Trump’s First Year Back in Office: A Whirlwind of Policy, Controversy and Ambition

Trump’s return to the White House was marked by a sweeping, high-velocity start. On day one, the administration announced the United States would withdraw from the Paris climate agreement, froze all foreign aid, suspended refugee admissions, and granted clemency to more than 1,500 people charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot. In the days that followed, the pace did not slow. Within a month, he fired 17 inspectors general, allowed immigration agents to arrest people inside courthouses, and publicly mapped out a broad agenda that included tariff actions and proposals on language and diplomacy. Within two weeks, Venezuelan migrants were deported to a notorious prison in El Salvador, English was proposed as the official language, and a televised encounter with Ukraine’s president unfolded in the Oval Office.

Observers described the move as a rush. Joseph Grogan, who led Trump’s domestic policy council in the prior term, said the team knew they were in a hurry. The fast start also included contentious moves on a wide range of issues, from immigration to trade to diplomacy, and set a tone some aides would describe as both aggressive and improvisational.

The tempo persisted as policy details began to take shape. On the energy front, the administration rolled back regulations aimed at slowing oil and gas development and削 removing subsidies for wind and solar projects. Officials argued the moves would boost domestic production, while critics warned they would accelerate climate change and hinder investments in renewables. The government also pared back COVID-19 vaccine requirements and froze research funding at major research universities to pressure them to limit diversity programs and hire more conservatives as faculty. In parallel, the administration pressed to repeal large parts of the Affordable Care Act, a challenge that had defined prior years.

Immigration moved to the forefront of the domestic agenda. The Biden-era asylum program was shut down or streamlined out of existence for new arrivals, and temporary protected status for hundreds of thousands of migrants living in the United States was revoked or narrowed. Border Patrol and ICE agents were mobilized for visible enforcement actions, and National Guard units were dispatched to major cities to address protests and crime related to the administration’s initiatives. As a result, daily life for migrants and communities near the border was upended, and border crossings at points of entry declined as enforcement intensified.

Tariffs emerged as a central, though controversial, lever. The White House announced a broad slate of duties on dozens of trading partners, sending waves of volatility through stock markets and complicating supply chains for manufacturers large and small. Some tariffs were delayed or rolled back, reflecting the administration’s attempt to balance domestic manufacturing goals with international diplomacy. The tariff strategy was pitched as a tool to revive domestic industry, but investors and business groups warned it bred uncertainty. At times the administration framed tariffs as a peacekeeping instrument in international disputes, invoking cases such as the tensions between its longstanding allies and rivals.

On the world stage, Trump pressed allies to bear greater defense costs for European security and relations with Ukraine. He launched or intensified military actions against drug-smuggling vessels and directed strikes against facilities linked to Iran’s nuclear program. He also signaled an end to an aerial conflict between Israel and Iran and sought a cease-fire plan for Gaza that would require Hamas to release hostages captured during the October 7, 2023 attacks. In the campaign trail of 2024, Trump signaled his willingness to pursue vengeance against political opponents if re-elected, directing aspects of the Justice Department toward figures tied to his former FBI directors and other opponents, while also pursuing profitable business ventures through his family network. Critics described the administration as one beset by corruption allegations, even as it dominated news cycles.

Analysts cautioned that counting actions as lasting accomplishments is risky in a presidency that moves with high speed and constant turnover. Republican strategist Whit Ayres noted that Trump’s year contained more actions and headlines than any other president in his lifetime, but the long-term impact remains in question. Polls tracked by Gallup showed approval around the high 40s early in the year, drifting toward the low 40s by summer and remaining near that level into the fall. Public sentiment was mixed: voters broadly opposed to immigration policy changes and political confrontations, yet they credited him with reducing illegal border crossings and pressuring Europe to bolster defense spending. Small but notable positives included perceived progress on Europe’s defense burden and a Gaza cease-fire, while concerns persisted about the economy and the cost of living. The year also saw strong protests and off-cycle elections that underscored persistent tensions over Trump’s leadership.

With the 2026 midterm elections approaching, Republicans signaled that reversing public opinion on issues like inflation and household costs will be a priority. How the administration addresses the economy, energy policy, and immigration in the second year could help shape the trajectory of Trump’s second term and the broader political landscape.