President-elect Donald Trump will take office on Jan. 20, starting the clock on the first 100 days of his second term.Trump stated that immigration, trade, taxes and foreign policy, among others, would be the top issues he would tackle immediately.Here is a detailed look at what Trump’s first 100 days may look like.ImmigrationA hardline approach to immigration has been a tenet of Trump’s political career. And it may be the strongest point of contention heading into his first 100 days.“On day one, I will launch the largest deportation program of criminals in the history of America,” Trump repeatedly said on the campaign trail. Following his 2024 election victory, Trump and his allies reiterated that they would prioritize mass deportations and sealing the border.Stephen Miller, Trump’s appointed deputy chief of policy, indicated in an interview with Fox News in early December that he believes they can accomplish those goals with the help of the Republican-controlled Congress.”(Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Sen. Lindsey Graham) promised that they can get a full funding package for the border, the most significant board of security investment in American history … to the president’s desk in January or early February,” Miller said.The package would include funding for more Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, stronger barriers and technology at the border, and strategic air and marine operations.However, CNN recently reported that Trump’s appointed border czar, Tom Homan, has privately tempered expectations on initial mass deportation plans, citing a lack of funds. “Homan has been telling some of the members that ‘Hey, if you want me to do all these things that you’re talking about, this costs money, and it’s not being done with the (continuing resolution) that’s in place now,” one GOP lawmaker told CNN.Homan has publicly stated that the administration will need at least $86 billion to start deportation operations.The former acting ICE director outlined some components of the administration’s plan in an interview with NBC News, specifically mentioning workplace roundups, partnering with local law enforcement and creating a hotline for tips. Additionally, the administration has shown interest in utilizing the military to aid in operations and targeting churches, schools and hospitals for raids.Video below: Outrage growing over a proposed immigration facility relocation in MilwaukeeHoman indicated that initial deportation efforts will focus on immigrants with criminal records and pending removal orders. But, Trump, in his own NBC News interview, conceded that immigrants outside that group would also be deported.“Well, I think you have to do it, and it’s a hard — it’s a very tough thing to do. It’s — but you have to have, you know, you have rules, regulations, laws. They came in illegally,” Trump said.Later on in the interview, Trump admitted that even children here legally could be swept up in the deportations.“Well, I don’t want to be breaking up families, so the only way you don’t break up the family is you keep them together and you have to send them all back,” Trump said.Beyond the funding for capture efforts, another factor that could impede Trump’s mass deportation process is the case backlog in immigration courts.According to a congressional report, 3.6 million cases are pending before immigration judges, the largest accumulation of cases in the U.S. immigration system’s history. That is a 44% increase from the 2.5 million cases pending the year before.One way Trump could deal with that is to push the Department of Justice, which runs the immigration court system, to budget for and appoint more judges. The administration would also need to expand detention facilities to house more migrants awaiting trial, which Homan has advocated for. He said the goal is to establish 100,000 beds, up from the roughly 34,000 existing beds.The last notable hurdle Trump could face within the first 100 days on immigration is public perception.Newt Gingrich, former Republican House speaker, warned the incoming administration that public support for mass deportations could “collapse” if the optics aren’t right.“Lincoln once said that with popular sentiment, anything is possible; without popular sentiment, nothing is possible,” Gingrich told The Guardian. “Well, you get very many human stories about mothers or babies or children being deported, then support for the deportation program will collapse.”Public support could also turn if the deportations become an economic albatross, as some predict.The American Business Immigration Coalition estimates that agricultural output will fall between $30 to $60 billion if Trump’s full deportation plan is carried out. It would also hamper the construction industry, of which undocumented immigrants make up about 14% of the workforce.The American Immigration Council says mass deportations could reduce the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) by 4.2 to 6.8% and deprive the country of roughly $49 billion in federal taxes and $29 billion in local and state taxes.According to a 2023 study, 44,000 U.S.