The tradition of marathon question-and-answer sessions has returned to the Oval Office, this time curtained under a team far more seasoned than the previous one. Compared to the silent night hours that used to be during President Joe Biden’s tenure, the landscape under Trump 2.0 is markedly different. The stream of presidential tweets that shape global discourse and the flurry of executive orders are back at center stage. Under ten days, Trump put federal spending and hiring on pause, proposed buyouts to over two million government employees, eliminated federal initiatives on diversity and transgender rights, and sacked almost two dozen independent inspectors of general departments.
In a move that sees Trump pulling up past strategies, federal proceedings from the previous years have been rapidly undone with a signed document. But these tactics fail to identify the logistical consequences of such actions and instead, create an atmosphere of chaos and insecurity, leaving Democrats perplexed about formulating a counterplan. However, shielded by reformed constitutional barriers and resilient support from a Republican Congress, Trump wields considerable power with negligible resistance.
Trump 2.0’s newly-found immunity from legal consequences has empowered the presidency like never before. This immunity is not granted by constitutional foresight but rather by a Supreme Court heavily influenced by his nominations. It becomes a contentious issue when considering Trump’s turbulent past four years marked by surviving two attempted assassinations, one close enough for a fatal shot to narrowly brush past his ear.
Being indicted four times and having been the first past president condemned for a crime, Trump’s journey exhibits an unusual parallel to his return to the highest office. What’s interesting here is not just the restoration of his position post the 2020 loss but also subsequent dismissal or indefinite postponement of these charges. His conviction led to no imprisonment. These realities only add to Trump’s audacity, spurring him into an action-packed term ahead.
Creating a stark contrast to his predecessor, Biden who often deliberately kept a low-profile, Trump’s presidency is marked by brisk appearances. His first presidential tour was characterized by his controversial encounter with North Carolina’s hurricane aftermath, where he challenged the existence of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and sought concessions from Democratic states for contributing disaster assistance.
Trump’s subsequent visit to Los Angeles bore witness to his disregard for local officials during a live television confrontation, where he unfoundedly criticized water policies and downplayed hazardous waste concerns. His magnetic ‘Make America Great Again’ campaign hat provided a fitting backdrop to the entire event. Amidst all this, his interest seemed to be vested more in the gamblers rather than acknowledging the waiters and dealers at a gambling table.
Simultaneously, Trump found himself in the middle of a policy retreat hosted by House Republicans at his Florida golf club. A vast chunk of his first term was stained by infighting and recurring leaks from rival factions. This has not deterred him as he continues to enact polarizing policies, with reintroducing travel bans from majority-Muslim countries being one of the first.
Under the stewardship of Susie Wiles as Chief of Staff, Trump’s team seems to show a united front, free from public drama. It is important to note that conservative allies, including The Heritage Foundation and the America First Policy Institute, have dedicated years to prepare a roadmap for Trump’s comeback, with hundreds of executive orders and other actions in tow.
The only significant U-turn his team has made is the withdrawal of federal grant funding memo for ideological review, which was revoked within two days of its introduction due to the large-scale confusion it ignited among organizations reliant on the same. Despite this, Trump is far from done and continues to spark controversy.
Motivated by the past four years of political ostracism followed by relentless campaigning, Trump is bent on implementing his promises and seeking retribution on his adversaries. This is patently evident from his immediate pardon of over 1,500 persons either convicted or implicated in the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol, some of those even resorting to attacking law enforcement officers to impede the certification of his 2020 election loss to Biden.
In an assertive move to punish his critics, Trump lifted the security clearances of numerous senior-grade ex-government officials, most notably of John Bolton, his former National Security Advisor, and others involved in the plot to assassinate Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his once deputy.
It’s a far cry from the surprising victory eight years prior against Democrat Hillary Clinton which had caught everyone off guard. From returning Joe Biden supporters to the outskirts of his administration to celebrating his return to power, Trump seems hell-bent on enacting his agenda at all costs.
While Trump’s second term appears similar to his first, the significant departure seems to lie in the experienced team backing him up, the draft of comprehensive plans to avoid past mistakes, and the urgency to compensate for the time lost.