What should we expect from Trump's first days in office?
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For a great many, Donald Trump's victory in the early hours of Nov. 6 came with a collective sigh of relief. It felt like the moment immediately after a "Hail Mary" play clinches a must-win game, yet with so much more at stake. For many, this is the ultimate comeback, a defiant stand against everything that has gone wrong with the nation, not only in the last four years, but over the past several decades.
After all the predictions, polls and punditry, watching those final votes brought with it a tsunami of energizing hope. Trump's victory was more than just an election win – it was a reaffirmation that the voices of everyday Americans still matter, that all is not yet lost, and that the American people will not be silenced. Likewise, Trump's win represents more than just a political upset; it's a mandate from his base – a coalition demanding change – and a reassertion of values that America's enemies have spent decades eroding.
But now, the election part of the campaign to save the West is over. We can relish it for a moment, but like with any strategic victory, the shift of mindset to the battles ahead is already beginning.
Trump is wasting no time in building out his administrative roster. The names being floated are a continuation of his "dream team" so far. Congressman Thomas Massie (R-KY), a conservative firebrand, is rumored to be Trump's pick for Secretary of Agriculture. Meanwhile, there is talk in Washington that the President-elect is considering Gov. Ken Paxton of Texas for the position of Attorney General, and former ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) director Tom Homan to lead the Department of Homeland Security. Homan would be the antithesis of incumbent Homeland Security head Alejandro Mayorkas – a Biden loyalist who looked the other way as more than 10 million illegal immigrants invaded the United States along its southern border. As a career Border Patrol and ICE officer, he is known for his firm stance on immigration enforcement, advocating for strict adherence to immigration laws and policies.
Trump is not a man who wastes time. His first 100 days will be a whirlwind of action, policy shifts, and bold moves to transform the political landscape. So what comes next? What should Americans expect?
BORDER SECURITY AND IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN
Trump's "America First" agenda means border security will be an immediate priority.
During the Republican National Convention in July, Homan sent a message to illegal immigrants in the United States to "start packing now." And for the traffickers and cartels, he had another: "Trump is going to designate you a terrorist organization and is going to wipe you off the face of the earth! You're done!"
Immigration was a cornerstone of Trump's 2024 campaign; he repeatedly touted promises of mass deportation while on the trail. According to senior Trump advisor Jason Miller, the President-elect's day one priority is to reinstate his former border policies and reverse those of Biden.
Americans can look forward to the Trump administration reinstating border wall construction, increasing funding for ICE, and reviving asylum policies like the "Remain in Mexico" program.
His team has hinted at new measures to eliminate sanctuary cities and ramp up deportations, aiming to reassure his supporters who see immigration control as critical to national security and economic stability.
Trump's newfound support among Hispanic communities, and even among young black men, further underscores this push, demonstrating that a diverse coalition believes in safeguarding the nation's borders and reducing illegal immigration's impact on local economies.
REVAMPING THE ADMINISTRATIVE STATE
Trump and his allies – especially Vice President-elect JD Vance and tech titan Elon Musk – have been vocal about reducing federal bureaucracy, and his second term may see a full-blown effort to effectively "drain the swamp."
President-elect Trump plans significant changes across various federal agencies to reshape government operations. Aiming to decentralize federal power, he intends to relocate several agency headquarters out of Washington. He also seeks to end the current civil service system for certain federal employees, potentially reissuing Executive Order 13957 (Schedule F) to facilitate the removal of employees deemed obstructive. Additionally, he proposes requiring federal employees to pass a new civil service test focused on constitutional principles.
Early executive orders will likely also target regulatory roadblocks, cut agency powers, and remove what his administration views as barriers to growth. Key targets might include the Department of Education, the Environmental Protection Agency, and intelligence agencies like the Department of Justice and the FBI. Expect policies that streamline government while putting new checks on federal agencies. Consider briefly reviewing this article from the Government Executive for a detailed agency-by-agency review of possible changes.
This focus on downsizing resonates with Trump's promise to return power to the people, empowering states and communities to take control over issues they feel the federal government has mishandled.
