Second presidency of Donald Trump#Education

Trump, who was the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021, lost his reelection bid for a second term in the 2020 United States presidential election.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/11/03/us/elections/results-president.html |title=Presidential Election Results 2020: Biden Wins |work=The New York Times |access-date=April 22, 2025}} He ran again in the 2024 United States presidential election and won.{{cite news |last=Jacobson |first=Louis |url=https://www.politifact.com/article/2024/nov/22/how-big-was-donald-trumps-victory-8-charts-provide/ |title=How big was Donald Trump’s 2024 election victory? 8 charts explain |work=PolitiFact |date=November 22, 2024 |access-date=April 22, 2025}}

{{Main|Second presidential transition of Donald Trump|Second inauguration of Donald Trump}}

{{See also|First 100 days of the second Donald Trump presidency}}{{Multiple image

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| caption1 = Incumbent president Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump in the Oval Office on November 13, 2024

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| caption2 = Chief Justice John Roberts administers the presidential oath of office to Trump in the Capitol rotunda, January 20, 2025

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The presidential transition period began following Trump's victory in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, though Trump had chosen Linda McMahon and Howard Lutnick to begin planning for the transition in August 2024. According to The New York Times, Trump was "superstitious" and prefers to avoid discussing the presidential transition process until after Election Day. His transition team relied on the work of the America First Policy Institute, rather than The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank that garnered controversy during the election for Project 2025, a set of initiatives that would reshape the federal government.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/16/us/politics/trump-transition-team-2024-mcmahon-lutnick.html |title=Well Behind Schedule, Trump Names Allies to Lead Transition Team |date=August 16, 2024 |last1=Swan |first1=Jonathan |last2=Haberman |first2=Maggie |last3=Savage |first3=Charlie |author-link1=Jonathan Swan |author-link2=Maggie Haberman |work=The New York Times |access-date=November 10, 2024}} By October, he had not participated in the federal presidential transition process,{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/09/us/politics/trump-presidential-transition.html |title=Trump Holds Up Transition Process, Skirting Ethics and Fund-Raising Rules |date=October 9, 2024 |last=Bensinger |first=Ken |work=The New York Times |access-date=November 10, 2024 |archive-date=November 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241110073421/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/09/us/politics/trump-presidential-transition.html |url-status=live}} and he had not signed a required ethics pledge, as of November.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/09/us/politics/donald-trump-ethics-transition.html |title=Trump Holds Up Transition Process Over Ethics Code |date=November 9, 2024 |last=Bensinger |first=Ken |work=The New York Times |access-date=November 10, 2024 |archive-date=November 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241110002320/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/09/us/politics/donald-trump-ethics-transition.html |url-status=live}} During the transition period, Trump announced nominations for his cabinet and administration.

Trump was inaugurated at the United States Capitol on January 20, 2025, succeeding Joe Biden as president.{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/11/05/when-is-inauguration-day-2025/75846444007/ |title=When is Inauguration Day? What to know about the next president's swearing in |date=November 5, 2024 |last=Crowley |first=Kinsey |work=USA Today |access-date=November 6, 2024}} He was sworn in by Chief Justice John Roberts.{{cite news |url=https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/how-john-roberts-played-a-significant-role-in-trump-s-return-to-white-house/ar-AA1xxJmr |title=How John Roberts 'played a significant role' in Trump's return to White House |last=Henderson |first=Alex |work=Alternet |via=MSN |date=January 21, 2025 |access-date=January 22, 2025}} The inauguration occurred indoors in the Capitol Rotunda.{{cite news |title=The inauguration is moving indoors. Here's what to know about the changed plans |url=https://apnews.com/article/inauguration-weather-plans-what-to-know-c4b0779d38e81f65f8edd66f9c3b9347 |access-date=January 20, 2025 |publisher=Associated Press |date=January 17, 2025 |language=en}} Two days before the inauguration, Trump launched a meme coin, $Trump.{{cite news|last=Lipton|first=Eric|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/18/us/politics/trump-meme-coin-crypto.html|title=Trump Begins Selling New Crypto Token, Raising Ethical Concerns|date=January 18, 2025|work=The New York Times|accessdate=January 18, 2025}} In his first weeks, several of Trump's actions ignored or violated federal laws, regulations, and the Constitution.{{Cite news |last=Rein |first=Lisa |date=January 29, 2025 |title=How Trump is stretching laws to make the federal government more political |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/01/29/trump-federal-government-laws-schedule-f/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=February 4, 2025 |issn=0190-8286 |quote= }}{{Cite news |last=Pereira |first=Ivan |date=January 28, 2025 |title=Trump funding freeze a blatant violation of Constitution, federal law: Legal experts |work=ABC News |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-funding-freeze-blatant-violation-constitution-federal-law/story?id=118183957 |access-date=February 4, 2025 }}

{{Further|Political appointments of the second Trump administration}}

File:President Donald Trump holds a cabinet meeting (54352151297).jpg

{{Second Trump cabinet infobox}}

{{Main|Second cabinet of Donald Trump}}

{{See also|Vice presidency of JD Vance}}

Trump's cabinet choices were described by news media as valuing personal loyalty over relevant experience,{{Cite news |last=Griffiths |first=Brent D. |date=November 13, 2024 |title=Trump's early Cabinet picks show how much he values loyalty in his second term |work=Business Insider |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-cabinet-picks-so-far-loyalty-resumes-11 |url-access=subscription |access-date=December 22, 2024}}{{Cite news |last1=Slattery |first1=Gram |last2=Ulmer |first2=Alexander |date=November 11, 2024 |title=As Trump staffs up for second term, only MAGA loyalists need apply |publisher=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/default/donald-trump-staffs-up-second-term-only-maga-loyalists-need-apply-2024-11-11/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=December 22, 2024}} and for having a range of conflicting ideologies and "eclectic personalities".{{Cite news |last=Ball |first=Molly |date=December 17, 2024 |title=What Trump's Cabinet Picks Tell Us About His Agenda |work=The Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/donald-trump-cabinet-picks-policy-agenda-809f1d46 |url-access=subscription |access-date=December 24, 2024}}{{Cite news |last=Barrow |first=Bill |date=November 25, 2024 |title=Trump 2.0 has a Cabinet and executive branch of different ideas and eclectic personalities |publisher=Associated Press |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-cabinet-budget-immigration-loyalty-986154f35c82452e0e2e642a3e1752a8 |access-date=December 24, 2024}} It was also described as the wealthiest administration in modern history, with over 13 billionaires chosen to take government posts.{{Cite news |last1=Charalambous |first1=Peter |last2=Romero |first2=Laura |last3=Kim |first3=Soo Rin |date=December 17, 2024 |title=Trump has tapped an unprecedented 13 billionaires for his administration. Here's who they are |publisher=ABC News |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/trump-tapped-unprecedented-13-billionaires-top-administration-roles/story?id=116872968 |access-date=December 24, 2024}}{{Cite news |last=Barber |first=Rachel |date=November 21, 2024 |title=A billionaire presidential administration? Who Trump plans to nominate so far |work=USA Today |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/11/21/trump-administration-cabinet-picks-wealthy/76433245007/ |access-date=December 24, 2024}} Trump officials and Elon Musk threatened to fund primary challengers in upcoming elections against Republican Senators who did not vote for Trump's nominees.{{Cite news |last1=Beaumont |first1=Thomas |last2=Linderman |first2=Juliet |last3=Mendoza |first3=Martha |date=December 10, 2024 |title=Elon Musk warns Republicans against standing in Trump's way — or his |publisher=The Associated Press |url=https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-politics-trump-7e26c829af224a1f9d67c27cea085e68 |access-date=January 20, 2025}}{{Cite news |last=Hutzler |first=Amanda |date=November 21, 2024 |title=Trump team warns Republicans to support Cabinet picks or face primary funded by Musk |publisher=ABC News |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-team-warns-republicans-support-cabinet-picks-face/story?id=116094924 |access-date=January 20, 2025}} Despite this, three Republicans — Susan Collins, Mitch McConnell, and Lisa Murkowski — have voted against at least one of Trump's nominees; all three voted against U.S. secretary of defense Pete Hegseth.{{Cite news |last=Miller |first=Maya C. |date=2025-01-25 |title=Who Are the Three Republican Senators Who Voted Against Pete Hegseth? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/25/us/politics/hegseth-confirmation-republican-senators-votes.html |access-date=2025-02-27 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

Once the second Trump presidency began, White House screening teams fanned out to federal agencies to screen job applicants for their loyalty to the president's agenda. On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order asserting to restore merit-based federal hiring practices and "dedication to our Constitution".{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Matthew |last2=Madhani |first2=Aamer |last3=Colvin |first3=Jill |title=Loyalty tests and MAGA checks: Inside the Trump White House's intense screening of job-seekers |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-loyalty-white-house-maga-vetting-jobs-768fa5cbcf175652655c86203222f47c |publisher=Associated Press |date=January 25, 2025}}{{cite news |last1=Shamim |first1=Sarah |title=What do Trump's executive orders on workplace diversity programmes say? |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/1/23/what-do-trumps-executive-orders-on-workplace-diversity-programmes-say |publisher=Al Jazeera |date=January 23, 2025}} As part of its U.S. federal deferred resignation program, the Trump administration demanded "loyalty" from federal workers.{{Cite news |last=Hsu |first=Andrea |date=February 12, 2025 |title=Judge declines to block Trump administration's resignation offer to federal employees |work=NPR News |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/02/12/nx-s1-5293079/trump-musk-federal-employees-fork-resign-buyout |access-date=February 12, 2025 }} In a break from politically neutral speech, the Justice Department issued memos about "insubordination", "abhorrent conduct" and vowed to pursue opponents of Trump's cost-cutting efforts "to the ends of the Earth" in what was described by current and former law enforcement officials as a campaign of intimidation against agents insufficiently loyal to Trump.{{Cite news |last=Barrett |first=Devlin |date=February 10, 2025 |title=Fiery Directives Under Trump's Justice Dept. Signal a Significant Shift |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/10/us/politics/justice-dept-trump-bondi.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=February 12, 2025 |issn=0362-4331}} Candidates for top national intelligence and law enforcement positions were given Trump loyalty tests. Candidates were asked to give yes or no responses to whether or not January 6 was an "inside job" and whether or not the 2020 election was "stolen". Those that did not say yes to both answers were not hired.{{Cite news |last1=Nakashima |first1=Ellen |last2=Strobel |first2=Warren P. |date=February 9, 2025 |title=U.S. intelligence, law enforcement candidates face Trump loyalty test |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/02/08/trump-administration-job-candidates-loyalty-screening/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=February 12, 2025 |issn=0190-8286 }}

Trump had assistance from Elon Musk, other political operatives, and an antisemitism task force.{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/us-news/education/anti-semitism-task-force-who-247c234e |title=The Little-Known Bureaucrats Tearing Through American Universities |last1=Whyte |first1=Liz Essley |last2=Belkin |first2=Douglas |last3=Randazzo |first3=Sara |date=April 14, 2025 |work=The Wall Street Journal}} Advisors were Christopher Rufo in education; Stephen Miller in domestic policy and immigration; and four co-authors of Project 2025, Russell Vought, Peter Navarro, Paul S. Atkins, and Brendan Carr.{{cite journal |last=King |first=A. M. |date=2025 |title='Shocking the System' in the 21st Century: Conservative Policy Entrepreneurs and the Plan for Authoritarianism in the U.S. |journal=Social Sciences |volume=14 |issue=4 |page=235 |doi=10.3390/socsci14040235 |publisher=MDPI|doi-access=free }}

{{see also|Donald Trump 2024 presidential campaign#Trump's call for investigation and arrest of political rivals}}

Trump frequently promised to exact retribution against perceived political enemies through his 2024 campaign,{{Cite news |last=Tau |first=Byron |date=January 22, 2025 |title=Trump's perceived enemies worry about losing pensions, getting audited and paying steep legal bills |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-revenge-retribution-bolton-enemies-milley-fauci-2c467fe2253cb6b65d9436b0b9a5c552 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250123135044/https://apnews.com/article/trump-revenge-retribution-bolton-enemies-milley-fauci-2c467fe2253cb6b65d9436b0b9a5c552 |archive-date=January 23, 2025 |access-date=January 23, 2025 |work=Associated Press News |quote=Revenge played a central role in many of Trump's remarks after he left the presidency in 2021. He said at a 2023 rally, "For those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution."{{nbsp}}... But hours after being sworn in, he issued executive orders aimed at settling scores, including the one stripping clearances from 50 former intelligence officers. He also rescinded Secret Service protection for Bolton, whose life has been threatened by Iran.}}{{cite news |last1=Savage |first1=Charlie |last2=Haberman |first2=Maggie |author-link2=Maggie Haberman |last3=Swan |first3=Jonathan |author-link3=Jonathan Swan |last4=Gold |first4=Michael |date=September 9, 2024 |title=Trump Steps Up Threats to Imprison Those He Sees as Foes |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/09/us/politics/trump-prison-threats-opponents.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241108215716/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/09/us/politics/trump-prison-threats-opponents.html |archive-date=November 8, 2024 |access-date=November 6, 2024 |work=The New York Times}}{{Cite web |last=Dreisbach |first=Tom |date=October 22, 2024 |title=Trump has made more than 100 threats to prosecute or punish perceived enemies |url=https://www.npr.org/2024/10/21/nx-s1-5134924/trump-election-2024-kamala-harris-elizabeth-cheney-threat-civil-liberties |access-date=March 25, 2025 |website=NPR}} and has said he has "every right" to go after political opponents.{{Cite news |last=Tau |first=Byron |date=January 22, 2025 |title=White House would have many ways to upend lives of Trump's enemies |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-revenge-retribution-retaliation-cedc7c78a1b28e4d5956f1d8e57761b8 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250122231021/https://apnews.com/article/trump-revenge-retribution-retaliation-cedc7c78a1b28e4d5956f1d8e57761b8 |archive-date=January 22, 2025 |access-date=January 23, 2025 |work=Associated Press News}} Trump has repeatedly suggested that he supports outlawing political dissent that he regards as misleading or that questions the legitimacy of his presidency, for example saying that criticism of judges who ruled in favor of him "should be punishable by very serious fines and beyond that."{{Cite news|last=Kapur|first=Sahil|date=October 13, 2024|title='Totally illegal': Trump escalates rhetoric on outlawing political dissent and criticism|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/totally-illegal-trump-escalates-rhetoric-outlawing-political-dissent-c-rcna174280|access-date=November 23, 2024|website=NBC News}} He has also repeatedly called for press companies who have produced unfavorable coverage of him to have their licenses revoked, and has said that he will jail reporters who refuse to name the sources of leaks.{{Cite news |last=Folkenflik |first=David |date=October 21, 2024 |title=Could Trump's threats against news outlets carry weight if he wins the presidency? |url=https://www.npr.org/2024/10/21/nx-s1-5150039/could-trumps-threats-against-news-outlets-carry-weight-if-he-wins-the-presidency |access-date=November 23, 2024 |website=NPR}} The New York Times described Trump as using "grievance as a political tool, portraying himself as the victim of what he claims is a powerful and amorphous 'deep state.'"{{Cite news |last1=Schmidt |first1=Michael S. |authorlink1=Michael S. Schmidt |last2=Mazzetti |first2=Mark |date=January 21, 2025 |title=A Trump Executive Order Sets Out What Could Be a Road Map for Retribution |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/21/us/politics/trump-executive-order-retribution.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 24, 2025 |work=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |quote=The order is titled "Ending the Weaponization of the Federal Government", but it asserts that the Biden administration might have acted illegally and directs agencies to seek evidence.}}

Trump was described as seeking revenge after making a series of retaliatory actions against perceived opponents upon taking office and intimidating those who would cross him in the future.{{Cite news |last1=Mazaetti |first1=Mark |last2=Swan |first2=Jonathan |last3=Haberman |first3=Maggie |last4=Schmidt |first4=Michael S. |date=January 28, 2025 |title=In Exacting Retribution, Trump Aims at the Future as Well as the Past |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/27/us/politics/trump-politics-enemies-pompeo-fauci.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 28, 2025|issn=0362-4331 |quote=In his first week in office, President Trump made clear that his promises to exact revenge on his perceived enemies were not empty campaign pledges — and that his retribution is intended not just to impose punishment for the past but also to intimidate anyone who might cross him in the future.}}{{Cite news |last=Collinson |first=Stephen |date=January 28, 2025 |title=Trump sets about his retribution agenda with relish |work=CNN |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/28/politics/trump-retribution-agenda-analysis/index.html |access-date=January 28, 2025|quote=The president is wasting no time in following through on his frequent campaign trail vows for retribution – with a torrent of purges and pardons. }}

Trump revoked the security protection for his former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, his aide Brian Hook, and John Bolton, who all had faced assassination threats from Iran. The revocation of security protection was described as part of Trump's vow to target those he perceives as adversaries.{{Cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Matthew |last2=Madhani |first2=Aamer |date=January 23, 2025 |title=Trump revokes protections for former Secretary of State Pompeo and top aide threatened by Iran |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-pompeo-hook-iran-security-protections-987ca371756f48028ebd34ca7111f1c5 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250123220544/https://apnews.com/article/trump-pompeo-hook-iran-security-protections-987ca371756f48028ebd34ca7111f1c5 |archive-date=January 23, 2025 |access-date=January 23, 2025 |work=Associated Press News |quote=It's another sign of steps Trump is taking just days into his return to the White House to target those he has perceived as adversaries.}} He also revoked protection for Anthony Fauci who had received several death threats, and said to reporters that he would not feel any responsibility if harm befell the former government officials he revoked security details from.{{Cite news |date=January 24, 2025 |title=Trump removes Anthony Fauci's federal security detail |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-removes-anthony-fauci-federal-security-detail/ |access-date=January 24, 2025 |website=CBS News}}

On January 29, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suspended former chair of the Joint Chiefs Mark Milley's security clearance, withdrew the authorization for his security detail, and ordered a review of his actions as Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff with a view to demote him in rank.{{cite news |last=Copp |first=Tara |url=https://apnews.com/article/milley-trump-security-detail-clearance-9bc8ebb7cd7cd2c334d00c97d4c142d0 |title=Defense secretary pulls Trump critic Gen. Milley's security clearance and protective detail |work=Associated Press News |date=January 29, 2025 |access-date=January 30, 2025}}{{cite news |last=Bowman |first=Tom |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/01/29/nx-s1-5279386/hegseth-milley-security-detail |title=Hegseth strips Milley of his security detail, orders investigation into his conduct |work=NPR |date=January 29, 2025 |access-date=January 30, 2025}} Hours after Trump was inaugurated, the official portrait of General Milley was removed from a Pentagon hallway where the portraits of all former chairmen are displayed.{{Cite news |last1=Stewart |first1=Phil |last2=Ali |first2=Idrees |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/pentagon-missing-portrait-fears-an-upheaval-2025-01-21/ |title=At Pentagon, a missing portrait and fears of an upheaval |work=Reuters |date=January 22, 2025 |access-date=January 27, 2025}}{{cite news |last1=Cooper |first1=Helen |last2=Schmitt |first2=Eric |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/20/us/politics/general-mark-milley-portrait.html |title=Portrait of General Milley Is Removed From Pentagon |work=The New York Times |date=January 20, 2025 |access-date=January 22, 2025}}{{cite news |last=Toropin |first=Konstantin |url=https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/01/21/mark-milleys-portrait-disappears-pentagon-trumps-inauguration-day.html |title=Mark Milley's Portrait Disappears from Pentagon on Trump's Inauguration Day |work=Military.com |date=January 21, 2025 |access-date=January 25, 2025}}

Within 24 hours of being elected, Trump revoked the security clearances of 50 officials who signed onto a letter about the Hunter Biden laptop controversy as well as John Bolton, ex-DNI director James Clapper and ex-CIA directors John Brennan and Leon Panetta.{{Cite news |last=Tucker |first=Eric |date=January 21, 2025 |title=Trump moves to revoke clearances of ex-intel officials who signed letter on Hunter Biden laptop |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-intelligence-hunter-biden-laptop-9d49578c70e3de03e628d0d0cf6592f0 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250123012417/https://apnews.com/article/trump-intelligence-hunter-biden-laptop-9d49578c70e3de03e628d0d0cf6592f0 |archive-date=January 23, 2025 |access-date=January 23, 2025 |work=Associated Press News |quote=The action is an early indication of the president's determination to exact retribution on perceived adversaries and is the latest point of tension between Trump and an intelligence community of which he has been openly disdainful.}}

Trump used the Justice Department to punish his enemies and reward his allies while making unfounded claims of prior "weaponization" against him.{{Cite news |last1=Thrush |first1=Glenn |last2=Kanno-Youngs |first2=Zolan |date=March 14, 2025 |title=Trump to Deliver Speech to Justice Dept. After Triumph in Battles Against It |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/14/us/politics/trump-speech-justice-department.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=March 14, 2025|issn=0362-4331 |quote=The president could also unveil new steps to combat "weaponization" of the department, even as his officials use its powers to punish his enemies and reward his allies. ... In justifying nearly all of his actions, Mr. Bove has not introduced evidence of wrongdoing or incompetence.}}{{cite news |last1=Yourish |first1=Karen |last2=Smart |first2=Charlie |date=May 24, 2024 |title=Trump's Pattern of Sowing Election Doubt Intensifies in 2024 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/05/24/us/politics/trump-election-results-doubt.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525011332/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/05/24/us/politics/trump-election-results-doubt.html |archive-date=May 25, 2024 |access-date=March 14, 2025 |work=The New York Times |quote=Long before announcing his candidacy, Mr. Trump and his supporters had been falsely claiming that President Biden was 'weaponizing' the Justice Department to target him.}} Trump ordered the attorney general to investigate the Biden administration for "weaponization of the federal government" and "government censorship of speech". The Guardian described the investigations as "politically charged reviews into his personal grievances".{{Cite news |last=Lowell |first=Hugo |date=January 24, 2025 |title=Trump enlists attorney general to investigate Biden administration |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/24/trump-executive-orders-justice-department |access-date=January 24, 2025 |work=The Guardian}} The orders made misleading{{Cite news |last=Barrett |first=Devlin |date=January 20, 2025 |title=Trump Demands Search for Political Bias in Justice Dept., Other Agencies |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/20/us/politics/weaponization-government-executive-order-trump.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 28, 2025}} accusations against the Biden administration and asserted they had committed criminal conduct against him and his supporters and demanded evidence be found to "correct past misconduct". He threatened, signed executive actions, and ordered investigations into his political opponents, critics, and organizations aligned with the Democratic Party.{{Cite news |last1=Vogel |first1=Kenneth P. |last2=Goldmacher |first2=Shane |date=March 19, 2025 |title=With Orders, Investigations and Innuendo, Trump and G.O.P. Aim to Cripple the Left |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/19/us/politics/trump-republicans-attack-democrats-actblue.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=March 20, 2025 |issn=0362-4331}}

On January 27, the Justice Department fired more than a dozen officials who worked on criminal cases against Trump alleging a lack of trust in faithfully executing his agenda. It also announced a "special project" to investigate prosecutors who had previously brought charges against January 6 rioters,{{Cite news |last1=Rabinowitz |first1=Hannah |last2=Polantz |first2=Katelyn |last3=Reid |first3=Paula |date=January 28, 2025 |title=Trump Justice Department fires officials who investigated Trump and launches 'special project' into January 6 cases |work=CNN |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/27/politics/trump-special-project-january-6-prosecutors/index.html |access-date=January 28, 2025}} and launched a "weaponization working group" to review and investigate officials at both the state and federal levels who previously investigated Trump and provide the White House quarterly reports on its findings.{{Cite news |last=Mallin |first=Alexander |date=February 5, 2025 |title=Bondi, as new AG, launches 'Weaponization Working Group' to review officials who investigated Trump |work=ABC News |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/bondi-new-ag-launches-weaponization-working-group-review/story?id=118501463 |access-date=February 12, 2025 }} Several FBI agents and the FBI Agents Association sued the Trump administration to prevent the publication of the names of 5,000 FBI agents for their involvement in investigating the January 6 attack,{{Cite news |last1=MacFarlane |first1=Scott |last2=Legare |first2=Robert |last3=Triay |first3=Andres |date=February 4, 2025 |title=FBI agents sue Trump administration over Jan. 6 scrutiny as FBI discloses list of over 5,000 agents to DOJ |work=CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/fbi-agents-sue-trump-administration-jan-6-layoffs/?intcid=CNM-00-10abd1h |access-date=February 12, 2025 }} and Trump later said he would fire some agents involved in investigating the attack.{{Cite news |date=February 7, 2025 |title=Trump says he will fire some FBI agents who investigated January 6 attack |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-says-he-will-fire-some-fbi-agents-who-investigated-january-6-attack-2025-02-07/ |access-date=February 12, 2025}}

It was reported on February 14 that the efforts by Trump to dismiss the case into New York City Mayor Eric Adams, which caused the resignation of seven government prosecutors, came in the same week as the administration was negotiating with the mayor over immigration enforcement initiatives and Trump's "border czar" Tom Homan made reference to an "agreement".{{Cite web |last1=Ramey |first1=Corinne |last2=Gurman |first2=Sadie |date=February 14, 2025 |title=Justice Department Moves to Drop Eric Adams Case After Wave of Resignations |url=https://www.wsj.com/us-news/another-star-u-s-prosecutor-quits-over-eric-adams-case-94858730 |access-date=2025-02-21 |website=The Wall Street Journal |language=en-US}} Earlier, Adams had agreed with Homan to give access to the city's Rikers Island jail for ICE without—via a "loophole{{nbsp}}... [Adams] appears to have found"—violating the city’s sanctuary laws,{{Cite news |last=Ferré-Sadurní |first=Luis |date=February 13, 2025 |title=After Meeting With Trump's Border Czar, Adams Opens Rikers to ICE Agents |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/13/nyregion/adams-ice-rikers-homan.html |access-date=2025-02-21 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} and joined Homan in a joint interview conducted by Phil McGraw, among one or more other joint interviews.{{Cite news |last1=Bromwich |first1=Jonah E. |last2=Fitzsimmons |first2=Emma G. |last3=McFadden |first3=Alyce |date=February 14, 2025 |title=Adams Case Highlights: Justice Dept. Asks Judge to Dismiss Case, Capping Days of Drama |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/02/14/nyregion/eric-adams-charges-doj |access-date=February 21, 2025 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

The report came after February 10, 2025, when the Department of Justice under Trump instructed federal prosecutors to drop charges against Adams, citing concerns that the case had been affected by publicity and was interfering with his ability to govern.{{Cite news |last1=Rashbaum |first1=William K. |last2=Rubinstein |first2=Dana |last3=Thrush |first3=Glenn |last4=Rothfeld |first4=Michael |last5=Bromwich |first5=Jonah E. |date=February 10, 2025 |title=Push to Drop Adams Charges Reveals a Justice Dept. Under Trump's Sway |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/10/nyregion/eric-adams-charges-doj-trump.html |access-date=2025-02-21 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} The memo directing this move, written by acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, stated that the prosecution had limited Adams' capacity to focus on issues such as immigration and crime. The Justice Department's decision did not assess the strength of the evidence or legal arguments in the case. The memo was issued months before the city's Democratic primary, where Adams is seeking reelection. The charges were to be dropped "as soon as is practicable" pending a further review of Adams' case following the general election in November 2025.{{Cite web |last1=Reid |first1=Paula |last2=Pazmino |first2=Gloria |date=2025-02-10 |title=Justice Department directs prosecutors to drop federal corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/10/politics/eric-adams-charges-dropped/index.html |access-date=February 11, 2025 |website=CNN |language=en}} Danielle Sassoon, the US attorney in charge of the case, refused to dismiss the charges, telling Attorney General Pam Bondi that "I cannot agree to seek a dismissal driven by improper considerations". Sassoon later resigned, accusing Bove and the Trump administration of making an illicit deal with Adams to dismiss the charges, becoming the first of seven prosecutors to resign due to the order to dismiss charges.{{cite news |last1=Halpert |first1=Madeline |last2=Wendling |first2=Mike |date=13 February 2025 |title=Flurry of resignations after DOJ tells prosecutors to drop Eric Adams case |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm274m25e4ro.amp |access-date=February 21, 2025 |newspaper=BBC News}}

In March 2025, interim US Attorney Ed Martin sent a letter to US representative Eugene Vindman requesting information about his business dealings.{{cite web |title=Rep. Vindman condemns letter from U.S. Attorney requesting business details |date=March 13, 2025 |url=https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/rep-vindman-condemns-letter-from-u-s-attorney-requesting-business-details/article_52fc2730-ff68-11ef-b0ef-2fb4e6b78d9c.html}} Martin also sent letters to Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Robert Garcia, suggesting that they had threatened officials,{{Cite news |last=Beitsch |first=Rebecca |date=2025-02-20 |title=US attorney launches probes into whether Schumer, Garcia made threats to justices, Musk |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5156193-us-attorney-accuses-congressmen-of-threatening-public-officials/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250307201350/https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5156193-us-attorney-accuses-congressmen-of-threatening-public-officials/ |archive-date=2025-03-07 |access-date=2025-03-20 |work=The Hill |language=en-US}} and to William Treanor, dean of Georgetown University's law school, warning that the law school's students would not be eligible for employment or fellowships with the District of Columbia's US attorney's office as long as the school discussed diversity, equity and inclusion.{{Cite web |last=Schlumpf |first=Heidi |date=2025-03-07 |title=Trump's US attorney in DC fires salvo at Georgetown law school. Dean fires back. |url=https://www.ncronline.org/trumps-us-attorney-dc-fires-salvo-georgetown-law-school-dean-fires-back |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=National Catholic Reporter |language=en}}

{{further|Public broadcasting in the United States}}

Following his reelection, Trump launched lawsuits and created blacklists against certain media outlets, and took over the process run by the White House Correspondents' Association to choose what outlets could gain access to him.{{Cite news |last1=VendeHei |first1=Jim |last2=Allen |first2=Mike |date=February 26, 2025 |title=Behind the Curtain: Trump's media-control strategy |work=Axios |url=https://www.axios.com/2025/02/26/behind-the-curtain-trumps-media-control-strategy |access-date=March 20, 2025 }} On January 22, Trump's FCC chair Brendan Carr revived three investigations into claims of bias from CBS, ABC, and NBC, but not Fox News, and Carr previously promised to punish news broadcasters he saw as unfair to Trump or Republicans in general.{{Cite news |last=Brodkin |first=Jon |date=January 23, 2025 |title=Trump's FCC chair gets to work on punishing TV news stations accused of bias |work=Ars Technica |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/01/trumps-fcc-chair-gets-to-work-on-punishing-news-stations-accused-of-bias/ |access-date=January 25, 2025}} On January 29, Carr ordered an investigation into underwriting announcements on NPR and PBS stations, and recommended that Congress stop funding these organizations (which aligns with the section of Project 2025 that Carr had authored).{{cite news |author=Branigin |first=Anne |date=January 31, 2025 |title=Trump's FCC chief orders investigation into NPR and PBS sponsorships |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/2025/01/31/trump-fcc-npr-pbs-investigation/ |newspaper=The Washington Post}}{{Cite news |title=Trump's FCC chief opens investigation into NPR and PBS |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/01/30/nx-s1-5281162/fcc-npr-pbs-investigation |access-date=March 9, 2025 |work=NPR |language=en}} In his first-term budgets, Trump had previously proposed eliminating funding for public broadcasting, art, libraries, and museums. Carr sent a letter to the heads of NPR and PBS with his complaints, but ignored requests for a copy from a Democratic FCC commissioner. On February 12, Carr launched investigations into Comcast, the parent company of NBC News and Universal Studios, over having diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.{{Cite news |last=Mullin |first=Benjamin |date=February 12, 2025 |title=F.C.C. Chair Orders Investigation Into Comcast's D.E.I. Practices |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/12/business/media/fcc-comcast-nbc-dei-discrimination.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=February 12, 2025 |issn=0362-4331 }}

