Donald Trump was sworn in for his second term as United States president on January 20 in the Capitol building in Washington, DC — the same building that his far-right supporters violently assaulted four years earlier in an attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
By the end of the day, Trump had signed more than 20 executive orders, which are presidential decrees that manage the operations of the federal government. The orders can be overruled by Congress or the courts, although it is unlikely, since Trump loyalists control Congress and the Supreme Court.
Some news reports and analysts have called these orders “shock and awe” — a tactic to impose changes before there is an active mobilised resistance independent of the established parties and institutions.
Trump shut down the US-Mexico border by declaring a “National Emergency”, invoking the 1807 Insurrection Act to justify sending 1500 troops there.
Within days, a military aircraft flew handcuffed “illegal” immigrants to Guatemala.
Colombia turned back military aircraft carrying deportees, which Trump responded to with a 25% tariff on all goods from Colombia, and other sanctions.
He signed an order allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (immigration police) to enter urban areas, factories, churches, schools and hospitals to grab migrants.
These mass deportations will lead to social and economic disruptions, since many industries rely on undocumented labour, while tech companies rely on skilled immigrant labour.
Trump signed an order revoking “birthright citizenship”, which decrees that children born in the US, whose parents are not citizens, no longer automatically become citizens at birth.
Adopted in 1868, the 14th Amendment effectively granted citizenship to the children of former slaves, stating that: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.”
However, this excluded the children of Chinese migrant labourers, because these workers were not permitted to bring their families to the country, under the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act. This remained the case for decades until the Supreme Court ruled in 1898 that babies born to Chinese parents in the US are legal citizens.
Moreover, the children of First Nations peoples slaughtered and oppressed by white European settlers and the US government were not automatically granted citizenship until 1924.
A district court in Seattle ruled that the order violates the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution. Trump is the first to try to overturn this constitutional right, and it is expected that birthright citizenship denial will eventually go to the Supreme Court.
Trump does not care how long the appeals process takes — his aim is to pressure millions of immigrants to go underground or leave the country with or without their families.
Pardoning fascists, anti-abortionists
Trump pardoned more than 1500 convicted insurrectionists who participated in the January 6, 2021, attack on Congress, and called them “hostages” and patriots. This includes those who assaulted police.
Among those freed were leaders of two far-right neofascist groups — the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys — who spoke of revenge against those who arrested and prosecuted them.
Trump pardoned 23 anti-abortion activists on January 24, whom he called “peaceful pro-life protesters”. They had illegally and violently blocked women entering reproductive rights clinics in several states.
Trump is making clear to his supporters that their crimes will be protected with pardons, and those who oppose his actions will face justice department investigations and prosecutions.
Trump revoked an executive order from 1965 that banned discrimination in hiring practices by the federal government. He also banned government agencies from having diversity, equality and inclusion initiatives for oppressed racial minorities and women.
The administration moved swiftly to eradicate all programs and practices in the federal government aimed at addressing systemic racism.
For 250 years, the US operated on a system of white supremacy-based “meritocracy”, until the civil rights movement won important advances based on demands for colour-blind hiring and affirmative action to tackle legal and de facto segregation across the country.
While affirmative action has been effectively rolled back by both parties over the years, Trump wants to go further and eliminate all steps to racial equality and make even the idea of inclusivity illegal.
Trump is targeting the achievements of the1960s civil rights movement, seeking a return to a white, privileged, “merit-based” society.
Manifest Destiny
Trump proclaimed in his inaugural speech that the US has a “Manifest Destiny” to expand its territory.
He specifically referred to the Panama Canal, saying it was built by the US and must be taken back. He also declared, under the pretext of “national security”, that the US must consider taking over Greenland.
Manifest Destiny is not new. Previous presidents, especially in the 19th century, embraced the concept to claim that Latin America should be under US dominion — an aim it still holds.
Trump is simply being honest about US imperialism’s aims. He demands that friends and enemies accept “America First” — meaning whatever it takes to protect US interests.
Trump made clear he’s done with starting new unwinnable wars, like Iraq and Afghanistan were.
He wants the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East to end, but on his terms. He fully supports Israel and its genocide in Gaza but seeks compromise to improve US relations with the Arab regimes.
Trump previously told Israel to “finish the job” in Gaza.
He does not support a two-state solution, but backs “biblical Israel” — in the words of Elise Stefanik, his pick for US ambassador to the United Nations — which includes Gaza and the West Bank. This means ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, which is the goal of the Israeli regime and the racist settlers in the West Bank. He said the current ceasefire in Gaza will not last.
Trump quickly lifted sanctions against Israeli settlers engaged in their terrorist campaign against Palestinians in the West Bank.
Trump pulled out of the Paris Climate accords and withdrew from the World Health Organization, and limited US collaboration with international health groups.
He made clear his government recognises only two genders and does not recognise the rights of trans people and, by implication, the LGBTIQ community. He said gender identity is based on the male or female binary assigned on birth certificates.
He opposes healthcare for transgender people in the military. Congress has already passed a rule that restrooms in the Capitol can only be labelled “men” or “women”.
So far, Trump has not laid out specific plans for the economy, but has promised to lower taxes for workers, not just billionaires, which requires approval by Congress.
He has promised expanded tariffs against Canada and Mexico by February 1 and threatens more against all countries, including European and Asian allies. Inflation remains a major concern among his supporter base, but his proposed actions may actually spur inflation.
Trump is open and forceful about his goals because he knows that he controls the Republican Party, the Supreme Court and Congress.
What next?
What Trump has done since taking office shows he is serious about using the full presidential powers contained in the Constitution, which are structurally allowed by the capitalist system and the undemocratic nature of the country’s founding legal documents.
Many Democrats have restricted themselves to whining about Trump but accepting his edicts as accomplished facts, while others are hoping for a backlash to his policies that could win them the next election.
Furthermore, there is currently no mass working-class party or independent organisations capable of taking on Trump.
Immigrant rights groups are at full stretch trying to help millions facing deportation.
Women’s rights and LGBTIQ rights groups are also gearing up to file legal actions and organise their communities.
There were some public protests leading up to Trump's inauguration, but they were much smaller than those eight years ago against his first term.
Union officials are mostly silent, since many of their members voted for Trump.
What’s needed is the type of mass street actions organised during the civil rights movement and the recent Black Lives Matter movement that go beyond electoral politics and lawsuits.
An example of this is the people’s uprising in South Korea that took to the streets and stopped their president’s attempted coup.
Unless a popular revolt begins to happen, Trump will attempt to overturn all past gains won by the working class and the oppressed.