The new American president, Donald Trump, found the White House with a crash, after proclaiming during his inauguration speech that “the golden age of America begins now”. True to his characteristic style, he quickly set up a series of significant measures.
Among the first decrees signed, that granting presidential pardon to around 1,500 people sentenced to their role in the Capitol assault on January 6, 2021. Rechargeing them as “hostages”, Trump justified this measure by saying wanting to repair a “injustice”. This decision caused a wave of criticism, both within the opposition and in some Republicans.
In economic matters, Donald Trump has taken measures that are both symbolic and concrete. He signed a memorandum ordering federal agencies to control inflation by repealing certain regulations of the Biden era. He also lightened the constraints weighing on the production of oil and natural gas, promising a drop in costs for consumers.
In parallel, the president announced the establishment of customs duties of 25 % on imports from Canada and Mexico from February 1. No details have been provided regarding trade with China, leaving an uncertainty over this sensitive issue.
Immigration: a return to the policies of the past
On the immigration front, Donald Trump has canceled several decrees of his predecessor, including that reducing the field of application of expulsions. He announced the launch of the “largest expulsion program in the history of the United States” and declared a national emergency at the border with Mexico. This measure includes the deployment of troops to strengthen security and restrict access to asylum.
On the environmental level, Trump confirmed the withdrawal of the United States of the Paris climate agreements, a decision he had already made during his first mandate and that Joe Biden had canceled. The president also declared a national energy emergency, saying that he wanted to encourage national oil and gas production. Within the framework of this strategy, it plans to remove the obligations imposed by the Biden administration in favor of electric vehicles.
Political symbols and gestures
As a symbolic gestures, Trump announced the renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” and the return to the name “Mont McKinley” for the highest mountain in North America, thus calling into question the decisions of previous presidents.
Finally, Trump signed a decree suspending the ban on Tiktok for 75 days. This period should make it possible to negotiate an agreement to find an American buyer, reconciling national security and access to the popular platform.
With this avalanche of decrees, Donald Trump shows that he is determined to restore his priorities while reactivating the controversies that have marked his first mandate. It remains to be seen whether these decisions will be sufficient to concretize its ambition to “restore the golden age of America”.
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