In February 2025, Associated Press journalists were barred from entry to press briefings in the White House after the Trump administration objected to the Associated Press using the name "Gulf of Mexico" instead of "Gulf of America" as chosen by Trump.{{cite news |last1=Bauder |first1=David |title=White House bars AP reporter from Oval Office because of AP style policy on 'Gulf of America' |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-ap-journalism-first-amendment-8a83d8b506053249598e807f8e91e1ae |access-date=February 12, 2025 |work=Associated Press News |date=February 12, 2025}}{{Cite news |last=Barr |first=Jeremy |date=2025-02-13 |title=Associated Press and the White House remain in standoff over access |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/media/2025/02/13/associated-press-gulf-of-america-media-access/ |access-date=February 13, 2025 |newspaper=The Washington Post |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250214011912/https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/media/2025/02/13/associated-press-gulf-of-america-media-access/ |archive-date=February 14, 2025}} The Associated Press had recommended both names were to be used, as "Mexico, as well as other countries and international bodies, do not have to recognize the name change", and "the Gulf of Mexico has carried that name for more than 400 years."{{cite news |title=AP reporter barred from White House over refusal to use 'Gulf of America' |url=https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20250212-ap-reporter-barred-from-white-house-over-refusal-to-use-gulf-of-america |access-date=February 14, 2025 |work=France24 |agency=Agence France-Presse |date=February 12, 2025}} The Associated Press protested the Trump administration's action as violating the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, while White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later commented: "If we feel that there are lies being pushed by outlets in this room, we are going to hold those lies accountable", as she described the name of 'Gulf of America' as a "fact".{{cite news |title=White House correspondents protest access denial over 'Gulf of Mexico' naming issue |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/white-house-correspondents-protest-access-denial-over-gulf-mexico-naming-issue-2025-02-12/ |access-date=February 12, 2025 |work=Reuters |date=February 12, 2025}}{{cite news |title=AP reporter again barred from Oval Office over 'Gulf of America' |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250212-ap-reporter-again-barred-from-oval-office-over-gulf-of-america |access-date=February 14, 2025 |work=France24 |agency=Agence France-Presse |date=February 13, 2025}} The administration followed up by banning Associated Press journalists indefinitely from the Oval Office and Air Force One, citing the gulf naming issue.{{Cite web |last=Watson |first=Kathryn |date=February 14, 2025 |title=White House bars Associated Press from spaces like Oval Office and Air Force One |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/white-house-bars-associated-press-oval-office-air-force-one/ |access-date=February 14, 2025 |website=CBS News |language=en-US}} Trump said that month that the Associated Press would continue to be banned "until such time as they agree that it's the Gulf of America".{{cite news |last1=Pitas |first1=Costas |title=Trump restricts AP access over Gulf of Mexico issue |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-restricts-ap-access-over-gulf-mexico-issue-2025-02-19/ |access-date=February 22, 2025 |work=Reuters |date=February 19, 2025}} Associated Press filed a lawsuit on February 21, in which it states "The press and all people in the United States have the right to choose their own words and not be retaliated against by the government, [...] The Constitution does not allow the government to control speech. Allowing such government control and retaliation to stand is a threat to every American's freedom."{{Cite news |last=Folkenflik |first=David |date=February 26, 2025 |title=Trump White House seeks tighter grip on message with new limits on press |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/02/26/nx-s1-5308628/trump-white-house-press-access-voa |access-date=March 9, 2025 |work=NPR |language=en}}

On April 8, 2025, federal district judge Trevor McFadden granted the preliminary injunction sought by AP and ruled that the White House must lift the access restrictions they have imposed on the Associated Press while the AP v. Budowich lawsuit moves forward.{{Cite web |last=Vance |first=Joyce |date=2025-04-09 |title=Trump Versus the Free Press |url=https://joycevance.substack.com/p/trump-versus-the-free-press |access-date=2025-04-18 |website=Civil Discourse with Joyce Vance}}{{cite news |last1=Goudsward |first1=Andrew |title=Judge lifts Trump White House restrictions on AP while lawsuit proceeds |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/judge-lifts-trump-white-house-restrictions-ap-while-lawsuit-proceeds-2025-04-08/ |access-date=April 8, 2025 |work=Reuters |date=April 8, 2025}} On April 13th, even though a court order was placed, the Trump administration blocked the AP from covering a meeting between Trump and Salvadoran president Nayib Bukele in the Oval Office.{{Cite web |last1=Examiner |first1=Melissa Quinn Politics Reporter Melissa Quinn is a politics reporter for CBSNews com She has written for outlets including the Washington |last2=Signal |first2=Daily |last3=politics |first3=Alexandria Times Melissa covers U. S. |last4=Court |first4=with a focus on the Supreme |last5=Quinn |first5=federal courts Read Full Bio Melissa |date=2025-04-16 |title=Associated Press says its reporters were blocked from Oval Office event despite court order on White House access - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/associated-press-reporters-blocked-oval-office-event-white-house/ |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2025-04-14 |title=Despite a court order, White House bars AP from Oval Office event |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-ap-press-freedom-court-gulf-caffd32aa8ec6b04a50b8c5277d7c9cb |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=AP News |language=en}}

{{Main|Targeting law firms and lawyers under the second Trump Administration}}

{{See also|Perkins Coie#Targeting by Donald Trump|Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison#Targeting by Trump and capitulation|American Bar Association#2025 federal lawsuit and member targeting by the Trump administration|EEOC#2025–present: changes under Trump Administration}}

In March 2025, Trump said that he would be targeting law firms, a move experts call unprecedented.{{Cite news |last=Lucas |first=Ryan |date=2025-03-19 |title=Experts say Trump's targeting of law firms is unprecedented |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/03/19/nx-s1-5323890/experts-say-trumps-targeting-of-law-firms-is-unprecedented |access-date=2025-03-20 |work=NPR |language=en-US}}{{cite news |last1=Scarcella |first1=Mike |last2=Merken |first2=Sara |last3=Sloan |first3=Karen |date=March 21, 2025 |title=Law firm Paul Weiss defends deal with Trump as lawyers sound alarm |url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/trumps-deal-with-law-firm-paul-weiss-sparks-alarm-among-lawyers-2025-03-21/ |work=Reuters |language=en-US |location=New York, N.Y. |access-date=March 27, 2025 |quote=[...] marked an unprecedented attack on their ability to do business.}} He first ordered that security clearances be revoked for all of the attorneys at Covington & Burling who are involved in the firm's representation of former special counsel Jack Smith. Smith led federal investigations and prosecutions of Trump in both an election obstruction case and a classified documents case. Trump then signed executive orders 14230 and 14237, each aimed at another firm.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-06 |title=Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Adresses Risks from Perkins Coie LLP |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/03/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-adresses-risks-from-perkins-coie-llp/ |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=The White House |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2025-03-15 |title=Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Addresses Risks from Paul Weiss |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/03/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-addresses-risks-from-paul-weiss/ |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=The White House |language=en-US}} The first ordered that the security clearances of all Perkins Coie employees be suspended, and also prohibited the firm from receiving money from federal contractors and barred its attorneys from entering federal buildings. Perkins Coie had represented Hillary Clinton in her 2016 presidential campaign, and in that capacity paid for opposition research that led to the Steele dossier.{{Cite news |last1=Barrett |first1=Devlin |last2=Pager |first2=Tyler |date=2025-03-15 |title=Trump Expands Attacks on Law Firms, Singling Out Paul, Weiss |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/14/us/politics/trump-law-firm.html |access-date=2025-03-20 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} The second involved similar orders for the firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison (known as Paul, Weiss), and for Mark Pomerantz, a previous partner at the firm. Pomerantz had worked with the Manhattan district attorney's office, which subsquently prosecuted Trump for falsifying business records. The firm had done pro bono work in January 6 cases.{{Cite news |last1=Tribe |first1=Megan |last2=Wise |first2=Justin |date=2025-03-19 |title=Paul Weiss Fired by Cognizant Executive Over Trump Order |url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/business-and-practice/paul-weiss-fired-by-cognizant-executive-over-trump-order |work=Bloomberg Law}}{{Cite web |last=Rubino |first=Kathryn |date=2025-03-17 |title=Undeterred By Massive Court Loss, Trump Goes After Another Biglaw Firm |url=https://abovethelaw.com/2025/03/undeterred-by-massive-court-loss-trump-goes-after-another-biglaw-firm/ |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=Above the Law |language=en-US}} Trump subsequently rescinded order 14237 after Paul, Weiss agreed to a set of conditions, such as promising to provide $40 million in free legal services to the administration and end its diversity policies.{{Cite web |last=Tucker |first=Eric |date=2025-03-21 |title=White House rescinds executive order targeting prominent law firm |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-law-firm-security-clearances-4e0a8f152ccfea86ae2c383bfc41c586 |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=AP News |language=en}}{{cite news |last=Ahmadi |first=Ali Abbas |date=March 21, 2025 |title=Trump cancels executive order against law firm after $40m promise |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2d4kex0w2ro |work=BBC News |language=en-GB |access-date=March 27, 2025}} Within days, Trump issued executive order 14246, this time aimed at Jenner & Block, a firm that employed Andrew Weissmann after he worked on the Mueller special counsel investigation.{{Cite news |last=Birnbaum |first=Michael |date=March 25, 2025 |title=Law firms refuse to represent Trump opponents in the wake of his attacks |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/03/25/trump-law-firms/ |access-date=March 27, 2025 |newspaper=The Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}} Two days later, Trump issued another executive order directed at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr (known as WilmerHale), where Robert Mueller had been a partner; the firm also employed Aaron Zebley and James Quarles, who had worked with the Mueller special counsel investigation.{{Cite news |last=Cameron |first=Chris |date=2025-03-28 |title=Trump Targets WilmerHale, Citing Law Firm's Connection to Robert Mueller |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/27/us/politics/trump-wilmerhale-law-firm-mueller.html |access-date=2025-03-28 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

Claire Finkelstein, a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania, said the goal of these executive orders was to "intimidate professionals, to intimidate the legal profession from engaging in professional activities that go against Donald Trump and the current administration."

Perkins Coie filed a lawsuit challenging executive order 14230, and on March 12, Judge Beryl Howell of the US District Court for the District of Columbia issued a temporary restraining order for parts of Trump's executive order.{{Cite web |last=Durkin Richer |first=Alanna |date=2025-03-12 |title=Judge temporarily blocks parts of Trump's executive order seeking to punish law firm Perkins Coie |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-executive-order-law-firm-perkins-coie-202888161fed64ac0e01adbc72be267e |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=AP News |language=en}} Howell said that the order likely violated several constitutional amendments and "casts a chilling harm of blizzard proportion across the entire legal profession".{{Cite news |last=Lucas |first=Ryan |date=2025-03-12 |title=Judge blocks Trump from enforcing 'chilling' order against law firm |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/03/12/g-s1-53422/judge-blocks-trump-law-firm |access-date=2025-03-26 |work=NPR |language=en}} The Department of Justice attempted to have Howell removed from the case, alleging that she is "insufficiently impartial", but the motion was denied. On March 28, Jenner & Block and WilmerHale also filed suit in the District of Columbia challenging their respective executive orders.{{Cite news |last1=Schmidt |first1=Michael S. |last2=Goldstein |first2=Matthew |last3=Barrett |first3=Devlin |date=2025-03-28 |title=Law Firms Jenner & Block and WilmerHale Sue Trump Administration to Block Executive Orders |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/28/business/jenner-block-wilmer-hale-trump-lawsuit.html |access-date=2025-03-28 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} The same day, Judge John Bates issued a temporary restraining order for the executive order directed at Jenner & Block, and Judge Richard Leon issued a temporary restraining order for the executive order directed at WilmerHale.

Trump also issued a presidential memorandum, "Preventing Abuses of the Legal System and the Federal Court", targeting lawyers and law firms more generally if they filed "frivolous, unreasonable, and vexatious litigation" against the administration, as judged by the attorney general. The menacing memo, again including revocation of security clearances and preventing any company that uses such a firm from getting federal contracts, has been seen as a threatening escalation and broadening of the president's campaign of retaliation against judges and lawyers who don't share his political views.{{cite news |last=Barrett |first=Devlin |date=March 22, 2025 |title=With New Decree, Trump Seeks to Cow the Legal Profession |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/22/us/politics/trump-memo-lawyers.html |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=March 27, 2025}}{{cite news |last1=Jacobs |first1=Shayna |date=March 23, 2025 |title=New Trump memo seen as threat to lawyers, attempt to scare off lawsuits |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/03/22/trump-litigation-lawyers-pam-bondi/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |language=en-US |location=New York City |access-date=March 27, 2025}} A variety of people in the legal profession condemned the memorandum as an attempt to intimidate firms so that they wouldn't take on clients who oppose government actions.{{Cite web |last=Perez |first=Chris |date=2025-03-23 |title='Consistently violated the law': Trump slammed for using AG to issue memo targeting law firms |url=https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/the-president-has-consistently-violated-the-law-trump-slammed-for-using-ag-pam-bondi-to-target-lawyers-and-law-firms-with-preventing-abuses-of-the-legal-system-memo/ |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=Law & Crime |language=en}} The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission also contacted 20 law firms, telling them that they were being investigated in relation to their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices.{{Cite web |last=Rubino |first=Kathryn |date=2025-03-17 |title=Trump Sics EEOC On 20 Biglaw Firms |url=https://abovethelaw.com/2025/03/trump-sics-eeoc-on-20-biglaw-firms/ |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=Above the Law |language=en-US}}

The series of actions against lawyers and law firms quickly started having the desired effect of making it harder for those who oppose Trump administration actions to find lawyers who would agree to represent them.{{cite news |last=Barett |first=Devlin |date=March 25, 2025 |title=Trump Signs Executive Order Targeting New Law Firm, Jenner & Block |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/25/us/politics/trump-executive-order-law-firm-jenner-block.html |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=March 27, 2025 |quote=[...] singling out a firm where a former prosecutor who investigated him once worked as the White House pursues vengeance against the profession he blames for his legal troubles. [...] Mr. Trump's accusations against the firm range from the personal to the political, [...]}}{{cite news |last1=Scarcella |first1=Mike |title=Why target these law firms? For Trump, it's personal |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/why-target-these-law-firms-trump-its-personal-2025-03-26/ |access-date=March 27, 2025 |work=Reuters |location=Washington, D.C. |date=March 26, 2025 |quote=[...] his perceived grievance that an attorney linked to the firm has personally done him wrong. [...] 'The administration is going after law firms that the president perceives as having been hostile to him personally.'}}

{{cite podcast |host=Juana Summers |date=March 24, 2025 |title=Trump targets Big Law, and Big Law appears intimidated |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/03/24/1240552685/trump-targets-big-law-firms-rachel-cohen-responds |work=Consider This |publisher=NPR |access-date=March 27, 2025 |language=en-US}} UCLA Law professor Scott Cummings and a former senior Justice Department official have both called Trump's moves attacking law firms and targeting lawyers "authoritarian".{{cite news |last1=Rohde |first1=David |title=Trump targets lawyers who he says file 'frivolous' lawsuits against his administration |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/trump-targets-lawyers-frivolous-lawsuits-administration-rcna197698 |access-date=March 27, 2025 |work=NBC News |date=March 24, 2025 |language=en-US}} Senior attorney for the ACLU Ben Wizner said Trump's threats are an attempt to "chill and intimidate" lawyers who challenge him.{{cite news |last1=Scarcella |first1=Mike |last2=Goudsward |first2=Andrew |last3=Merken |first3=Sara |date=March 22, 2025 |title=Trump targets lawyers in immigration cases, lawsuits against administration |url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/trump-signs-memo-aimed-preventing-abuse-legal-system-federal-courts-2025-03-22/ |work=Reuters |language=en-US |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=March 27, 2025 |quote=[...] said the new directive sought to 'chill and intimidate' lawyers who challenge the president's agenda.}} In remarks delivered with the governor of Louisiana, President Trump told reporters that he thinks "The law firms have to behave themselves, and we've proven that."{{cite news |last1=Stein |first1=Shira |title=As Trump ramps up law firm attacks, S.F. lawyers are starting to push back |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/donald-trump-biglaw-20239927.php |access-date=March 27, 2025 |work=San Francisco Chronicle |publisher=Hearst Communications, Inc. |date=March 25, 2025 |quote='The law firms have to behave themselves, and we've proven that,' Trump told reporters Monday. |location=Washington, D.C. |language=en-US}}{{cite AV media |people=President Trump |date=March 24, 2025 |title=President Trump and the Governor of Louisiana Deliver Remarks |url=https://www.youtube.com/live/qqgmQUbuGrg?t=1156s |work=Official White House YouTube channel |language=en-US |access-date=March 27, 2025}}

Within the legal community, there have been varied responses to Trump's attacks on the profession. Law firms that haven't been targeted by Trump have largely been silent in response. A few firms have issued public statements, such as Albert Sellars LLP, whose response was a concise "Fuck that fascist nonsense."{{Cite web |last=Rose |first=Neil |date=2025-03-24 |title=Trump escalates attack on lawyers with disciplinary threat |url=https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/latest-news/trump-escalates-attack-on-lawyers-with-disciplinary-threat |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=Legal Futures |language=en-GB}} The American Bar Association released a statement encouraging everyone in the profession to stand up against the Trump's "efforts to undermine the courts and the legal profession", following that with another statement joined by over 50 smaller bar associations across the country.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-03 |title=The ABA rejects efforts to undermine the courts and the legal profession |url=https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/aba-news-archives/2025/03/aba-rejects-efforts-to-undermine-courts-and-legal-profession/ |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=American Bar Association |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Cassens Weiss |first=Debra |date=2025-03-25 |title=ABA, more than 50 bar associations condemn 'government actions that seek to twist the scales of justice' |url=https://www.abajournal.com/news/article/aba-and-more-than-50-bar-associations-condemn-government-actions-that-seek-to-twist-the-scales-of-justice |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=ABA Journal}} The deans of nearly 80 law schools from across the country also signed a joint letter condemning the administration's actions, stating that "Punishing lawyers for their representation and advocacy violates the First Amendment and undermines the Sixth Amendment."{{Cite web |last=Zaretsky |first=Staci |date=2025-03-27 |title=Law School Deans Denounce Trump's Attacks On Biglaw Firms As Unconstitutional |url=https://abovethelaw.com/2025/03/law-school-deans-denounce-trumps-attacks-on-biglaw-firms-as-unconstitutional/ |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=Above the Law |language=en-US}} Democratic state attorneys general sent a joint letter as well, condemning Trump's attempts to undermine the rule of law.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-03-26 |title=21 attorneys general call on legal community to stand in 'defense of rule of law' in wake of president's actions |url=https://www.ojaivalleynews.com/news/government/21-attorneys-general-call-on-legal-community-to-stand-in-defense-of-rule-of-law/article_e55cdac9-4165-4cc1-ad18-07e16f6fa27d.html |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=Ventura County Sun {{!}} Ojai Valley News |language=en}} Rachel Cohen, an associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (also known as Skadden) organized an open letter, inviting other associates to sign on. The letter, addressed to large law firms, called on them to take a stand, and as of March 27, 2025 over 1500 associates had signed it.{{Cite news |last=Lat |first=David |date=2025-03-27 |title=Skadden Associate Says Peers Have Role in Standing Up to Trump |url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/skadden-associate-says-peers-have-role-in-standing-up-to-trump |access-date=2025-03-27 |work=Bloomberg Law}}{{Cite web |last=Zaretsky |first=Staci |date=2025-03-17 |title=Hundreds Of Associates Sign Open Letter Calling On Biglaw Leaders To 'Defend' The Legal Profession |url=https://abovethelaw.com/2025/03/hundreds-of-associates-sign-open-letter-calling-on-biglaw-leaders-to-defend-the-legal-profession/ |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=Above the Law |language=en-US}} Cohen also submitted a conditional resignation letter, calling on Skadden to fight Trump's actions, and they let her go the same day.{{Cite web |last=Zaretsky |first=Staci |date=2025-03-21 |title=A Third-Year Skadden Associate Is The Only Person In Biglaw Willing To Publicly Condemn Trump's Threat To The Rule Of Law |url=https://abovethelaw.com/2025/03/a-third-year-skadden-associate-is-the-only-person-in-biglaw-willing-to-publicly-condemn-trumps-threat-to-the-rule-of-law/ |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=Above the Law |language=en-US}} Skadden later proactively approached the Trump administration before Trump targeted them with an executive order, coming to an agreement with the administration along the same lines as that reached by Paul, Weiss.

{{See also|Information, science and research under the second Trump administration|Protests against the second presidency of Donald Trump}}

Trump and the Republican Party advocated for new laws and pursued policies to crack down on campus curriculum, protests, political expression, and speakers that attempted to sidestep the Constitution's free speech protections.{{Cite news |last=Peters |first=Jeremy W. |date=March 20, 2025 |title=How the G.O.P. Went From Championing Campus Free Speech to Fighting It |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/us/politics/republicans-trump-free-speech-campuses.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=March 20, 2025 |issn=0362-4331 }}

In March 2025, the administration stated that it was cancelling $400 million in federal funding to Columbia University "due to the school’s continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students", and "other alleged violations of Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964."{{Cite news |last=Moore |first=Elena |date=2025-03-07 |title=Trump administration cancels $400 million in federal dollars for Columbia University |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/03/07/nx-s1-5321326/trump-administration-columbia-university-400-million-cancelled |access-date=2025-03-20 |work=NPR |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Diaz |first=Jaclyn |date=2025-03-14 |title=Turmoil rocks Columbia University as Trump administration demands changes — or else |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/03/14/nx-s1-5328589/columbia-university-trump-letter-funding |access-date=2025-03-20 |work=NPR |language=en}} The administration subsequently made multiple demands, including that the university place its Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies Department under academic receivership, that it suspend or expel students who had participated in Columbia's 2024 pro-Palestinian campus occupations, and that it change admissions policies. Several academic associations condemned the Trump administration's actions as an attack on academic freedom.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-17 |title=Letter to the leadership of Columbia University urging it to reject the Trump administration's ultimatum of 13 March 2025 and stand firm in defense of academic freedom & the university's independence |url=https://mesana.org/advocacy/committee-on-academic-freedom/2025/03/17/letter-to-the-leadership-of-columbia-university-urging-it-to-reject-the-trump-administrations-ultimatum-of-13-march-2025-and-stand-firm-in-defense-of-academic-freedom-and-the-universitys-independenc |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=Middle East Studies Association |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2025-03-20 |title=Joint Statement of AAUP Chapters Regarding the Ongoing Crisis at Columbia University |url=https://www.aaup.org/news/joint-statement-aaup-chapters-regarding-ongoing-crisis-columbia-university |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=AAUP |language=en}}

Forty-one members of Columbia's history department wrote the university's president and board of trustees, noting that "authoritarian regimes always seek to gain control over independent academic institutions" and should be resisted.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-20 |title=Letter to President Katrina Armstrong and the Board of Trustees |url=https://bsky.app/profile/karl-jacoby.bsky.social/post/3lksof2iwec2z |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=BlueSky}} The university's chapter of the American Association of University Professors likewise urged it to resist, describing the government's demands as "a ransom letter" and saying that the "assault on Columbia will serve as a model for attacks on other universities across the nation".{{Cite web |last=Quinn |first=Ryan |title=Columbia AAUP Urges University to Reject Trump's Demands |url=https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2025/03/19/columbia-aaup-urges-university-reject-trumps-demands |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=Inside Higher Ed |language=en}} Other academics, including Christopher Eisgruber,{{Cite web |last=Eisgruber |first=Christopher L. |date=2025-03-19 |title=The Cost of the Government's Attack on Columbia |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/03/columbia-academic-freedom/682088/ |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=The Atlantic |language=en}} Austin Sarat,{{Cite web |last=Sarat |first=Austin |date=2025-03-17 |title=Opinion: Trump's attack on Columbia requires an unprecedented response |url=https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/trump-columbia-university-federal-funding-higher-ed-rcna196755 |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=MSNBC |language=en}} and Steven Levistky and Ryan Enos,{{Cite web |last1=Enos |first1=Ryan D. |last2=Levitsky |first2=Steven |date=2025-03-14 |title=Opinion: First They Came for Columbia |url=https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2025/3/14/enos-levitsky-harvard-columbia-trump/ |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=The Harvard Crimson}} wrote columns, again arguing that this was just the first step in a broader attack on higher education, and calling for action from institutions and the public at large. Levitsky, co-author of How Democracies Die, says that "It is really common for authoritarian governments – both those on the left and those on the right – to go after universities".{{Cite web |last=Rose |first=Andy |date=2025-03-20 |title=Elite universities feel targeted as Trump administration expands immigration crackdown |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/20/us/universities-trump-immigration-international-students/index.html |access-date=2025-03-30 |website=CNN |language=en}}

Immigrations & Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested a 30-year-old lawful permanent resident and Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, and would attempt to deport him and others who took part in protests for alleged antisemitism. The move was described by legal experts as a violation of the First Amendment and serving a chilling effect against dissent more broadly.{{Cite news |last1=Kanno-Youngs |first1=Zolan |last2=Aleaziz |first2=Hamed |date=March 12, 2025 |title=Inside Trump's Crackdown on Dissent: Obscure Laws, ICE Agents and Fear |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/12/us/politics/trump-crackdown-dissent.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=March 20, 2025 |issn=0362-4331 }} Trump contributed to deporting kidney transplant specialist and Brown University professor Dr. Rasha Alawieh in defiance of a court order,{{Cite news |last=Goldstein |first=Dana |date=March 16, 2025 |title=Brown University Professor Is Deported Despite a Judge's Order |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/16/us/brown-university-rasha-alawieh-professor-deported.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=March 20, 2025 |issn=0362-4331 }} and denying entry to a French scientist after messages critical of Trump were found on his phone.{{Cite news |last=Mackey |first=Robert |date=March 19, 2025 |title=French scientist denied US entry after phone messages critical of Trump found |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/19/trump-musk-french-scientist-detained |access-date=March 20, 2025 }}

The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights contacted 60 additional colleges and universities, saying that it had initiated investigations and again invoking alleged violations “relating to antisemitic harassment and discrimination”.{{Cite web |last1=Tsui |first1=Karina |last2=Wolfe |first2=Elizabeth |date=2025-03-11 |title=Department of Education investigating 60 colleges and universities over antisemitism claims |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/10/us/department-of-education-warning-universities-title-vi-antisemitism/index.html |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=CNN |language=en}} A group of approximately 400 Jewish faculty and students from across the country responded with a letter saying that they were united in their refusal "to let our Jewish identities be used as a pretext for destroying institutions that have long made America great."{{Cite news |last=Lonas Cochran |first=Lexi |date=2025-03-20 |title=Jewish scholars condemn cancellation of federal funding to Columbia |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/education/5205191-jewish-scholars-federal-funding-columbia-university-trump-antisemitism/ |access-date=2025-03-20 |work=The Hill}}

The Trump administration pursued actions against Princeton by stripping federal grants over allegations that the élite university hadn't done enough to comply with the administration's priorities, such as not doing enough in response to anti­semitic discrimination.{{cite news |last=Singh |first=Kanishka |date=April 1, 2025 |title=Princeton's US grants frozen, follows Trump actions against other schools |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/princeton-says-us-grants-frozen-follows-trump-administration-moves-against-other-2025-04-01/ |work=Reuters |location=Washington, D.C. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250402002113/https://www.reuters.com/world/us/princeton-says-us-grants-frozen-follows-trump-administration-moves-against-other-2025-04-01/ |archive-date=April 2, 2025 |access-date=April 2, 2025}}{{cite news |last1=Blinder |first1=Alan |last2=Hartocollis |first2=Anemona |date=April 1, 2025 |title=Trump Pauses Dozens of Federal Grants to Princeton |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/01/us/trump-federal-grants-princeton.html |work=The New York Times |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250402011658/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/01/us/trump-federal-grants-princeton.html |archive-date=April 2, 2025 |access-date=April 2, 2025}} On March 31, the board of the Association of American Universities stated that stopping research funding “for reasons unrelated to research sets a dangerous and counterproductive precedent.”

In March 2025, the administration paused $175 million to the University of Pennsylvania.{{Cite news |last=Pengelly |first=Martin |date=2025-03-19 |title=Trump administration pauses $175m in funds to UPenn over trans athlete policy |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/19/trump-administration-upenn-funding-trans-athletes |access-date=2025-04-11 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

In April 2025, the administration froze a billion dollars to Cornell University, $790 million to Northwestern University, and $2.3 billion to Harvard University.{{Cite news |last1=Bender |first1=Michael C. |last2=Stolberg |first2=Sheryl Gay |date=2025-04-08 |title=Trump Administration Freezes $1 Billion for Cornell and $790 Million for Northwestern, Officials Say |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/08/us/politics/cornell-northwestern-university-funds-trump.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250409225858/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/08/us/politics/cornell-northwestern-university-funds-trump.html |archive-date=9 Apr 2025 |access-date= |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}{{cite news |title=Trump officials cut billions in Harvard funds after university defies demands |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/14/trump-harvard-funding-freeze |access-date=April 14, 2025 |work=The Guardian |date=April 14, 2025}} The administration has also targeted Brown University and Princeton University.{{Cite news |last=Blinder |first=Alan |date=2025-04-11 |title=Trump Has Targeted These Universities. Why? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/article/trump-university-college.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250409194006/https://www.nytimes.com/article/trump-university-college.html |archive-date=9 Apr 2025 |access-date= |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

On April 22, 2025, the American Association of Colleges and Universities published a statement, signed by more than 150 university and college presidents, decrying "unprecedented government overreach and political interference" from the Trump administration.{{cite news |last1=Speri |first1=Alice |title=Over 150 US university presidents sign letter decrying Trump administration |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/21/us-university-presidents-trump-administration |access-date=April 22, 2025 |work=The Guardian |date=April 22, 2025}}{{cite web |title=A Call for Constructive Engagement |url=https://www.aacu.org/newsroom/a-call-for-constructive-engagement |website=American Association of Colleges and Universities |access-date=April 22, 2025 |date=April 22, 2025}}

{{see also|List of executive orders in the second presidency of Donald Trump}}

File:President Donald Trump has signed the most first-day executive orders of recent presidents. First-day executive orders by previous ten presidents, 1969–2025.png

Trump began office with the most executive orders ever signed on the first day of a United States presidential term,{{Cite news |last=Rakich |first=Nathaniel |date=January 21, 2025 |title=No, Trump can't cancel the 2028 election. But he could still weaken democracy. |work=FiveThirtyEight |url=https://abcnews.go.com/538/trump-cancel-2028-election-weaken-democracy/story?id=117807079 |access-date=January 24, 2025 |archive-date=January 24, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250124104348/https://abcnews.go.com/538/trump-cancel-2028-election-weaken-democracy/story?id=117807079 |url-status=live |quote=He issued more executive orders on Day 1 than any previous president}} at 26 executive orders.{{Cite web |title=Executive Orders and Documents of the President (Trump) |url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/search?conditions%5Btype%5D%5B%5D=PRESDOCU&order=newest |access-date=2025-02-15 |website=The Federal Register |language=en}} Following behind Trump's executive order tally is Joe Biden at 9 executive orders on January 20, 2021,{{Cite web |title=Joe Biden's Executive Orders |url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/search?conditions%5Bpresident%5D%5B%5D=joe-biden&conditions%5Bterm%5D=executive+order&conditions%5Btype%5D%5B%5D=PRESDOCU&order=oldest |access-date=2025-02-15 |website=The Federal Register |language=en}} then Barack Obama at 2 executive orders, and Bill Clinton at 1 executive order.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-22 |title=How many executive orders has each president signed? |url=https://usafacts.org/articles/how-many-executive-orders-has-each-president-signed/ |access-date=2025-02-22 |website=USAFacts |language=en}}

Trump's signing of executive orders was described as a "shock and awe" campaign that tested the limits of executive authority.{{Cite news |last=Wootson |first=Cleve R. Jr. |date=January 21, 2025 |title=Trump's executive orders already face pushback, legal challenges |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/01/21/trump-executive-orders-challenges-lawsuits/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 23, 2025 |newspaper=The Washington Post |issn=0190-8286}}{{Cite news |last=Peterson |first=Matt |date=January 21, 2025 |title=Trump's New Executive Orders Show His Power—and His Limits |work=Barron's |url=https://www.barrons.com/amp/articles/trump-executive-orders-limits-d3d67243 |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 23, 2025 |quote=President Donald Trump's first day back on the job began with what has been dubbed a shock and awe campaign, a burst of dozens of executive orders meant to jump-start his political and economic strategies.}} Four days into Trump's second term, analysis conducted by Time found that nearly two-thirds of his executive actions "mirror or partially mirror" proposals from Project 2025,{{cite magazine |last=Popli |first=Nik |date=2025-01-24 |title=Trump's Early Actions Mirror Project 2025 |url=https://time.com/7209901/donald-trump-executive-actions-project-2025/ |access-date=2025-01-25 |magazine=Time |language=en}} which was seconded with analysis from Bloomberg Government.{{Cite news |last1=Tamari |first1=Jonathan |last2=Lee |first2=Brandon |date=January 24, 2025 |title=Trump's Early Actions Mirror Project 2025 Plan He Once Dismissed |work=Bloomberg Government |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-24/trump-s-early-actions-mirror-project-2025-plan-he-once-dismissed |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 24, 2025|quote=In all, more than 30 out of Trump's 47 initial executive actions as of Thursday afternoon match or partially align with ideas promoted in Project 2025, the analysis found.}}

The signing of many of Trump's executive orders are being challenged in court, as the executive orders are affecting federal funding, federal employee status, immigration, federal programs, government data availability, and more. The majority of the cases are being filed in response to executive orders related to the establishment of the Department of Government Efficiency, Executive Order 14158, and the actions taken by Elon Musk and the DOGE team towards federal agencies as self-identified cost-cutting measures.{{Cite news |last1=Keith |first1=Tamara |last2=Martínez |first2=A |date=2025-02-12 |title=Trump and Musk appear together to defend the cost-cutting efforts of DOGE |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/02/12/nx-s1-5293519/trump-and-musk-appear-together-to-defend-the-cost-cutting-efforts-of-doge |access-date=2025-02-22 |work=NPR |language=en}}

{{see also|Social policy of the second Donald Trump administration}}

File:Trump Day 1 Executive Order Signing.jpg]]

Prospective policies for Trump's second presidency were proposed in Agenda 47, a collection of his formal policy plans.{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/07/17/trumps-agenda-47-project-2025/74439445007/ |title=As Trump creates distance from Project 2025, conservative Agenda47 comes into focus |last=Walrath-Holdridge |first=Mary |publication-date=July 17, 2024 |newspaper=USA Today |access-date=January 18, 2025 |quote=Starting in 2022, Trump's official campaign began uploading a series of policy plans to its website, detailing how the Republican candidate plans to tackle some of the country's most pressing issues. Called Agenda47, the campaign materials paint a big picture of what Americans may expect under another Trump presidency.}}{{cite news |author=Durkee |first=Alison |date=2025-01-17 |title=What Is Agenda47? What To Know About Trump's Policy Agenda Before His Inauguration |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2025/01/17/what-is-agenda47-what-to-know-about-trumps-policy-agenda-before-his-inauguration/ |access-date=January 18, 2025 |work=Forbes |quote=Tangent. Since the last Agenda47 video was released in December 2023, Trump has announced other policy proposals separate from those released under the Agenda47 heading.}}

Before being elected, Trump had declared that abortion should be delegated to states in April 2024.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2024/04/08/trump-abortion-statement/ |title=Trump says abortion should be left to states, does not endorse national limit |date=April 8, 2024 |last1=Knowles |first1=Hannah |last2=LeVine |first2=Marianne |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=November 10, 2024 |archive-date=July 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240714184841/https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2024/04/08/trump-abortion-statement/ |url-status=live}} To that extent, he stated he would allow states to monitor pregnancies and criminally charge abortion patients.{{Cite magazine |url=https://time.com/6972021/donald-trump-2024-election-interview/ |title=How Far Trump Would Go |date=April 30, 2024 |last=Cortellessa |first=Eric |magazine=Time |access-date=November 10, 2024 |archive-date=May 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240511000706/https://time.com/6972021/donald-trump-2024-election-interview/ |url-status=live}} Trump criticized the Arizona Supreme Court's ruling in Planned Parenthood Arizona v. Mayes (2024), in which the court upheld an 1864 law criminalizing abortions except to save the life of the mother, stating that he would not sign a federal abortion ban{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/10/us/politics/trump-arizona-abortion.html |title=Trump Says He Wouldn't Sign a Federal Abortion Ban, Criticizing Arizona Ruling |date=April 10, 2024 |last=Gold |first=Michael |work=The New York Times |access-date=November 10, 2024 |archive-date=December 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204083645/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/10/us/politics/trump-arizona-abortion.html |url-status=live}} and reaffirmed his position in October.{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2024/10/01/trump-abortion-veto-national-ban-00182091 |title=Trump vows to veto any federal abortion ban — after previously refusing to commit |date=October 1, 2024 |last1=Kashinsky |first1=Lisa |last2=Messerly |first2=Megan |work=Politico |access-date=November 10, 2024 |archive-date=December 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241209070530/https://www.politico.com/news/2024/10/01/trump-abortion-veto-national-ban-00182091 |url-status=live}}

After the Alabama Supreme Court ruled in LePage v. Center for Reproductive Medicine (2024) that frozen embryos are living beings, Trump positioned himself in favor of in vitro fertilisation (IVF).{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2024/09/12/trump-ivf-gop-roe-abortion-00178760 |title=Trump sells himself as a 'leader' on IVF, angering some Republicans |date=September 12, 2024 |last1=Ollstein |first1=Alice |last2=Messerly |first2=Megan |work=Politico |access-date=November 10, 2024 |archive-date=November 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241111055155/https://www.politico.com/news/2024/09/12/trump-ivf-gop-roe-abortion-00178760 |url-status=live}}

On January 24, 2025, during the first week of his second term as president, Trump reinstated the Mexico City policy, which had been rescinded by the Biden administration.{{Cite news |last1=Shalan |first1=Andrea |last2=Singh |first2=Kanishka |date=January 24, 2025 |title=Trump uses executive power to reinstate anti-abortion pacts |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-rejoining-international-anti-abortion-pact-2025-01-25/ |access-date=February 11, 2025 |work=Reuters}}

On February 19, 2025, Trump signed an executive order to expand access to and reduce the costs of IVF.

