Trump's second-term agenda: revenge, trade wars, mass deportations

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Trump's Second-Term Agenda: Revenge, Trade Wars, Mass Deportations
Trump's second-term agenda: revenge, trade wars, mass deportations
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By James Oliphant and Gram Slattery

Donald Trump plans to punish his political enemies, deport millions of migrants and reshape global trade with pricey tariffs if he wins a second White House term in the November presidential election.

Here is a look at some of the policies Trump has pledged to institute:

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Trade

Republican Trump has floated the idea of a 10 per cent tariff on all goods imported into the United States, a move he says would eliminate the trade deficit, but one critics say would lead to higher prices for American consumers and global economic instability.

He has also said he should have the authority to set higher tariffs on countries that have established tariffs on American imports.

Mr Trump, in particular, has targeted China. He proposes phasing out Chinese imports of goods such as electronics, steel and pharmaceuticals over four years. He seeks to prohibit Chinese companies from owning US infrastructure in the energy and tech sectors.

Federal bureaucracy

Trump would seek to decimate what he terms the "deep state" – career federal employees he says are clandestinely pursuing their own agendas – through an executive order that would reclassify thousands of workers to enable them to be fired. That would likely be challenged in court. He has vowed to fire what he terms corrupt actors in national security positions and "root out" his political opponents.

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Mr Trump has said he would require every federal employee to pass a new civil service test of his own creation, though his practical authorities to do so are limited. Close allies are also vetting scores of potential hires who could be counted on to implement his policies.

He would crack down on federal whistleblowers who are typically shielded by law and would institute an independent body to "monitor" US intelligence agencies.

Investigating enemies

Mr Trump has pledged to use federal law enforcement agencies to investigate his political foes. He wants to appoint a special prosecutor to probe Democratic president Joe Biden, though he has not specified the grounds for such an investigation. He has also said the Justice Department would investigate district attorneys on novel civil rights grounds, arguing that some local prosecutors are engaging in an unconstitutional form of selective enforcement.

Energy

Mr Trump has vowed to increase US production of fossil fuels by easing the permitting process for drilling on federal land and would encourage new natural gas pipelines.

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He has said he will again pull the United States out of the Paris Climate Accords, a framework for reducing global greenhouse gas emissions and would support increased nuclear energy production. He would also roll back Mr Biden's electric-vehicle mandates and other policies aimed at reducing auto emissions.

Economy

Along with his trade and energy agendas, Mr Trump has promised to slash federal regulations that he argues limit job creation. He has pledged to keep in place a broad 2017 tax cut that he signed while in office, and his economic team has discussed a further round of individual and corporate tax cuts beyond those enacted in his first term. He said as president he would pressure the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates.

Immigration

Mr Trump has vowed to reinstate first-term policies targeting illegal border crossings, roll back Mr Biden's pro-immigrant measures and forge ahead with sweeping new restrictions.

Mr Trump has pledged to limit access to asylum at the US-Mexico border and embark on the biggest deportation effort in American history, which would likely trigger legal challenges and opposition from Democrats in Congress.

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Mr Trump has said he would seek to end automatic citizenship for children born to immigrants, a move that would run against the long-running interpretation of the US Constitution.

Abortion

Mr Trump appointed three justices to the US Supreme Court who were part of the majority that did away with constitutional protection for abortion. He would likely continue to appoint federal judges who would uphold abortion limits.

At the same time, he has said a federal abortion ban is unnecessary and that the issue should be resolved at a state level. He has argued a six-week ban favoured by some Republicans is overly harsh and that any legislation should include exceptions for rape, incest and the health of the mother. He has also come out in opposition to an even stricter ban that a court put in place in Arizona.

Foreign affairs

Mr Trump has been critical of the US' support for Ukraine in its war with Russia and has said he could end the war in 24 hours if elected, although he has not said how he would do that.

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Mr Trump has also said that under his presidency, America would fundamentally rethink "Nato's purpose and Nato's mission". Though he has put forward few tangible policy proposals, he told Reuters in an interview last year that Ukraine may have to cede some territory to reach a peace agreement.

Mr Trump objected to a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine for months, and some Republicans in Congress refused to back it. Congress finally approved the package in late April.

He has supported Israel in its fight against Hamas despite initially criticising its leaders after the October attacks by the militant group on Israel. On the campaign trail, he has also floated sending armed forces into Mexico to battle drug cartels.

Education

Mr Trump has pledged to require colleges and universities to "defend American tradition and Western civilisation" and purge them of diversity programs. He said he would direct the Justice Department to pursue civil rights cases against schools that engage in racial discrimination.

On the K-12 level, Mr Trump would support programs allowing parents to use public funds for private or religious instruction.

Crime

Mr Trump says he would institute the death penalty for human traffickers and drug dealers. He also has suggested that looters of retail stores could be shot while on site.

Homelessness

Mr Trump has vowed to ban so-called "urban camps" from America's cities and require homeless people to accept drug treatment or face arrest.

He said he would then "open large parcels of inexpensive land" where tent cities would be relocated and staffed with doctors, drug counsellors and mental health experts.

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