-born workers could lose their jobs for every 500,000 immigrants removed from the labor force.”Certainly the economic impacts are going to be felt,” said David J. Bier, the director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute. “There’s going to be supply chain issues. There’s going to be increases in prices, decreases in services.”Nevertheless, with mass deportations being a core campaign promise and Trump’s belief that his victory is a mandate from the American people, his administration will likely be steadfast in its approach and will face these hurdles head-on, setting up a tempestuous fight over the first 100 days.It’s also important to note a few other immigration-related issues that will likely be addressed early in Trump’s term: the status of “Dreamers,” Title 42, travel bans and birthright citizenship. Trump attempted to repeal the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program during his first term in office, putting the future of “Dreamers” in the hands of the courts, which is still being fought today. However, he has changed his tune a bit, expressing an openness to provide a pathway to citizenship for some DACA recipients.“I will work with the Democrats on a plan,” he said. “We’re going to have to do something with them,” specifically pointing to ‘Dreamers’ who are active members of society, creating businesses and going to school.”Harkening back to another first-term policy, Trump has not explicitly said he would fully reinstate his travel ban, which President Joe Biden repealed. But, he has said he would impose ideological screenings and revoke the visas of campus protesters. It’s also unclear if he would target the same 15 countries he did during his first term.On Title 42, a pandemic-era policy that restricted access to asylum seekers, Trump is reportedly weighing reinstating it after the measure sunsetted during Biden’s presidency.Lastly, Trump said he “absolutely” plans to end birthright citizenship, which provides the right of citizenship to anyone born in the U.S. The policy is widely believed to be protected by the 14th Amendment, so any attempt by Trump to abolish it would be appealed in court.TaxesTrump vowed on the campaign trail to extend his Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which expires at the end of 2025.The 2017 law overhauled the federal tax code, lowering taxes for middle- and upper-income households.If the legislation were to expire, many provisions, including the lower tax rates, expanded standard deduction threshold and higher child tax credit, would disappear. The tax code would revert to what it was before the TCJA.While many Republicans in Congress support the extension, the cost of the bill could be a sticking point for others.The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates that renewing the TCJA could cost about $5 trillion over the next 10 years.For budget hawks in the party, that could be too rich for their blood unless the costs are offset with cuts or revenue-raising measures.Ideas that have been floated include cutting green energy tax credits, coupling the tax bill with steep tariffs and utilizing the newly-established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, to cut government waste and federal programs.Video below: Scott Bessent discusses Trump tax cuts during Treasury Secretary confirmation hearingHowever, budget hawks aren’t the only hurdle within the GOP. There is also a contingent of Republicans demanding that the SALT deduction cap be raised.In 2017, the TCJA established a $10,000 limit on deducting state and local taxes. Previously, that deduction was unlimited. This measure disproportionately affected people in high-tax states such as New York, New Jersey and California.Several representatives from those states have made clear that their votes are incumbent on SALT deduction reform. Republicans from those states have even weaponized the party’s thin margin of control in the House to their benefit.“Two-seat majority; eight or 10 very SALT-y Republicans? You guys can do the math on that one,” Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., a proponent of a bigger SALT deduction, told NBC News.Trump expressed support for revising the SALT limit during the campaign, though he didn’t dive deep into the details of what that would look like. Increasing the limit to $20,000 has reportedly been discussed in the lead-up to Trump’s assuming office. But that won’t cut it, according to another GOP congressman.“That’s woefully insufficient,” Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., said.LaLota recently reintroduced legislation raising the cap to $100,000 for single filers and $200,000 for married couples.Another tax-related topic that will likely be discussed within the first 100 days is Trump’s ability and appetite to fulfill his campaign promise to eliminate taxes on tips and social security.The proposal has garnered support from many Americans, particularly the elderly and those in the service industry. However, it’s uncertain if there is support on Capitol Hill.Trump may be faced with the decision to either stick to his promise and put the legislative talks in jeopardy or turn his back on the proposal and pass a viable bill.Finally, the last notable tax policy Trump is aiming for is further cutting the corporate tax rate.In 2017, he slashed the federal rate from 35% to 21%. His new proposal calls for bringing that down to 15%.Trade policy (tariffs)Tariffs played a major role in Trump’s first term office, and they could play a bigger role in his second term.Trump sent shockwaves through the global economy in November, following his election victory, when he announced he would institute a flat 25% tariff on all goods from Mexico and Canada and an additional 10% levy on existing tariffs for all Chinese goods.It was an escalation from the campaign trail, where he promised just a 10% increase on all imports worldwide. He cited illegal immigration and drug trafficking as the reasons for his change of heart.