{{see also|Environmental policy of the second Donald Trump administration}}

At a private dinner at Mar-a-Lago in April 2024, Trump encouraged fossil fuel companies to donate to his campaign, saying that he would roll back environmental regulations if elected.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/09/climate/trump-oil-gas-mar-a-lago.html |title=At a Dinner, Trump Assailed Climate Rules and Asked $1 Billion From Big Oil |date=May 9, 2024 |last1=Friedman |first1=Lisa |last2=Davenport |first2=Coral |last3=Swan |first3=Jonathan |last4=Haberman |first4=Maggie |author-link3=Jonathan Swan |author-link4=Maggie Haberman |work=The New York Times |access-date=November 10, 2024 |archive-date=December 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241209104337/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/09/climate/trump-oil-gas-mar-a-lago.html |url-status=live}}

Trump's transition team for climate and the environment was led by David Bernhardt, a former oil lobbyist who served as interior secretary, and Andrew R. Wheeler, a former coal lobbyist who led the EPA under Trump. The team prepared to withdraw from the Paris Agreement for a second time, expand drilling and mining on public land, and dismantle offices working to end pollution. Trump pledged to redraw the boundaries of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monuments as he did in his first term, end a pause on new natural gas export terminals that began under President Joe Biden, and prevent states from setting their own pollution standards.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/08/climate/trump-transition-epa-interior-energy.html |title=With Ready Orders and an Energy Czar, Trump Plots Pivot to Fossil Fuels |date=November 8, 2024 |last1=Davenport |first1=Coral |last2=Friedman |first2=Lisa |work=The New York Times |access-date=November 8, 2024}}

Upon taking office, Trump appointed oil, gas, and chemical lobbyists to the Environmental Protection Agency to roll back climate rules and pollution controls.{{Cite news |last1=Friedman |first1=Lisa |last2=Tabuchi |first2=Hiroko |last3=Davenport |first3=Coral |date=January 25, 2025 |title=Trump Stocks E.P.A. With Oil, Gas and Chemical Lobbyists |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/25/climate/epa-staff-oil-gas-chemical-industry-lobbyists.html |access-date=January 26, 2025 |issn=0362-4331 }} Trump ordered the pause on disbursement of climate-related funds issued by the IRA and BIL, and falsely conflated the funds with the "Green New Deal".{{Cite news |last1=Frazen |first1=Rachael |last2=Budryk |first2=Zack |date=January 22, 2025 |title=White House narrows executive order restricting IRA funds |work=The Hill |url=https://thehill.com/newsletters/energy-environment/5101313-white-house-narrows-executive-order-restricting-ira-funds/ |access-date=January 26, 2025 |quote=Trump has frequently falsely conflated Biden-era climate policies with the "Green New Deal," an ambitious suite of energy and environmental legislation supported by lawmakers including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.). }}

In February 2025, the FBI, Treasury Department, and EPA requested that Citibank freeze bank accounts of nonprofit organizations that received funding under the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, created by Congress in 2022 as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. Citibank froze the accounts. The FBI also asked Citibank to freeze accounts of Habitat for Humanity, United Way, the Colorado Clean Energy Fund and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. Three nonprofit organizations challenged the actions in court.{{Cite web |last=De Chant |first=Tim |date=2025-03-13 |title=FBI, EPA, and Treasury told Citibank to freeze funds as Trump administration tries to claw back climate money |url=https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/13/fbi-epa-and-treasury-told-citibank-to-freeze-funds-as-trump-administration-tries-to-claw-back-climate-money/ |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}

In April 2025, Trump issued Executive Order 14260 (Protecting American Energy From State Overreach) which directs the Attorney General to "identify and take action against state laws and policies that burden the use of domestic energy resources and that are unconstitutional, preempted by federal law, or otherwise unenforceable".{{Cite web |date=2025-04-08 |title=Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Protects American Energy from State Overreach |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/04/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-protects-american-energy-from-state-overreach/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250409200659/https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/04/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-protects-american-energy-from-state-overreach/ |archive-date=9 Apr 2025 |access-date= |website=The White House |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |date=April 9, 2025 |title=Trump issues order to block state climate change policies |url=https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/trump-issues-order-block-state-climate-change-policies-2025-04-09/ |work=Reuters}}

Trump entered office following 2024's 50-year record-low level of violent crime.{{Cite news |last1=Brangham |first1=William |last2=Lane |first2=Sam |last3=Hartman |first3=Sarah Clune |date=December 30, 2024 |title=U.S. sees sharp decline in murders and other crimes in 2024 |work=PBC News |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/u-s-sees-sharp-decline-in-murders-and-others-crimes-in-2024 |access-date=January 23, 2025 |archive-date=January 6, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250106140129/https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/u-s-sees-sharp-decline-in-murders-and-others-crimes-in-2024 |url-status=live}}{{Cite news |last=Jacobsen |first=Louis |date=May 29, 2024 |title=Joe Biden is correct that violent crime is near a 50-year low |publisher=Poynter Institute |url=https://www.poynter.org/reporting-editing/2024/crime-rate-up-or-down-united-states/ |access-date=January 23, 2025 |archive-date=January 18, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250118083016/https://www.poynter.org/reporting-editing/2024/crime-rate-up-or-down-united-states/ |url-status=live}} The Associated Press reported that despite historic drops in crime, many voters felt unsafe due to "misleading campaign rhetoric".{{Cite news |last=Lauder |first=Claudia |date= |title=US cities largely saw a drop in violent crime in 2024, yet many still feel unsafe |work=Associated Press |url=https://apnews.com/article/violent-crime-homicides-statistics-safety-c28f7291a1e9b8c310b586ba6514222c |access-date=January 23, 2025 |archive-date=January 20, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250120182542/https://apnews.com/article/violent-crime-homicides-statistics-safety-c28f7291a1e9b8c310b586ba6514222c |url-status=live}}

Upon taking office, Trump issued an executive order to resume and pursue executions for criminal cases,{{Cite news |last=Eisner |first=Chiara |date=January 21, 2025 |title=Trump's executive order resumes executions, after Biden dialed them back |work=NPR News |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/01/21/g-s1-44120/trump-executive-order-executions-resumed-immigrants |access-date=January 26, 2025}} and the Justice Department put a freeze on civil rights cases and signaled it would roll back consent agreements with police departments.{{Cite news |last=Richer |first=Alanna Durkin |date=January 22, 2025 |title=Trump's new Justice Department leadership orders a freeze on civil rights cases |work=Associated Press News |url=https://apnews.com/article/civil-rights-division-justice-department-trump-2dcb45cca7c9c9cdaea78282d4279c35 |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 26, 2025 }} A New York Times analysis described Trump's conflicting policies and pardons towards criminal justice as sending a message of "backing the blue" as long as they backed him.{{Cite news |last1=Broadwater |first1=Luke |last2=Kanno-Youngs |first2=Zolan |date=January 24, 2025 |title=Trump Supports the Police, Just as Long as They Support Him |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/24/us/politics/trump-pardons-bias.html |access-date=January 26, 2025 |issn=0362-4331 }}

The National Law Enforcement Accountability Database (which kept disciplinary records of federal law enforcement officers) was deactivated in January 2025; it was proposed by Trump in 2020 and created by Biden in 2023.{{cite news |last1=Jackman |first1=Tom |last2=Dwoskin |first2=Elizabeth |title=Justice Department deletes database tracking federal police misconduct |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/02/20/trump-justice-nlead-database-deleted/ |access-date=February 22, 2025 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=February 21, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250221213005/https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/02/20/trump-justice-nlead-database-deleted/ |archive-date=February 21, 2025}} Separately, Elon Musk's private bodyguards were assigned as special deputies by the United States Marshals Service, reported CNN and CBS News in February 2025.{{cite news |last1=Sganga |first1=Nicole |title=Elon Musk's private security detail deputized by U.S. Marshals Service, sources say |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/elon-musk-private-security-detail-deputized-by-us-marshals-service/ |access-date=February 22, 2025 |work=CBS News |date=February 21, 2025}}{{cite news |last1=Rabinowitz |first1=Hannah |last2=Wild |first2=Whitney |title=Elon Musk's private security detail gets deputized by US Marshals Service |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/20/politics/elon-musk-private-security-deputized-marshals-service/index.html |access-date=February 22, 2025 |work=CNN |date=February 20, 2025}}

{{See also|List of people granted executive clemency by Donald Trump|Pardon of January 6 United States Capitol attack defendants}}

During the transition period, Trump was expected to end the Department of Justice's prosecutions against him in Washington, D.C., and Florida. According to The Washington Post, Special Counsel Jack Smith considered ending his prosecutions early and submitting a final report to Attorney General Merrick Garland before Trump was inaugurated.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/11/06/trump-trials-disappear-new-york-sentencing/ |title=As Trump wins White House, special counsel weighs how to end trials |date=November 6, 2024 |last1=Stein |first1=Perry |last2=Jacobs |first2=Shayna |last3=Bailey |first3=Holly |last4=Hsu |first4=Spencer |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=November 6, 2024 |archive-date=November 25, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241125133110/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/11/06/trump-trials-disappear-new-york-sentencing/ |url-status=live}} The final report was submitted on January 7, 2025, with no charges being brought to trial against Trump.{{cite report |last=Smith |first=Jack |author1-link=Jack Smith (lawyer) |date=7 January 2025 |title=Final Report on the Special Counsel's Investigations and Prosecutions: Volume 1 |url=https://www.justice.gov/storage/Report-of-Special-Counsel-Smith-Volume-1-January-2025.pdf |access-date=3 February 2025 |website=Justice.gov |publisher=US Department of Justice}}

Upon assuming the presidency again on January 20, 2025, Trump issued a blanket mass pardon for those charged with the January 6 Capitol Riot.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-01-21 |title=Granting Pardons and Commutation of Sentences for Certain Offenses Relating to the Events at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021 |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/granting-pardons-and-commutation-of-sentences-for-certain-offenses-relating-to-the-events-at-or-near-the-united-states-capitol-on-january-6-2021/ |access-date=2025-01-21 |website=whitehouse.gov |language=en-US}} During his campaign for re-election, Trump had said multiple times that if he were reelected in 2024, he would pardon the rioters.{{Cite news |last1=Pager |first1=Tyler |date=January 30, 2022 |title=Trump suggests that if he is reelected, he will pardon Jan. 6 Capitol rioters |language=en-US |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/01/29/trump-jan6-protesters/ |access-date=January 30, 2022 |issn=0190-8286 |archive-date=January 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220131120245/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/01/29/trump-jan6-protesters/ |url-status=live}}{{cite news |last1=Papenfuss |first1=Mary |date=June 17, 2022 |title=Trump Says He'll 'Look Very Seriously' At Pardoning Jan. 6 Defendants If Reelected |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-nashville-very-very-seriously-pardons-jan-6-insurrection_n_62acecfbe4b0cdccbe5d9bc1 |access-date=June 18, 2022 |website=HuffPost|language=en |archive-date=June 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220621022230/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-nashville-very-very-seriously-pardons-jan-6-insurrection_n_62acecfbe4b0cdccbe5d9bc1 |url-status=live}}{{cite news |last1=Papenfuss |first1=Mary |date=November 5, 2022 |title='Let Them All Go Now': Trump Calls For Release Of Everyone Arrested In Jan. 6 Riot |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-trump-release-jan-6-prisoners-unfair_n_6366cea1e4b05f221e7a9335 |access-date=November 6, 2022 |website=HuffPost|language=en |archive-date=November 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221106162718/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-trump-release-jan-6-prisoners-unfair_n_6366cea1e4b05f221e7a9335 |url-status=live}}{{Cite news |date=March 12, 2024 |title=Trump says will free US Capitol rioters if re-elected |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/trump-says-will-free-us-capitol-rioters-if-re-elected |access-date=March 12, 2024 |work=The Straits Times |language=en |issn=0585-3923 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241117084020/https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/trump-says-will-free-us-capitol-rioters-if-re-elected |archive-date=November 17, 2024 |url-status=live}} The pardon commuted the prison sentences of 14 people by name, effected the release of over 200 others also in prison, and pardoned the more than 1,550 people who had been criminally charged.{{cite news |last1=Feuer |first1=Alan |title=What to Know About Trump's Broad Grant of Clemency to Jan. 6 Rioters |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/20/us/politics/trump-pardons-jan6.html |access-date=14 February 2025 |work=The New York Times |date=21 January 2025}} 500 people had been sentenced to prison terms and 1,358 had been criminally charged. Following Trump's grant of clemency to all January 6 rioters, on January 22, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced a formation of a panel to investigate the January 6 committee in what the Associated Press described as "an effort to defend Trump's actions that day and dispute the work of a bipartisan committee that investigated the siege two years ago".{{Cite news |last1=Kunzelman |first1=Michael |last2=Mascaro |first2=Lisa |date=January 22, 2025 |title=Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes visits Capitol Hill after Trump clemency |url=https://apnews.com/article/capitol-riot-pardons-trump-2e2275ff164550de29c34de8d12886ab |access-date=January 23, 2025 |work=Associated Press News}}

In May 2024 at the Libertarian National Convention, Trump said that he would commute Ross Ulbricht's sentence on his first day in office.{{cite news |date=May 25, 2024 |title=Trump to announce plans to commute 'Silk Road' website operator Ross Ulbricht's prison sentence |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/trump-commute-silk-road-website-operator-ross-ulbrichts-life-prison-se-rcna154082 |access-date=May 26, 2024 |website=NBC News |language=en |first1=Abigail |last1=Brooks |first2=Megan |last2=Lebowitz |archive-date=May 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526014103/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/trump-commute-silk-road-website-operator-ross-ulbrichts-life-prison-se-rcna154082 |url-status=live}} Since 2015, Ulbricht had been serving a life sentence for charges related to creating and operating the darknet market website Silk Road, which operated as a onion services on the Tor network and facilitated the sale of narcotics and other illegal products and services.{{Cite news |last=McLaughlin |first=Jenna |date=January 21, 2025 |title=Trump pardons Ross Ulbricht, creator of the Silk Road dark web marketplace |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/01/21/nx-s1-5270051/trump-pardons-dark-web-marketplace-creator-ross-ulbricht |access-date=January 23, 2025 |website=NPR |language=en}}{{cite news|last1=Raymond|first1=Nate|title=Accused Silk Road operator convicted on U.S. drug charges|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-bitcoin-trial-idUSKBN0L82H920150205|access-date=June 22, 2015|publisher=Reuters|date=February 4, 2015|archive-date=December 27, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151227110703/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-bitcoin-trial-idUSKBN0L82H920150205|url-status=live}} On January 21, 2025, Trump issued a full and unconditional pardon to Ross Ulbricht, fulfilling a campaign promise.{{cite news |title=Trump pardons Ross Ulbricht, founder of Silk Road drug marketplace |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/21/ross-ulbricht-silk-road-trump-pardon |website=The Guardian |access-date=January 22, 2025 |date=January 21, 2025}}

On January 23, 2025, Trump granted pardons to 23 anti-abortion protestors. Among the 23 pardoned were Lauren Handy and 9 of her co-defendants, who were involved in the October 2020 blockade of a Washington, DC abortion clinic, and later convicted in violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act.{{cite news |title=Trump signs pardons for 23 anti-abortion protesters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-signs-pardons-23-anti-abortion-protesters-2025-01-23/ |work=Reuters |access-date=January 23, 2025 |date=January 23, 2025}}{{cite news |author1=Fernando, Christine |title=Trump pardons anti-abortion activists who blockaded clinic entrances |url=https://apnews.com/article/abortion-trump-executive-order-pardon-817774b21d32a4edf6d39ee43cbc18f4 |work=Associated Press News |access-date=January 23, 2025 |date=January 23, 2025}}

Trump has also floated or hinted at issuing potential pardons for Julian Assange, Hunter Biden and Peter Navarro; media outlets have also speculated that Trump may issue pardons for Eric Adams and Todd and Julie Chrisley.{{cite news|last=Dorn|first=Sara|title=Here's Who Trump Might Pardon—From Hunter Biden To Jan. 6 Rioters And Eric Adams|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2024/11/08/heres-who-trump-might-pardon-from-hunter-biden-to-jan-6-rioters-and-eric-adams/|work=Forbes|date=November 8, 2024|archive-date=November 17, 2024|access-date=November 15, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241117090338/https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2024/11/08/heres-who-trump-might-pardon-from-hunter-biden-to-jan-6-rioters-and-eric-adams/|url-status=live}}

Trump in March 2025 wrote on social media that President Joe Biden's pardons of lawmakers who investigated the January 6 attack were now "void, vacant, and of no further force of effect", as Trump stated that these pardons were signed by autopen. In 2024, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that pardons do not have to be in writing.{{cite news |last1=Korte |first1=Gregory |last2=Dlouhy |first2=Jennifer |title=Trump Calls Biden Pardons 'Void' Because of Autopen Usage |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-03-17/trump-calls-biden-pardons-void-because-of-autopen-usage |access-date=March 17, 2025 |work=Bloomberg News |date=March 17, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250317072117/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-03-17/trump-calls-biden-pardons-void-because-of-autopen-usage |archive-date=March 17, 2025}}

{{main|Diversity, equity, and inclusion policies of the second Trump administration|Protests against the second presidency of Donald Trump}}

File:President Donald Trump hosts a reception honoring Black History Month (54340602692).jpg on February 20, 2025]]

In January 2025, President Trump signed executive orders aimed at terminating DEI practices and another aimed at transgender issues.{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxrothschild.com/publications/trio-of-trump-executive-orders-take-aim-at-dei-and-gender-policies|title=Fox Rothschild LLP — Attorneys at Law|website=www.foxrothschild.com}}

At a press conference held in January 2025, the day after a mid-air collision between an airplane and helicopter that killed 67 people, Trump said, "the FAA is actively recruiting workers who suffer severe intellectual disabilities, psychiatric problems and other mental and physical conditions under a diversity and inclusion hiring initiative spelled out on the agency's website."{{Cite web |last1=Raposas |first1=Rachel |last2=Lambe |first2=Stacy |date=January 30, 2025 |title=President Trump Blames DEI for American Airlines Crash, Citing His Own 'Common Sense' and Scolding CNN's Kaitlan Collins |url=https://people.com/donald-trump-gives-briefing-on-american-airlines-crash-cites-dei-policies-and-his-own-common-sense-8783021 |access-date=February 11, 2025 |website=People |language=en}}

In response to anti-DEI executive actions, numerous agencies and websites altered or removed material related to women, racial minorities, and transgender individuals. The National Park Service removed mentions of transgender individuals from its website on the Stonewall riots, changed "LGBT" to "LGB", and removed the word "queer".{{cite web | last=Kim | first=Juliana | title=Park Service erases 'transgender' on Stonewall website, uses the term 'LGB' movement | website=NPR | date=2025-02-14 | url=https://www.npr.org/2025/02/14/g-s1-48923/stonewall-monument-transgender-park-service | access-date=2025-03-20}} The National Cryptologic Museum papered over portraits of women and racial minorities in their Hall of Honor, including those of Elizabeth Friedman, Washington Wong, and Ralph W. Adams Jr.{{cite web | last=Golgowski | first=Nina | title=National Museum Covered Exhibit Honoring Women, People Of Color Amid Anti-DEI Efforts | website=HuffPost | date=2025-02-05 | url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/national-cryptologic-museum-covers-nsa-displays-dei_n_67a36924e4b0eeea940d825f | access-date=2025-03-20}} The portraits were restored after news of the actions began circulating online.{{cite web | last=Langfitt | first=Frank | title=NSA museum covered plaques honoring women and people of color, provoking an uproar | website=NPR | date=2025-02-05 | url=https://www.npr.org/2025/02/05/nx-s1-5286299/nsa-museum-dei-exhibit-women-people-of-color-trump | access-date=2025-03-20}} Pictures that celebrated women in science were removed from NASA buildings.{{cite journal | last=Witze | first=Alexandra | title=NASA embraced diversity. Trump's DEI purge is hitting space scientists hard | journal=Nature | publisher=Nature Publishing Group | date=2025-02-14 | doi=10.1038/d41586-025-00480-x | pmid=39953162 | url=https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00480-x | access-date=2025-03-20}}

{{See also|Protests against the second presidency of Donald Trump}}

Trump inherited a resilient economy from the Biden administration, with increasing economic growth, low unemployment, and declining inflation by statistics.{{efn|Attributed to multiple sources: {{cite news |last1=Horsley |first1=Scott |last2=Simon |first2=Scott |title=Trump inherits a strong economy by the numbers. What's his plan to lower prices? |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/01/25/nx-s1-5270829/trump-inherits-a-strong-economy-by-the-numbers-whats-his-plan-to-lower-prices |publisher=National Public Radio |date=January 25, 2025|quote=Mark Zandi: The numbers speak for themselves. Growth is strong. Lots of jobs. Unemployment is low. If you take the economy on the whole, it really is about as good as it gets. So President Trump is inheriting a fantastic economy.}}{{Cite news |last=Rugaber |first=Christopher |date=January 23, 2025 |title=Trump's inheriting a solid economy, making it harder to lower borrowing costs or inflation |work=The Associated Press |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-economy-inflation-interest-rates-borrowing-6ef86392b080ca963ec633546009409b |access-date=January 23, 2025 |archive-date=January 23, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250123214505/https://apnews.com/article/trump-economy-inflation-interest-rates-borrowing-6ef86392b080ca963ec633546009409b |url-status=live}}{{cite news |last1=Ryssdal |first1=Kai |last2=Terenzio |first2=Sofia |date=November 6, 2024 |title=Trump inherits a sturdy economy |url=https://www.marketplace.org/2024/11/06/strong-economy-next-president-inflation-employment/ |work=Marketplace |access-date=January 23, 2025 |archive-date=December 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241219162259/https://www.marketplace.org/2024/11/06/strong-economy-next-president-inflation-employment/ |url-status=live}}{{Cite news |last=Casselman |first=Ben |date=December 18, 2024 |title=The Economy Is Finally Stable. Is That About to Change? |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/18/business/economy/trump-us-economy.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 23, 2025 |archive-date=January 19, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119044105/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/18/business/economy/trump-us-economy.html |url-status=live |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite news |last=Smart |first=Tim |date=January 9, 2025 |title=Trump Will Inherit a Better Economy Than He Left Behind |work=U.S. News & World Report |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/u-s-news-decision-points/articles/2025-01-09/trump-to-inherit-a-better-economy-than-he-left-behind |access-date=January 23, 2025 |archive-date=January 21, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250121091345/https://www.usnews.com/news/u-s-news-decision-points/articles/2025-01-09/trump-to-inherit-a-better-economy-than-he-left-behind |url-status=live}}}} When Trump assumed office in January 2025, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4%, and the inflation rate, measured by the Personal Consumption Expenditure price index, was projected to range between 2.2% and 2.4% for 2025.{{Cite web |date=February 7, 2025 |title=January 2025 U.S. Transportation Sector Unemployment (3.6%) Falls Below the January 2024 Level (4.7%) And the Pre-Pandemic January 2019 Level (4.0%) |url=https://www.bts.gov/newsroom/january-2025-us-transportation-sector-unemployment-36-falls-below-january-2024-level-47 |website=Bureau of Transportation Statistics |language=en-US |quote=Seasonally adjusted, the U.S. unemployment rate in January 2025 was 4.0%.}}{{Cite web |last=Monroe |first=Maria |date=2025-01-16 |title=Benchmarking the U.S. economy that President Donald Trump is set to inherit |url=https://equitablegrowth.org/benchmarking-the-u-s-economy-that-president-donald-trump-is-set-to-inherit/?t |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=Equitable Growth |language=en-US}} The New York Times and Economic Policy Institute described the economy as "in better shape than that bequeathed to any newly elected president since George W. Bush came into office in 2001".{{Cite news |last=Baker |first=Peter |date=January 5, 2025 |title=Trump Sees the U.S. as a 'Disaster.' The Numbers Tell a Different Story. |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/05/us/politics/trump-us-disaster-numbers.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 23, 2025 |archive-date=January 21, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250121101608/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/05/us/politics/trump-us-disaster-numbers.html |url-status=live |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web |last=Bivens |first=Josh |date=January 17, 2025 |title=President-elect Trump is inheriting a historically strong economy |work=Economic Policy Institute |url=https://www.epi.org/blog/president-elect-trump-is-inheriting-a-historically-strong-economy/ |access-date=January 23, 2025 |archive-date=January 21, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250121012529/https://www.epi.org/blog/president-elect-trump-is-inheriting-a-historically-strong-economy/ |url-status=live}} However, polls found that many Americans still felt the impacts of the 2021–2023 inflation surge, which partly contributed to Trump's reelection win.{{Cite web |last=Zahn |first=Max |date=November 8, 2024 |title=Why inflation helped tip the election toward Trump, according to experts |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Business/inflation-helped-tip-election-trump-experts/story?id=115601699 |website=ABC News |language=en-US}}

In a March 2025 media interview, Trump was asked if he expected a recession to occur in 2025, to which he answered: "I hate to predict things like that. There is a period of transition, because what we’re doing is very big."{{cite news |title='I hate to predict things': Trump doesn't rule out US recession amid trade tariffs |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/09/trump-recession-trade-tariffs |access-date=March 11, 2025 |work=The Guardian |agency=Reuters |date=March 9, 2025}} By that month, the Trump administration shut down the Federal Economic Statistics Advisory Committee and the Bureau of Economic Analysis Advisory Committee, both of which calculated economic data and had operated for over 20 years.{{cite news |last1=Mutikani |first1=Lucia |last2=Shakil |first2=Ismail |title=Trump administration disbands two expert panels on economic data |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-administration-disbands-two-expert-panels-economic-data-2025-03-05 |access-date=March 10, 2025 |work=Reuters |date=March 5, 2025}} On March 13, 2025, the S&P 500 index entered into a correction, that is it dropped 10% from its peak on February 19, 2025.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/business/sp-500-stocks-market-correction.html|title=Stocks Tumble Into Correction as Investors Sour on Trump|first1=Joe|last1=Rennison|first2=Danielle|last2=Kaye|first3=Karl|last3=Russell|date=March 13, 2025|access-date=March 13, 2025|website=The New York Times}} The drop came amidst what the Associated Press called "historic" jumps in public anxiety caused by Trump's tariff threats, with large drops in consumer sentiment and increased expectations of higher inflation rates among consumers and Wall Street economists.{{Cite news |last1=Boak |first1=Josh |last2=Rugaber |first2=Christopher |date=March 14, 2025 |title=Whipsawed by Trump's tariffs, the US public is getting a lot more nervous about the economy |work=The Associated Press |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-economy-consumer-confidence-tariffs-inflation-849d658cbab7992590a5a3bb3449aa52 |access-date=March 14, 2025 |quote=President Donald Trump’s volatile tariff threats are unleashing historic jumps in public anxiety, with the potential to undermine his pledges to strengthen a U.S. economy that is increasingly weakened. }} Markets dropped substantially in early April 2025 following Trump's imposition of tariffs on nearly all countries in the world and prompted retaliation from trade partners that triggered a stock market crash.{{Cite web |last=Ma |first=Jason |title=Warren Buffett keeps taking investors to school as stock meltdown reveals the uncanny wisdom of his recent moves |url=https://fortune.com/2025/04/05/warren-buffett-investing-cash-treasury-bills-apple-stock-sale-market-crash/ |access-date=2025-04-06 |website=Fortune |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Sherter |first=Alain |date=April 5, 2025 |title=Stock market rout deepens as Dow plunges more than 2,200 points and Nasdaq enters bear market |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dow-jones-stocks-today-djia-trump-tariffs/ |access-date=April 5, 2025 |work=CBS News}} The crash triggered what The Associated Press described as a "freak" sell-off in the bond market. The sell-off was attributed to a loss of confidence among investors in the United States as a safe, stable place to store money.{{Cite news |last1=Condon |first1=Bernard |last2=Choe |first2=Stan |date=April 11, 2025 |title=Freak sell-off of 'safe haven' US bonds raises fear that confidence in America is fading |work=The Associated Press |url=https://apnews.com/article/treasurys-bond-market-yield-tariff-46b4818710f01b8cc93fd002081167b0 |url-access=subscription |access-date=April 13, 2025 }}

