What happened during Donald Trump's first 50 days as President? In this brief time, he signed 24 executive orders, marking a bold start to his administration. Among these, he implemented a travel ban affecting several Muslim-majority countries and ordered the construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Trump also withdrew the U.S. from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a significant trade deal, and rolled back various environmental regulations established during the Obama era.
Trump withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership and rolled back key environmental regulations from the Obama administration.
In terms of his cabinet, Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court and appointed Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State. He selected Jeff Sessions as Attorney General and chose Betsy DeVos for the Education Secretary position. Key cabinet members were chosen to align with Trump's administration goals, reflecting a focus on experienced and diverse candidates.
Scott Pruitt was nominated to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, indicating a shift in regulatory priorities. Additionally, Trump signed an executive order focusing on unleashing American energy, which aimed to promote domestic mining and fast-track energy projects.
Trump's foreign policy initiatives included reaffirming commitments to NATO allies and conducting a military raid in Yemen. New sanctions were imposed on Iran, and he held meetings with world leaders at his Mar-a-Lago resort. Despite the President being the Commander-in-Chief, Congress retains the sole authority to declare war, highlighting the constitutional balance of war powers.
Additionally, he made unfounded accusations against the Obama administration, claiming they wiretapped Trump Tower.
On the economic front, Trump proposed a $54 billion increase in defense spending and promised job creation through infrastructure projects. He met with business leaders to discuss economic growth and took credit for stock market gains.
He also criticized the Federal Reserve's monetary policy.
In healthcare, Trump aimed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, introducing the American Health Care Act. He faced opposition from both Democrats and some Republicans but promised to lower drug prices and signed an executive order to lessen the ACA's economic burden.
Immigration enforcement ramped up, with increased ICE raids and a plan to hire more agents. Trump threatened to withhold federal funds from sanctuary cities and proposed new guidelines for asylum seekers.
Throughout this time, he held combative press conferences and often labeled critical media as "fake news."
