The Trump Administration; Their First 100 Days

Kieran Hogan, Reporter

Donald Trump’s first 100 days has shown need for improvement.

A document, “Donald Trump’s Contract with the American Voter”, featured on Trump’s website lists the new president’s promises for his administration’s first 100 days in office. The list includes 28 actions meant to “Make America Great Again”, as the document states. Looking back at the contract, it is clear that the new president is having trouble making much progress, despite controlling Congress and the White House.

President Donald Trump gives a thumbs-up to the audience behind him as he finishes speaking at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg, Pa., Saturday, April, 29, 2017. (Carolyn Kaster / AP)

The list’s first aim was to “clean up the corruption and special interest collusion in Washington, DC” through six different measures. Trump came through on two of them, including creating a ban on government employees from becoming foreign lobbyists and instituting a standard that for every new regulation, two must be eliminated. According to Politico, Trump is facing a lawsuit that claims the 2-for-1 order negatively affects workers and the environment, but for now it stands. The new administration failed to propose a congressional term limit amendment. In addition, they reduce the federal workforce, issue a five year ban of government employees from becoming US lobbyists, and ban foreign lobbyists from raising money for US elections.

Trump also promised to protect American workers by withdrawing from The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), as well as, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TTP). Along with withdrawing from two organizations to protect American Workers, Trump also labeled China as a currency manipulator, identified foreign trading abuses, lifted restrictions on fossil fuel production, allowed the Keystone Pipeline to continue, and cancelled the billions of dollars to UN climate change programs. Trump was able to leave the TTP, lift energy restrictions, and approve of pipeline construction, but failed to make progress on the other four commitments. Trump backed out of a withdrawal from NAFTA after talks with both Canada and Mexico, and reversed his rhetoric on China as tensions rise with North Korea.

The contract then lists five goals focusing on actions to “restore security and the constitutional rule of law”. Trump was able to repeal all executive orders by former president Obama that he deemed unconstitutional, and he successfully appointed a Supreme Court Justice in Neil Gorsuch. However, two of the other three plans were stopped by courts, being the ‘Muslim Ban’ and the more recent cancellation of funds to sanctuary cities. The third plan was the removing of two million illegal immigrants, which has not progressed very far since January 20.

The remaining promises on Trump’s contract consist of broader acts of legislation. The only act somewhat fulfilled by the administration was the “Restoring National Security Act”, which was aimed at increasing military funding, expanding health care options for veterans, protecting infrastructure from cyber-attacks, and introducing vetting for immigrants.

The Trump administration failed to pass his “End the Offshoring Act”, a measure to discourage corporations from relocating to different countries, which was something he campaigned heavily on. Trump failed to further his promise to “spur $1 trillion in infrastructure investment over 10 years” in the “American Infrastructure and Energy Act.” His two acts incorporating children (the Affordable Childcare and Eldercare Act and the School Choice and Opportunity Act) have both been added into budget proposals, but no action has been taken for either. Perhaps the worst outcome of Trump’s legislation proposals dealt with Obamacare. The GOP couldn’t be convinced of the new plan and it was shot down with no successful attempts taking place to fix that. The rest of the broad legislation promises can be seen in the contract, none of which succeeded.

Overall, Trump completed some of his goals that could be done through executive order, but didn’t come through on most of his broader acts. It’s clear now that although Trump was successful in some areas, these first 100 days look notably different from what Americans voted for.