When America awoke on the Wednesday following the election of Donald Trump to the highest office in the land, many people were left with a gnawing fear that had them wondering what to expect from the 45th president. It is no secret that Trump’s rhetoric often doesn’t line up with his actions, but about a month before the election, Trump released a document that outlined what he planned to do with his first 100 days in office. At the time, most people ignored the plan, expecting a Clinton victory. Now that Trump is about to be president, experts are taking a closer look at his plan.
Unsurprisingly, most experts seems to think that Trump’s plan would lead to a horrible first year in office. The first thing on Trump’s list is a pledge that he will undo all the executive orders issued by President Obama. Trump has called these executive actions unconstitutional, yet Obama didn’t have many other options since the Republican controlled legislative branch shut down nearly every idea he gave them. Trump will face no such opposition from the still-Republican Congress.
One of Trump’s campaign advisers told a reporter for The New Yorker that the executive orders issued by Obama were merely a way for the left to control legislation, yet he continued by saying that such an order of rule could easily be overturned by the next president. That means that it will be completely within Trump’s power to cancel every single executive order issued during Obama’s tenure.
Many of the most well-known government programs only exist as a result of executive orders from Obama. The Syrian refugee program, which has sought to help the millions of displaced Syrians fleeing their own war-torn land, is just one such program. Others include regulations on greenhouse gas production as a side-effect of power plants, preventing immigrant children from being deported, and allowing same-sex couples to take advantage of medical leave for the family unit.
Trump also said he would repeal Obamacare, which is the source of health insurance for roughly 20 million Americans. Repealing Obamacare would take more than reversing an executive order, but it would not be difficult for Trump with the Republican Congress.
One of the most shocking vows Trump has made regarding his first 100 days in office is his plan for China. He has said he will impose a tariff on Chinese imports totaling 45 percent, and he would declare China as a ‘currency manipulator’. Such actions would easily lead to a trade war between two of the world’s biggest superpowers, which would lead to rampant inflation, job losses throughout every industry, and possibly a second Great Recession. Trump has also vowed to impose such tariffs on Mexico as a way to ‘force’ the Mexican people to pay for his wall between the US and Mexico. The combination of these actions could send the world into full recession that will affect generations to come.
Next on Trump’s list is his pledge to force all criminal illegal immigrants out of the country on his first day as president. There are an estimated 2 million such immigrants, so the cost of deporting them could reach over $20 billion. On the theme of extreme costs, the wall Trump wants to build between Mexico and America would be another expenditure over $20 billion.
Sanctuary cities have also been targeted by Trump. These cities operate under policies that allow undocumented immigrants to live and work without prosecution for the sole crime of being an undocumented immigrant. Trump has vowed to reduce or eliminate federal funding for such cities. If he is successful in doing everything he has pledged to do, it could ruin the country in his first 100 days.