During his 2024 campaign, Trump promised to fire Gary Gensler, immediately shut down Operation Chokepoint 2.0 (an alleged anti-crypto conspiracy), make the United States the “crypto capital of the planet” and said, "The rules will be written by people who love your industry, not hate your industry".{{Cite web |last=Sigalos |first=MacKenzie |date=2024-11-06 |title=Here's what Trump promised the crypto industry ahead of the election |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2024/11/06/trump-claims-presidential-win-here-is-what-he-promised-the-crypto-industry-ahead-of-the-election.html |website=CNBC |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Khalili |first=Joel |title=Chokepoint 2.0: An Investigation Promises the Truth About Crypto's Biggest Conspiracy |url=https://www.wired.com/story/operation-chokepoint-20-crypto-debanking-conspiracy/ |work=Wired.com |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}{{Cite web |title=Hearing Entitled: Operation Choke Point 2.0: The Biden Administration's Efforts to Put Crypto in the Crosshairs {{!}} Financial Services Committee |url=https://financialservices.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=409451 |website=financialservices.house.gov}}{{Cite web |date=2024-07-27 |title=Trump calls for US to be 'crypto capital of the planet' in appeal to Nashville bitcoin conference |url=https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-bitcoin-cryptocurrency-stockpile-6f1314f5e99bbf47cc3ee6fc6178588d |website=AP News |language=en}} Following Trump's elections Bitcoin hit a record high.{{Cite news |last1=Banerjee |first1=Ankur |last2=Indyk |first2=Samuel |date=November 11, 2024 |title=Bitcoin jumps to record as Trump's election turbocharges cryptocurrencies |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/bitcoin-surges-record-high-trump-bets-2024-11-11/ |work=Reuters}} Axios estimated that the $Trump currency "accounts for about 89% of Donald Trump's net worth".{{Cite web |last=Salmon |first=Felix |date=2025-01-19 |title=Donald Trump is the newest crypto billionaire |url=https://www.axios.com/2025/01/19/donald-trump-crypto-billionaire |website=Axios |language=en}}

After taking office, during what the New York Times described as, "a first-of-its-kind “crypto summit", Trump said, “I promised to make America the Bitcoin superpower of the world”.{{Cite news |last=Yaffe-Bellany |first=David |date=2025-03-07 |title=At Crypto Summit, Trump Says U.S. Will Be 'the Bitcoin Superpower' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/technology/trump-crypto-summit.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250320161752/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/technology/trump-crypto-summit.html |archive-date=20 March 2025 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} During the summit, David O. Sacks the "White House A.I. & Crypto Czar" said that the crypto industry had been "subjected to prosecution and persecution”.{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Zac |date=March 7, 2025 |title=White House summit showcases Trump's favorable treatment of crypto industry |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/03/07/donald-trump-declares-new-day-for-crypto-at-white-house-summit/81977663007/ |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}} According to The Intercept, those at the summit represented over "$11 million in donations to Trump’s inaugural committee".{{Cite web |last=Sledge |first=Matt |date=2025-03-07 |title=Here's How Much the Guests at Trump's Crypto Summit Donated to His Inauguration |url=https://theintercept.com/2025/03/07/white-house-crypto-summit-trump-donors/ |website=The Intercept |language=en-US}}

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under Trump filed to dismiss its lawsuit against Coinbase which had charged Coinbase was, "Operating as an Unregistered Securities Exchange, Broker, and Clearing Agency".{{Cite web |last=Lang |first=Hannah |title=US securities regulator files to dismiss lawsuit against Coinbase |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2025/02/27/sec-dismiss-lawsuit-coinbase/80761010007/ |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=SEC.gov {{!}} SEC Charges Coinbase for Operating as an Unregistered Securities Exchange, Broker, and Clearing Agency |url=https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2023-102 |website=www.sec.gov}}{{Cite web |title=SEC.gov {{!}} SEC Announces Dismissal of Civil Enforcement Action Against Coinbase |url=https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2025-47 |website=www.sec.gov}} The SEC requested a 60-day pause, in its lawsuit against Binance alleging "Binance mishandled funds and violated securities laws".{{Cite news |last=Press |first=Associated |date=2025-02-12 |title=SEC and Binance request 60-day pause in lawsuit as the agency shifts to be more crypto-friendly |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/91277559/sec-and-binance-request-60-day-pause-in-lawsuit-as-the-agency-shifts-to-be-more-crypto-friendly |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250215095712/https://www.fastcompany.com/91277559/sec-and-binance-request-60-day-pause-in-lawsuit-as-the-agency-shifts-to-be-more-crypto-friendly |archive-date=2025-02-15 |work=Fast Company |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2023-06-05 |title=Binance mishandled funds and violated securities laws, according to SEC lawsuit |url=https://apnews.com/article/crypto-binance-treasury-sec-stocks-ba3ce6c0086d36650e97e80a1ba780b1 |website=AP News |language=en}} The SEC asked that the case against Trump associate Justin Sun be put on hold.{{Cite news |last=Stempel |first=Jonathan |date=February 26, 2025 |title=US SEC, Tron founder Justin Sun explore resolution of civil fraud case |url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-sec-tron-founder-justin-sun-explore-resolution-civil-fraud-case-2025-02-26/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250303232424/https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-sec-tron-founder-justin-sun-explore-resolution-civil-fraud-case-2025-02-26/ |archive-date=2025-03-03 |work=Reuters |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=A crypto mogul who invested millions into Trump coins is getting a reprieve on civil fraud charges {{!}} CNN Business |url=https://lite.cnn.com/2025/02/28/business/crypto-mogul-trump-coins-civil-fraud-charges/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250304220716/http://cnn.com/2025/02/28/business/crypto-mogul-trump-coins-civil-fraud-charges/index.html |archive-date=4 March 2025 |website=CNN}} The SEC said it would not exercise any regulatory authority over memecoins.{{Cite news |last=Goldstein |first=Matthew |date=2025-02-28 |title=S.E.C. Declares Memecoins Are Not Subject to Oversight |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/27/business/sec-memecoins.html |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web |title=SEC.gov {{!}} Staff Statement on Meme Coins |url=https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/speeches-statements/staff-statement-meme-coins |website=www.sec.gov}}

Representative Ayanna Pressley criticized the Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency's targeting of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and "emphasized the critical role" of the agencies work to protect consumers of cryptocurrencies.{{Cite web |last=Sanchez |first=Ricardo |date=2025-02-13 |title=ICYMI: In Hearing, Pressley Uplifts CFPB, Slams Trump-Musk Gutting of Agency with Crypto Scams on the Rise |url=https://pressley.house.gov/2025/02/13/icymi-in-hearing-pressley-uplifts-cfpb-slams-trump-musk-gutting-of-agency-with-crypto-scams-on-the-rise/ |website=Ayanna Pressley |language=en-US}} Trump nominated Paul S. Atkins, who has "close ties to the crypto industry", to succeed Gary Gensler as Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission.{{Cite news |last=Yaffe-Bellany |first=David |date=2025-02-28 |title=Under Trump, U.S. Increasingly Pulls Back From Crypto Crackdown |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/28/technology/crypto-sec-trump.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250228175013/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/28/technology/crypto-sec-trump.html |archive-date=28 February 2025 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} Scott Bessent, described by Forbes as, "a prominent pro-crypto hedge fund manager", was nominated by Trump for Secretary of the Treasury.{{Cite web |last=Runkevicius |first=Dan |title='Most Pro-Crypto Treasury We've Ever Seen'—Trump's Historic Move Could Spark Bitcoin And Crypto Price Boom |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/danrunkevicius/2024/11/24/most-pro-crypto-treasury-weve-ever-seen-trumps-historic-move-could-spark-bitcoin-and-crypto-price-boom/ |website=Forbes |language=en}}{{Cite magazine |last=Chow |first=Andrew R. |date=2025-03-08 |title=Trump's Crypto Summit Shows That the Industry is in Charge |url=https://time.com/7265992/trump-crypto-summit-shows-industry-in-charge/ |magazine=TIME |language=en}} ProPublica reported that the Department of Housing and Urban Development had discussed using cryptocurrency, which was described as "simply reckless" by Reps. Maxine Waters, Stephen Lynch and Emanuel Cleaver who drew comparisons with "risky, unregulated, and predatory financial products" that led to the Great Recession.{{Cite web |last=Coburn |first=Jesse |date=2025-04-02 |title=Representatives Demand Housing Agency Halt Any Cryptocurrency Experiments |url=https://www.propublica.org/article/hud-cryptocurrency-blockchain-democrats-maxine-waters |access-date= |website=ProPublica |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Crypto-letter |url=https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25876165-crypto-letter/ |access-date= |website=www.documentcloud.org |language=en}} In a memo, deputy attorney general Todd Blanche said the national cryptocurrency enforcement team (established in February 2022 to "address the challenge posed by the criminal misuse of cryptocurrencies and digital assets") “shall be disbanded effective immediately” as "the Department of Justice is not a digital assets regulator”.{{Cite news |last=Betts |first=Anna |date=2025-04-08 |title=Trump's justice department to disband unit investigating crypto fraud |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/08/trump-crypto-doj |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web |date=2025-04-08 |title=Justice Department will disband its crypto-related enforcement team |url=https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-crypto-enforcement-trump-blanche-265c91c32e5fab22fb09ba8449a0aec6 |access-date= |website=AP News |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Criminal Division {{!}} National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team {{!}} United States Department of Justice |url=https://www.justice.gov/criminal/national-cryptocurrency-enforcement-team |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250202074145/https://www.justice.gov/criminal/national-cryptocurrency-enforcement-team |archive-date=2 Feb 2025 |website=justice.gov |date=December 19, 2024 |language=en}} Trump's ties to cryptocurrency have led to concerns of corruption, with Representative Elizabeth Warren describing Trump as "enriching himself and his family through their crypto businesses while his administration guts oversight of the market".{{Cite news |last=Stone |first=Peter |date=2025-04-14 |title=Critics slam deregulation of crypto as Trump family expands its footprint in industry |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/14/critics-slam-deregulation-of-crypto-as-trump-family-expands-its-footprint-in-industry |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite news |last=Stone |first=Peter |date=2025-01-27 |title='Trump's grifting tendencies': how the president's crypto ties could spur corruption |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/27/trump-meme-coin-cryptocurrency |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

In March 2025, Trump established the Strategic bitcoin reserve and pardoned BitMEX (the first presidential pardon of a corporation).{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}}

In January 2025, Republicans began considering cuts for various social programs in order to pay for the proposed tax cuts.{{Cite web |last1=Faturechi |first1=Robert |last2=Elliott |first2=Justin |date=2025-01-30 |title=To Pay for Trump Tax Cuts, House GOP Floats Plan to Slash Benefits for the Poor and Working Class |url=https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-tax-cuts-congress-republicans-plan-slash-benefits |access-date=February 13, 2025 |website=ProPublica |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Brownstein |first=Ronald |author-link=Ron Brownstein |date=February 4, 2025 |title=Analysis: GOP's plans to enact Trump agenda may face a big vulnerability |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/04/politics/gop-trump-agenda-plans-analysis/index.html |access-date=February 13, 2025 |website=CNN |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Munk |first=Cheryl Winokur |date=February 2, 2025 |title=To help pay for Trump tax cuts, new taxes on worker benefits become GOP target |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/02/to-help-pay-for-trump-tax-cuts-new-taxes-on-work-perks-are-gop-target.html |access-date=February 13, 2025 |website=CNBC |language=en}} The Congressional Budget Office estimated in January 2025 that extending the 2017 Trump tax cuts could increase deficits by more than $4 trillion over 10 years, if not offset by spending cuts. Trump's campaign proposals to exempt Social Security benefits, tip and overtime income from taxation would further increase deficits. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimated that all of Trump's tax cut proposals together would reduce federal tax receipts by $5 trillion to $11 trillion over a decade, if not offset. Some congressional Republicans argued the tax cuts would not increase deficits.{{cite news |last1=Lawder |first1=David |title=CBO sees US 2025 deficit flat at $1.9 trillion before any Trump tax changes |url=https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/cbo-sees-us-2025-deficit-flat-19-trln-before-any-trump-tax-changes-2025-01-17/ |work=Reuters |date=January 17, 2025}}{{cite news |last1=Dennis |first1=Stephen T. |title=Trump Tax Cuts' Cost Estimated at $5 Trillion to $11 Trillion |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-07/trump-tax-cuts-cost-estimated-at-5-trillion-to-11-trillion |publisher=Bloomberg News |date=February 7, 2025}}{{cite news |last1=Morgan |first1=David |title=To extend Trump's 2017 tax cuts, Republicans seek to overlook the cost |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/extend-trumps-2017-tax-cuts-republicans-seek-overlook-cost-2025-02-14/ |work=Reuters |date=February 14, 2025}}

Trump, with the help of Elon Musk, launched a campaign to reduce the federal workforce by thousands of employees, primarily focusing on probationary staff, to streamline government operations. This has sparked criticism over the potential disruption of vital services and raised concerns about employee rights, with legal challenges and internal dissent emerging.{{cite news |last1=Gardner |first1=Timothy |last2=Douglas |first2=Leah |last3=Layne |first3=Nathan |title=Nearly 10,000 fired as Trump, Musk step up assault on US agencies|date=15 February 2025 |work=Reuters |url= https://www.reuters.com/world/us/thousands-fired-trump-musk-take-ax-us-government-offices-2025-02-14/ |access-date=15 February 2025}}

{{See also|Tariffs in the second Trump administration}}

Donald Trump is a staunch proponent of enacting tariffs and has been described by some academics as a mercantilist.{{Cite journal |last=Helleiner |first=Eric |date=2021-01-05 |title=The Return of National Self-Sufficiency. Excavating Autarkic Thought in a De-Globalizing Era |journal=International Studies Review |volume=23 |issue=3 |pages=933–957 |doi=10.1093/isr/viaa092 |issn=1521-9488 |doi-access=free|quote=The election of Donald Trump as American president in 2016 encouraged further interest in ideas of national self-sufficiency: Trump's worldview was much closer to a neomercantilist one than an autarkist one, but some of his supporters on the far right are more clearly in the latter camp.|pmc=7928914 }} During his 2024 campaign, Trump promised to impose higher tariffs on imports from all countries, particularly China.{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/economy/trade/donald-trump-election-trade-tariffs-aed6c281 |title=A Second Trump Presidency Stands to Radically Remake World Trade |date=October 16, 2024 |last=Ip |first=Greg |work=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=November 6, 2024 |archive-date=October 21, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241021073812/https://www.wsj.com/economy/trade/donald-trump-election-trade-tariffs-aed6c281 |url-status=live}} On November 25, 2024, following his election victory, Trump said he would sign an executive order placing 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, and impose an additional 10% tariff to China.{{cite news |last=Collins |first=Michael |date=November 25, 2024 |title=Donald Trump vows to impose 25% tariff on all products from Canada and Mexico |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/11/25/trump-tariff-canada-mexico/76576835007/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241126153823/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/11/25/trump-tariff-canada-mexico/76576835007/ |archive-date=November 26, 2024 |access-date=November 26, 2024 |website=USA Today}} On November 30, 2024, Trump threatened to impose a 100% tariff to BRICS nations if they tried to create a new BRICS currency or promote another currency to replace the U.S. dollar as the global reserve currency.{{Cite news |last=Williams |first=Aime |date=2024-11-30 |title=Trump threatens Brics nations with 100% tariffs if they undermine dollar |url=https://www.ft.com/content/18b3d51d-1e4b-4189-bae2-c31248b6526b |access-date=2024-12-01 |work=Financial Times |archive-date=December 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241201130509/https://www.ft.com/content/18b3d51d-1e4b-4189-bae2-c31248b6526b |url-status=live}}

On February 1, 2025, after taking office the month prior, Trump followed through on his intentions and signed three executive orders imposing a 25% tariff on all goods from Mexico and Canada and a 10% tariff on China, originally due to take effect on February 4.{{Cite web |last1=Waldenberg |first1=Samantha |last2=Liptak |first2=Kevin |last3=Treene |first3=Alayna |last4=Goldman |first4=David |date=2025-02-01 |title=Trump announces new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/01/politics/mexico-canada-china-tariffs-trump/index.html |access-date= |website=CNN |language=en}} A lower 10% tariff was announced for all energy exports from Canada, including electricity, natural gas, and oil. Trump's trade advisor, Peter Navarro, stated that the lower rate for energy was intended to "minimize any disruptive effects".{{Cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-tariff-presidency-news-02-01-25#cm6mr6nr300003b6nguxsyai2 |title=Trump says 10% tariff on Canadian energy aims to "minimize any disruptive effects" |date=February 1, 2025 |last=Wallace |first=Alicia |publisher=CNN |access-date=February 1, 2025}} In response, representatives from Mexico and Canada announced intentions to impose retaliatory tariffs on the United States, which if implemented could lead to an increase in tariff rates in accordance with a clause reportedly included in the orders signed by Trump.{{Cite web |last=Gowling |first=Jordan |date=February 1, 2025 |title=Canada to place retaliatory 25 per cent tariffs on $155 billion in U.S. goods in two phases |url=https://financialpost.com/news/trump-signs-executive-order-imposing-25-per-cent-tariffs-on-canada-starting-tuesday |website=Financial Post}}{{Cite news |last=Bekiempis |first=Victoria |date=February 1, 2025 |title=Trump signs order authorizing tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico and China |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/01/trump-tariffs-canada-mexico-china |access-date= |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} On February 3, Trump announced that the tariffs on both Mexico and Canada would be paused for one month after the countries agreed to take further steps to prevent the trafficking of drugs into the United States.{{Cite web |last1=Boak |first1=Josh |last2=Sánchez |first2=Fabiola |last3=Gillies |first3=Rob |date=February 3, 2025 |title=Trump agrees to pause tariffs on Canada and Mexico after they pledge to boost border enforcement |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-canada-mexico-china-sheinbaum-trudeau-017efa8c3343b8d2a9444f7e65356ae9 |access-date=February 3, 2025 |work=Associated Press News |language=en}}{{Cite news |last1=Psaledakis |first1=Daphne |last2=Lawder |first2=David |last3=Meijer |first3=Bart |date=February 3, 2025 |title=U.S. tariffs on Mexico to be paused for a month, Trump says |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-says-americans-may-feel-pain-trade-war-with-mexico-canada-china-2025-02-03/ |access-date=February 3, 2025 |work=Reuters}}

Trump raised American tariff rates to the highest in the world; the new tariffs were the highest since the Smoot–Hawley Tariff Act of 1930.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/fe5f7469-6f04-40e6-bc59-0d4e004e1cd3|title=Donald Trump escalates global trade war with sweeping tariff blitz|date=April 2, 2025|access-date=April 2, 2025|website=Financial Times}} According to Kim Clausing of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, the proposed tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China would represent the "largest tax increase [in the United States] since the 1990s."{{Cite news |last1=Franklin |first1=Joshua |last2=Clarfelt |first2=Harriet |last3=Williams |first3=Aime |last4=Jones |first4=Claire |date=2025-02-02 |title=Trump faces backlash from business as tariffs ignite inflation fears |url=https://www.ft.com/content/3cc26cc1-57e7-44d0-8c09-6c5dec30cc75 |work=Financial Times}}

File:President Trump Participates in the Make America Wealthy Again Event (1080p 30fps H264-128kbit AAC).webm" tariffs on April 2, 2025]]

On April 2, a day Trump nicknamed "Liberation Day", Trump announced a 10% universal import duty on all goods brought into the US and even higher rates for 57 trading partners.{{cite news |last=Wingrove |first=Josh |date=April 3, 2025 |title=Trump's Reciprocal Tariff Formula Is All About Trade Deficits |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-03/trump-s-reciprocal-tariff-formula-is-all-about-trade-deficits |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250403180224/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-03/trump-s-reciprocal-tariff-formula-is-all-about-trade-deficits |archive-date=April 3, 2025 |access-date=April 3, 2025 |work=Bloomberg News |publisher=Bloomberg L.P.}} In response, markets sunk sharply lower.{{Cite news |last=Towfighi |first=John |date=April 2, 2025 |title=Stock futures plunge as investors digest Trump's tariffs |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/02/business/us-stock-market/index.html |access-date=April 3, 2025 |work=CNN}}{{Cite news |last=Conlon |first=Sean |date=April 3, 2025 |title=Small-cap benchmark Russell 2000 becomes first major U.S. stock measure to enter bear market |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/03/small-cap-benchmark-russell-2000-becomes-first-major-us-stock-measure-to-enter-bear-market.html |access-date=April 3, 2025 |work=CNBC}}

In large part as a response to the new tariffs, on April 17 the European Central Bank announced it was reducing interest rates on loans by a quarter of one percent to a rate of 2.25% (2-and-a-quarter percent). European inflation seemed to be settling toward the 2% target, and the bank’s governors are worried about the growth side of the equation. They said that “the adverse and volatile market response to the trade tensions is likely to have a tightening impact on financing conditions.”{{cite web |

title=ECB [European Central Bank] cuts rates for third time this year as Europe braces for Trump tariffs |

website=The Guardian (UK) |

date=April 17, 2025 |

author1=Phillip Inman |

url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/apr/17/european-central-bank-cuts-interest-rates-third-time-this-year}}

During his first term, Trump cut funding to the Department of Education, while continuing to criticize it. During his 2024 campaign, Trump actively promoted the idea of abolishing the Department of Education and proposed handing over control of education to individual state governments.{{cite news |last=Alfonseca |first=Kiara |title=Dismantling the Department of Education? Trump's plan for schools in his second term |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/dismantling-department-education-trumps-plan-schools-term/story?id=115579646 |access-date=November 14, 2024 |website=ABC News |language=en |date=November 11, 2024 |archive-date=December 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241211161914/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/dismantling-department-education-trumps-plan-schools-term/story?id=115579646 |url-status=live}}

On January 21, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security announced it would no longer refrain from arresting illegal immigrants in schools.{{Cite web |last=Santana |first=Rebecca |date=January 21, 2025 |title=Trump administration throws out policies limiting migrant arrests at sensitive spots like churches |url=https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-sensitive-locations-trump-ab0d2d2652e9df696f14410ebb52a1fc |access-date=January 23, 2025 |work=Associated Press News |language=en}}

{{Excerpt|Columbia University|2025}}

In April 2025, Harvard negotiated for two weeks of talks with the administration, after which a government lawyer sent by mistake a letter with demands to the school. The school then received a phone call saying the letter was unauthorized.{{cite news |title=Trump Officials Blame Mistake for Setting Off Confrontation With Harvard |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/18/business/trump-harvard-letter-mistake.html |first1=Michael S. |last1=Schmidt |first2=Michael C. |last2=Bender |date=April 18, 2025 |work=The New York Times}} The administration demanded that Harvard implement changes in policies about curriculum, hiring, and admissions policies, including hiring a third party acceptable to the Trump administration to audit "viewpoint diversity". When Harvard rejected the demands, the Trump administration stated it was freezing $2 billion in federal research funding, and Harvard sued the government to block the funding freeze.{{cite news |last=Saul |first=Stephanie |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/21/us/harvard-lawsuit-trump-administration.html |title=Harvard Sues Trump Administration Over Threats to Cut Funding |work=The New York Times |date=April 21, 2025 |access-date=April 22, 2025}} A government official confirmed the letter was sent in error. The Trump administration also asked the IRS to revoke Harvard's tax-exempt status.{{cite news |last1=Bogage |first1=Jacob |last2=Stein |first2=Jeff |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/04/16/trump-harvard-tax-exempt-irs/ |title=Trump administration asks IRS to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status |work=The Washington Post |date=April 16, 2025 |access-date=April 22, 2025}}

In April 2025, faculties at several Big Ten Conference universities voted to approve "mutual-defense compacts" to guard against Trump administration actions.{{cite web | url=https://www.chronicle.com/article/these-faculty-senates-are-trying-to-band-together-to-stand-up-to-trump | title=These Faculty Senates Are Trying to Band Together to Stand up to Trump }}

Just before the Los Angeles fires were contained, the United States Army Corps of Engineers started releasing water from federal reservoirs in California's Lake Success and Lake Kaweah via the Schafer Dam and Terminus Dam respectively, for a total of 2.2 billion gallons of water per local authorities.{{cite news |last1=Nilsen |first1=Ella |title=2.2 billion gallons of water flowed out of California reservoirs because of Trump's order to open dams |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/03/climate/trump-california-water-dams-reservoirs/index.html |access-date=March 10, 2025 |work=CNN |date=February 3, 2025}} The Army Corps initially stated that the water was for California to "respond to the wildfires", following an executive order by Trump.{{cite news |last1=von Kaenel |first1=Camille |last2=Snider |first2=Annie |title=Trump says he opened California's water. Local officials say he nearly flooded them. |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/31/trump-california-water-00201909 |access-date=March 10, 2025 |work=Politico |date=January 31, 2025}} However, the Army Corps later stated that the released water "could not be delivered to Southern California directly", that other government agencies said they "likely could not utilize the additional water with such short notice", and that the water release was stopped after "elected officials expressed concerns from their constituents about potential flooding of downstream lands".{{cite news |last1=Dance |first1=Scott |last2=Partlow |first2=Joshua |title=Army Corps knew Trump order would waste California water, memo shows |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2025/03/07/trump-water-release-california-fires/ |access-date=March 10, 2025 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=March 7, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250308022435/https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2025/03/07/trump-water-release-california-fires/ |archive-date=March 8, 2025}}

In February 2025, Trump signed a pair of executive orders blocking FEMA funds from being used to help undocumented immigrants in “sanctuary cities.” This had the consequence of freezing billions of dollars in disaster grants, which were funding rebuilding efforts for communities struck by Hurricane Helene.{{Cite news |last1=Flavelle |first1=Christopher |last2=Medina |first2=Eduardo |last3=Ferré-Sadurní |first3=Luis |date=2025-03-27 |title=Musk Targeted FEMA. Disaster-Stricken Communities Are Paying a Price. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/27/us/politics/musk-fema-immigrations-doge-freeze-aid.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=c&pvid=CE12E677-D32C-47C7-8A5A-AC44FA3AECD1 |access-date=2025-03-27 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} In April 2025, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under Trump has denied North Carolina's request to extend the full reimbursement period for Hurricane Helene recovery efforts. The Trump administration also turned down a request from Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp for a second deadline extension to apply for relief from the state following Hurricane Helene in March 2025.{{Cite web |date=2025-04-11 |title=Trump denies FEMA aid extension in state he won three times |url=https://www.newsweek.com/trump-denies-fema-aid-extension-state-he-won-three-times-2058906 |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=Newsweek |language=en}}

File:Donald Trump "Long Live the King".png

The second Trump administration has pursued a maximalist interpretation of the unitary executive theory.{{Cite news |last=Savage |first=Charlie |date=January 27, 2025 |title=Fired Inspectors General Raise Alarms as Trump Administration Moves to Finalize Purge |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/27/us/politics/trump-inspectors-general-fired.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 28, 2025 |issn=0362-4331 |quote=Some advisers to Mr. Trump have been interested in advancing the so-called unitary executive theory, an expansive view of presidential power. According to the theory, the president must have complete control of the executive branch, so Congress may not give other officials independent decision-making authority or restrict the president's ability to fire them.}} It has been noted for making sweeping assertions of executive authority, and challenging several Congressional laws and parts of the Constitution restraining presidential power.{{Cite news |last=Savage |first=Charlie |date=January 22, 2025 |title=How Trump Is Pushing at Limits of Presidential Power in Early Orders |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/22/us/politics/trump-executive-orders.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 28, 2025 |issn=0362-4331 }}{{Cite news |last1=Swan |first1=Jonathan |last2=Haberman |first2=Maggie |last3=Feuer |first3=Alan |date=January 22, 2025 |title=From Day 1, Trump Tests the Limits of His Authority |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/22/us/politics/trump-pardons-jan-6-day-1.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 28, 2025 |issn=0362-4331 }}{{Cite news |last=Barrow |first=Bill |date=January 22, 2025 |title=Everything Trump did in the first executive orders and actions of his presidency |work=Associated Press News |url=https://apnews.com/article/what-has-trump-done-trump-executive-orders-f061fbe7f08c08d81509a6af20ef8fc0 |access-date=January 28, 2025 |quote=In total, the Republican president's sweeping actions reflect many of his campaign promises and determination to concentrate executive branch power in the West Wing, while moving the country sharply rightward.}} He issued an executive order to take control of independent federal agencies such as the FCC, FEC, and SEC, attacked journalists and media organizations whose coverage he disliked, placed loyalists in charge of the military and FBI, used the Department of Justice to promote his political interests, and suggested defying court orders and impeaching justices who ruled against him.{{Cite news |last=Riccardi |first=Nicholas |date=March 1, 2025 |title=Trump's moves test the limits of presidential power and the resilience of US democracy |work=Associated Press News |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-democracy-autocrats-authoritarian-constitution-threat-542ac437a58880e81c052f8f2df1643f |access-date=March 1, 2025 }}

On February 15, 2025, Trump wrote on Truth Social and X: "He who saves his Country does not violate any Law", which the White House later reposted on X that day.{{cite news |last1=Chiacu |first1=Doina |title=Trump: If it saves the country, it's not illegal |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-if-it-saves-country-its-not-illegal-2025-02-16/ |access-date=February 17, 2025 |work=Reuters |date=February 16, 2025}}{{cite news |last1=Haberman |first1=Maggie |last2=Savage |first2=Charlie |last3=Swan |first3=Jonathan |title=Trump Suggests No Laws Are Broken if He's 'Saving His Country' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/15/us/politics/trump-saves-country-quote.html |access-date=February 17, 2025 |work=The New York Times |date=February 15, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250216062530/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/15/us/politics/trump-saves-country-quote.html |archive-date=16 February 2025}} Shortly afterward on February 19 in a post about congestion pricing in New York, Trump compared himself to a king by saying "LONG LIVE THE KING!".{{Cite news |last=Oreskes |first=Benjamin |date=February 19, 2025 |title='Long Live the King': Trump Likens Himself to Royalty on Truth Social |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/19/us/politics/trump-king-image.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=February 20, 2025 |issn=0362-4331 }} Later that month, Trump told the Governor of Maine, Janet Mills, to "comply" with his executive order banning transgender athletes from women's sports, or he would withdraw "any federal funding", because "we are the federal law".{{cite news |title='See you in court': Trump, governor spar over trans rights |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250221-see-you-in-court-trump-governor-spar-over-trans-rights |access-date=February 22, 2025 |work=France 24 |agency=Agence-France Presse |date=February 21, 2025}}

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Also in February 2025, Elon Musk declared that "all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week{{nbsp}}... Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation"; within hours federal employees received an email from the United States Office of Personnel Management demanding their response, within two days, on work done last week.{{cite news |last1=Neely |first1=Brett |last2=Bowman |first2=Emma |title=Elon Musk tells federal employees to document work in email or be fired |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/02/22/nx-s1-5305834/elon-musk-federal-employees-email-opm |access-date=February 23, 2025 |work=NPR |date=February 22, 2025}}{{cite news |last1=Volcovici |first1=Valerie |title=Musk orders US federal workers to report on work by Monday or resign |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/musk-orders-us-federal-workers-report-work-or-get-fired-2025-02-22/ |access-date=February 23, 2025 |work=Reuters |date=February 23, 2025}}

In March 2025, senior Trump administration officials used the Signal private messaging service to discuss imminent military operations against the Houthis in Yemen, which led to the United States government group chat leak when Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of the American magazine The Atlantic, was added to the chat by Michael Waltz, the national security advisor.{{cite news |last1=Reid |first1=Tim |last2=Ali |first2=Idrees |title=Transcript of US attack plans shared with journalist |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/transcript-us-attack-plans-shared-with-journalist-2025-03-26/ |access-date=March 27, 2025}} The Atlantic reported on and published details of the chat, showing that defense secretary Pete Hegseth used the chat to share details of the impending strikes, including the launch times of F-18 aircraft, MQ-9 drones and Tomahawk missiles, as well as the time when the F-18 aircraft would reach their targets, and the time when the bombs would land.{{Cite web |last1=Abels |first1=Grace |last2=Sherman |first2=Amy |url=https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2025/mar/26/pete-hegseth/fact-checking-pete-hegseths-false-statement-that-n/ |title=Hegseth says leaked Signal group text didn't have 'war plans'. But screenshots show attack details |date=March 26, 2025 |work=Politifact |access-date=March 27, 2025}}{{Cite web |last1=Robertson |first1=Noah |last2=Losey |first2=Stephen |last3=Shane |first3=Leo |url=https://www.defensenews.com/news/pentagon-congress/2025/03/26/obviously-classified-experts-say-hegseth-chat-leaks-invited-danger/ |title='Obviously classified': Experts say Hegseth chat leaks invited danger |date=March 27, 2025 |work=Defense News |access-date=March 27, 2025}} Some of the chat's other members were vice president JD Vance, director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and CIA director John Ratcliffe. The incident raised several issues, including the Trump administration officials' use of a non-government communication system and the potential transmission of classified information on it, as well as Signal's automatic deletion of chat logs contradicting with the requirement to preserve government records.{{cite news |last1=Jamali |first1=Lily |last2=Matza |first2=Max |last3=Epstein |first3=Kayla |title=Why is it a problem if Yemen strike plans shared on Signal? |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czx7l1q2qdko |access-date=March 27, 2025 |work=BBC News |date=March 25, 2025}}

{{main|Department of Government Efficiency|Protests against the second presidency of Donald Trump}}