“This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!” Trump said in a Truth Social post.This drew immediate responses from Canada and Mexico, the U.S.’ largest and second-largest trading partners. Both countries warned of retaliation and mutual harm.“Any tariffs imposed by one side would likely prompt retaliatory tariffs, leading to risks for joint enterprises,” Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said.“Adding 25% tariffs to those products will raise the price for Americans almost immediately,” Kirsten Hillman, Canadian Ambassador to the U.S., said. “And at a time when the cost of living is challenging, when food prices are high, it seems like the wrong direction to go in.“Canada will respond,” she added. “Therefore your number one customer will make American products more expensive and Canadians will probably look for alternatives to those products.”Economists say that if the tariffs are implemented, companies will surely pass those costs onto consumers, likely raising inflation.“There’s no question that tariffs are inflationary,’’ Kent Smetters, an economics professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, told the AP. “Exactly how much – that’s where economists can debate it.”Video below: Canadian premier warns against imposing tariffsOther industry leaders shared equally dire warnings.Alan Siger, president of the Produce Distributors Association, said that tariffs would raise the prices of fresh fruit and vegetables and ultimately hurt U.S. farmers.“Tariffs distort the marketplace and will raise prices along the supply chain, resulting in the consumer paying more at the checkout line,” Siger said in an interview with the AP.As for cars, C.J. Finn, U.S. automotive sector leader for PwC, said, “A 25% tariff on Mexico and Canada would severely cripple the U.S. auto industry.”The Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. cautioned that “tariffs on spirits products from our neighbors to the north and south are going to hurt U.S. consumers and lead to job losses across the U.S. hospitality industry.”Despite the warnings, Trump has remained intent on implementing the tariffs. He has even doubled down, threatening BRICS nations with a 100% tariff if they try to undermine the U.S. dollar. BRICS includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and United Arab Emirates. Trump also recently announced plans to establish the External Revenue Service, a new agency that would track and collect money from foreign countries.”Through soft and pathetically weak Trade agreements, the American Economy has delivered growth and prosperity to the World, while taxing ourselves,” the president-elect said on Truth Social. “It is time for that to change. I am today announcing that I will create the EXTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE to collect our Tariffs, Duties, and all Revenue that come from Foreign sources.” Foreign warsTrump claimed during his debate with Kamala Harris that he would end the war between Russia and Ukraine before his inauguration. While that won’t happen, his administration has said it will work during the first 100 days to broker a peace deal. The details of its approach are unknown.Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris in December.Zelenskyy seemingly came away from the meeting optimistic that Trump could aid in peace talks.”Trump and I will come to an agreement and… offer strong security guarantees, together with Europe, and then we can talk to the Russians,” Zelenskyy said during a recent podcast interview. Trump stated in a January press conference at Mar-a-Lago that a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin is being arranged and should take place shortly after Trump takes office.Meanwhile, the world’s other major conflict may be coming to an end soon.At the time of publication, Israel and Hamas have agreed to a deal to pause fighting in Gaza and release some of the hostages on both sides.The hope is that once the first round of hostages — which include women, children, people with severe injuries and people over 50 — are released, both sides will agree to a permanent ceasefire and begin plans to rebuild the decimated Gaza Strip.If the deal holds, it would be a major win for the Trump administration in its first 100 days.“This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies,” Trump said in a Truth Social post following the reported deal.Trump added that his appointed special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel and Hamas negotiators to ensure the deal’s success.Energy, pardons, education and moreThe Associated Press reported that Trump is planning over 100 executive orders starting on Day One. Many orders will focus on the aforementioned issues, like immigration and trade, but Trump is expected to go beyond that. For starters, Trump has promised to address energy, scrapping most of the climate protections instituted by the Biden administration and expanding domestic production. He said he would eliminate the so-called “electric vehicle mandate” and green energy subsidies while loosening restrictions on oil, gas and coal.His actions on energy would likely be the first step in a series of deregulatory moves. Other industries Trump might target are banking, cryptocurrency, agriculture and transportation.