs. While the president has the authority to impose tariffs on specific categories of imports, imposing general tariffs on all goods would be more complicated. Such a move would cause chaos and be open to challenge in court.
Tariffs could also exacerbate domestic problems. “Anger over inflation helped Trump win the presidency, but he could quickly lose public favor if his economic policies raise prices or hamper the economy,” Mallinson says.
Leaving the Paris Climate Accord
The environment is not as important to American voters as the economy or immigration, but Trump has made it a target nonetheless. During his first term as president, he withdrew the United States from the Paris Agreement, which aims to reduce carbon emissions. Joe Biden reversed that decision and rejoined the pact on his first day in office. But now Trump has vowed to expand crude oil production. With his focus on fracking and fossil fuels, it would be no surprise if he pulls the country out of the climate accord again.
Trump has made it clear that he is against renewable energy and electric vehicle production. This attitude could lead to other executive orders that would roll back environmental protections and slow down the implementation of renewable energy projects.
Amnesties for those convicted of storming the Capitol
The president's right to pardon those convicted of federal crimes through amnesty could also take effect from day one. Trump has made it clear that he will pardon most of the hundreds of people who were convicted of storming the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
The question of whether Trump will pardon himself for some acts punishable under federal law remains open. “Presidents come into office with a sense of power and political capital, but that quickly dwindles,” Mallinson concludes. “He can’t run again in 2028, so everything he wants to accomplish has to happen in one term.”
Author: Timothy Rooks