The Trump administration established the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a temporary organization with Elon Musk{{cite web |last1=Shahal |first1=Andrea |last2=Bose|first2=Nandita|date=February 20, 2025 |title=Trump appears to contradict White House, says Elon Musk in charge of DOGE |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-appears-contradict-white-house-says-elon-musk-charge-doge-2025-02-20/|url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250220080103/https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-appears-contradict-white-house-says-elon-musk-charge-doge-2025-02-20/ |archive-date=2025-02-20 |access-date=2025-02-20 |work=Reuters}} as its administrator, and renamed the United States Digital Service to the United States DOGE Service to function as a parent agency. DOGE is a unit tasked with recommending cost-cutting measures, and according to the executive order that established it, its formal purpose is to "modernize federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity".{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/12/us/politics/elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-trump.html |title=Trump Taps Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to Slash Government |date=November 12, 2024 |last1=Shear |first1=Michael D. |author-link1=Michael D. Shear |last2=Lipton |first2=Eric |work=The New York Times |access-date=November 12, 2024 |archive-date=December 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241212054859/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/12/us/politics/elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-trump.html |url-status=live}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/11/12/elon-musk-trump-doge-vivek-ramaswamy/ |title=Trump taps Musk, Ramaswamy to oversee 'drastic' changes to U.S. government |date=November 12, 2024 |last1=Stein |first1=Jeff |last2=Dwoskin |first2=Elizabeth |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=November 14, 2024}}{{Cite web |date=2025-01-21 |title=Establishing And Implementing The President's "Department Of Government Efficiency" |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/establishing-and-implementing-the-presidents-department-of-government-efficiency/ |access-date=2025-01-21 |website=whitehouse.gov |language=en-US}}

In late January 2025, Wired reported that the top ranks of the human resources-focused United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) had been filled by new hires who had formerly worked for either Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Republican politicians or right-wing media outlets, while Musk's allies were installed into the technology-focused General Services Administration and planned massive spending cuts.{{cite magazine |last1=Elliott |first1=Vittoria |title=Elon Musk Lackeys Have Taken Over the Office of Personnel Management |url=https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-lackeys-office-personnel-management-opm-neuralink-x-boring-stalin/ |access-date=February 1, 2025 |magazine=Wired |date=January 28, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250130015913/https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-lackeys-office-personnel-management-opm-neuralink-x-boring-stalin/ |archive-date=January 30, 2025}}{{cite magazine |last1=Kelly |first1=Makena |first2=Zoë |last2=Schiffer |title=Elon Musk's Friends Have Infiltrated Another Government Agency |url=https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-lackeys-general-services-administration/ |access-date=February 1, 2025 |magazine=Wired |date=January 31, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250201053133/https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-lackeys-general-services-administration/ |archive-date=February 1, 2025}} On January 28, the OPM offered a "deferred resignation" scheme to federal government employees to announce their resignation by February 6, while stating that employees who resigned would still receive salary and benefits until September 30, 2025.{{cite news |last1=Bogardus |first1=Kevin |title=Trump offers federal workers a chance to resign if they don't want to return to the office |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/28/trump-offers-buyouts-for-federal-workers-00201106 |access-date=January 31, 2025 |work=Politico |date=January 28, 2025}} The offer made was similar to Elon Musk's notice to employees after he took control of Twitter.{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/30/federal-workers-buyout-offer-00201349|title=Federal workers reeling over Trump's 'buyout' offer: 'This is the last lifeboat in town'|first=Eli|last=Stokols|date=January 30, 2025|website=POLITICO}}{{Cite magazine |last=Schiffer |first=Zoë |date=2025-01-28 |title=Elon Musk Is Running the Twitter Playbook on the Federal Government |url=https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-twitter-playbook-federal-government/ |access-date=2025-02-05 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}} On January 31, Trump added that he would nullify federal employee union contracts, specifically including one with the Education Department, that had been agreed to late in Biden's term.{{Cite web |last=Jamieson |first=Dave |date=2025-02-01 |title=Trump Plans To Throw Out Federal Workers' Union Contracts |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-federal-union-contracts_n_679e13d3e4b045766f103e19 |access-date=2025-02-01 |website=HuffPost |language=en}} Musk also gained access to the Treasury's payment system.{{Cite news |last1=Duehren |first1=Andrew |last2=Haberman |first2=Maggie |last3=Schleifer |first3=Theodore |last4=Rappeport |first4=Alan |date=February 1, 2025 |title=Elon Musk's Team Now Has Access to Treasury's Payments System |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/01/us/politics/elon-musk-doge-federal-payments-system.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=February 2, 2025 |issn=0362-4331 }} Two OPM officials told Reuters that Musk's allies locked some OPM officials from accessing OPM data systems, with one official saying this enabled Musk's allies to use the systems without oversight.{{cite news |last1=Reid |first1=Tim |title=Musk aides lock Office of Personnel Management workers out of computer systems |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/musk-aides-lock-government-workers-out-computer-systems-us-agency-sources-say-2025-01-31/ |access-date=February 2, 2025 |work=Reuters |date=February 1, 2025}} It was reported that this gave DOGE "full access" to the major U.S. Treasury database controlling the expenditure of 6 trillion dollars, as well as "the sensitive personal data of millions of Americans as well as details of public contractors who compete directly with Musk’s own businesses." It was reported that the previous top civil servant who was associated with the database was placed on leave and then resigned after objecting to DOGE's access. It was reported that this access could allow Musk to block payments by the U.S. government to many federal programs. Senator Ron Wyden stated that this access was a "national security risk."{{Cite news |last=Pilkington |first=Ed |date=2025-02-02 |title=Elon Musk's Doge team granted 'full access' to federal payment system |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/feb/02/elon-musk-doge-access-federal-payment-system |access-date=2025-02-03 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

On March 21, Elon Musk visited the Pentagon. This was originally scheduled to be a non-classified briefing on China with the Joint Chiefs. However, seemingly after the New York Times reported the previous day on possible Musk conflicts-of-interest due to business interests in China, this was changed to a meeting with Secretary of Defense Hegseth on efficiency. President Trump said, “Elon has businesses in China, and he would be susceptible perhaps to that. But it was such a fake story.”{{Cite web |last=Martinez |first=Luis |date=March 21, 2025 |title=Pentagon changed course for Musk visit after report about him viewing China war plans: Officials |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-denies-musk-briefed-china-war-plans/story?id=120024341 |website=ABC News |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Schmitt |first1=Eric |last2=Lipton |first2=Eric |last3=Barnes |first3=Julian E. |last4=Mac |first4=Ryan |last5=Haberman |first5=Maggie |date=March 20, 2025 |title=Pentagon Set Up Briefing for Musk on Potential War With China. The access would be a major expansion of Elon Musk's government role and highlight his conflicts of interest |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/us/politics/musk-pentagon-briefing-china-war-plan.html |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |work=The New York Times |location=New York |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250322053520/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/us/politics/musk-pentagon-briefing-china-war-plan.html |archive-date=March 22, 2025 |access-date=March 25, 2025 |quote=The Pentagon was scheduled on Friday to brief Elon Musk on the U.S. military’s plan for any war that might break out with China, two U.S. officials said on Thursday.
Another official said the briefing would be China focused, without providing additional details. A fourth official confirmed Mr. Musk was to be at the Pentagon on Friday, but offered no details.
Hours after news of the planned meeting was published by The New York Times, Pentagon officials and President Trump denied that the session would be about military plans involving China. “China will not even be mentioned or discussed,” Mr. Trump said in a late-night social media post. }}{{efn|The NYT article links to an earlier tweet by chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell refuting the very first NYT report, including a screen capture of it. It was originally published in the section "Trump Administration - Live updates," and titled "Musk Set to Get Access to Top Secret U.S Plan for Potential War With China." }} Musk said he wants to find those who leaked details about this meeting ahead of time.{{Cite web |last=Timotija |first=Filip |date=March 21, 2025 |title=Musk on Pentagon leakers: 'They will be found' |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5208103-musk-trump-pentagon-leakers-news-outlets/amp/ |website=The Hill |language=en}}

{{Main|2025 United States federal mass layoffs}}

Trump oversaw mass firings of federal workers at various agencies, many of them described as breaking with precedent or federal law and with the intent to replace them with workers more aligned with Trump's agenda.{{Cite news |last=Kinnard |first=Meg |date=January 28, 2025 |title=Firings, freezes and layoffs: A look at Trump's moves against federal employees and programs |work=Associated Press News |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-firings-prosecutors-dei-federal-government-2042969d1855feb2753b6237f1022666 |access-date=January 28, 2025 }}{{Cite news |last1=Basu |first1=Zachary |last2=Lawler |first2=Dave |date=January 27, 2025 |title=Trump's bureaucracy goes to war |work=Axios |url=https://www.axios.com/2025/01/27/trump-federal-eorkers-inspectors-general |access-date=January 28, 2025 |quote= }}

On January 24, 2025, less than a week into Trump's second presidency, he fired 17 independent inspectors general at federal agencies, which appeared to violate federal law that requires advance notice of dismissals to both chambers of congress with reasons given 30 days in advance.{{Cite news |last1=Bose |first1=Nandita |last2=Shah |first2=Chandni |date=January 25, 2025 |title=Trump fires 17 independent inspectors general at federal agencies, source says |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-fires-least-12-independent-inspectors-general-washington-post-reports-2025-01-25/ |access-date=January 25, 2025}} Trump also fired all Democratic but not Republican members of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, which would prevent the board from meeting quorum and functioning.{{Cite news |last=Savage |first=Charlie |date=January 22, 2025 |title=Trump Seeks to Paralyze Independent Privacy and Civil Liberties Watchdog |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/22/us/trump-privacy-civil-liberties-oversight-board.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 25, 2025 |issn=0362-4331|quote=Advisers to Mr. Trump subscribe to a strong view of presidential power called the unitary executive theory, under which the Constitution should be interpreted as giving presidents exclusive control of the executive branch and independent agencies are considered illegitimate. During the campaign, Trump allies vowed to stomp out pockets of independence in the executive branch if he won the election.}} Trump also fired members of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, National Labor Relations Board, over 160 members of the National Security Council for not aligning with his agenda, and 56 senior officials at USAID for allegedly attempting to thwart his priorities.

The New York Times reported in January 2025 that the White House might be hoping the firings would be challenged in court, ultimately the Supreme Court, as test cases to invoke the unitary executive theory to give the president exclusive control of the executive branch. The Republican-appointed supermajority on the Court had in recent years indicated support for the theory, which had also been promoted by Project 2025.{{cite news |last1=Savage |first1=Charlie |date=January 29, 2025 |title=Defying Legal Limits, Trump Firings Set Up Tests That Could Expand His Power |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/29/us/politics/trump-firings-officials-legal-test.html |work=The New York Times}}{{cite news |last1=Wendling |first1=Mike |title=Project 2025: The right-wing wish list for another Trump presidency |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c977njnvq2do |website=BBC |date=September 11, 2024}}

On the first day of his second term in January 2025, Trump named a Republican as acting chair of the United States Merit Systems Protection Board. In February 2025, Trump removed a Democratic member of the board, Cathy Harris, who had served three years of her term, and demoted the other Democratic member.{{Cite web |last=Katz |first=Eric |date=2025-02-11 |title=Trump fires one-third of federal employee appeals board |url=https://www.govexec.com/management/2025/02/trump-fires-one-third-federal-employee-appeals-board/402912/ |access-date=2025-04-20 |website=Government Executive |language=en}} Harris then sued the Trump administration, alleging that her removal was illegal.{{Cite news |last=Skolnik |first=Sam |date=2025-02-12 |title=Merit Systems Board Member Harris Sues Trump Over Firing (2) |url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/federal-merit-systems-board-member-harris-sues-trump-over-firing |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250408175043/https://news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/federal-merit-systems-board-member-harris-sues-trump-over-firing |archive-date=2025-04-08 |access-date=2025-04-20 |publisher=Bloomberg Law |language=en}} On March 4, 2025, a U.S. District judge, citing U.S. Supreme Court cases from 1933 and 1953, entered a permanent injunction ordering that she be reinstated.{{cite news| last1=Jackman| first1=Tom| title=Federal judge rules Trump's firing of merit board chair was illegal| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/03/04/trump-firing-cathy-harris-mspb-illegal| newspaper=The Washington Post| date=4 March 2025| access-date=8 March 2025}}

{{Main|Lawsuits involving the Department of Government Efficiency}}

On March 13, Federal Judge William Alsup of San Francisco ordered that fired employees must be re-hired at the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Agriculture, Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, Department of Interior, and Department of Treasury. He ruled that blanket claims of poor performance cannot be used as a “gimmick” to get around the Reduction in Force Act, and stated that “it is a sad day when our government would fire some good employee and say it was based on performance when they know good and well that's a lie.”{{Cite web |last=Charalambous |first=Peter |date=2025-03-13 |title=Judge orders thousands of federal workers reinstated; slams 'sham' government declaration |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/judge-order-fired-probationary-federal-employees-reinstated/story?id=119759494 |website=ABC News |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Reporters names are not given |date=2025-03-13 |title=Second federal judge orders Trump administration to rehire fired probationary government workers |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/second-federal-judge-orders-trump-administration-to-rehire-fired-probationary-government-workers/ |website=CBS News |language=en}} The Ninth Circuit Court rejected the Trump administration's appeal for them to stay Alsup's ruling, with the appeals court stating that a stay "would not preserve the status quo. It would do just the opposite — it would disrupt the status quo and turn it on its head".{{cite news |last1=Gennaro |first1=Michael |title=Ninth Circuit rejects Trump bid to stay firing of federal workers |url=https://www.courthousenews.com/ninth-circuit-rejects-trump-bid-to-stay-firing-of-federal-workers/ |access-date=March 18, 2025 |work=Courthouse News |date=March 17, 2025}}

In a second lawsuit also on March 13, Federal Judge James Bredar of Maryland issued a broader order that the Trump administration must re-hire workers who had been fired from 12 departments and 6 agencies. This was the result of a lawsuit brought by 19 states and the District of Columbia that they had not been given the legally-required advance notice of large layoffs. And that the reason of “performance” was not true. Judge Bredar wrote, “There were no individualized assessments of employees. They were all just fired. Collectively.”{{Cite web |last1=Grumbach |first1=Gary |last2=Richards |first2=Zöe |date=2025-03-13 |title=Second judge orders thousands of probationary employees fired by Trump to be reinstated |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/judge-orders-thousands-probationary-employees-fired-trump-reinstated-rcna196366 |website=NBC News |language=en}}

The Trump administration is both appealing this second decision and complying with it in the meantime. Twenty-four thousand employees are in the process of being re-hired, with most being placed on administrative leave with full pay and benefits as the in-between step. The re-hires include 6,400 employees at the IRS, 5,700 employees at the Department of Agriculture, 3,200 employees at the Department of Health and Human Services, and 1,700 employees at the Department of Veteran's Affairs, with all these numbers being rounded to the nearest hundred.{{Cite web |last=Quinn |first=Melissa |date=March 18, 2025|title=Court records show how many federal workers were fired and rehired at 18 agencies |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/federal-probationary-workers-mass-firing-rehired/ |website=CBS News |language=en}}

Judge William Alsup wrote in a brief follow-up order that re-hired employees must be placed back in their former posts, and not merely placed on administrative leave.{{Cite web |last=Beitsch |first=Rebecca |date=March 18, 2025|title=Rehired probationary workers can't be placed on administrative leave, judge says |url=https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5200424-trump-administration-probationary-workers/amp/ |website=The Hill |language=en}}

{{main|United States Agency for International Development}}

File:US Army and Air Force in Europe join USAID to provide support to Lebanon (6303783).jpg

Trump and DOGE have attempted to dismantle the vast majority of USAID,{{cite news|url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-usaid-c0c7799be0b2fa7cad4c806565985fe2|title=Trump and Musk move to dismantle USAID, igniting battle with Democratic lawmakers|date=February 3, 2025|access-date=February 5, 2025|first1=Ellen|last1=Knickmeyer|first2=Farnoush|last2=Amiri|first3=Adriana|last3=Gomez Licon|work=Associated Press News}} a 10,000-person agency originally tasked to carry-out and monitor humanitarian projects.{{cite report|first=Emily M.|last=McCabe|title=U.S. Agency for International Development: An Overview|publisher=Congressional Research Service|url=https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF10261|date=January 6, 2025|access-date=February 11, 2025}} USAID's critics maintain that many of the projects are in fact not all that humanitarian and/or that much of the money is not all that well spent.{{cite news| last = Seddon | first = Sean | title = What is USAID and why does Donald Trump want to end it? | newspaper = BBC News | language = English | date = February 7, 2025 | url = https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyezjwnx5ko | access-date = March 17, 2025}}

The administration issued a 90-day stop-work order worldwide,{{cite news|title="People Will Die": The Trump Administration Said It Lifted Its Ban on Lifesaving Humanitarian Aid. That's Not True.|url=https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-state-department-usaid-humanitarian-aid-freeze-ukraine-gaza-sudan|last1=Murphy|first1=Brett|last2=Barry-Jester|first2=Anna Maria|date=January 31, 2025|access-date=February 11, 2025|work=ProPublica}} and attracted a lawsuit for not paying vendors.{{cite news|url=https://apnews.com/article/usaid-american-companies-layoffs-lawsuit-8c116d877c179169fbce2d3348fcd997|first=Ellen|last=Knickmeyer|title=Trump administration owes US business millions in unpaid bills amid USAID shutdown, lawsuit says|date=February 11, 2025|access-date=February 11, 2025|work=AP News}} Stop work interrupted about 30 clinical trials,{{cite news|last=Nolen |first=Stephanie |date=February 6, 2024 |title=Abandoned in the Middle of Clinical Trials, Because of a Trump Order |work=The New York Times |access-date=February 11, 2025 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/06/health/usaid-clinical-trials-funding-trump.html}} and interrupted such projects as a camp for war refugees on the Sudan-Chad border, emergency medical care for displaced Palestinians and Yemenis, heat and electricity for Ukrainian refugees, and HIV treatment and Mpox surveillance in Africa. The HIV Modeling Consortium estimated the death toll from HIV in sub-Saharan Africa at 14,872 adults and 1,582 children in the one month after Trump's January 2025 funding freeze.{{cite news |title=Nearly 15,000 will have died already because of Trump and Musk's cuts to USAID, advocacy program claims |url=https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-musk-usaid-cuts-deaths-aids-hiv-b2708883.html |last=Lubin |first=Rhian |date=March 4, 2025 |work=The Independent }}{{cite web |publisher=Impact Counter |title=PEPFAR Impact Tracker |url=https://pepfar.impactcounter.com/ |date=March 4, 2025 }}

A key controversy is whether or not waivers are being made and money actually starting to flow again for the most essential programs. For example, the Associated Press reported on February 19, that waivers for PEPFAR, the program that has saved 26 million lives from AIDS, were not in force, despite a federal judge having lifted the funding freeze.{{cite news|url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-aid-usaid-pepfar-africa-hiv-396263cd9e7281af7d543d3c68fa465a |title=Trump's foreign aid freeze halted a crucial program fighting HIV in Africa. Here's what's at stake |last1=Mutsaka |first1=Farai |last2=Imray |first2=Gerald |date=February 19, 2025 |access-date=February 19, 2025 |work=Associated Press News}}

In February 2025, it was reported that the USAID director of security and a deputy were put on administrative leave after they "blocked efforts by DOGE members to physically access restricted areas" in order to obtain sensitive information. The DOGE members did eventually gain access to the information, which reportedly included email as well as classified information for which they did not have security clearance. And they obtained the ability to lock USAID staff out. Musk had earlier tweeted "USAID is a criminal organization" and that it is "Time for it to die."{{Cite news |last=Roth |first=Andrew |date=February 3, 2025 |title=Senior USAID officials put on leave after denying access to Musk's Doge team |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/02/usaid-officials-put-on-leave-musk-doge |access-date=February 5, 2025 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

USAID staff were instructed to keep away from USAID headquarters while hundreds of USAID staff lost access to USAID computer systems.

There have been reports that China has offered to take over development projects if the United States permanently leaves.{{Cite web |last=Paddison |first=Laura |date=February 7, 2025 |title=Trump says dismantling the USAID will save money. Experts say it's a 'great gift' for China |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/07/climate/usaid-trump-china/index.html |access-date=2025-02-21 |website=CNN |language=en}}{{Cite web |last1=Gramer |first1=Robbie |last2=Bazail-Eimil |first2=Eric |last3=Kine |first3=Phelim |date=February 10, 2025 |title=As USAID retreats, China pounces |url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/national-security-daily/2025/02/10/as-usaid-retreats-china-pounces-00195922 |website=Politico |language=en}} For example, in early February, China pledged about $4 million in extra money toward mine clearance in Cambodia.{{Cite web |last1=Delgado |first1=Anton L. |last2=Frayer | first2=Janis Mackey |date=February 14, 2025 |title=Cambodian mine-clearing program reels after Trump's USAID funding suspension |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/usaid-cambodia-demining-trump-cuts-funding-rcna192172 |website=NBC News |language=en}}

During a February 6 press conference, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated, "If it's providing food or medicine or anything that is saving lives and is immediate and urgent, you're not included in the freeze. I don't know how much more clear we can be than that."

However, a February 8 CNN article reported that many waivers were not being acted upon because of staff placed on leave, plus payment systems had been taken over.{{Cite web |last=Kent |first=Lauren |date=February 8, 2025 |title=The US State Department says humanitarian assistance can continue. Foreign aid workers say that's not happening |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/08/world/usaid-humanitarian-assistance-aid-freeze-intl-latam/index.html |access-date=February 21, 2025 |website=CNN |language=en}}

In an interview before the February 9 Super Bowl, Trump said, "Let him take care of the few good ones," referring to Rubio.{{cite news |last=Knickmeyer |first=Ellen |url=https://apnews.com/article/usaid-trump-musk-leave-staffers-9099c61b33aa7e4bfd40e849853be3b6 |title=Unspent aid worth billions lacks oversight as Trump dismantles USAID, watchdog warns |work=AP News |date=February 11, 2025 |access-date=February 11, 2025}} Rubio's waivers, however, were not in effect.{{cite news|url=https://apnews.com/article/usaid-foreign-aid-trump-rubio-48f8460804d33bdaa18d7765c4b24f9e|title=Judge blocks Trump from placing thousands of USAID workers on leave and giving them 30-day deadline|first1=Ellen|last1=Knickmeyer|first2=Michael|last2=Kunzelman|date=February 7, 2025|access-date=February 10, 2025|work=Associated Press News}}

On February 13, federal judge Amir Ali ordered the Trump administration to continue contracts and grants which were in effect January 19.{{Cite web |last=Quinn |first=Melissa |date=February 13, 2025 |title=Judge orders Trump administration to temporarily restore funding for foreign assistance programs |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/judge-blocks-trump-administration-from-canceling-foreign-aid-awards-in-place-before-his-inauguration/ |access-date=February 21, 2025 |website=CBS News |language=en-US}} Chief Justice John Roberts, overseeing cases for the District of Columbia, paused this order.{{Cite web |last=Quinn |first=Melissa |date=2025-02-27 |title=Chief justice halts lower court decision ordering Trump administration to pay State Department, USAID contractors |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-administration-supreme-court-foreign-aid-freeze/ |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=CBS News |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Kruzel |first=John |date=February 28, 2025 |title=Foreign aid groups ask US Supreme Court to require Trump to release funds |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/foreign-aid-groups-ask-us-supreme-court-require-trump-release-funds-2025-02-28/ |access-date=March 6, 2025 |work=Reuters}} On March 5, the Supreme Court ruled 5–4 that the Trump administration must comply with Judge Ali's order.{{Cite web |last=Deppisch |first=Breanne |date=March 5, 2025 |title=Supreme Court rules on nearly $2 billion in USAID payments paused by Trump |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/scotus-rules-nearly-2-billion-frozen-usaid-payments.amp |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=Fox News}}{{Cite web |last=Blumenthal |first=Paul |date=March 5, 2025 |title=Supreme Court Says Trump Administration Must Release Frozen Foreign Aid Funds |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-usaid-supreme-court_n_67c85d47e4b06ea0f75950fe |access-date=March 5, 2025 |website=Huffington Post |language=en}}

However, the Supreme Court added that Judge Ali must clarify what obligations the government must meet with “due regard for the feasibility of any compliance timelines.”{{Cite web |last1=Quinn |first1=Melissa |date=March 5, 2025| title=Supreme Court won't lift lower court order unfreezing $2 billion in foreign aid funding |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/supreme-court-foreign-aid-usaid/ |website=CBS News |language=en}}

On March 10, Judge Ali ruled that the Trump administration must pay for completed projects at the rate of 300 back payments a day, meaning four days for all 1,200 back payments, and this being for projects completed by February 13.{{Cite web |last=Falconer |first=Rebecca |date=2025-03-11 |title=Judge holds Congress has power on foreign aid spending, not president |url=https://www.axios.com/2025/03/11/trump-usaid-foreign-aid-payments-power |website=Axios |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Knickmeyer |first=Ellen |date=March 11, 2025 |title=Trump overstepped his constitutional authority in freezing Congress' funding for USAID, judge says |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/trump-overstepped-constitutional-authority-freezing-congress-funding-usaid-119667322 |website=ABC News|agency=Associated Press |language=en}} A March 11 ABC News article reported that, until recently, no payments were being made because DOGE had disabled the payment system.

On March 10, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that he was cancelling 83% of USAID programs, or approximately 5,200 out of 6,200 programs. The remaining 1,000 programs (approximately) would be moved to the Department of State.{{cite news |last1=Knickmeyer |first1=Ellen |title=Secretary of State Rubio says purge of USAID programs complete, with 83% of agency's programs gone |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-rubio-usaid-foreign-aid-bf442d62af67918a6fc5eee839074601 |access-date=March 12, 2025 |work=Associated Press News |date=March 10, 2025}}{{cite web |

title=Secretary of state says 83% of USAID programs are being canceled |

website=CBS News |

date=March 10, 2025 |

author1=Caroline Linton |

url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/secretary-of-state-usaid-programs-canceled/}} On March 11, USAID acting executive secretary Erica Carr wrote that USAID was "clearing our classified safes and personnel documents", instructing colleagues to shred or burn the documents.{{cite news |last1=Hillyard |first1=Vaughn |last2=Williams |first2=Abigail |last3=Lebowitz |first3=Megan |title=USAID employees told to burn or shred classified documents |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/usaid-employees-told-burn-shred-classified-documents-rcna195853 |access-date=March 12, 2025 |work=NBC News |date=March 12, 2025}}{{Cite web |last=Epstein |first=Kayla |date=2025-03-12 |title=USAID staff told to shred and burn classified documents |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjw2yywy3x7o.amp |website=BBC |language=en}}

In mid-March, it was reported that a memo was circulating regarding a re-focused (and re-named) USAID. Even such traditional goals such as equal rights for women and religious freedom are to be classified as “political” goals and are to be brought under direct State Department control. One stated goal is “countering global competitors including China.” As of March 20, this memo is still under review by Secretary of State Rubio.{{Cite web |last1=Satter |first1=Raphael |last2=Psaledakis |first2=Daphne |date=March 20, 2025 |title=Trump officials propose plan revamping US foreign aid, memo says |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-officials-propose-plan-revamping-us-foreign-aid-memo-says-2025-03-20/ |website=Reuters |language=en}}

As of late March, DOGE no longer lists the details of canceled USAID contracts on its “Wall of Receipts” due to “legal reasons.” DOGE lists approximately $12 billion saved, although a former USAID analyst estimates the actual amount is closer to $6 or $7 billion.{{Cite web |last1=Ingram |last2=Kates |last3=Ruetenik |date=March 26, 2025 |title=DOGE removes details on canceled USAID contracts from its online "wall of receipts" |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/doge-usaid-contracts-details-removed-wall-of-receipts/ |website=CBS News, please see 5th paragraph and last paragraph |language=en}}

President Trump stated the U.S. will help in response to the March 28 earthquake in Myanmar, although the question was asked by a former USAID executive of whether or not the United States will beat other countries in getting there with a relief team(s).{{cite web |

url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/state-department-notified-congress-intent-reorganize-usaid-rubio-says-2025-03-28/ |title=Remaining USAID staff fired, Trump says Myanmar will still get earthquake aid |author1=Jonathan Landay |author2= Daphne Psaledakis |website=Reuters |date=March 28, 2025}}

In early April, USAID announced it was adding back 14 nations to grants under the UN’s World Food Programme. This nations include Lebanon, Syria, Somalia, Jordan, Iraq and Ecuador, plus the International Organization for Migration in the Pacific region.{{cite web |author1= |date=April 8, 2025 |title=Exclusive: Trump administration moves to restore some terminated foreign aid programs, sources say |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-administration-moves-restore-some-terminated-foreign-aid-programs-sources-2025-04-08/ |website=Reuters}} However, food aid was not restored to either Yemen or Afghanistan, with a State Department spokesperson saying this was “based on concern that the funding was benefiting terrorist groups, including the Houthis and the Taliban.”{{cite web |

title=USAID reverses course and restores some humanitarian aid contracts after WFP warning of possible deadly consequences |

website=CNN |

date=April 9, 2025 |

author1=Jennifer Hansler |

url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/08/politics/trump-admin-aid-yemen-afghanistan/index.html}}

On March 28, former DOGE member and then-USAID executive Jeremy Lewin announced plans to wind-down USAID by July 1 “following congressional consultations.” The United States State Department will take over some, not all, of remaining functions. Some employees will remain until September 2 to responsibly shut down the agency.{{Cite web |last1=Beitsch |first1=Rebecca |last2=Weixel |first2=Nathaniel |date=March 28, 2025|title=Trump administration moves to eliminate USAID, firing remaining employees |url=https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/5220447-trump-administration-to-end-usaid/ |website=The Hill |language=en}} In mid-April, Jeremy Lewin himself was moved to the State Department Office of Foreign Assistance to replace Pete Marocco, although it was not known if Lewin would also continue at USAID for a while.