“I will sign an executive order directing every federal agency to immediately remove every single burdensome regulation driving up the cost of goods,” Trump said at an October rally. “We have so many regulations that hurt our country.”Another decision Trump will presumably make early on in his second term is whether or not to pardon the individuals convicted in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.It seems likely that he will hand down pardons to the roughly 900 people who were charged with misdemeanors.Video below: Pam Bondi discusses pardons for Jan. 6 rioters during attorney general confirmation hearing“We’re looking at it right now. Most likely, yeah,” Trump said when asked during an NBC News interview if he would follow through with the pardons. “Those people have suffered long and hard.”The tougher question will be whether he will expand those pardons to the 600-plus individuals who were charged with assaulting, impeding or resisting police, including nearly 200 who carried weapons.In a recent Fox News interview, Vice President-elect JD Vance indicated the administration would not support pardoning those individuals.“If you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldn’t be pardoned,” Vance said, adding the caveat that there was a “bit of a gray area” in some cases.Trump hasn’t ruled anything out, asserting that his administration will examine each case and make individual decisions.An easier decision for Trump will be attempting to eliminate “wokeness” from schools and sports, a top priority of his 2024 campaign.Before and after the election, Trump has repeatedly promised to defund schools that engage in “inappropriate political indoctrination of our children,” including topics such as critical race theory and gender and sexuality studies. He’s also stated that the administration would defund schools with vaccine or mask requirements.Further, Trump has expressed support for banning transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports, terminating diversity and inclusion (DEI) offices, promoting universal school choice and empowering “parental rights.”Trump’s ultimate goal is to abolish the Department of Education.“I say it all the time, I’m dying to get back to do this. We will ultimately eliminate the federal Department of Education,” Trump said at a September rally in Wisconsin. “We will drain the government education swamp and stop the abuse of your taxpayer dollars to indoctrinate America’s youth with all sorts of things that you don’t want to have our youth hearing.”It’s unclear if Trump will be able to accomplish this, but it’s highly unlikely to be done within the first 100 days.As for other potential executive actions, Trump’s anti-woke measures will probably extend to other sectors, such as the military and federal agencies, targeting transgender individuals, eliminating DEI programs and firing supposed “Leftwing Democrats.”
President-elect Donald Trump will take office on Jan. 20, starting the clock on the first 100 days of his second term.
Trump stated that immigration, trade, taxes and foreign policy, among others, would be the top issues he would tackle immediately.
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Here is a detailed look at what Trump’s first 100 days may look like.
Immigration
A hardline approach to immigration has been a tenet of Trump’s political career. And it may be the strongest point of contention heading into his first 100 days.
“On day one, I will launch the largest deportation program of criminals in the history of America,” Trump repeatedly said on the campaign trail.
Following his 2024 election victory, Trump and his allies reiterated that they would prioritize mass deportations and sealing the border.
Stephen Miller, Trump’s appointed deputy chief of policy, indicated in an interview with Fox News in early December that he believes they can accomplish those goals with the help of the Republican-controlled Congress.
“(Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Sen. Lindsey Graham) promised that they can get a full funding package for the border, the most significant board of security investment in American history … to the president’s desk in January or early February,” Miller said.
The package would include funding for more Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, stronger barriers and technology at the border, and strategic air and marine operations.
However, CNN recently reported that Trump’s appointed border czar, Tom Homan, has privately tempered expectations on initial mass deportation plans, citing a lack of funds.
“Homan has been telling some of the members that ‘Hey, if you want me to do all these things that you’re talking about, this costs money, and it’s not being done with the (continuing resolution) that’s in place now,” one GOP lawmaker told CNN.
Homan has publicly stated that the administration will need at least $86 billion to start deportation operations.
The former acting ICE director outlined some components of the administration’s plan in an interview with NBC News, specifically mentioning workplace roundups, partnering with local law enforcement and creating a hotline for tips. Additionally, the administration has shown interest in utilizing the military to aid in operations and targeting churches, schools and hospitals for raids.
Video below: Outrage growing over a proposed immigration facility relocation in Milwaukee
Homan indicated that initial deportation efforts will focus on immigrants with criminal records and pending removal orders. But, Trump, in his own NBC News interview, conceded that immigrants outside that group would also be deported.
“Well, I think you have to do it, and it’s a hard — it’s a very tough thing to do. It’s — but you have to have, you know, you have rules, regulations, laws. They came in illegally,” Trump said.
Later on in the interview, Trump admitted that even children here legally could be swept up in the deportations.
