Trump's Ambitious Second-Term Agenda: Unprecedented Use of Executive Power
Trump's ambitious second-term agenda would redefine executive powers, including tough actions on immigration, purging bureaucracy, and implementing a comprehensive domestic policy
A massive operation to detain and deport undocumented immigrants.
A purge of the federal workforce of anyone deemed disloyal.
Former President Donald Trump and his allies have pledged to utilize the authority of federal law enforcement to target their political adversaries, in their effort to regain control of the Oval Office. This ambitious plan aims to exert the power of the executive branch in a manner that is both radical and unprecedented.
The agenda they are formulating would implement the hardline views that Trump has publicly expressed during his recent presidential campaign and is likely to encounter various legal and political challenges.
In the background, allied groups of Trump have been actively working on crafting executive orders, scrutinizing the Constitution in preparation for legal disputes, and seeking alternatives to grant Trump the authority to implement these policies immediately upon regaining power.
The outside loyalists, who are well aware of the chaotic and disorganized nature of Trump's initial term, are now leading several conservative groups in Washington. They are patiently preparing a comprehensive plan, in collaboration with the transition project called Project 2025 run by the conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation, to initiate the implementation of an ambitious conservative agenda.
The official campaign apparatus of Trump recently responded with pushback to the attempts made by outside groups to outline the legal and policy details of a potential second term for Trump.
In a statement, campaign advisers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita acknowledged the appreciation for the efforts made by various nonprofit groups, highlighting their potential for great assistance. However, they emphasized that these groups or individuals do not have the authority to speak on behalf of President Trump or his campaign.
However, Trump's agenda has already been outlined by the former president himself during his campaign, as well as through a series of videos and releases published by his campaign team.
Recently, Trump's campaign has recruited policy experts who will assist in shaping his policy messaging and reviewing proposals from different conservative organizations. The objective is to have executive orders ready for Trump to sign on the first day of a potential second administration, covering a wide range of issues including immigration and the elimination of government protections for civil servants.
Using the Justice Department for revenge
The content of Trump's plan involves exerting greater control over the Justice Department, an institution that the former president has expressed his intention to employ in order to retaliate against his adversaries, even those who were once his allies.
"I will appoint a highly esteemed prosecutor dedicated to pursuing justice against Joe Biden, the most corrupt president in the history of the United States of America, along with the entire Biden crime family," declared the ex-president during his arraignment in Florida. "I will dismantle the Deep State entirely."
In a recent Univision interview, Trump escalated his stance even further.
"If I were to become president and witness someone outperforming me significantly, I would immediately order their investigation and legal prosecution," he declared.
Contrary to the longstanding practice of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and other smaller government entities operating autonomously, individuals associated with Trump have labeled these agencies as an "administrative deep state" and a "renegade fourth branch of government," insisting that they should be accountable to the president as a component of the executive branch.
In his videos and speeches, he has outlined his intentions to overhaul the existing Justice system by dismissing "radical Marxist prosecutors who are causing harm to the nation."
This forms part of a wider initiative aimed at dismantling legal limitations and conventional safeguards against political intervention, granting the White House greater power to appoint ideological allies across the federal government.
If Trump wins the election and implements the strategies outlined in his campaign, legal experts predict that it would result in prolonged legal disputes and clashes with Congress over the extent of presidential authority. According to Stephen Vladeck, a law professor at the University of Texas School of Law and CNN legal analyst, this would take us into unfamiliar territory as many of the limitations on presidential power have been based on norms rather than explicit rules. These norms were historically enforced through political means rather than litigation. With a potential second Trump administration, there would likely be a surge in new legal battles concerning the violation of these traditional limits on executive power.
Purging the federal bureaucracy
One aspect of Trump's proposals involves reclassifying tens of thousands of civil service workers, who are typically retained during presidential transitions, as at-will employees. This change aims to streamline the process of dismissing them, thus making it more convenient to terminate their employment.
In a March video, Trump announced his intention to sign an executive order, expressing that it would grant him the authority to eliminate rogue bureaucrats. He emphasized his determination to wield this power aggressively.
"We will eradicate all the corrupt individuals within our National Security and Intelligence apparatus, as there are numerous. The departments and agencies that have been weaponized will undergo a complete revamping to prevent faceless bureaucrats from ever targeting and oppressing conservatives, Christians, or anyone considered a political adversary."
Privately, Trump has attributed the delay in enacting some of his policy proposals during his first term to certain career government employees, and he has called for the appointment of loyalists who share his ideology in every governmental department.
As part of Project 2025's mission, a database of thoroughly screened conservative prospective staffers is being developed. This database, referred to as "a conservative LinkedIn" by a source, is aimed at providing a pool of potential personnel for an incoming Republican president. Tech company Oracle is managing the database, which has received numerous applications and aims to have thousands of qualified prospects ready for a potential transition to a future administration.
Hardline immigration policies
Resumes are being assessed for potential concerns that could inform future hiring decisions, as confirmed by a source familiar with the program, who also mentioned that there is presently no requirement for FBI level background checks or loyalty tests for applicants.
If elected in 2024, Trump intends to implement an extensive expansion of his previous administration's strict immigration policies. This expansion aims to limit both legal and illegal immigration.
According to a spokesperson for the Trump campaign, "Halting the influx of individuals at our southern border is a pressing national security imperative and among President Trump's highest priorities. This is why he has outlined, in his own speeches and the Agenda 47 platform, the most comprehensive plan to secure the border, combat illegal immigration, and deport those who should not have been granted entry into our nation in the first place."
The source confirmed to CNN that the plans involve gathering undocumented immigrants currently in the US and placing them in detention centers until they can be deported. The proposals would require the construction of substantial camps to accommodate migrants awaiting deportation, as well as the involvement of federal and local law enforcement in conducting widespread arrests of undocumented immigrants throughout the nation.
If Congress denies funding for the operation, Trump may resort to a familiar tactic from his first term: redirecting funds from the Pentagon, according to a confirmed source.
Publicly, Trump has expressed his desire to reinstate many of his immigration policies from his first term, aiming to limit both legal and illegal immigration. This includes expanding the travel ban on predominantly-Muslim countries and reintroducing a Covid-era policy known as Title 42 to impose further immigration restrictions. This time, the justification would be the belief that migrants carry additional infectious diseases.
Trump promised to revoke all work permits for undocumented immigrants and called on Congress to pass a law banning all welfare payments to unauthorized migrants. Additionally, he expressed concern about caravans arriving from Mexico at the US border and vowed to take legal action against organizations and charities that he believed supported widespread illegal immigration.
A sweeping domestic agenda
In a second term, Trump also has designs on drastically reshaping the lives of Americans when it comes to policies affecting law enforcement, trade and the social safety net.
The ex-president has expressed intentions to mandate local law enforcement agencies to implement the controversial police tactic known as stop-and-frisk in exchange for receiving certain funding from the Justice Department. Additionally, he has proposed the deployment of the National Guard to urban areas grappling with elevated crime rates.
To address the issue of homelessness, another policy proposal entails establishing "tent cities" on affordable land, which would be managed by healthcare professionals. This initiative offers individuals the option to either relocate or potentially encounter legal penalties.
In terms of the economy, Trump has proposed implementing widespread tariffs on all imported goods, indicating a strong stance on trade policy, particularly towards China.
"In cases where companies export goods to the United States in excessive quantities, they should be required to pay a fixed tax of 10 percent," stated Trump in a conversation with Larry Kudlow on Fox Business.