{{cite web |

title=DOGE staffer appointed as acting head of US State Dept foreign assistance office |

website=Reuters |

date=April 15, 2025 |

author1=Humeyra Pamuk |

url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/doge-staffer-appointed-acting-head-us-state-dept-foreign-assistance-office-2025-04-15/}}

{{Main|2025 United States federal government grant pause}}

{{see also|Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974}}

On January 27, 2025, the Trump administration's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released memo M-25-13, which ordered the federal government to take action the next day to "temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all federal financial assistance, and other relevant agency activities that may be implicated by [Trump's] executive orders, including, but not limited to, financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the Green New Deal".{{cite news |last1=Uebelacker |first1=Erik |date=January 29, 2025 |title=White House rescinds controversial federal aid freeze memo |url=https://www.courthousenews.com/white-house-rescinds-controversial-federal-aid-freeze-memo/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250131062838/https://www.courthousenews.com/white-house-rescinds-controversial-federal-aid-freeze-memo/ |archive-date=2025-01-31 |access-date=January 30, 2025 |work=Courthouse News}} The memo continued that this would allow the Trump administration to "determine the best uses of the funding for those programs consistent with the law and [Trump's] priorities", while "Medicare or Social Security benefits" were exempted from being affected.{{cite news |last1=Farrar |first1=Molly |title=Mass. is suing over federal funding freeze as Medicaid system appears to be down |url=https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2025/01/28/mass-is-suing-over-federal-funding-freeze-as-medicaid-system-appears-to-be-down/ |access-date=January 30, 2025 |work=boston.com |date=January 28, 2025}} 2,600 federal programs were selected for review.{{cite news |title=Which Federal Programs Are Under Scrutiny? The Budget Office Named 2,600 of Them. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/01/28/upshot/federal-programs-funding-trump-omb.html |access-date=January 30, 2025 |archive-date=January 30, 2025 |work=The New York Times |date=January 28, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250130051739/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/01/28/upshot/federal-programs-funding-trump-omb.html}} The memo sparked considerable uncertainty among government employees, lawmakers and nonprofit organizations.{{cite news |last1=Pettypiece |first1=Shannon |last2=Tsirkin |first2=Julie |last3=Haake |first3=Garrett |last4=Lovelace |first4=Berkeley |title=Trump's funding freeze creates widespread confusion |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-federal-funding-freeze-widespread-confusion-rcna189581 |access-date=January 30, 2025 |work=NBC News |date=January 29, 2025}}

On January 28, 2025, the Medicaid payment portal shut down across the United States before returning online later that day; the Trump administration said that the shutdown was not related to the funding freeze.{{cite news |last1=Hooper |first1=Kelly |title=Medicaid payment systems back online after outage |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/29/medicaid-payment-systems-online-00201244 |access-date=January 30, 2025 |work=Politico |date=January 29, 2025}} Nonprofit organizations reported being unable to enter federal government systems to receive federal funds. The OMB released an additional statement declaring several schemes (Medicaid, SNAP, "funds for small businesses, farmers, Pell grants, Head Start, rental assistance", student loans, and "any program that provides direct benefits to Americans") to be exempt from the federal funding freeze.{{cite news |last1=Tsui |first1=Karina |last2=Boyette |first2=Chris |title=A judge paused a freeze on federal funding, but many facets of American life are left in limbo. Here's what we know |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/29/us/federal-grant-pause-what-we-know-hnk/index.html |access-date=January 31, 2025 |work=CNN |date=January 29, 2025}}{{cite news |last1=Natanson |first1=Hannah |title=Here's what we know — and don't know — about the Trump funding freeze |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/01/28/trump-freeze-federal-grants-loans/ |access-date=January 31, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250131144224/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/01/28/trump-freeze-federal-grants-loans/ |archive-date=January 31, 2025 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=January 28, 2025}} After several organizations sued, the OMB memo was blocked by United States District Judge Loren AliKhan before the freeze began, with the block to expire on February 3.{{cite news |last1=Knappenberger |first1=Ryan |title=Federal judge temporarily blocks Trump freeze on federal grants |url=https://www.courthousenews.com/federal-judge-temporarily-blocks-trump-freeze-on-federal-grants/ |access-date=January 30, 2025 |work=Courthouse News |date=January 28, 2025}}

On January 29, the OMB withdrew memo M-25-13, but White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that this did not nullify the federal funding freeze. On February 1, after 22 states and the District of Columbia sued, District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. ordered the Trump administration to temporarily stop the federal funding freeze in those states, as "no federal law would authorize the executive's unilateral action here".{{cite news |last1=Schwartz |first1=Mattathias |title=Federal Judge Orders White House to Keep Money Flowing to 22 States |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/31/us/trump-freeze-blocked.html |access-date=February 1, 2025 |work=The New York Times |date=January 31, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250201025121/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/31/us/trump-freeze-blocked.html |archive-date=February 1, 2025}}{{cite news |last1=Quinn |first1=Melissa |title=Federal judge temporarily blocks Trump administration's funding freeze |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/federal-judge-blocks-trump-funding-freeze/ |access-date=February 1, 2025 |work=CBS News |date=January 31, 2025}} McConnell took action after concluding that the withdrawal of the "wide-ranging, all-encompassing, and ambiguous" OMB memo was "in name-only and may have been issued simply to defeat the jurisdiction of the courts".{{cite news |last1=Gerstein |first1=Josh |title=Second judge to block Trump's spending freeze says the policy is likely unconstitutional |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/31/judge-block-trump-spending-freeze-00201899 |access-date=February 1, 2025 |work=Politico |date=January 31, 2025}}{{cite news |last1=Raymond |first1=Nate |title=US judge temporarily blocks Trump from freezing federal funding |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-judge-blocks-trump-freezing-federal-spending-22-states-2025-01-31/ |access-date=February 1, 2025 |work=Reuters |date=February 1, 2025}} On February 10, McConnell cited the suing states as providing "evidence" that the Trump administration "in some cases have continued to improperly freeze federal funds and refused to resume disbursement of appropriated federal funds", causing "irreparable harm to a vast portion of this country"; hence McConnell ordered the Trump administration to "immediately restore frozen funding".{{cite news |last1=Atkins |first1=Chloe |last2=Gallagher |first2=Fallon |last3=Gregorian |first3=Dareh |title=Judge finds Trump administration violated court order halting funding freeze |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/judge-finds-trump-administration-violated-court-order-halting-funding-rcna191528 |access-date=February 11, 2025 |work=NBC News |date=February 11, 2025}}

After federal district judge Paul Engelmayer ruled in February 2025 to block DOGE from accessing United States Treasury payment systems, Trump responded that "no judge should, frankly, be allowed to make that kind of a decision", while Vance commented that "judges aren't allowed to control the executive's legitimate power."{{cite news |last1=Stanage |first1=Niall |title=Trump, allies ramp up attacks on courts |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5137035-trump-musk-vance-attack-courts-judges/ |access-date=February 14, 2025 |work=The Hill |date=February 10, 2025}}

After multiple federal judges ruled against the Trump administration's actions, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in February 2025 denied that there was a "constitutional crisis taking place here at the White House", instead saying that the "judges are acting as judicial activists" and "the real constitutional crisis is taking place within our judicial branch."{{cite news |last1=Carpenter |first1=Susan |title=White House blames judges ruling against Trump for 'constitutional crisis' |url=https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/politics/2025/02/12/karoline-leavitt-constitutional-crisis-district-courts-liberal-judges |access-date=February 14, 2025 |work=ny1.com |date=February 12, 2025}}{{cite news |last1=Price |first1=Michelle |last2=Whitehurst |first2=Lindsay |last3=Megerian |first3=Chris |title=White House says it's the judges — not Trump — causing a 'constitutional crisis' |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-judges-rulings-constitutional-crisis-presidential-power-a9c593cf3f9faec23a03f4a5123fefdb |access-date=February 14, 2025 |work=Associated Press News |date=February 13, 2025}} Meanwhile, Musk proposed "an immediate wave of judicial impeachments".{{cite news |last1=Raymond |first1=Nate |title=Trump, allies ramp up attacks on judges as Musk calls for impeachments |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-allies-ramp-up-attacks-judges-musk-calls-impeachments-2025-02-12/ |access-date=February 14, 2025 |work=Reuters |date=February 13, 2025}} In March 2025, when judge William Alsup ordered the Trump administration to rehire probationary federal government employees they had fired, with Alsup stating that firings needed to follow a lawful process, Leavitt declared Alsup's decision to be "absurd and unconstitutional", as she stated: "If a federal district court judge would like executive powers, they can try and run for President themselves".

{{Main|March 2025 Venezuelan deportations|J.G.G. v. Trump}}

On March 15, 2025, the American Civil Liberties Union and Democracy Forward filed suit against the Trump administration in anticipation of Trump invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which Trump did later the same day.{{Cite news |last=Bustillo |first=Ximena |date=2025-03-15 |title=Federal judge blocks Trump's plan to target 'alien enemies' for deportation |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/03/15/nx-s1-5246028/trump-alien-enemies-act-tren-de-aragua-deportation |access-date=2025-03-18 |work=NPR |language=en}} Chief Judge James Boasberg of the US District Court for the District of Columbia issued a temporary restraining order that any foreigners in the Trump administration's custody could not be deported under the act, pending further judicial rulings in the legal case. Boasberg also made the verbal order: "Any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in the air needs to be returned to the United States".{{cite news |last1=Faulders |first1=Katherine |title=Trump administration ignores judge's order to turn deportation planes around: Sources |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/trump-admin-ignores-judges-order-bring-deportation-planes/story?id=119857181 |access-date=March 17, 2025 |work=ABC News |date=March 17, 2025}} Despite Boasberg's order, the Trump administration used three planes to deport around 250 people, alleged to be Venezuelan gang members, to El Salvador.{{cite news |last1=Caputo |first1=Mark |title=Exclusive: How the White House ignored a judge's order to turn back deportation flights |url=https://www.axios.com/2025/03/16/trump-white-house-defy-judge-deport-venezuelans |access-date=March 17, 2025 |work=Axios |date=March 16, 2025}} Amnesty International USA has stated that these flights are “yet another example of the Trump administration's racist targeting” of Venezuelans “based on sweeping claims of gang affiliation.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated, “The administration did not ‘refuse to comply’ with a court order.” Leavitt expressed doubts about "whether a verbal order carries the same weight as a written order", while the Trump administration argued in court that "an oral directive is not enforceable as an injunction".{{cite news |last1=Samuels |first1=Brett |title=White House questions authority of judge's verbal order on Venezuelan deportation flights |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5198986-trump-white-house-deportation-flights-immigration-southern-border/ |access-date=March 18, 2025 |work=The Hill |date=March 17, 2025}} The Trump administration also stated that plane was already airborne and outside United States airspace.{{cite news |last1=Wendling |first1=Mike |title=Judge questions White House's refusal to turn around deportation flights |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crrdp9jdpyko |access-date=March 18, 2025 |work=BBC News |date=March 17, 2025}}

Trump border czar Tom Homan said that the Trump administration completed the deportations despite the court order, because Boasberg's order was made when the planes were above international waters after departing the United States; Homan also declared regarding deportations: "Another flight every day. [...] We are not stopping. I don't care what the judges think."{{cite news |last1=Saric |first1=Ivana |title=Trump's border czar: "I don't care what the judges think" |url=https://www.axios.com/2025/03/17/tom-homan-deportation-flights-trump-court-order |access-date=March 18, 2025 |work=Axios |date=March 17, 2025}} White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Boasberg's order "had no lawful basis [...] A single judge in a single city cannot direct the movements of an aircraft carrier [commercial jet] full of foreign alien terrorists who were physically expelled from U.S. soil".

Judge Boasberg gave the Trump administration until March 18 to provide details of the timing of the flights. He stated he would not issue another ruling until a hearing scheduled for March 21. Trump criticized Boasberg as "crooked" and called for him to be impeached, leading John Roberts, the chief justice of the Supreme Court, to rebuke Trump, saying "impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision".{{Cite news |last1=Megerian |first1=Chris |last2=Whitehurst |first2=Lindsay |last3=Sherman |first3=Mark |date=2025-03-18 |title=Roberts rejects Trump's call for impeaching judge who ruled against his deportation plans |url=https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-federal-judges-impeachment-29da1153a9f82106748098a6606fec39 |access-date=2025-03-18 |work=AP News}}

Attorney General Pam Bondi said on March 19 regarding Boasberg: "this judge has no right to ask those questions" regarding details about the deportation flights, and has "no power" to order the Trump administration to stop the deportation flights, as Bondi declared that judges are "meddling in our government".{{cite news |last1=Irwin |first1=Lauren |title=Bondi says judge has 'no right' to ask flight deportation questions |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5204161-bondi-judge-flight-deportation/ |access-date=March 20, 2025 |work=The HIll |date=March 19, 2025}}

The family of one deported man stated he had been a tattoo artist for 10 years and was not a gang member. The families of five other deported persons made similar claims.{{cite web |

title=Venezuelan tattoo artist who agreed to go back home was sent to El Salvador prison, family says |

website=NBC News |

date=March 24, 2025 |

author1=Carmen Sesin |

author2=Suzanne Gamboa |

author3=Nicole Acevedo |

url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/el-salvador-prison-venezuelan-jhon-chacin-trump-immigration-rcna197780}}

In a 5-4 decision issued on April 7, in a case pertaining to alleged Venezuelan members of the “Tren de Aragua” criminal gang, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration may deport persons under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. However, persons who are detained must be provided notice “within a reasonable time and in such a manner as will allow them to actually seek habeas relief.”{{cite web |

title=Supreme Court clears way for deportations of alleged Venezuelan gang members to resume, but with chance for judicial review |

website=CBS News |

date=April 8, 2025 |

author1=Melissa Quinn |

url=https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/supreme-court-trump-deportations-alleged-venezuelan-gang-members/}}

{{see also|2025 United States government online resource removals}}

On November 14, Trump announced that he would nominate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for health secretary. This was controversial given Kennedy's repeated endorsement of anti-vaccine conspiracy theories, with the director of the American Public Health Association stating that Kennedy "already caused great damage in health in the country" and that he is also "a person without a health background".{{cite news |title=US election live updates: Trump picks RFK Jr as health secretary and calls him 'great mind' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c0lp93494g9t |access-date=November 15, 2024 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB |archive-date=November 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241115023402/https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c0lp93494g9t |url-status=live}} In December, Trump revealed he was discussing ending childhood vaccination programs with Kennedy and promoted the scientifically disproven claim of a link between vaccines and autism.{{Cite news |last1=Reid |first1=Tim |last2=Erman |first2=Michael |date=December 12, 2024 |title=Trump to discuss ending childhood vaccination programs with RFK Jr. |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-discuss-ending-childhood-vaccination-programs-with-rfk-jr-2024-12-12/ |access-date=December 12, 2024 |work=Reuters}}

Upon election, the Trump administration ordered a freeze on all communications and reports from HHS and sub-agencies, unless approved by a political appointee.{{Cite news |last1=Stobbe |first1=Mike |last2=Aleccia |first2=Jonel |date=January 23, 2025 |title=Trump administration freezes many health agency reports and online posts |work=Associated Press News |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-health-communications-cdc-hhs-fda-1eeca64c1ccc324b31b779a86d3999a4 |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 23, 2025 |archive-date=January 23, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250123103904/https://apnews.com/article/trump-health-communications-cdc-hhs-fda-1eeca64c1ccc324b31b779a86d3999a4 |url-status=live}} On January 22, DHS announced that ICE would start arresting illegal immigrants in hospitals, if necessary.

{{excerpt|Centers for Disease Control and Prevention#Second Trump administration}}On February 18, Trump signed an executive order, that called for the policy recommendations for reducing the out-of-pocket costs of IVF and recommendations on removing any legislation that "exacerbate" the costs of IVF.{{Cite news |last1=Superville |first1=Darline |last2=Price |first2=Michelle L. |date=February 18, 2025 |title=Trump signs order to study how to expand IVF and calls for 'radical transparency' from government |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-executive-order-musk-hannity-143316eda581ac466cd923cdf4568d87 |access-date=February 18, 2025 |work=Associated Press News}}{{Cite news |date=February 18, 2025 |title=Trump announces executive order on IVF treatments |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/video/trump-announces-executive-order-on-ivf-treatments-232306757687 |access-date=February 18, 2025 |work=NBC News}} A fact sheet published by the white house also stated that the administration was going to look into expanding health care coverage for IVF.{{Cite news |date=February 18, 2025 |title=Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Expands Access to In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/02/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-expands-access-to-in-vitro-fertilization-ivf/ |access-date=February 18, 2025 |work=whitehouse.gov}} On February 25, Trump signed an executive order to improve healthcare cost transparency.{{Cite web |date=February 25, 2025 |title=Trump signs healthcare price transparency executive order |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-signs-price-transparency-executive-order-2025-02-25/ |work=Reuters}}

{{Main|Immigration policy of the second Donald Trump administration|Mexico–United States border crisis#Second Trump administration (2025–present)}}

{{See also|Deportation in the second presidency of Donald Trump|Mexico–United States border wall#Second Trump administration (2025–present)|Activist deportations in the second Trump presidency}}

File:Official Portrait of Secretary Kristi Noem.jpg, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security]]

Trump has indicated intent to expand and revive immigration policies imposed during his first presidency, including a travel ban on Muslims, expulsion of asylum seekers by asserting that they carry infectious diseases, deputization of police officers and soldiers to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement in mass deportations, and establishment of sprawling detention camps, according to The New York Times.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/11/us/politics/trump-2025-immigration-agenda.html |title=Sweeping Raids, Giant Camps and Mass Deportations: Inside Trump's 2025 Immigration Plans |date=November 11, 2023 |last1=Savage |first1=Charlie |last2=Haberman |first2=Maggie |last3=Swan |first3=Jonathan |author-link2=Maggie Haberman |author-link3=Jonathan Swan |work=The New York Times |access-date=November 6, 2024 |archive-date=April 25, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240425100016/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/11/us/politics/trump-2025-immigration-agenda.html |url-status=live}} After his win, Trump said "there is no price tag" to carry out these deportations.{{cite news |last1=Welker |first1=Kristen |last2=Marquez |first2=Alexandra |date=November 8, 2024 |title=Trump says there's 'no price tag' for his mass deportation plan |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/trump-says-no-price-tag-mass-deportation-plan-rcna179178 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241212053942/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/trump-says-no-price-tag-mass-deportation-plan-rcna179178 |archive-date=December 12, 2024 |access-date=November 8, 2024 |website=NBC News}}

On November 10, 2024, Trump announced that Tom Homan would be joining the incoming administration as the "border czar",{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/10/politics/tom-homan-border-czar-ice-donald-trump/index.html |title=Trump expected to announce he's hiring Tom Homan, his former acting ICE director |date=November 10, 2024 |last=Collins |first=Kaitlan |author-link=Kaitlan Collins |website=CNN |access-date=November 10, 2024}} writing that "Homan will be in charge of all deportation of illegal aliens back to their country of origin."{{cite news |last1=Ives |first1=Mike |title=Trump Names Thomas Homan 'Border Czar' With a Wide Portfolio |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/11/us/politics/trump-homan-immigration-border.html |work=The New York Times |date=November 11, 2024 |archive-date=November 23, 2024 |access-date=November 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241123073837/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/11/us/politics/trump-homan-immigration-border.html |url-status=live}}

While border crossings reached record highs during the first half of the Biden presidency, they reached lower levels near the end of his term and continued into Trump's second presidency.{{Cite news |last=Aleaziz |first=Hamed |date=January 10, 2025 |title=Border Crossings Continue to Drop Before Trump's Second Term |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/10/us/politics/border-immigration-drop-biden.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 26, 2025 |issn=0362-4331 }}

Shortly after he became president on January 20, the Trump administration ended services for the app of CBP One and reinstated the national emergency at the southern border and reordered the armed forces to draft plans for deployment,{{Cite news |last1=Aleaziz |first1=Hamed |last2=Villegas |first2=Paulina |date=January 20, 2025 |title=Trump Shuts Down Migrant Entry App, Signaling the Start of His Crackdown |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/20/us/politics/trump-shuts-down-migrant-entry-app-cbp-one.html |access-date=February 4, 2025 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/20/trump-immigration-emergency-executive-order|title=Trump declares national border emergency in immigration crackdown|work=The Guardian |last1=Gambino |first1=Lauren |last2=Villarreal |first2=Alexandra |last3=Pengelly |first3=Martin}} and declared actions to move towards labeling Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations.{{Cite news |last=Janetsky |first=Megan |date=January 21, 2025 |title=Mexico defends sovereignty as US seeks to label cartels as terrorists |work=Associated Press News |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-us-drug-cartels-terrorist-organizations-8f010b9762964417039b65a10131ff64 |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 23, 2025}} Trump increased deportation authorities for the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Marshals Service.{{Cite news |last=Graziosi |first=Graig |date=January 23, 2025 |title=DEA agents now have the power to make arrests for deportations – as Trump spreads federal authority to push his plans |work=The Independent |url=https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/agents-deportation-arrest-power-trump-b2685209.html |access-date=January 23, 2025 |archive-date=January 23, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250123224650/https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/agents-deportation-arrest-power-trump-b2685209.html |url-status=live}} He gave ICE the power to deport immigrants who came to the United States legally under Biden administration programs,{{Cite news |last=Gedeon |first=Joseph |date=January 24, 2025 |title=Trump gives Ice power to deport immigrants who came legally under Biden |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/24/legal-immigrant-deportation-trump-ice |access-date=January 26, 2025 |work=The Guardian}} and established daily deportation quotas to ICE offices.{{Cite news |last1=Miroff |first1=Nick |last2=Sacchetti |first2=Maria |date=January 26, 2025 |title=Trump officials issue quotas to ICE officers to ramp up arrests |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2025/01/26/ice-arrests-raids-trump-quota/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 26, 2025 |issn=0190-8286 }} Trump also signed an executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship for children of unauthorized immigrants as well as immigrants legally but temporarily present in the United States. At least nine lawsuits have been filed challenged the order on constitutional grounds, and {{As of|2025|February|lc=y}}, four federal judges have issued preliminary injunctions blocking its implementation and enforcement nationwide.{{Cite news |last=Lee |first=Ella |date=February 6, 2025 |title=DOJ appeals block of birthright citizenship executive order |url=https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5131881-doj-appeals-block-birthright-citizenship/ |work=The Hill}}{{Cite news |last=Raymond |first=Nate |date=February 6, 2025 |title=US judge accuses Trump of ignoring rule of law to curb birthright citizenship |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-judge-accuses-trump-ignoring-rule-law-curb-birthright-citizenship-2025-02-06/ |work=Reuters}}{{Cite web |last1=Casey |first1=Michael |last2=Catalini |first2=Mike |date=February 13, 2025 |title=Fourth federal judge blocks Trump's birthright citizenship order |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-birthright-citizenship-ruling-boston-3e442a97de8398dc4faf691857ea48ea |access-date=February 14, 2025 |work=Associated Press News |language=en}}

On January 22, 2025, Trump revoked guidance from 2011 prohibiting immigration arrests in sensitive areas such as courthouses, schools, churches, and hospitals, or during funerals and weddings.{{Cite news |last1=Barr |first1=Luke |last2=Reinstein |first2=Julia |date=January 22, 2025 |title=Trump authorizes ICE to target courthouses, schools and churches |website=ABC News |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-authorizes-ice-target-schools-churches/story?id=117954409 |access-date=January 23, 2025}}

NPR reported that a "growing number" of Democrat and Republican officials in cities, states, police departments, school districts and other local governments stated they would not assist in migrant raids citing public safety, civil rights, and administrative capability concerns.{{Cite news |last=Mann |first=Brian |date=January 24, 2025 |title=Local governments across U.S. signal they won't aid Trump migrant crackdown |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/01/24/nx-s1-5273686/trump-immigration-crackdown-border-police-ice-deportation |access-date=January 26, 2025 |work=NPR}}

On January 29, 2025, Trump signed the Laken Riley Act into law, the first legislation of his second term.{{Cite web |last1=Doyle |first1=Katherine |last2=Richards |first2=Zoë |date=2025-01-29 |title=Trump signs the Laken Riley Act into law |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/trump-signs-laken-riley-act-law-rcna188917 |access-date=2025-02-12 |website=NBC News |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Gomez Licon |first=Adriana |date=2025-01-24 |title=What is the Laken Riley Act? A look at the first bill Trump will sign |url=https://apnews.com/article/what-is-laken-riley-act-trump-immigration-2667d626139ddf5a16d1533516eab18f |access-date=2025-01-27 |work=Associated Press News |language=en}} On the same day, he signed a presidential memorandum to begin expansion of the Guantanamo Migrant Operations Center to house up to 30,000 migrants under detention, separate from the high security military prison at Guantanamo Bay.

On February 6, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael W. Banks claimed that illegal border crossings were already down almost 90% since Trump's inauguration, and that criminal prosecutions of those apprehended were up more than 50%.{{Cite news |title=ICE arrests 100+ Venezuelan gang members in Colorado |work=Fox News |date=February 6, 2025 |access-date=February 7, 2025 |url= https://www.foxnews.com/video/6368372205112}} On February 25, 2025, Trump announced that the US would launch "Gold Card" residency permits for wealthy immigrants for a price of US$5 Million, with an estimated release near the end of March 2025.{{Cite web |agency=Agence France-Presse |date=February 26, 2025 |title=Trump to sell US$5 Million "gold card" visas to rich foreigners |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3300125/trump-says-will-sell-us5-million-gold-cards-foreigners-who-want-move-us?module=perpetual_scroll_0&pgtype=article |access-date=February 26, 2025 |website=South China Morning Post}}

Trump deported 37,660 people during his first month in office.{{Cite news |last=Hesson |first=Ted |date=February 22, 2025 |title=Trump deporting people at a slower rate than Biden's last year in office |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-set-broaden-arrests-deportation-routes-expand-immigration-crackdown-2025-02-21/ |work=Reuters}}

{{See also|Social policy of the first Donald Trump administration#LGBTQ rights}}

In his 2024 campaign, Trump detailed a range of proposals aimed at reversing recent LGBTQ-related policies and reshaping federal guidelines on gender identity and transgender rights. He stated that on "day one", he would reverse the Biden administration's Title IX expansion, which protects transgender students' rights to use bathrooms, locker rooms, and pronouns that align with their gender identity. He also pledged to cut federal funding to schools promoting "critical race theory, transgender insanity, and other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content".{{cite news |last1=Jimenez |first1=Kayla |title=Trump vows to cut federal funding for schools teaching CRT, accommodating transgender students |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2023/03/13/trump-vows-more-school-choice-parental-rights-less-crt-trans-insanity/11465592002/ |newspaper=USA Today |access-date=November 14, 2024 |date=March 13, 2023 |archive-date=November 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241114213408/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2023/03/13/trump-vows-more-school-choice-parental-rights-less-crt-trans-insanity/11465592002/ |url-status=live}}

His proposed policies would significantly limit gender-affirming care, including calling for a federal ban on such care for minors and blocking Medicare and Medicaid funding for doctors providing gender-affirming services. Trump also proposed forbidding federal agencies from "promoting" gender transitions and plans to task the Justice Department with investigating potential long-term effects of gender-affirming treatments.{{cite news |last1=Dorn |first1=Sara |title=Trump Promises Rollback On Trans Rights: Here's What He's Said |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2024/05/10/trump-promises-rollback-on-trans-rights-heres-what-hes-said/ |website=Forbes |access-date=November 14, 2024 |date=May 10, 2024 |archive-date=November 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241113010451/https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2024/05/10/trump-promises-rollback-on-trans-rights-heres-what-hes-said/ |url-status=live}}

In his inauguration speech, he stated "it will be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female".{{cite news |first=Catherine |last=Lucey |title=Trump Says U.S. Government Will Recognize Only Two Genders |url=https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/trump-inauguration-president-2025/card/trump-says-u-s-government-will-only-recognize-two-genders-AczgnDhivM4E7Pz6xClV |access-date=January 20, 2025 |website=The Wall Street Journal |language=en-US}} Later that day, he issued an executive order, "Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government", that defines sex as binary. It does not include any exceptions for intersex people for whom a sex may not be clearly assigned at birth immediately.{{Cite press release |date=January 21, 2025 |title=Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism And Restoring Biological Truth To The Federal Government |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/defending-women-from-gender-ideology-extremism-and-restoring-biological-truth-to-the-federal-government/ |access-date=February 1, 2025 |publisher=The White House |language=en-US}}{{cite news |title=Trump's definition of 'male,' 'female' criticized by medical and legal experts |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trumps-definition-male-female-criticized-medical-legal-experts/story?id=117975718 |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=ABC News |language=en}}{{cite magazine |last=Weigel |first=Alicia Roth |date=January 23, 2025 |title=Trump's 'Biological Truth' Executive Order is Not Based in Biology or Truth |url=https://time.com/7209300/trumps-biological-truth-executive-order-is-not-true/ |access-date=January 23, 2025 |magazine=Time |language=en}} As a consequence of the order, the State Department froze all applications for US passports with the non-binary 'X' marker and announced that passports would only reflect a person's sex assigned at birth.{{Cite news |last=Gedeon |first=Joseph |date=2025-01-23 |title=Rubio instructs staff to freeze passport applications with 'X' sex markers |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/23/trump-rubio-x-gender-passport |access-date=2025-01-23 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} Federal employees were ordered to adjust their email signatures to cease listing personal pronouns aligned with their gender identity.{{Cite web |last1=Kochi |first1=Sudiksha |last2=Garrison |first2=Joey |title=Federal workers will have to scrub pronouns from email signatures |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/01/31/agencies-end-initiatives-promoting-gender-ideology/78094141007/ |access-date=February 3, 2025 |website=USA Today |language=en-US}} In February, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission moved to dismiss six of its own pending cases alleging gender identity discrimination.{{Cite web |last1=Savage |first1=Claire |last2=Olson |first2=Alexandra |date=February 16, 2025 |title=EEOC Seeks To Drop Transgender Discrimination Cases, Citing Trump's Executive Order |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/eeoc-gender-discrimination-lawsuit-drop_n_67b12ecbe4b059dad8b38c2c |access-date=February 16, 2025 |website=Huffington Post |language=en}}

Trump signed other orders:

• On January 27, "Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness" rescinded inclusion of transgender members of the US military.{{Cite web |date=January 28, 2025 |title=Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/prioritizing-military-excellence-and-readiness/ |access-date=February 1, 2025 |website=whitehouse.gov |language=en-US}}{{cite magazine |first1=Trudy |last1=Ring |title=Trump revokes Biden's order that lifted trans military ban, clearing way for new ban |url=https://www.advocate.com/politics/trump-transgender-military-ban-likely |website=Advocate |date=January 21, 2025 |access-date=January 21, 2025 |quote=Donald Trump has cleared the way for a new ban on military service by transgender Americans}}{{cite news |last=Wentling |first=Nikki |date=January 21, 2025 |title=Trump revokes order allowing transgender troops to serve in military |url=https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2025/01/21/trump-revokes-order-allowing-transgender-troops-to-serve-in-military/ |access-date=January 23, 2025 |website=Military Times |language=en}}
• On January 28, "Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation" threatened the federal funding of any medical institution that provides gender-affirming care for a person under 19.{{Cite press release |date=January 28, 2025|title=Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/protecting-children-from-chemical-and-surgical-mutilation/ |access-date=February 2, 2025 |publisher=The White House |language=en-US}} (On February 13, however, a judge blocked it.){{Cite web |date=February 13, 2025 |title=Judge Pauses Trump's Order Restricting Gender-Affirming Care For Trans Youth |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ap-us-trump-transgender-health-care_n_67ae5791e4b0513a8d766a65 |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=Huffington Post |language=en}}
• On January 29, "Ending Radical Indoctrination in K–12 Schooling" threatened the federal funding of any school that recognizes a child's gender transition, including name or pronoun changes.{{Cite press release |date=January 29, 2025 |title=Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/ending-radical-indoctrination-in-k-12-schooling/ |access-date=February 2, 2025 |publisher=The White House |language=en-US}}
• On February 5, "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" attempted to ban transgender women and girl athletes from participating in women's and girls' sports.{{cite news |last1=Graves |first1=Will |title=Trump signs executive order intended to bar transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports |url=https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-transgender-athletes-3606411fc12efffec95a893351624e1b |work=Associated Press News |date=February 5, 2025 |quote="With this executive order, the war on women’s sports is over," Trump said at a signing ceremony in the East Room that included lawmakers and female athletes who have come out in support of a ban, including former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the order "upholds the promise of Title IX" and will require "immediate action, including enforcement actions, against schools and athletic associations" that deny women single-sex sports and single-sex locker rooms.}}
• On February 6, "Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias" referred to certain recognitions of sexual orientation and gender identity as examples of "anti-Christian government".{{Cite press release |date=February 6, 2025 |title=Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/eradicating-anti-christian-bias/ |access-date=February 13, 2025 |publisher=The White House|language=en-US}}

Trump ordered all DEI programs shut down by January 22, placed all employees of such programs on immediate leave, and demanded federal employees report on their colleagues attempting to "disguise these programs by using coded or imprecise language".{{Cite news |last1=Green |first1=Erica L. |last2=Aleaziz |first2=Hamed |date=January 22, 2025 |title=Federal Workers Ordered to Report on Colleagues Over D.E.I. Crackdown |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/22/us/politics/trump-order-discrimination-federal-hiring.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 28, 2025 |issn=0362-4331 }} Trump rescinded Executive Order 11246 signed by former President Lyndon Johnson forbidding employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion and national origin, and establishing affirmative action.{{Cite news |last=Timmons |first=Heather |date=January 23, 2025 |title=Why LBJ signed executive order 11246 that Trump rescinded |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/why-president-johnson-signed-executive-order-1965-that-trump-rescinded-2025-01-23/ |access-date=January 28, 2025 }} He attempted to impose more restrictive "red state" social policies onto "blue states" by threatening to cut off federal funding in what was described as an escalation of a culture war.{{Cite news |last=Brownstein |first=Ronald |date=February 28, 2025 |title=Trump tries to impose the red-state social agenda onto blue states that have rejected it |work=CNN |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/28/politics/trump-red-state-social-agenda/index.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=March 20, 2025 }}

In November 2024, Trump's transition team was reportedly compiling a list of military officials involved in the withdrawal from Afghanistan, and investigating whether they could be court-martialed. They were also considering creating a commission to investigate the withdrawal, including whether some officials could be eligible for treason.{{cite news |title=Trump transition team compiling list of current and former U.S. military officers for possible courts-martial |first=Courtney |last=Kube |display-authors=etal |publisher=NBC News |date=November 17, 2024 |access-date=November 25, 2024 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-transition-team-compiling-list-current-former-us-military-office-rcna180489 |archive-date=November 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241124235126/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-transition-team-compiling-list-current-former-us-military-office-rcna180489 |url-status=live}} During his campaign, Trump promised to use the military on American soil to fight "the enemy from within" which he described as "radical left lunatics" and Democratic politicians such as Adam Schiff.{{Cite news |last=Vazquez |first=Maegan |date=October 13, 2024 |title=Trump urges using military to handle 'radical left lunatics' on Election Day |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/10/13/trump-military-enemies-within/ |access-date=October 13, 2024 |issn=0190-8286}}{{Cite web |last1=Lerer |first1=Lisa |last2=Gold |first2=Michael |date=2024-10-15 |title=Trump Escalates Threats to Political Opponents He Deems the 'Enemy' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/15/us/politics/trump-opponents-enemy-within.html |website=New York Times}} Upon taking office, Trump was described as politicizing the military and introducing culture war topics.{{Cite news |last1=Cooper |first1=Helene |last2=Schmitt |first2=Eric |date=January 26, 2025 |title=Trump Pulls the Military Back Into the Political and Culture Wars |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/23/us/politics/trump-military.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 26, 2025 |issn=0362-4331 }}

Charles Q. Brown Jr., who was originally nominated by Trump, became the first African American to lead a branch of the United States Armed Forces.{{Cite news |last=Martinez |first=Luis |date=August 6, 2020 |title=History made as first African American general leads one of the military services |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/history-made-african-american-general-leads-military-services/story?id=72211846 |access-date=May 29, 2022 |work=ABC News}} Trump abruptly dismissed Brown as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on February 21, 2025.{{Cite news |last=Ryan |first=Missy |date=February 21, 2025 |title=Trump ousts Joint Chiefs chairman, other leaders in major Pentagon shake-up |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/02/21/trump-joint-chiefs-of-staff-charles-brown-dan-caine/ |access-date=February 21, 2025 |newspaper=The Washington Post}} Trump subsequently announced that Brown would be replaced with John D. Caine.{{Cite news |last1=Cooper |first1=Helene |last2=Schmitt |first2=Eric |date=February 22, 2025 |title=Dan Caine, Trump's Joint Chiefs Pick, Had Unusual Path to Top Ranks |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/21/us/politics/dan-caine-trump-joint-chiefs.html |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web |last1=Copp |first1=Tara |last2=Baldor |first2=Lolita C. |date=February 22, 2025 |title=Trump fires chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and two other military officers |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-brown-joint-chiefs-of-staff-firing-fa428cc1508a583b3bf5e7a5a58f6acf |work=Associated Press News |language=en}}