“Well, I don’t want to be breaking up families, so the only way you don’t break up the family is you keep them together and you have to send them all back,” Trump said.
Beyond the funding for capture efforts, another factor that could impede Trump’s mass deportation process is the case backlog in immigration courts.
According to a congressional report, 3.6 million cases are pending before immigration judges, the largest accumulation of cases in the U.S. immigration system’s history.
That is a 44% increase from the 2.5 million cases pending the year before.
One way Trump could deal with that is to push the Department of Justice, which runs the immigration court system, to budget for and appoint more judges. The administration would also need to expand detention facilities to house more migrants awaiting trial, which Homan has advocated for. He said the goal is to establish 100,000 beds, up from the roughly 34,000 existing beds.
The last notable hurdle Trump could face within the first 100 days on immigration is public perception.
Newt Gingrich, former Republican House speaker, warned the incoming administration that public support for mass deportations could “collapse” if the optics aren’t right.
“Lincoln once said that with popular sentiment, anything is possible; without popular sentiment, nothing is possible,” Gingrich told The Guardian. “Well, you get very many human stories about mothers or babies or children being deported, then support for the deportation program will collapse.”
Public support could also turn if the deportations become an economic albatross, as some predict.
The American Business Immigration Coalition estimates that agricultural output will fall between $30 to $60 billion if Trump’s full deportation plan is carried out. It would also hamper the construction industry, of which undocumented immigrants make up about 14% of the workforce.
The American Immigration Council says mass deportations could reduce the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) by 4.2 to 6.8% and deprive the country of roughly $49 billion in federal taxes and $29 billion in local and state taxes.
According to a 2023 study, 44,000 U.S.-born workers could lose their jobs for every 500,000 immigrants removed from the labor force.
“Certainly the economic impacts are going to be felt,” said David J. Bier, the director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute. “There’s going to be supply chain issues. There’s going to be increases in prices, decreases in services.”
Nevertheless, with mass deportations being a core campaign promise and Trump’s belief that his victory is a mandate from the American people, his administration will likely be steadfast in its approach and will face these hurdles head-on, setting up a tempestuous fight over the first 100 days.
It’s also important to note a few other immigration-related issues that will likely be addressed early in Trump’s term: the status of “Dreamers,” Title 42, travel bans and birthright citizenship.
Trump attempted to repeal the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program during his first term in office, putting the future of “Dreamers” in the hands of the courts, which is still being fought today. However, he has changed his tune a bit, expressing an openness to provide a pathway to citizenship for some DACA recipients.
“I will work with the Democrats on a plan,” he said. “We’re going to have to do something with them,” specifically pointing to ‘Dreamers’ who are active members of society, creating businesses and going to school.”
Harkening back to another first-term policy, Trump has not explicitly said he would fully reinstate his travel ban, which President Joe Biden repealed. But, he has said he would impose ideological screenings and revoke the visas of campus protesters. It’s also unclear if he would target the same 15 countries he did during his first term.
On Title 42, a pandemic-era policy that restricted access to asylum seekers, Trump is reportedly weighing reinstating it after the measure sunsetted during Biden’s presidency.
Lastly, Trump said he “absolutely” plans to end birthright citizenship, which provides the right of citizenship to anyone born in the U.S. The policy is widely believed to be protected by the 14th Amendment, so any attempt by Trump to abolish it would be appealed in court.
Taxes
Trump vowed on the campaign trail to extend his Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which expires at the end of 2025.
The 2017 law overhauled the federal tax code, lowering taxes for middle- and upper-income households.
If the legislation were to expire, many provisions, including the lower tax rates, expanded standard deduction threshold and higher child tax credit, would disappear. The tax code would revert to what it was before the TCJA.
While many Republicans in Congress support the extension, the cost of the bill could be a sticking point for others.
The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates that renewing the TCJA could cost about $5 trillion over the next 10 years.
For budget hawks in the party, that could be too rich for their blood unless the costs are offset with cuts or revenue-raising measures.
Ideas that have been floated include cutting green energy tax credits, coupling the tax bill with steep tariffs and utilizing the newly-established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, to cut government waste and federal programs.
