As Donald Trump took the oath for his second term as U.S. President, his first actions flooded the White House with a series of major policy changes and political declarations that shook Washington and the world. These policies were shaped by his “Agenda 47” campaign and the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, along with other influential right-wing figures with close ties to Trump’s Oval Office. But there is much more to come as the campaign continues.

Department of Education Overhaul

One of the more radical plans on the table is to dismantle the Department of Education, established as a Cabinet agency in 1980 by President Jimmy Carter. Trump has been advocating this change for many years, and his aides have even drafted an executive order designed to dismantle the department. Trump said, “I want Linda to put herself out of a job,” referring to Education Secretary-designee Linda McMahon, who awaits Senate confirmation. However, the timing of this proposal is uncertain, given the legal and financial complexities involved in shutting down an agency created by law and overseeing billions in funding, including Title 1 money for low-income students.

Abortion Legislation

Abortion has been one of the core issues in Trump’s campaign, especially since the Supreme Court reversed the decision on Roe v. Wade. Although he claims he would not support a federal ban, he says he would limit the practice in later-term pregnancies without providing a deadline. Some of the policies introduced by Project 2025 include:

Revocation of the FDA approval of abortion drugs like mifepristone.
Rolling back the prior 2016 safety measures related to Mifeprex if the reversal is not successful.
Establish a 49-day gestation timeframe in order to distribute abortion pills, from 70 days currently, as well as requiring in-person distribution.
The project also recommends invoking the Comstock Act, an anti-obscenity law passed in 1873 that prohibits mailing or circulating abortion-related materials, a measure about which Trump is very vigorous.

Education Reform and Teacher Tenure

Trump’s 2024 Republican platform would have education decision-making authority revert back to the states but expand “universal school choice” by providing federally funded private school tuition subsidies. It would also eliminate teacher tenure, a form of job protection that is usually run state-by-state. Trump has argued that parents should have more control over school operation and management, going so far as to suggest they should have the ability to “hire and fire principals,” a role typically controlled by school boards and superintendents.

University Overhaul

He described U.S. colleges as “havens for Marxist maniacs and lunatics.” Among his educational plans are: the reforming of the private accreditation process and attacking university endowments – especially those huge endowments of large private universities – with taxation, fine, or law suit if the universities refuse to abide by the edicts set forth by him regarding issues of diversity initiatives among others. Money saved from university endowments will be utilized in funding the new “American Academy” whereby all Americans are provided with free online college credits.

Trade Policies and Tariffs

Trump has repeatedly argued for tariffs to reduce trade deficits and encourage home country production. He has supported the “Trump Reciprocal Trade Act” and is advocating for reinstatement of “baseline tariffs,” but it’s unknown if these will be met through executive orders or legislation. Reflecting the pre-income tax era, Trump has underlined a time when tariffs funded the government and promised tax cuts especially for tips, overtime pay, and Social Security benefits, all while continuing to focus on major federal programs such as Social Security and the Pentagon’s budget.

Labour Laws and Child Labour

In his bid to roll back labor protections, Trump’s “Project 2025” seeks to rescind Biden-era rules that expanded overtime pay for millions of workers. Additionally, it proposes loosening child labor protections to allow teens to work in hazardous environments and limiting gig economy workers’ access to full-time benefits. The project also aims to reduce OSHA’s power to investigate unsafe workplaces and grant states more leeway to experiment with labor laws.

Foreign Policy and Global Conflicts

On foreign policy, Trump stressed that he will end the wars in Ukraine and Israel immediately. Although he declared he could “quickly settle” the two conflicts, he further suggested the U.S. should take control of Gaza, while also promising that Europe must pay back to the U.S. for military aid provided to Ukraine. Finally, Trump stated that Ukraine might repay the United States with the right to the rare earth minerals for its support against Russia.