NEW 'AMERICA FIRST' ECONOMIC POLICIES
American voters have rightly rebelled against the Neo-liberal/Neo-conservative "economic open borders" policies of the past few decades. These policies oversaw the export of America's manufacturing base to China, India and Southeast Asia in the search for ever-cheaper labor, breaking the back of the manufacturing sector and, with it, that of the "rust-belt" states.
In addition to gutting US manufacturing, longstanding globalist economic policies imported cheap labor en masse (via mass immigration) while exporting skilled jobs across numerous industries. The stories from the early 2000s of tech workers training their foreign replacements did not end in the 2000s; they have continued to erode the US workforce across many industries ever since.
Using data from the World Bank, economist Branko Milanovic argues that the losers from globalization are working people in "rich nations." Milanovic's research demonstrates that a large portion of the (specifically lower-) middle-class in the United States and Western Europe have seen little to no gain in income since 1988.
In addition to this significant issue, the Covid-related supply chain disruptions, as well as the war in Ukraine (and a looming potential war over Taiwan), also exposed the weaknesses in dependence on foreign manufacturing and the outsourcing of intellectual property, technology and manufacturing. As early as 2023, US firms began quietly "re-shoring" manufacturing – specifically, manufacturing related to US national security and geopolitical capabilities.
We can expect Trump's promised economic policies to focus on addressing these issues, strengthening the US labor market, protecting domestic industries, and prioritizing American workers.
His proposals, many of which he reiterated on the campaign trail, emphasize minimizing reliance on foreign goods and foreign manufacturers, while ensuring American workers benefit from a robust job market.
By adopting an economic protectionist stance, Trump seeks to defend American labor against international competition, a position popular among conservatives who believe the United States has lost ground through globalist trade policies.
Trump's "America First" trade agenda, which initially imposed tariffs on China and other trading partners, is expected to continue in his second term. These tariffs are intended to curb foreign competition, particularly in key manufacturing sectors, with the goal of protecting these sectors by raising the cost of imports, which encourages companies to produce locally and creates stable jobs for American workers.
Another key component of Trump's economic approach is incentivizing companies to "reshore" jobs – i.e., to bring them back from overseas. He has previously proposed tax incentives and credits for companies that operate within the United States, especially in critical industries like technology, pharmaceuticals and manufacturing. This aligns with a protectionist viewpoint that keeping production domestic strengthens national security and promotes economic stability.
Moreover, Trump has called for penalties on companies that outsource jobs to countries like China, proposing higher taxes on companies that manufacture overseas and then sell their products back in the United States. This strategy aims to discourage the offshoring of jobs and reward businesses that keep their operations – and therefore, their employment opportunities – within the United States.
Trump's plan includes significant infrastructure investments to rebuild American roads, bridges and public works. This "Made in America" infrastructure initiative, as he has outlined, would exclusively use American materials and labor. By directing government contracts to domestic suppliers, this plan is expected to boost demand in construction, engineering and manufacturing sectors. His previous proposal included $1.5 trillion in domestic infrastructure investment. We should expect a similar or even improved plan to focus on rebuilding the nation.
New immigration policies will also play a significant role in his economic vision, with the argument that limiting immigration reduces labor market competition, particularly in low-wage industries.
We have yet to see what changes will be enacted related to legal jobs-related immigration – itself an issue, specifically in regards to floods of Indian immigrants who regularly exploit both legal and illegal immigration systems; and have significantly contributed to economic and national security issues in Canada and the UK.
India is the source of the world's largest migrant population and has its eye on rival superpower status in the near future. For this reason, along with its track record of exploiting immigration systems, Trump should be very cautious in considering legal immigration policies related to India. Ideally, any immigration from the subcontinent should be very strictly controlled and significantly limited.
A critical part of any "America First" economic policy will require ensuring that Americans are prioritized in all future economic activity. This, by definition, should include a focus on upskilling Americans, as well as robust attempts to place Americans in high-demand roles before ever considering importing labor for such positions.
Arthur is a former editor and consultant. Born in India to missionary parents, he spent his early career working in development for NGOs in Asia, Central America, and Africa.
Arthur has an educational background in history and psychology, with certifications from the University of Oxford and Leiden in the economics, politics, and ethics of mass migration and comparative theories in terrorism and counterterrorism. He is currently launching CivWest, a company focused on building capital to fund restorative projects and create resilient systems across the Western world.
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