Video below: Scott Bessent discusses Trump tax cuts during Treasury Secretary confirmation hearing
However, budget hawks aren’t the only hurdle within the GOP. There is also a contingent of Republicans demanding that the SALT deduction cap be raised.
In 2017, the TCJA established a $10,000 limit on deducting state and local taxes. Previously, that deduction was unlimited. This measure disproportionately affected people in high-tax states such as New York, New Jersey and California.
Several representatives from those states have made clear that their votes are incumbent on SALT deduction reform. Republicans from those states have even weaponized the party’s thin margin of control in the House to their benefit.
“Two-seat majority; eight or 10 very SALT-y Republicans? You guys can do the math on that one,” Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., a proponent of a bigger SALT deduction, told NBC News.
Trump expressed support for revising the SALT limit during the campaign, though he didn’t dive deep into the details of what that would look like. Increasing the limit to $20,000 has reportedly been discussed in the lead-up to Trump’s assuming office. But that won’t cut it, according to another GOP congressman.
“That’s woefully insufficient,” Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., said.
LaLota recently reintroduced legislation raising the cap to $100,000 for single filers and $200,000 for married couples.
Another tax-related topic that will likely be discussed within the first 100 days is Trump’s ability and appetite to fulfill his campaign promise to eliminate taxes on tips and social security.
The proposal has garnered support from many Americans, particularly the elderly and those in the service industry. However, it’s uncertain if there is support on Capitol Hill.
Trump may be faced with the decision to either stick to his promise and put the legislative talks in jeopardy or turn his back on the proposal and pass a viable bill.
Finally, the last notable tax policy Trump is aiming for is further cutting the corporate tax rate.
In 2017, he slashed the federal rate from 35% to 21%. His new proposal calls for bringing that down to 15%.
Trade policy (tariffs)
Tariffs played a major role in Trump’s first term office, and they could play a bigger role in his second term.
Trump sent shockwaves through the global economy in November, following his election victory, when he announced he would institute a flat 25% tariff on all goods from Mexico and Canada and an additional 10% levy on existing tariffs for all Chinese goods.
It was an escalation from the campaign trail, where he promised just a 10% increase on all imports worldwide. He cited illegal immigration and drug trafficking as the reasons for his change of heart.
“This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!” Trump said in a Truth Social post.
This drew immediate responses from Canada and Mexico, the U.S.’ largest and second-largest trading partners. Both countries warned of retaliation and mutual harm.
“Any tariffs imposed by one side would likely prompt retaliatory tariffs, leading to risks for joint enterprises,” Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said.
“Adding 25% tariffs to those products will raise the price for Americans almost immediately,” Kirsten Hillman, Canadian Ambassador to the U.S., said. “And at a time when the cost of living is challenging, when food prices are high, it seems like the wrong direction to go in.
“Canada will respond,” she added. “Therefore your number one customer will make American products more expensive and Canadians will probably look for alternatives to those products.”
Economists say that if the tariffs are implemented, companies will surely pass those costs onto consumers, likely raising inflation.
“There’s no question that tariffs are inflationary,’’ Kent Smetters, an economics professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, told the AP. “Exactly how much – that’s where economists can debate it.”
Video below: Canadian premier warns against imposing tariffs
Other industry leaders shared equally dire warnings.
Alan Siger, president of the Produce Distributors Association, said that tariffs would raise the prices of fresh fruit and vegetables and ultimately hurt U.S. farmers.
“Tariffs distort the marketplace and will raise prices along the supply chain, resulting in the consumer paying more at the checkout line,” Siger said in an interview with the AP.
As for cars, C.J. Finn, U.S. automotive sector leader for PwC, said, “A 25% tariff on Mexico and Canada would severely cripple the U.S. auto industry.”
The Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. cautioned that “tariffs on spirits products from our neighbors to the north and south are going to hurt U.S. consumers and lead to job losses across the U.S. hospitality industry.”
Despite the warnings, Trump has remained intent on implementing the tariffs. He has even doubled down, threatening BRICS nations with a 100% tariff if they try to undermine the U.S. dollar. BRICS includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and United Arab Emirates.
Trump also recently announced plans to establish the External Revenue Service, a new agency that would track and collect money from foreign countries.
