Trump’s Day 1 Campaign Promises: What to Expect and What’s Likely
When Donald Trump re-enters the White House, he’s committed to delivering on a series of bold promises on Day 1. Some are ambitious, others controversial, and many will face significant challenges. Here’s a breakdown of what the Republican candidate has promised and what might realistically be achievable on his first day in office.
A Day Full of Big Promises
On the campaign trail, Trump declared that “your head will spin” with the actions he plans to take as soon as he’s sworn in. While it’s unlikely he’ll achieve everything on his list immediately, he has outlined some high-priority promises. These include:
- Launching the largest deportation in U.S. history
- Closing the border to illegal immigration
- Ending birthright citizenship
- Imposing steep tariffs on imports
- Ending the Russia-Ukraine war
- Canceling the “electric vehicle mandate”
- Declaring a national energy emergency
- Cutting federal funds to schools pushing specific social agendas
- Taking action against the “deep state”
Reality Check: Can Trump Deliver on Day 1?
While many of these promises have the potential for swift executive action, others are unrealistic within the first 24 hours. The president’s authority is not unlimited, especially when it comes to constitutional issues and actions requiring congressional approval or court rulings. Let’s dive deeper into some of the most prominent promises and explore their viability.
1. The Largest Deportation in U.S. History
Trump’s promise to launch the biggest deportation program ever on his first day is perhaps his most ambitious. He has suggested declaring a national emergency to round up undocumented immigrants. However, this would require significant coordination with state law enforcement and may face legal hurdles, especially as past deportation programs like Operation Wetback under Eisenhower have sparked controversy.
What Could He Do? Trump could push for heightened border enforcement, direct federal agencies to act, and issue executive orders to expedite deportations. However, the scale he promises may take much longer than a single day.
2. Closing the Border
While Trump’s promise to “close the border” sounds drastic, it’s unlikely to mean halting all trade or travel. Instead, he may focus on enforcing stricter measures to stop illegal immigration, perhaps deploying more federal resources and tightening border security.
What Could He Do? Trump could direct the Department of Homeland Security to ramp up enforcement and reinforce physical barriers along the southern border, but a complete border shutdown is not feasible without considerable logistical challenges.
3. Ending Birthright Citizenship
Ending birthright citizenship, guaranteed by the 14th Amendment, would require a constitutional amendment — not just an executive order. Trump’s pledge to revoke citizenship for children born in the U.S. to undocumented parents is likely unachievable through presidential action alone.
What Could He Do? While Trump cannot singlehandedly repeal the 14th Amendment, he could seek legislative support to initiate constitutional changes, although this would be a long and contentious process.
4. Imposing Tariffs on Imports
Trump has vowed to impose a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tariff on Chinese goods. While tariffs can be levied by the president, this policy would likely have significant economic repercussions and could spark retaliatory actions.
What Could He Do? Trump could issue executive orders to impose tariffs immediately, but these may face challenges from trading partners and could result in higher prices for American consumers. His approach could also spark negotiations before the tariffs take effect.
5. Ending the Russia-Ukraine War
One of Trump’s most bold claims is that he can end the Russia-Ukraine war before even becoming president. While his push for peace talks is realistic, achieving a ceasefire in a matter of days is highly unlikely.
What Could He Do? Trump could try to broker peace talks, but ending a war involves complex international diplomacy that cannot be resolved by executive action alone. His statement about resolving the issue even before taking office may prove difficult to meet.
6. Rolling Back the Electric Vehicle Mandate
Trump has criticized what he calls the “electric vehicle mandate” and pledged to end it on Day 1. However, there is no singular federal mandate for electric vehicles; instead, he may target fuel economy standards and pollution regulations.
What Could He Do? Trump could seek to reverse Biden-era regulations that incentivize EV production, and potentially cut federal subsidies for electric vehicles. However, his ability to fully “end” an electric vehicle mandate is unclear.
7. Declaring a National Energy Emergency
Trump aims to use an emergency declaration to push through more drilling, pipelines, and energy production. While this could bypass some regulatory hurdles, he would still need cooperation from states, private companies, and other federal agencies.
What Could He Do? By declaring a national energy emergency, Trump could fast-track energy projects and potentially reverse some of the Biden administration’s environmental policies. However, significant new energy production initiatives would take longer to implement.
8. Cutting Federal Funds to Schools
Trump has promised to slash funding to schools that promote certain curricula, such as critical race theory or transgender-related content. While this might sound like an immediate action, it would likely face significant legal and logistical barriers.
What Could He Do? Trump could direct the Department of Education to review federal funding guidelines and create more stringent conditions on state-level education systems. However, such cuts would require legislation and may take time to fully implement.
9. Taking Action Against the ‘Deep State’
Trump has repeatedly claimed he will dismantle the “deep state” by firing federal workers he believes are obstructing his agenda. He could revive a previous executive order, known as Schedule F, to reclassify certain civil servants, making them subject to political firing.
What Could He Do? Trump could take executive action to begin reshaping the federal workforce, but the legal and political challenges could delay his efforts to make widespread changes.
10. Pardoning January 6 Defendants
Trump has vowed to issue pardons for individuals involved in the January 6 Capitol riot. He could potentially issue these pardons on his first day in office, but this would likely face political backlash.
What Could He Do? The president has broad pardoning powers, and he could begin reviewing and signing pardons for those convicted in the January 6 events. However, the legal and public response could influence the scope of these actions.
Conclusion: A Day of Bold Action, But Not Miracles
While Trump’s Day 1 promises are bold and wide-ranging, many are unlikely to be fully realized in a single day. Executive orders can set the stage for significant change, but some of his more ambitious pledges — like ending birthright citizenship or achieving a peace deal in Ukraine — will require extensive legal and diplomatic efforts. Trump’s first day in office will likely be filled with significant symbolic actions, but many of these promises will unfold over a longer period of time.