Trump's 2024 presidential campaign took on the symbols, rhetoric and agenda of Christian nationalism.{{Cite news|last=Smith|first=Peter|date=May 18, 2024|title=Jesus is their savior, Trump is their candidate. Ex-president's backers say he shares faith, values|url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-christian-evangelicals-conservatives-2024-election-43f25118c133170c77786daf316821c3|access-date=November 23, 2024|work=Associated Press News}} He wove Christian religious imagery into his ideology, characterizing it as a "righteous crusade" against "atheists, globalists and the Marxists".{{cite news |last1=Vakil |first1=Caroline |date=June 25, 2023 |title=Trump paints 2024 campaign as 'righteous crusade' as he rallies evangelicals |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4066499-trump-paints-2024-campaign-as-righteous-crusade/ |access-date=January 24, 2025 |work=The Hill |publisher= |language=English}}

Trump has been critical of what he has characterized as a persecution of Christians. On February 6, following the National Prayer Breakfast, he signed an executive order to create a task force to "immediately halt all forms of anti-Christian targeting and discrimination within the federal government, including at the DOJ, which was absolutely terrible, the IRS, the FBI — terrible — and other agencies."{{cite web |last1=Madhani |first1=Aamer |last2=Smith |first2=Peter |title=After prayer breakfast, Trump creates task force to root out 'anti-Christian bias' |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-prayer-breakfast-30ff6f55a2e3c7b8643a15e7b158537d |work=Associated Press News |access-date=7 February 2025 |language=en |date=6 February 2025}}{{cite web |last1=Lasher |first1=James |title=President Trump Champions Faith and Freedom at National Prayer Breakfast |url=https://charismanews.com/news/president-trump-champions-faith-and-freedom-at-national-prayer-breakfast/ |website=Charisma News |access-date=7 February 2025 |date=6 February 2025}} Trump appointed Attorney General Pam Bondi to lead the task force and appointed Paula White to direct the White House Faith Office.{{cite web |last1=Bose |first1=Nandita |last2=Chiacu |first2=Doina |title=Trump to create religious office in White House, target 'anti-Christian bias' |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-says-he-will-sign-order-targeting-anti-christian-bias-2025-02-06/ |work=Reuters |access-date=7 February 2025 |date=6 February 2025}}

{{main|Science policy of the second Donald Trump administration}}{{see also|NOAA under the second presidency of Donald Trump}}

In response to executive orders, there were freezes in scientific funding and purges of data related to LGBTQ issues, gender, climate change, and racial diversity.{{cite web | last=Calma | first=Justine | title=Donald Trump's data purge has begun | website=The Verge | date=2025-01-31 | url=https://www.theverge.com/news/604484/donald-trumps-data-purge-has-begun | access-date=2025-02-01}}{{cite web | last=Stone | first=Will | title=Trump administration purges websites across federal health agencies | website=NPR | date=2025-01-31 | url=https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/01/31/nx-s1-5282274/trump-administration-purges-health-websites | access-date=2025-02-01}} There were also mass firings across federal scientific agencies.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) ceased paying out grants to researchers.{{cite web | last=Boodman | first=Eric | title=National Science Foundation suspends salary payments, leaving researchers unable to pay their bills | website=STAT | date=2025-01-30 | url=https://www.statnews.com/2025/01/30/trump-funding-freeze-national-science-foundation-suspends-salary-payments/ | access-date=2025-02-01}} After a court order on February 2, the NSF funds were unfrozen.{{cite web | last=Lambert | first=Jonathan | title=National Science Foundation says it will unfreeze grant money after court order | website=NPR | date=2025-02-03 | url=https://www.npr.org/2025/02/03/nx-s1-5285382/national-science-foundation-says-it-will-unfreeze-grant-money-after-court-order | access-date=2025-02-19}} On February 4, 2025, the NSF announced that it would lay off 25% to 50% of its workforce.{{cite web | last=Hiar | first=Corbin | title=Science funding agency threatened with mass layoffs | website=POLITICO | date=2025-02-04 | url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/04/science-funding-agency-layoffs-threat-00202426 | access-date=2025-02-05}}

The Trump administration ordered a suspension of National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant funding on January 27.{{cite journal | last=Kozlov | first=Max | title=Revealed: NIH research grants still frozen despite lawsuits challenging Trump order | journal=Nature | publisher=Nature Publishing Group | date=2025-02-20 | volume=638 | issue=8052 | pages=870–871 | doi=10.1038/d41586-025-00540-2 | pmid=39979573 | bibcode=2025Natur.638..870K | url=https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00540-2 | access-date=2025-02-21}} The order was blocked by courts after legal challenges but continued when the government exploited a loophole in which they refused to publish the agency's meeting plans in the Federal Register. The NIH announced on February 7 that it would cap support for indirect costs in grants to institutions at 15% of a grant's value.{{cite news | last1=Diamond | first1=Dan | last2=Johnson | first2=Carolyn Y. | last3=Sun | first3=Lena H. | title=NIH cuts billions of dollars in biomedical funding, effective immediately | newspaper=Washington Post | date=2025-02-08 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/02/08/nih-cuts-billions-dollars-biomedical-funding-effective-immediately/ | access-date=2025-02-09}} Indirect costs cover expenses that are not directly related to research but are necessary to support it, such as rent for facilities, utilities like heat and electricity, or janitorial and administrative staff.{{cite web | last1=Wosen | first1=Jonathan | last2=Molteni | first2=Megan | last3=Mast | first3=Jason | last4=McFarling | first4=Usha Lee | title=NIH plans to slash support for indirect research costs, sending shockwaves through science | website=STAT | date=2025-02-08 | url=https://www.statnews.com/2025/02/07/nih-slashes-indirect-costs-on-all-grants-to-15-percent-trump/ | access-date=2025-02-09}}{{cite web | last1=Wosen | first1=Jonathan | last2=Chen | first2=Angus | title=What are indirect research costs? A quick explainer in light of NIH's sweeping policy change | website=STAT | date=2025-02-08 | url=https://www.statnews.com/2025/02/08/nih-indirect-costs-explainer-research-budget-cuts-different-accounting/ | access-date=2025-02-09}} Indirect costs typically range from 30% to 70%, and the cuts represent "tens to hundreds of millions of dollars" in lost funding for research institutes. In response, 22 state attorneys general filed a lawsuit and the cuts were paused on February 10.{{cite web | last1=Bush | first1=Evan | last2=Bendix | first2=Aria | last3=Chow | first3=Denise | title=Science under siege: Trump cuts threaten to undermine decades of research | website=NBC News | date=2025-02-18 | url=https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/trumps-nih-budget-cuts-threaten-research-stirring-panic-rcna191744 | access-date=2025-02-19}} The cuts have led to universities pausing or reducing admissions for graduate biomedical research and medical school programs and hiring of postdoctoral researchers.{{cite web | last=McFarling | first=Usha Lee | title=Cancellation of NIH summer internships disrupts 'vital' training program for U.S. scientists | website=STAT | date=2025-03-05 | url=https://www.statnews.com/2025/03/05/trump-nih-freeze-cancels-summer-internships-vital-pipeline-develops-young-scientists/ | access-date=2025-03-05}}{{cite web | last1=Molteni | first1=Megan | last2=McFarling | first2=Usha Lee | last3=Chen | first3=Angus | title=Graduate student admissions paused and cut back as universities react to Trump orders on research | website=STAT | date=2025-02-19 | url=https://www.statnews.com/2025/02/19/trump-funding-freeze-grad-student-postdoc-acceptances-paused-nih-research/ | access-date=2025-03-05}} Reports in mid-March stated that the NIH was expected to fire 3,400 to 5,000 people from its 20,000 person workforce.{{cite web | last1=Wosen | first1=Jonathan | last2=Molteni | first2=Megan | last3=Mast | first3=Jason | last4=Chen | first4=Angus | last5=Facher | first5=Lev | last6=Oza | first6=Anil | title=At NIH, 'everyone is on edge' as they brace for deep cuts and more centralized control | website=STAT | date=2025-03-15 | url=https://www.statnews.com/2025/03/14/nih-staff-cuts-reorganization-morale/ | access-date=2025-03-17}}

The Center for Disease Control's (CDC) social vulnerability index and environmental justice index, which measured disparities in health risks, were removed from the organization's website, and on January 31, the data portal was taken completely offline in response to Executive Order 14168, which mandated that federal agencies use "sex" instead of "gender" and that they only recognize male and female sexes. Census web pages about sexual identity and orientation were taken offline, and CDC pages about HIV and LGBTQ+ youth also disappeared.{{cite web | last = Hull | first = Dana | title=CDC Information, Datasets Disappear From US Agency's Websites | website=Bloomberg | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-01/cdc-information-datasets-disappear-from-us-agency-s-websites | access-date=2025-02-01}} About 750 CDC employees were fired over the weekend of February 15 with leadership stating that 10% (1,300) would be notified of their termination.{{cite web | last=Stone | first=Will | title=Health agencies lose staff members in key areas as Trump firings set in | website=NPR | date=2025-02-17 | url=https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/02/17/nx-s1-5300052/federal-employees-layoffs-cdc-nih-fda | access-date=2025-02-19}} The Food and Drug Administration purged online material on clinical trial diversity that encouraged drug developers to test the effects of medical treatments on different populations.{{cite web | last1=Herper | first1=Matthew | last2=Lawrence | first2=Lizzy | title=FDA purges material on clinical trial diversity from its site, showing stakes of Trump DEI ban | website=STAT | date=2025-01-23 | url=https://www.statnews.com/2025/01/23/fda-purges-pages-clinical-trial-diversity-after-trump-dei-ban/ | access-date=2025-02-01}} After a court order, many web pages were restored. The administration added a disclaimer to the restored websites that notes the administrations opposition to what it terms "gender ideology", claiming it is "inaccurate".{{cite web | last1=Maiberg | first1=Emanuel | last2=Cox | first2=Joseph | last3=Maiberg | first3=Emanuel | last4=Roscoe | first4=Jules | last5=Koebler | first5=Jason | title=Trump Admin Adds Note Rejecting 'Gender Ideology' on Sites Court Ordered Them to Restore | website=404 Media | date=February 14, 2025 | url=https://www.404media.co/trump-admin-adds-note-rejecting-gender-ideology-on-sites-court-ordered-them-to-restore/ | access-date=February 26, 2025}}

Layoffs at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) began on February 27, 2025 when 880 employees (approximately 5% of the organization) were fired.{{cite web | last1=Noor | first1=Dharna | last2=Canon | first2=Gabrielle | title='Cruel and thoughtless': Trump fires hundreds at US climate agency NOAA | website=The Guardian | date=February 27, 2025 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/27/trump-noaa-cuts-climate | access-date=February 28, 2025}}

In some cases, the government attempted to rehire scientists. Members of the technical staff at the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration, which oversees the nuclear arsenal, were fired on February 13; attempts to contact them for rehiring failed because their emails had been disconnected.{{cite web | last=Jeffrey | first=Mervis | title=Mass firings decimate U.S. science agencies | website=www.science.org | url=https://www.science.org/content/article/mass-firings-decimate-u-s-science-agencies | date=2025-02-18 | access-date=2025-02-19}} The Department of Agriculture fired several scientists working on the ongoing avian flu outbreak over the same weekend and attempted to rehire them.{{cite web | last=Halpert | first=Madeline | title=Trump administration trying to rehire USDA bird flu officials it fired | website=BBC | date=February 19, 2025| url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjev24184vjo | access-date=2025-02-19}} Members of the CDC's Epidemic Intelligence Service were told their positions were eliminated, but the decision was reversed after an outcry.

On March 18, 2025, the Social Security Administration said that they would be implementing tighter identity verification requirements starting March 31.{{Cite web |date=March 18, 2025 |title=Social Security Strengthens Identity Proofing Requirements and Expedites Direct Deposit Changes to One Day |url=https://blog.ssa.gov/social-security-strengthens-identity-proofing-requirements-and-expedites-direct-deposit-changes-to-one-day/ |access-date=March 26, 2025 |website=Social Security Administration}}{{Cite web |last1=Menezes |first1=Damita |last2=Dean |first2=Libbey |date=March 25, 2025 |title=New Social Security requirements call for in-person checks |url=https://www.newsnationnow.com/business/your-money/new-social-security-requirements-calls-for-in-person-checks/ |access-date=March 26, 2025 |website=NewsNation}} On March 26, the implementation date was pushed to April 14. The policy requires individuals to appear in-person at a field office when applying for retirement benefits, survivors benefits, or auxiliary benefits if they are unable to apply online, removing the option to verify identity by telephone.

Applications for SSDI, Medicare, or SSI are exempted from in-person verification requirements, along with benefits applicants subject to extreme situations "such as terminal cases or prisoner pre-release scenarios."{{Cite web |last=Hinkle |first=Mark |date=March 26, 2025 |title=Social Security Updates Recently Announced Identity Proofing Requirements |url=https://www.ssa.gov/news/press/releases/2025/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery#2025-03-26 |access-date=March 26, 2025 |website=Social Security Administration}} This new policy comes at a time the Trump administration is closing some field offices and laying off some Social Security employees.{{Cite web |last1=Picchi |first1=Aimee |date=March 26, 2025 |title=Social Security says it will delay in-person ID verification. Advocates say that's not enough |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/social-security-in-person-identity-requirement-delayed-until-april-14-aarp/?intcid=CNM-00-10abd1h |website=CBS News |language=en}}

In late March, Wired magazine reported that DOGE is putting together a team to migrate the Social Security base code from COBOL to a more modern programming language, with the goal of achieving this in a matter of months, whereas most experts say it should take several years to do and test this safely.{{cite magazine |

title=DOGE Plans to Rebuild SSA Code Base in Months, Risking Benefits and System Collapse |

magazine=Wired |

date=March 28, 2025 |

author1=Makena Kelly |

url=https://www.wired.com/story/doge-rebuild-social-security-administration-cobol-benefits/}}{{cite web |author1= |date=April 4, 2025 |title=From COBOL To Crisis? DOGE's Plan To Rewrite Social Security's Code In Months Sparks Fears Of Payment Disruptions |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/cobol-crisis-doges-plan-rewrite-163043543.html |website=yahoo! finance}}

It was reported in mid-April that the Trump administration had placed on the “Master Death File,” renamed the “Master Ineligible File,” more 6,000 legal immigrants whom officials claimed were either on a terrorism watch list or had an FBI criminal record. However, the White House did not provide evidence for this claim.{{cite web |

date=April 11, 2025 |

author1=Fatima Hussein |

title=What we know about the Social Security Administration listing thousands of living immigrants as dead |

url=https://apnews.com/article/social-security-immigration-dhs-deportation-12cf4ab92d5cac3406ded3a343f75005 |

website=AP}}

{{main|Foreign policy of the second Donald Trump administration}}

File:Ishiba with Trump in the the East Room February 2025 3.jpg at the White House on February 7, 2025]]

Trump's second term foreign policy was described as a mixture of both imperialist and expansionist policies.{{Cite news |last1=Colvin |first1=Jill |last2=Gillies |first2=Rob |date=January 9, 2025 |title=Trump, the 'America First' candidate, has a new preoccupation: Imperialism |work=The Associated Press |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-imperialism-canada-panama-greenland-b4b53445dee97398b498b79eab54d49b |access-date=January 28, 2025 |quote=But since winning a second term, the president-elect has been embracing a new imperialist agenda, threatening to seize the Panama Canal and Greenland — perhaps by military force — and saying he will use economic coercion to pressure Canada to become the nation's 51st state. }}{{Cite news |last=Collinson |first=Stephen |date=January 8, 2025 |title=Trump's threats to Greenland, Canada and Panama explain everything about America First |work=CNN |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/08/politics/trump-greenland-canada-panama-analysis/index.html |access-date=January 28, 2025 |quote=Donald Trump’s imperialist designs on Greenland, Canada and Panama often sound like the ramblings of a real estate shark who equates foreign and trade policy to a hunt for new deals. But there's method in his expansionist mindset. }}{{Cite news |last=Smolar |first=Piotr |date=January 8, 2025 |title=Donald Trump's rhetoric of a new American imperialism |work=Le Monde |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/01/08/donald-trump-s-rhetoric-of-a-new-american-imperialism_6736821_4.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 28, 2025 |issn= |quote=At a press conference in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday, January 7, Trump reiterated the idea of American expansion, which he believes would validate the promise of a "golden age" made to voters. }}{{Cite news |last=Mittelstadt |first=Jennifer |date=2025-02-02 |title=Opinion {{!}} Why Does Trump Threaten America's Allies? Hint: It Starts in 1919. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/02/opinion/trump-panama-greenland-foreign-policy.html |access-date=2025-02-05 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} He engaged in a realist and isolationist "America First" foreign policy agenda.{{Cite news |last=Basu |first=Zachary |date=February 28, 2025 |title=Trump's new world order: Strongmen make the rules |work=Axios |url=https://www.axios.com/2025/02/28/trump-new-world-order-russia-china-europe |access-date=February 28, 2025 |quote=The international order forged after World War II is imploding, squeezed on all sides by the return of strongmen, nationalism and spheres of influence — with President Trump leading the charge.{{nbsp}}... Trump's approach is based, according to U.S. officials, in "realism". }} His relations with allies were transactional and ranged from indifference to hostility, and he threatened them with economic tariffs or annexation. He was described as taking the side of Russia in the Russian invasion of Ukraine,{{Cite news |last=Erlanger |first=Steven |date=February 27, 2025 |title=Indifference or Hostility? Trump's View of European Allies Raises Alarm |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/27/world/europe/trump-eu-allies.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=February 28, 2025 |issn=0362-4331 |quote=Mr. Trump has rebuffed NATO and aligned himself with the longstanding, principal threat to the alliance: Russia.}}{{Cite news |last=Broadwater |first=Luke |date=February 27, 2025 |title=With Trump, Alliances Come With Strings Attached |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/27/us/politics/trump-alliances-ukraine-russia.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=February 28, 2025 |issn=0362-4331 |quote=But it underscores Mr. Trump's impulse to squeeze even America's traditional allies as he applies his transactional approach to foreign policy. }}{{Cite news |last=Baker |first=Peter |date=February 25, 2025 |title=Under Trump, America's New Friends: Russia, North Korea and Belarus |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/25/us/politics/trump-diplomacy.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=March 2, 2025 |issn=0362-4331 |quote=It would be hard to think of a starker demonstration of how radically Mr. Trump is recalibrating America's place in the world after barely a month back in office. He is positioning the United States in the camp of the globe's chief rogue states in opposition to the countries that have been America's best friends since World War II or before.}} and overseeing a rupture of the post-1945 rules-based liberal international order and abandonment of multilateralism.{{Cite magazine |date=February 27, 2025 |title=Donald Trump has begun a mafia-like struggle for global power |magazine=The Economist |url=https://www.economist.com/leaders/2025/02/27/donald-trump-has-begun-a-mafia-like-struggle-for-global-power?itm_source=parsely-api |url-access=subscription |access-date=February 28, 2025 |quote=The rupture of the post-1945 order is gaining pace. In extraordinary scenes at the UN this week, America sided with Russia and North Korea against Ukraine and Europe. Germany's probable new chancellor, Friedrich Merz, warns that by June NATO may be dead. Fast approaching is a might-is-right world in which big powers cut deals and bully small ones. }}{{Cite web |last=Blaxland |first=John |date=February 18, 2025 |title=Trump's view of the world is becoming clear: America's allies come second to its own interests |work=The Conversation |url=https://theconversation.com/trumps-view-of-the-world-is-becoming-clear-americas-allies-come-second-to-its-own-interests-250144 |access-date=February 28, 2025 }}

Trump, historians, and commentators frequently compared his foreign policy to former President William McKinley in relation to expansionism and tariffs.{{Cite news |date= |title=The new American imperialism |newspaper=The Economist |url=https://www.economist.com/united-states/2025/01/21/the-new-american-imperialism |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 28, 2025 }}{{Cite news |last=Jeong |first=Andrew |date=January 27, 2025 |title=Why Trump admires President McKinley, the original 'tariff man' |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2025/01/27/trump-mckinley-tariffs-history/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 28, 2025 |issn=0190-8286 }}{{Cite news |last=Sanger |first=David E. |date=January 22, 2025 |title=Why Is This Long-Dead President Trump's New Hero? |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/22/us/politics/william-mckinley-trump.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 28, 2025 |issn=0362-4331 |quote= }} Michael Klare wrote that containing the influence of China and preventing the rise of any rival power is the central foreign policy objective of the Trump administration, comparing Trump's approach to the Wolfowitz Doctrine.{{Cite web |last=Klare |first=Michael T. |date=2025-01-01 |title=What 'America First' means second time around |url=https://mondediplo.com/2025/01/06usa |access-date=2025-02-12 |website=Le Monde diplomatique |language=en}} Trump has attempted to deepen the U.S.-India partnership.{{cite news |title=VOA Mandarin: China courts India as Trump, Modi vow to deepen ties |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/voa-mandarin-china-courts-india-as-trump-modi-vow-to-deepen-ties-/7969940.html |work=Voice of America |date=February 10, 2025}}

A combination of American allies, enemies, and critics have responded to comments and actions of the second Trump administration.{{Cite web |last=Dunne |first=Charles W. |date=2025-02-14 |title=Trump's Second-Term Foreign Policy: Highly Centralized, and Highly Personal |url=https://arabcenterdc.org/resource/trumps-second-term-foreign-policy-highly-centralized-and-highly-personal/ |access-date=2025-02-16 |website=Arab Center Washington DC |language=en-US}} Countries like Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, Denmark and Finland are warning their citizens about traveling to the U.S. as they can be detained without warning.{{Cite web |last=Mordowanec |first=Nick |date=2025-03-21 |title=Map shows countries with visa warnings about US |url=https://www.newsweek.com/travel-visas-germany-uk-usa-denmark-finland-2048695 |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Newsweek |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Bradshaw |first=Robin |date=2025-03-21 |title=UK, Finland, Denmark join Germany in issuing US travel advisories |url=https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/us-immigration-visa-policy-advisories-20233820.php |access-date=2025-03-26 |work=The Telegraph}}{{Cite news |last=Crisp |first=Elizabeth |date=2025-03-21 |title=Why European countries are revising US travel guidance |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/5207954-countries-warn-citizens-traveling-us/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |work=The Hill}}{{Cite news |last=Kassam |first=Ashifa |date=2025-03-21 |title=Denmark and Finland urge caution for US-bound transgender people |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/21/denmark-and-finland-urge-caution-for-us-bound-transgender-people |access-date=2025-03-26 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web |last=Rivera |first=Josh |date=2025-03-21 |title=Detentions at US border prompt UK, Germany, and Nordic nations to revise travel advice |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2025/03/21/uk-germany-advisory-us/82590093007/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=USA Today |language=en-US}}

{{Further|Peace negotiations in the Russian invasion of Ukraine#2025 developments}}

The Trump administration has argued that European nations should contribute more to their own defense while the U.S. focuses on China.{{Cite news |date=14 February 2024 |title=Vance exports MAGA message on immigration, nationalism to European elite |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/14/vance-munich-europe-security-ukraine/ |url-access=registration |access-date=14 February 2025 |newspaper=The Washington Post}} During his 2024 campaign, he said he would not defend NATO allies if they did not meet the alliance's spending target of 2% of GDP on defense, and that he would "encourage" Russia to "do whatever the hell they want".{{cite news |last=Baker |first=Peter |date=February 11, 2024 |title=Favoring Foes Over Friends, Trump Threatens to Upend International Order |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/11/us/politics/trump-nato.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240220135129/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/11/us/politics/trump-nato.html |archive-date=February 20, 2024 |access-date=February 11, 2024 |work=The New York Times |language=en |issn=1553-8095}} {{subscription required}}{{cite news |last1=Ibssa |first1=Lalee |last2=Kim |first2=Soo Rin |date=February 11, 2024 |title=Trump says he'd 'encourage' Russia 'to do whatever the hell they want' if a NATO country didn't spend enough on defense |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-russia-nato-defense-funds/story?id=107136736 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240211222726/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-russia-nato-defense-funds/story?id=107136736 |archive-date=February 11, 2024 |access-date=February 12, 2024 |publisher=ABC News}}{{cite news |last1=Hayden |first1=Jones |last2=Ward |first2=Myah |last3=Cienski |first3=Jan |date=February 11, 2024 |title=Trump says he would 'encourage' Russia to attack NATO allies who don't pay up |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/trump-says-he-would-encourage-russia-to-attack-nato-members-that-dont-pay-enough/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240211124317/https://www.politico.eu/article/trump-says-he-would-encourage-russia-to-attack-nato-members-that-dont-pay-enough/ |archive-date=February 11, 2024 |access-date=February 12, 2024 |work=Politico.eu}} Trump officials privately expressed contempt for European "freeloading";.{{Cite news |last=Bickerton |first=James |date=March 25, 2025 |title=Signal War Plans Chat: Read Leaked Texts in Full |url=https://www.newsweek.com/signal-war-plans-chat-read-leaked-texts-full-2049957 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250328115530/https://www.newsweek.com/signal-war-plans-chat-read-leaked-texts-full-2049957 |archive-date=March 28, 2025 |access-date=March 26, 2025 |work=Newsweek |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Smialek |first1=Jeanna |last2=Erlanger |first2=Steven |date=March 25, 2025 |title=Now Europe Knows What Trump's Team Calls It Behind Its Back: 'Pathetic' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/25/world/europe/signal-jeffrey-goldberg-message-hegseth.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250326191252/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/25/world/europe/signal-jeffrey-goldberg-message-hegseth.html |archive-date=March 26, 2025 |access-date=April 3, 2025 |work=The New York Times |place=Brussels & Berlin |language=en-US |publication-place=New York City |quote=Trump administration officials haven't kept their disdain for Europe quiet. But the contempt seems to be even louder behind closed doors.}} Trump's policies and rhetoric accelerated an ongoing European rearmament.{{Cite web |date=2025-02-15 |title=Rutte: NATO spending target will be 'considerably more than 3 percent' |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/mark-rutte-nato-defense-spending-target-considerably-more-3-percent-munich-security-conference/ |access-date=2025-02-20 |website=POLITICO |language=en-GB}}{{cite news |date=2 March 2025 |title=Ukraine summit 'once in a generation' moment for European security, says Starmer |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/03/02/zelensky-joins-european-leaders-at-key-ukraine-summit-in-london_6738729_4.html |access-date=2 March 2025 |work=Agence France-Presse |publisher=Le Monde |agency=AP}}{{Cite web |last1=Strupczewski |first1=Jan |last2=Gray |first2=Andrew |date=4 March 2025 |title=EU proposes borrowing 150 billion euros in big rearmament push |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu-defence-plans-could-mobilise-800-billion-euros-von-der-leyen-says-2025-03-04/ |access-date=4 March 2025 |publisher=Reuters}}{{cite news |date=18 March 2025 |title=German MPs approve €500bn spending boost to counter 'Putin's war of aggression' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/18/german-mps-approve-500bn-spending-boost-to-counter-putin-war-of-aggression |work=The Guardian}} Trump called Poland, which exceeds the NATO defense spending target, "one of the best groups of people I have ever met".{{Cite web |last=mp |date=2025-03-01 |title=President Trump: "I Am Very Committed to Poland" |url=https://polanddaily24.com/president-trump-i-am-very-committed-to-poland/global-politics/52467 |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=PolandDaily24.com |language=en-US}} Trump's administration has also expressed cultural disagreement with Europe and the European Union: in a speech at the 61st Munich Security Conference, Vice President Vance criticized European policies on free speech and democratic values, and accused European leaders of suppressing dissenting views on issues such as immigration.{{Cite web |date=2025-02-15 |title=JD Vance attacks Europe over free speech and migration |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ceve3wl21x1o |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}} Vance also expressed support for lifting restrictions on the Alternative for Germany, a far-right German political party.{{cite web |date=February 14, 2025 |title=US Vice President JD Vance meets German far-right leader as he criticizes 'firewalls' in Europe |url=https://apnews.com/article/germany-munich-vance-free-speech-election-33e720b820e61db9d5e478e63b4a4dc7 |website=Associated Press News}} Trump's first foreign visit as president-elect was to Paris for the reopening of the Notre-Dame de Paris, during which he met with French president Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss the war in Ukraine,{{cite news |last1=Collinson |first1=Stephen |date=3 December 2024 |title=Macron's Paris invite shows power fast flowing from Biden to Trump |url=https://us.cnn.com/2024/12/03/politics/donald-trump-emmanuel-macron-analysis/index.html |access-date=3 December 2024 |work=CNN}}{{cite news |last=Bauer |first=Lino |date=3 December 2024 |title=Notre-Dame : Trump présent à la cérémonie de réouverture, " un choc d'espérance " pour Emmanuel Macron |url=https://www.frontieresmedia.fr/international/notre-dame-donald-trump-assistera-ceremonie-ouverture |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204155750/https://www.frontieresmedia.fr/international/notre-dame-donald-trump-assistera-ceremonie-ouverture |archive-date=4 December 2024 |access-date=3 December 2024 |magazine=Frontières |language=fr}} and met with other European officials.{{cite news |last1=Walker |first1=Amy |date=7 December 2024 |title=Prince William and Trump meet after Notre-Dame reopening |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c05ppeym6jro |work=BBC News}}{{cite news |date=8 December 2024 |title=Meloni has 'pleasant' talks with Trump, Musk, at Notre-Dame |url=https://www.ansa.it/english/news/world/2024/12/08/meloni-has-pleasant-talks-with-trump-musk-at-notre-dame_639fe609-bf51-4985-8738-e8943ee02a2e.html |access-date=9 December 2024 |agency=ANSA}} While meeting with British prime minister Keir Starmer in February 2025, Trump accepted a request from King Charles III for a state visit in the U.K.;{{Cite web |date=2025-02-27 |title=Key takeaways from Keir Starmer's talks with Donald Trump |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgee7rl24ro |access-date=2025-02-28 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=Starmer secured wins for UK at Trump meeting - here's how |url=https://news.sky.com/story/keir-starmer-was-an-unlikely-war-footing-leader-but-he-is-finding-a-way-13318429 |access-date=2025-02-28 |website=Sky News |language=en}} both Trump and Starmer praised the U.S.–U.K. "Special Relationship".