“Through soft and pathetically weak Trade agreements, the American Economy has delivered growth and prosperity to the World, while taxing ourselves,” the president-elect said on Truth Social. “It is time for that to change. I am today announcing that I will create the EXTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE to collect our Tariffs, Duties, and all Revenue that come from Foreign sources.”
Foreign wars
Trump claimed during his debate with Kamala Harris that he would end the war between Russia and Ukraine before his inauguration.
While that won’t happen, his administration has said it will work during the first 100 days to broker a peace deal. The details of its approach are unknown.
Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris in December.
Zelenskyy seemingly came away from the meeting optimistic that Trump could aid in peace talks.
“Trump and I will come to an agreement and… offer strong security guarantees, together with Europe, and then we can talk to the Russians,” Zelenskyy said during a recent podcast interview.
Trump stated in a January press conference at Mar-a-Lago that a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin is being arranged and should take place shortly after Trump takes office.
Meanwhile, the world’s other major conflict may be coming to an end soon.
At the time of publication, Israel and Hamas have agreed to a deal to pause fighting in Gaza and release some of the hostages on both sides.
The hope is that once the first round of hostages — which include women, children, people with severe injuries and people over 50 — are released, both sides will agree to a permanent ceasefire and begin plans to rebuild the decimated Gaza Strip.
If the deal holds, it would be a major win for the Trump administration in its first 100 days.
“This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies,” Trump said in a Truth Social post following the reported deal.
Trump added that his appointed special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel and Hamas negotiators to ensure the deal’s success.
Energy, pardons, education and more
The Associated Press reported that Trump is planning over 100 executive orders starting on Day One.
Many orders will focus on the aforementioned issues, like immigration and trade, but Trump is expected to go beyond that.
For starters, Trump has promised to address energy, scrapping most of the climate protections instituted by the Biden administration and expanding domestic production. He said he would eliminate the so-called “electric vehicle mandate” and green energy subsidies while loosening restrictions on oil, gas and coal.
His actions on energy would likely be the first step in a series of deregulatory moves. Other industries Trump might target are banking, cryptocurrency, agriculture and transportation.
“I will sign an executive order directing every federal agency to immediately remove every single burdensome regulation driving up the cost of goods,” Trump said at an October rally. “We have so many regulations that hurt our country.”
Another decision Trump will presumably make early on in his second term is whether or not to pardon the individuals convicted in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
It seems likely that he will hand down pardons to the roughly 900 people who were charged with misdemeanors.
Video below: Pam Bondi discusses pardons for Jan. 6 rioters during attorney general confirmation hearing
“We’re looking at it right now. Most likely, yeah,” Trump said when asked during an NBC News interview if he would follow through with the pardons. “Those people have suffered long and hard.”
The tougher question will be whether he will expand those pardons to the 600-plus individuals who were charged with assaulting, impeding or resisting police, including nearly 200 who carried weapons.
In a recent Fox News interview, Vice President-elect JD Vance indicated the administration would not support pardoning those individuals.
“If you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldn’t be pardoned,” Vance said, adding the caveat that there was a “bit of a gray area” in some cases.
Trump hasn’t ruled anything out, asserting that his administration will examine each case and make individual decisions.
An easier decision for Trump will be attempting to eliminate “wokeness” from schools and sports, a top priority of his 2024 campaign.
Before and after the election, Trump has repeatedly promised to defund schools that engage in “inappropriate political indoctrination of our children,” including topics such as critical race theory and gender and sexuality studies. He’s also stated that the administration would defund schools with vaccine or mask requirements.
Further, Trump has expressed support for banning transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports, terminating diversity and inclusion (DEI) offices, promoting universal school choice and empowering “parental rights.”
Trump’s ultimate goal is to abolish the Department of Education.
“I say it all the time, I’m dying to get back to do this. We will ultimately eliminate the federal Department of Education,” Trump said at a September rally in Wisconsin. “We will drain the government education swamp and stop the abuse of your taxpayer dollars to indoctrinate America’s youth with all sorts of things that you don’t want to have our youth hearing.”
It’s unclear if Trump will be able to accomplish this, but it’s highly unlikely to be done within the first 100 days.
As for other potential executive actions, Trump’s anti-woke measures will probably extend to other sectors, such as the military and federal agencies, targeting transgender individuals, eliminating DEI programs and firing supposed “Leftwing Democrats.”
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