Second presidency of Donald Trump

The second presidency of Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States began with his second inauguration on January 20, 2025. Trump, who previously served as the 45th president from 2017 to 2021, took office following his victory over Democratic vice president Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.

On his first day in office, Trump pardoned about 1,500 people found guilty of offenses in the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack. At the beginning of his term, he signed many executive orders, some of which are being challenged in court. He took a firm stance against illegal immigration and tried to send people to prisons in other countries. He signed the Laken Riley Act as the first law of his term. Trump established the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to cut government spending. DOGE has fired many government workers.

Trump, like in his first term, withdrew the United States from the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Agreement. He started a trade war with Canada and Mexico and continued the ongoing trade war with China. His high tariffs lead to a brief stock market crash. The Trump administration has struggled in dealing with Ukraine and Russia during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Trump has said that he wants to take over Canada, Greenland, the Gaza Strip, and the Panama Canal. 

Many of Trump's actions are said to have broken laws and the U.S. Constitution. For example, Trump signed an order to end birthright citizenship, which is in the Constitution. This action and many others have been challenged and blocked by courts. His government's targeting of protestors, political opponents, immigrants, and LGBT people have led many to describe him as authoritarian. 

Trump is the first convicted felon to become president. He is also the oldest person to become president at 78 years and 220 days. He is the second president in U.S. history to serve nonconsecutive (not back-to-back) terms, after Grover Cleveland.

 Background 

 2024 election 
On November 6, 2024, Trump won the 2024 U.S. presidential election. He beat Vice President Kamala Harris and became the second president to serve two nonconsecutive terms after Grover Cleveland. Trump is also the oldest person to become president. Trump also became the first criminal to become president due to his conviction on May 30, 2024.

 Transition Period 
Trump has used the time before he becomes president to prepare. He has chosen Susan Wiles to be his White House Chief of Staff. Wiles is the leader of Trump's 2024 campaign. Trump has also chosen Stephen Miller to be White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy. Miller served in Trump's first administration as a speechwriter.

For his cabinet, Trump has made several choices. He has notably nominated Marco Rubio to be Secretary of State and Pam Bondi to be Attorney General. Trump has nominated over half of his cabinet secretaries.

Trump had intially nominated former Congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida to serve as Attorney General on November 13, 2024, but Gaetz would withdraw his nomination a week later on November 21.
Administration 

Cabinet

Trump's cabinet choices were described by news media as valuing personal loyalty over relevant experience, and for having a range of conflicting ideologies and "eclectic personalities". It was also described as the wealthiest administration in modern history, with over 13 billionaires chosen to take government posts. Trump officials and Elon Musk threatened to fund primary challengers in upcoming elections against Republican Senators who did not vote for Trump's nominees.

One Big Beautiful Bill Act
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act became a law, on July 4, 2025.https://e24.no/naeringsliv/i/jQ54z0/donald-trump-signerte-big-beautiful-bill?referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aftenposten.no. Retrieved 2025-07-05 It is a federal (law or) statute.

Earlier (July 3) the U.S. Congress had voted "yes", in regard to the law proposal, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act; The U.S. president [signed it into law] on July 4.https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/03/house-passes-gop-megabill-00438206. Retrieved 2025-07-03https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/07/03/congress/mike-johnson-donald-trump-megabill-house-00438201. Retrieved 2025-07-03

Earlier on July 3, filibustering (filibuster) [was delaying or] standing in the way of a vote: Filibustering [was] going on for [about] six hours.https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/07/03/congress/jeffries-hits-5-hours-00438268. Retrieved 2025-07-03

A "tax-and-spending megabill" is what some people think about the bill .https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/07/02/megabill-trump-realignment-missing-analysis-00438034. Retrieved 2025-07-03

U.S. government's case against a Salvadorian deportee
In December 2025, "Judge orders Kilmar Abrego Garcia to be [set free from or] released from ... custody" of ICE, according to media.https://www.npr.org/2025/12/11/nx-s1-5640861/kilmar-abrego-garcia-granted-release-ice. Retrieved 2025-12-11 Earlier (and as of August 2025), Kilmar Abrego Garcia is again in custody of U.S. authorities.https://www.nrk.no/urix/star-i-fare-for-a-bli-deportert-til-uganda-tre-dagar-etter-at-han-kom-heim-fra-el-salvador-1.17541352. Retrieved 2025-08-26 Earlier that month he had been released. Earlier (and as of July 23), Kilmar Abrego Garcia [was] in custody of U.S. authorities; Earlier (June 6) the U.S. government had him returned from El Salvador, and he was arrested when he came back to the U.S.; Earlier, the U.S. government had him sent to a prison in El Salvador. The case is sometimes called, the Deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia.https://www.nettavisen.no/okonomi/nayib-bukele-sniffer-joe-biden-puddermelk/s/5-95-2536434. Retrieved 2025-07-23

Gifts from leaders of other countries
Ukraine's president handed over a gift (when that president visited in August 2025); That golf club was made by an Ukrainian soldier that was injured during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to international media.https://www.kyivpost.com/post/58557. Retrieved 2025-08-21https://tv.vg.no/nyheter/se-gaven-til-trump?id=339634. VG.no. Retrieved 2025-08-21

Notes

 References 

Category:Donald Trump