File:President_Trump_Clashes_With_Ukrainian_President_Zelenskyy_During_Meeting_in_Oval_Office,_Feb._28,_2025.jpg during a contentious meeting in February 2025]]

Trump began a push for peace negotiations to end the Russia–Ukraine war.{{cite news |date=17 November 2024 |title=Trump's Push for Ukraine Peace Finds Growing Acceptance in Europe |url=https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/trumps-push-for-ukraine-peace-finds-growing-acceptance-in-europe-8252f368 |work=The Wall Street Journal}} In February 2025, Trump held phone calls with Russian president Vladimir Putin and with Zelenskyy that he said marked the beginning of negotiations.{{cite news |last1=Roth |first1=Andrew |last2=Sabbagh |first2=Dan |last3=Sauer |first3=Pjotr |name-list-style=and |date=12 February 2025 |title=Trump says he has spoken to Putin and agreed to negotiate Ukraine ceasefire |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/12/trump-putin-ukraine-ceasefire |access-date=12 February 2025 |newspaper=The Guardian}} He threatened Ukraine with a suspension of U.S. military aid{{Cite news |last1=Roth |first1=Andrew |last2=Holmes |first2=Oliver |date=4 March 2025 |title=US suspends all military aid to Ukraine in wake of Trump-Zelenskyy row |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/04/us-military-aid-ukraine-pause-trump-zelenskyy-updates |access-date=12 March 2025 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} and Russia with sanctions and tariffs if he decided they were not negotiating in good faith.{{cite news |date=22 January 2025 |title=Trump Tells Putin to Make Ukraine Deal 'Now' or Face Tougher Sanctions |url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/01/22/trump-tells-putin-to-make-ukraine-deal-now-or-face-tougher-sanctions-a87707 |work=The Moscow Times}}{{cite news |date=22 January 2025 |title='Settle now': Trump threatens sanctions on Russia if war in Ukraine is not ended |url=https://www.euronews.com/2025/01/22/settle-now-trump-threatens-sanctions-on-russia-if-war-in-ukraine-is-not-ended |work=Euronews}} The U.S. sought a mineral resources agreement with Ukraine{{cite news |last1=Welker |first1=Kristen |last2=Kube |first2=Courtney |last3=Lee |first3=Carol E. |last4=Egwuonwu |first4=Nnamdi |date=17 February 2025 |title=Zelenskyy tells aides to reject U.S. pitch for 50% of Ukraine's rare earth minerals |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/zelenskyy-tells-aides-reject-trump-pitch-ukraine-mineral-reserves-rcna192426 |access-date=20 February 2025 |work=NBC News}} though was unwilling to offer postwar security guarantees for Ukraine in exchange.{{cite news |last=Burrows |first=Emma |date=17 February 2025 |title=US presented Ukraine with a document to access its minerals but offered almost nothing in return |url=https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-us-zelenskyy-agreement-trump-minerals-4d5eefcc44c9f17f330db98d81720b29 |access-date=20 February 2025 |work=Associated Press}} Negotiators reached a deal on the agreement{{Cite news |last1=Tarasova-Markina |first1=Daria |last2=Vlasova |first2=Svitlana |last3=Tuysuz |first3=Gul |last4=Walsh |first4=Nick Paton |last5=Edwards |first5=Christian |date=26 February 2025 |title=Zelensky calls US-Ukraine minerals deal a 'framework' as it emerges agreement has no security guarantees |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/26/europe/ukraine-us-zelensky-trump-rare-earth-security-intl/index.html |access-date=2 March 2025 |work=CNN}}{{citation |title=BILATERAL AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR A RECONSTRUCTION INVESTMENT FUND |date=25 February 2025 |url=https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/25545394/read-the-draft-text-obtained-by-cnn-on-wednesday-morning.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250302200431/https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/25545394/read-the-draft-text-obtained-by-cnn-on-wednesday-morning.pdf |archive-date=2 March 2025 |via=CNN}}{{Cite news |last1=Butenko |first1=Victoria |last2=Walsh |first2=Nick Paton |last3=Tuysuz |first3= |date=26 February 2025 |title=US and Ukraine agree to terms on natural resources and reconstruction deal, Ukrainian official says |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/25/europe/us-ukraine-resources-reconstruction-deal-intl-latam/index.html |access-date=2 March 2025 |work=CNN}} but the agreement fell through after a contentious meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy in the Oval Office that ended when the Ukrainian delegation was abruptly asked to leave.{{Cite magazine |last=Bennett |first=Brian |date=28 February 2025 |title=Trump Cuts Off Talks With Zelensky After Heated Meeting |url=https://time.com/7262883/trump-zelensky-meeting/ |access-date=1 March 2025 |magazine=TIME}} Afterwards, the U.K. and France developed a proposal in which a "coalition of the willing" would provide security guarantees to Ukraine.{{cite news |last1=Piper |first1=Elizabeth |last2=Holton |first2=Kate |last3=Macaskill |first3=Andrew |date=2 March 2025 |title=UK's Starmer calls on Europe to step up to secure Ukraine peace |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/uks-starmer-tries-revive-hope-ukraine-peace-summit-2025-03-01/ |access-date=2 March 2025 |publisher=Reuters}}{{Cite news |date=2 March 2025 |title=Ukraine: Europe plans for 'massive surge' in defense – DW – 03/03/2025 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-europe-plans-for-massive-surge-in-defense/live-71796609 |access-date=3 March 2025 |work=Deutsche Welle |location=London, UK}}The U.S. and Russia held a summit in Saudi Arabia for peace talks in February{{Cite news |date=18 February 2025 |title=US and Russia to explore closer relations after Ukraine talks in Riyadh |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/18/us-russia-ukraine-talks-riyadh-saudi-arabia |newspaper=The Guardian}} and U.S. held a summit with Ukraine the next month, during which Ukraine accepted a U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire.{{Cite web |last=Ravid |first=Barak |date=11 March 2025 |title=Ukraine backs U.S. proposal for 30-day ceasefire with Russia |url=https://www.axios.com/2025/03/11/ukraine-russia-ceasefire-30-days |access-date=11 March 2025 |website=Axios |language=en}}{{cite news |date=11 March 2025 |title=Trump's dream of peace in Ukraine now must meet Russian reality |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/11/europe/analysis-ukraine-russia-ceasefire-proposal-intl-latam/index.html |access-date=12 March 2025 |work=CNN}} Putin did not accept the ceasefire,{{Cite web |date=13 March 2025 |title=Putin questions Ukraine ceasefire plan and sets out string of conditions |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/13/russia-wary-of-proposed-ukraine-ceasefire-plan-as-us-talks-begin |access-date=22 March 2025 |website=theguardian.com}} though on 18 March Russia agreed to a 30-day ceasefire only for strikes on energy infrastructure and in the Black Sea,{{Cite web |date=18 March 2025 |title=Putin, in call with Trump, agrees to partial ceasefire in Ukraine |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/18/trump-putin-ukraine-call-00235878 |access-date=22 March 2025 |website=politico.com}} which Ukraine agreed to.{{Cite web |title=Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, March 26, 2025 |url=https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-march-26-2025 |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=Institute for the Study of War |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2025-03-27 |title=Россия и Украина спорят об условиях сделки по Черному морю и энергообъектам. Чем отличаются их версии? |url=https://www.bbc.com/russian/articles/crlxgjk85g4o |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=BBC News Русская служба |language=ru}}

Trump's administration strained relations with South Africa. Trump suspended all aid to South Africa, saying the country's land expropriation law discriminated against Afrikaners;{{cite web |date=February 7, 2025 |title=Addressing Egregious Actions of the Republic of South Africa |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/addressing-egregious-actions-of-the-republic-of-south-africa/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250217194535/https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/addressing-egregious-actions-of-the-republic-of-south-africa/ |archive-date=February 17, 2025 |access-date=February 19, 2025 |publisher=The White House}} he also sought to offer Afrikaners refugee status in the U.S. Rubio refused to attend the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Johannesburg{{cite news |date=February 6, 2025 |title=US top diplomat Rubio to skip G20 over 'anti-Americanism' |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/2/6/rubio-trumps-top-diplomat-to-skip-g20-over-anti-americanism |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250211225338/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/2/6/rubio-trumps-top-diplomat-to-skip-g20-over-anti-americanism |archive-date=February 11, 2025 |access-date=February 19, 2025 |work=Al Jazeera English}} and he declared the South African ambassador persona non grata for his criticism of U.S. policies.{{Cite web |last=Press |first=Associated |date=2025-03-17 |title=Trump administration says South African ambassador has to leave the US by Friday |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/17/trump-administration-says-south-african-ambassador-has-to-leave-the-us-by-friday-00234316 |access-date=2025-03-19 |website=POLITICO |language=en}} Rubio condemned the Rwandan-backed Goma offensive in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and called for an immediate ceasefire and respect for territorial integrity.{{Cite web |last=Godfrey |first=Paul |date=January 29, 2025 |title=U.S. calls for Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda to reach urgent cease-fire |url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/01/29/urges-immediate-DRC-cease-fire/6101738143291/ |access-date=January 29, 2025 |work=UPI}} U.S. officials entered into talks with the DRC on a minerals deal after a proposal from Congolese president Félix Tshisekedi.{{Cite web |date=2025-04-04 |title=Massad Boulos: US envoy says he and Donald Trump are working on DR Congo mineral deal |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp34140qkw0o |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}} Trump called Lesotho a nation "which nobody has ever heard of",{{cite news |last1=Peyton |first1=Nellie |date=March 6, 2025 |title=Lesotho insulted after Trump says nobody has heard of the country |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/lesotho-insulted-after-trump-says-nobody-has-heard-country-2025-03-05/ |access-date=March 14, 2025 |work=Reuters}} and the U.S. revoked all visas of and barred entry to citizens of South Sudan after a dispute over the deportation of a South Sudanese citizen.{{cite news |last1=Ali |first1=Faisal |date=April 6, 2025 |title=Trump administration revokes all South Sudanese visas in repatriation row |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/06/us-revokes-all-visas-for-south-sudanese-over-countrys-failure-to-repatriate-citizens |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250406211706/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/06/us-revokes-all-visas-for-south-sudanese-over-countrys-failure-to-repatriate-citizens |archive-date=April 6, 2025 |access-date=April 7, 2025 |work=The Guardian}}

{{Further|US-Iran nuclear negotiations|March–April 2025 United States attacks in Yemen}}

After being elected in November 2024, Trump said he wished to end the Gaza war,{{cite news |date=November 6, 2024 |title=Trump gives Netanyahu two months to end the war in Gaza and opens the door to attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities |url=https://www.abc.es/internacional/trump-dos-meses-netanyahu-acabar-guerra-gaza-20241106171112-nt.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241121014636/https://www.abc.es/internacional/trump-dos-meses-netanyahu-acabar-guerra-gaza-20241106171112-nt.html |archive-date=November 21, 2024 |access-date=November 6, 2024 |publisher=ABC}}{{cite news |last=Ravid |first=Barak |date=November 8, 2024 |title=Trump tells Palestinian president he wants to end Gaza war |url=https://www.axios.com/2024/11/08/trump-abbas-call-end-gaza-war |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204202322/https://www.axios.com/2024/11/08/trump-abbas-call-end-gaza-war |archive-date=December 4, 2024 |access-date=November 15, 2024 |work=Axios}} telling Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end Israel's invasion within two months and warning Hamas that they would have "all hell to pay" if they did not agree to a ceasefire and release all hostages by Trump's inauguration.{{cite news |title=Trump appears to threaten Hamas with 'all hell to pay' over hostages |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62757dd55no |access-date=December 4, 2024 |publisher=BBC News |language=en-GB}} Trump's incoming administration joined the Biden administration in pressuring negotiations,{{cite news |last1=George |first1=Susannah |last2=DeYoung |first2=Karen |last3=Westfall |first3=Sammy |date=15 January 2025 |title=Trump claims credit for ceasefire agreement |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/01/15/israel-war-gaza-ceasefire-hostages-news-hamas/#link-RO4YL25X2ZB6DJP3TWPCCUIFTE |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250117074926/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/01/15/israel-war-gaza-ceasefire-hostages-news-hamas/#link-RO4YL25X2ZB6DJP3TWPCCUIFTE |archive-date=17 January 2025 |access-date=16 January 2025 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}{{Cite news |last=Levinson |first=Chaim |date=13 January 2025 |title=Trump's Mideast envoy forced Netanyahu to accept a Gaza plan he repeatedly rejected |url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-01-13/ty-article/.premium/trumps-mideast-envoy-forced-netanyahu-to-accept-a-gaza-plan-he-repeatedly-rejected/00000194-615c-d4d0-a1f4-fbfdce850000 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250115214556/https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-01-13/ty-article/.premium/trumps-mideast-envoy-forced-netanyahu-to-accept-a-gaza-plan-he-repeatedly-rejected/00000194-615c-d4d0-a1f4-fbfdce850000 |archive-date=15 January 2025 |access-date=16 January 2025 |work=Haaretz.com |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Sanger |first1=David E. |last2=Shear |first2=Michael E. |date=January 15, 2025 |title=How the Cease-Fire Push Brought Together Biden and Trump's Teams |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/15/us/politics/gaza-ceasefire-trump-biden.html |access-date=January 20, 2025 |work=The New York Times}} and Israel and Hamas agreed to a phased ceasefire on January 15, 2025.{{cite news |author=Maariv Online |date=17 January 2025 |title=Gov't meeting to approve hostage deal begins |url=https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-838033 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250117175722/https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-838033 |archive-date=17 January 2025 |access-date=17 January 2025 |work=Jerusalem Post}}{{cite news |last=Boxerman |first=Aaron |date=17 January 2025 |title=Live Updates: Israeli Government Approves Gaza Cease-Fire |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/17/world/israel-hamas-gaza-ceasefire |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250117231650/https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/17/world/israel-hamas-gaza-ceasefire |archive-date=17 January 2025 |access-date=17 January 2025 |work=New York Times}}{{cite news |date=17 January 2025 |title=Israel-Hamas cease-fire deal: Israeli cabinet approves deal signed by negotiators |url=https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/israel-hamas-cease-fire-hostage-release-live-updates-1-17-2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250117115134/https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/israel-hamas-cease-fire-hostage-release-live-updates-1-17-2025 |archive-date=17 January 2025 |access-date=17 January 2025 |work=Fox News}} The ceasefire lasted until March 18, when Israel launched attacks on Gaza.Multiple sources:

• {{cite news |last1=Shurafa |first1=Wafaa |last2=Mednick |first2=Sam |date=March 18, 2025 |title=Israel launches deadly wave of airstrikes across Gaza after ceasefire talks stall |url=https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-ceasefire-hostages-03-17-2025-b8753b9458a44f10ab08aa9b12582780 |access-date=April 1, 2025 |work=AP News |location=Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip |language=en-US}}
• {{cite news |last1=Shurafa |first1=Wafaa |last2=Magdy |first2=Samy |date=March 20, 2025 |title=Strikes in Gaza kill 85 overnight, bringing the total since Israel broke ceasefire to nearly 600 |url=https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-ceasefire-hostages-03-20-2025-36c07d3dc7c03f66f86f44409d504d43 |access-date=March 26, 2025 |work=AP News |location=Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip |quote=Hours later, Hamas fired three rockets at Israel without causing casualties, in the first such attack since Israel broke the ceasefire on Tuesday.}}
• {{cite news |last1=Martínez |first1=A |last2=Lonsdorf |first2=Kat |date=March 20, 2025 |title=Israel launches new ground invasion into Gaza after breaking ceasefire |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/03/20/nx-s1-5333858/israel-launches-new-ground-invasion-into-gaza-after-breaking-ceasefire |access-date=April 1, 2025 |work=NPR |language=en-US |quote=Israel has launched a new ground offensive in Gaza after it broke the nearly two-month-long ceasefire with Hamas.}} In February 2025, Trump proposed an American takeover of Gaza in which the territory's Palestinian population would be relocated to allow for its redevelopment, which was criticized by Egypt and Jordan.{{Cite web |title=Trump says US will 'take over' and 'own' Gaza in redevelopment plan |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/2/5/trump-says-us-will-take-over-and-own-gaza-in-redevelopment-plan |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Haltiwanger |first=John |date=2025-03-06 |title=Who Will Rule Over Gaza After the War? |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/03/06/gaza-war-reconstruction-plans-trump-egypt-arab-lapid/ |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=Foreign Policy |language=en-US}} During the 2024 Syrian opposition offensives that toppled the Assad regime in Syria, Trump said that the U.S. should stay out of the conflict.{{cite news |last=Knickmeyer |first=Ellen |display-authors=etal |date=December 7, 2024 |title=Trump says US should stay out of fighting in Syria as opposition forces gain ground |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-syria-biden-administration-rebels-assad-72015f143aa6b40bb62c09724c71e34f |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207224114/https://apnews.com/article/trump-syria-biden-administration-rebels-assad-72015f143aa6b40bb62c09724c71e34f |archive-date=December 7, 2024 |access-date=December 7, 2024 |publisher=Associated Press}} In March 2025, Rubio condemned the massacres of Syrian Alawites.{{cite news |date=March 9, 2025 |title=Rubio says Syria must hold accountable 'perpetrators of massacres' |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/rubio-says-syria-must-hold-accountable-perpetrators-of-massacres-/8004267.html |work=VOA News}}

In March 2025, the U.S. began a series of airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen to counter attacks on Red Sea shipping, with the goal of restoring freedom of navigation and deterring further aggression.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-16 |title=US launches wave of air strikes on Yemen's Houthis |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c05mvr3j3yro |access-date=2025-03-19 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}} U.S. officials accidentally included The Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg in a Signal group chat discussing the military plans, sparking a political scandal and accusations of risking national security and violating records-preservation laws.{{Cite web |last=Pindell |first=James |title=Three Things We've Learned So Far from 'Signalgate' About the Trump Administration |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/03/25/nation/signalgate-houthi-chat-takeaways/ |access-date=March 27, 2025 |website=The Boston Globe |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Benen |first=Steve |date=March 25, 2025 |title=Did the Trump White House Cross Legal Lines in the 'Signalgate' Debacle? |url=https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-white-house-cross-legal-lines-signalgate-debacle-rcna198058 |access-date=March 26, 2025 |publisher=MSNBC |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Haltiwanger |first=John |date=March 26, 2025 |title=5 Key Questions About Signalgate |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/03/25/signalgate-trump-leak-goldberg-yemen-questions/ |access-date=March 26, 2025 |website=Foreign Policy |language=en-US}} Trump reinstated his "maximum pressure" campaign against Iran and sought to negotiate a new deal to limit Iran's nuclear program.{{cite news |date=17 February 2025 |title=Netanyahu seeks to draw Trump into future attack on Iranian nuclear sites |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/17/benjamin-netanyahu-israel-donald-trump-us-iran-nuclear-programme |work=The Guardian}}{{Cite news |last=Wintour |first=Patrick |date=2025-03-03 |title=Iran's vice-president and most prominent reformist resigns |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/03/iran-vice-president-reformist-resigns-mohammad-javad-zarif |access-date=2025-03-03 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} In March 2025, Trump sent a letter to Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei urging new negotiations and warning of military action if talks fail.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-07 |title=Trump says he sent a letter to Iran's supreme leader over country's advancing nuclear program |url=https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-trump-letter-khamenei-f78aeb869d146978b6d377184e236ef9 |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=AP News |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Crane |first=Emily |date=2025-03-07 |title=Trump says he's pushing to negotiate nuclear deal with Iran |url=https://nypost.com/2025/03/07/us-news/trump-says-hes-pushing-to-negotiate-nuclear-deal-with-iran/ |access-date=2025-03-07 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last1=Chiacu |first1=Doina |last2=Ljunggren |first2=David |date=March 30, 2025 |title=Trump threatens bombing if Iran does not make nuclear deal |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-says-there-will-be-bombing-if-iran-does-not-make-nuclear-deal-2025-03-30/ |website=reuters}}

India rejected Trump's offer to mediate India-China tensions.{{cite news |title=Donald Trump ruffles feathers with mediation offer to ease India-China tension |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/donald-trump-ruffles-feathers-with-offer-to-help-ties-between-india-and-china/article69220597.ece |work=The Hindu |date=February 15, 2025}}

On February 13, 2025, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi became the fourth world leader to visit Donald Trump at the White House.{{cite news |title=Key takeaways from Donald Trump's meeting with India's Narendra Modi |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/2/14/key-takeaways-from-donald-trumps-meeting-with-indias-narendra-modi |work=Al Jazeera |date=14 February 2025}}

{{main|Tariffs in the second Trump administration}}

Trump has said he will establish External Revenue Service to collect tariffs.{{Cite web |last=Hussein |first=Fatima |date=2025-01-14 |title=Trump says he will create an 'External Revenue Service' agency to collect tariff income |url=https://apnews.com/article/irs-trump-tax-revenues-tariffs-eef2ab6930a8672a418af27f61efaed8 |access-date=2025-02-15 |website=Associated Press |language=en}} In February 2025, Trump announced tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada and China, and acknowledged that U.S. consumers may feel "short-term" pain as a result.{{Cite web |last1=Renshaw |first1=Jarrett |last2=Psaledakis |first2=Daphne |last3=Lawder |first3=David |date=2025-02-02 |title=Trump says Americans could feel 'pain' in trade war with Mexico, Canada, China |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-says-americans-could-feel-pain-trade-war-with-mexico-canada-china-2025-02-02/ |website=Reuters}} The 10% Chinese tariffs went ahead, while North American tariffs were paused for 30 days. On March 4, the administration imposed 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada (with a lower 10% tariff on Canadian energy) and an additional 10% tariff on China, for a total of 20%.{{cite web | last1=Boak | first1=Josh | last2=Wiseman | first2=Paul | last3=Gillies | first3=Rob | title=Trump's trade war draws swift retaliation with new tariffs from Mexico, Canada and China | website=AP News | date=2025-03-04 | url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-canada-mexico-china-643086a6dc7ff716d876b3c83e3255b0 | access-date=2025-03-05}} China and Canada responded immediately with retaliatory tariffs, while Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum stated their tariffs would be announced on March 9.{{cite web | last1=Verza | first1=María | last2=Janetsky | first2=Megan | title=Mexico says it will impose retaliatory tariffs on US with details coming Sunday | website=AP News | date=2025-03-04 | url=https://apnews.com/article/trade-war-mexico-trump-9cefdded035a0b35e700a7ba0bfc34b4 | access-date=2025-03-05}}

{{main|American expansionism under Donald Trump}}

In the lead-up to his second inauguration, Trump proposed plans and ideas that would expand the United States' political influence and territory.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/23/us/politics/trump-greenland-panama-canal.html |title=Trump's Wish to Control Greenland and Panama Canal: Not a Joke This Time |work=The New York Times |last1=Sanger |first1=David E. |last2=Friedman |first2=Lisa |date=December 23, 2024}} It has been characterized as a revival of the Monroe Doctrine.{{cite news |last=DeYoung |first=Karen |date=February 28, 2025 |title=Trump revives Monroe Doctrine in U.S. relations with Western Hemisphere |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/02/28/trump-latin-america-monroe-doctrine/ |newspaper=The Washington Post}} The last territory acquired by the United States was in 1947 when the Mariana, Caroline, and Marshall Islands were acquired.

{{see also|Movements for the annexation of Canada to the United States#Proposals to annex Canada by President Donald Trump}}

The Trump administration has imposed 25% tariffs on Canadian goods imports that do not fall under Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement, with exceptions for steel, aluminum, and Canadian-made passenger vehicle content.{{cite web |last1=Ensing |first1=Chris |title=Global tariffs gave Canada unexpected advantage. How Trump's pause narrows Windsor's silver lining {{!}} CBC News |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/trump-tariffs-canada-unexpected-advantage-1.7507240 |website=CBC |access-date=14 April 2025 |language=en }} Canadian officials responded with retaliatory 25% tariffs,{{cite web |last1=Tasker |first1=John Paul |title=Canada hits U.S. with tariffs on $29.8B worth of goods after Trump slaps levy on metals |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-retaliatory-tariffs-1.7481258 |website=CBC |access-date=14 April 2025 |language=en |date=March 12, 2025 }}{{cite web |title=Canada announces entry into force of countermeasures against auto imports from the United States |url=https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2025/04/canada-announces-entry-into-force-of-countermeasures-against-auto-imports-from-the-united-states.html |website=www.canada.ca |publisher=Department of Finance Canada |access-date=14 April 2025 |date=8 April 2025}} and have even proposed cutting off the supply of Canadian energy into the Northern United States.{{cite news |last1=Egan |first1=Matt |last2=Newton |first2=Paula |date=2024-12-13 |title=Canadian official threatens to cut off energy to the United States |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/13/business/canadian-us-energy/index.html |access-date=2024-12-24 |website=CNN Business |publisher=CNN|language=en}} Manitoba has diverted energy to Canada that it previously supplied to the USA.{{cite web |last1=McKendrick |first1=Devon |title='Help us build trade corridors': Manitoba shifting hydro energy for the U.S. to be used in Canada |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/winnipeg/article/help-us-build-trade-corridors-manitoba-shifting-hydro-energy-for-the-us-to-be-used-in-canada/ |website=CTVNews |access-date=14 April 2025 |language=en |date=14 April 2025 }} Peter Navarro, a trade envoy and high-ranking Trump official, has suggested expelling Canada from the Five Eyes intelligence alliance to increase pressure in the trade war.{{cite web |last1=Hurley |first1=Bevan |date=2025-02-25 |title=Canada should be expelled from Five Eyes, Trump aide suggests |url=https://www.thetimes.com/us/news-today/article/canada-should-be-expelled-from-five-eyes-trump-aide-suggests-7n599nclj |access-date=2025-02-28 |website=The Times}}

Trump has repeatedly stated his desire for the United States to annex Canada and calling for it to become the 51st state,{{cite web | last=Durkee | first=Alison | title=Trump Confirms He's Serious About Wanting Canada As 51st State | website=Forbes | date=2025-02-09 | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2025/02/09/trump-confirms-hes-serious-about-wanting-canada-as-51st-state/ | access-date=2025-02-28}} calling former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau "Governor of the Great State of Canada".{{cite news |last=Watson |first=Kathryn |date=2024-12-10 |title=Trump trolls Justin Trudeau as "governor" of the "great state" of Canada |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-trolls-justin-trudeau-governor-canada/ |access-date=2024-12-24 |publisher=CBS News |language=en-US}} Trudeau stated to business leaders in Canada that he believes the annexation threats are a "real thing."{{cite web | title=Justin Trudeau caught on hot mic reportedly saying Trump's talk of making Canada a U.S. state is "a real thing" | website=CBS News | date=2025-02-08 | url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/justin-trudeau-on-hot-mic-reportedly-trump-talk-canada-us-state-a-real-thing/ | access-date=2025-02-28}} The strained relations have led to a "Buy Canadian" movement to boycott American goods and services,{{cite web | last=Walschots | first=Michael | title='Buying Canadian' is an opportunity to reflect on the ethics of consumerism | website=The Conversation | date=2025-02-28 | url=https://theconversation.com/buying-canadian-is-an-opportunity-to-reflect-on-the-ethics-of-consumerism-249830 | access-date=2025-02-28}} and booing the American national anthem during international hockey games.{{cite web | last=Maimann | first=Kevin | title=From booing to singing, crowds keep drowning out anthems at Canadian sporting events | website=CBC | date=2025-02-13 | url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/drowning-out-anthems-1.7458441 | access-date=2025-02-28}} When tariffs were implemented on March 4, Trudeau stated that Trump's goal in the trade war was to weaken Canada in order to annex it.{{cite web | last1=Thanthong-Knight | first1=Randy | last2=Platt | first2=Brian | title=Trump's Goal in Trade War Is to Annex Canada, Trudeau Says | website=Bloomberg.com | date=2025-03-04 | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-03-04/trump-s-goal-in-trade-war-is-to-annex-canada-trudeau-says | access-date=2025-03-05}}

{{See also|Proposals for the United States to purchase Greenland}}

In December 2024, Trump stated a further proposal for the United States to purchase Greenland from Denmark, describing ownership and control of the island as "an absolute necessity" for national security purposes. This builds upon a prior offer from Trump to buy Greenland during his first term, which the Danish Realm refused, causing him to cancel his August 2019 visit to Denmark.{{cite news |last=McCormack |first=Caitlin |date=2024-12-23 |title=Trump indicates he may be interested in buying Greenland — again |url=https://nypost.com/2024/12/23/us-news/trump-indicates-he-may-be-interested-in-buying-greenland-again/ |access-date=2024-12-24 |language=en-US}}{{Better source needed|reason=See WP:NYPOST|date=February 2025}} On January 7, 2025, Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. visited Greenland's capital city Nuuk alongside Charlie Kirk to hand out MAGA hats.{{Cite news |last=Eller |first=Emil |date=January 8, 2025 |title=Trumps søn beskyldte Danmark for racisme: 'Det har han sådan set ret i' |url=https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/politik/trumps-soen-beskyldte-danmark-racisme-det-har-han-saadan-set-ret-i |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250117163132/https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/politik/trumps-soen-beskyldte-danmark-racisme-det-har-han-saadan-set-ret-i |archive-date=January 17, 2025 |access-date=January 8, 2025 |publisher=DR}} At a press conference the following day, Trump refused to rule out military or economic force to take over Greenland or the Panama Canal.{{cite news |last1=Davies |first1=Alys |last2=Wendling |first2=Mike |date=2025-01-08 |title=Trump ramps up threats to gain control of Greenland and Panama Canal |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gzn48jwz2o |access-date=2025-01-17 |publisher=BBC News |language=en-GB}} However, he did rule out military force in taking over Canada. On January 14, the Trump-affiliated Nelk Boys also visited Nuuk, handing out dollar bills to locals.{{Cite news |last1=Gille |first1=Anna Danielsen |last2=Jørgensen |first2=Nicolai Jørgen |date=January 15, 2025 |title=Jacobs 11-årige søn fik 100 dollar af Trumps YouTube-venner i Nuuk: 'Ikke i orden' |url=https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/indland/jacobs-11-aarige-soen-fik-100-dollar-af-trumps-youtube-venner-i-nuuk-ikke-i-orden |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250117161422/https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/indland/jacobs-11-aarige-soen-fik-100-dollar-af-trumps-youtube-venner-i-nuuk-ikke-i-orden |archive-date=January 17, 2025 |access-date=January 17, 2025 |publisher=DR}} On January 16, the CEOs of major Danish companies Novo Nordisk, Vestas and Carlsberg among others were assembled for a crisis meeting in the Ministry of State to discuss the situation.{{Cite news |last=Jørgensen |first=Steen A. |date=January 17, 2025 |title=Politikere har været til nyt hastemøde om Trump og Grønland |url=https://jyllands-posten.dk/politik/ECE17817853/politikere-har-vaeret-til-nyt-hastemoede-om-trump-og-groenland/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250117155746/https://jyllands-posten.dk/politik/ECE17817853/politikere-har-vaeret-til-nyt-hastemoede-om-trump-og-groenland/ |archive-date=January 17, 2025 |access-date=January 17, 2025 |work=Jyllands-Posten}}{{Cite news |last=Mortensen |first=Mikkel Walentin |date=January 17, 2025 |title=Mens verden holder vejret, forbereder danske virksomheder sig på Trumps trusler |url=https://nyheder.tv2.dk/business/2025-01-16-mens-verden-holder-vejret-forbereder-danske-virksomheder-sig-paa-trumps-trusler |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250117160019/https://nyheder.tv2.dk/business/2025-01-16-mens-verden-holder-vejret-forbereder-danske-virksomheder-sig-paa-trumps-trusler |archive-date=January 17, 2025 |access-date=January 17, 2025 |publisher=TV 2}} On the subsequent day, former chief executive Friis Arne Petersen in the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the situation as "historically unheard of", while Noa Redington, special adviser to former prime minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, compared the international pressure on Denmark that during the 2005 Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy.{{Cite news |last=Hansted |first=Morten |date=January 17, 2025 |title=Danmark i "historisk uhørt" krise: - Alarmtilstanden går kun én vej, og det er op |url=https://nyheder.tv2.dk/2025-01-17-danmark-i-historisk-uhoert-krise-alarmtilstanden-gaar-kun-en-vej-og-det-er-op |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250117155039/https://nyheder.tv2.dk/2025-01-17-danmark-i-historisk-uhoert-krise-alarmtilstanden-gaar-kun-en-vej-og-det-er-op |archive-date=January 17, 2025 |access-date=January 17, 2025 |publisher=TV 2}} On February 12, 2025, a bill was introduced in Congress to advance efforts to acquire Greenland and rename it Red, White, and Blueland.{{Cite web |last=Meville |first=Doug |date=February 12, 2025 |title=New Bill proposes Greenland be renamed to "Red, White, and Blueland". Say What? |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/dougmelville/2025/02/12/new-bill-proposes-greenland-be-renamed-red-white-and-blueland-is-this-the-next-gulf-of-america/ |access-date=February 26, 2025 |website=Forbes}}

In 2024, Trump demanded that Panama return control of the Panama Canal to the United States due to 'excessive rates' being charged for American passage.{{Cite news |last=Steedman |first=Elissa |date=2024-12-23 |title=Donald Trump threatens to retake control of Panama Canal |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-23/donald-trump-threatens-to-retake-panama-canal/104757424 |access-date=2024-12-24 |publisher=ABC News |language=en-AU}} The United States previously was in control of the Panama Canal Zone from 1903 until 1999, and has invaded Panama before in 1989.{{Cite magazine |last=Greene |first=Julie |date=2025-01-22 |title=Trump's Talk of the Panama Canal Taps Into Old Myths About U.S. Power |url=https://time.com/7205889/panama-us-myths-trump/ |access-date=2025-01-30 |magazine=TIME |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Zamorano |first=Juan |date=2025-01-21 |title=Panama, familiar with US intervention, bristles at Trump's comments on canal |url=https://apnews.com/article/panama-canal-trump-us-invasion-19d1a3723ac0c407f49e8b35aebc14f1 |access-date=2025-01-30 |website=Associated Press |language=en}}

Trump told Congress in March 2025 that his "administration will be reclaiming the Panama Canal."{{cite news |last1=Kube |first1=Courtney |last2=Lubold |first2=Gordon |last3=Lee |first3=Carol |title=Trump White House has asked U.S. military to develop options for the Panama Canal, officials say |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/trump-white-house-asked-us-military-develop-options-panama-canal-offic-rcna195994 |access-date=March 16, 2025 |work=NBC News |date=March 14, 2025}} Also that month, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth instructed the Trump administration to "immediately" present "credible military options to ensure fair and unfettered US military and commercial access to the Panama Canal".{{cite news |last1=Cohen |first1=Zachary |last2=Liebermann |first2=Oren |title=Pentagon tasked with providing 'military options' to ensure US access to Panama Canal, memo says |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/13/politics/pentagon-panama-canal-options/index.html |access-date=March 16, 2025 |work=CNN |date=March 14, 2025}}

{{see also|First presidency of Donald Trump#Ethics}}

Trump's second presidency was described by political commentators as having fewer prohibitions on business activity and guardrails against potential conflicts of interest than his first, and for having more opportunities to directly influence Trump.{{Cite news |last1=Yourish |first1=Karen |last2=Lipton |first2=Eric |last3=Gamio |first3=Lazaro |date=January 17, 2025 |title=An Illustrated Guide to Trump's Conflict of Interest Risks |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/01/17/us/politics/trump-conflicts-of-interest.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 18, 2025 |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite news |last=Schouten |first=Fredreka |date=January 8, 2025 |title=Gold-plated watches and electoral map sneakers: Trump's newest merchandise raises conflict of interest questions |publisher=CNN |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/08/politics/trump-conflicts-of-interest-second-term/index.html |access-date=January 18, 2025}} Trump repealed and rolled back anti-corruption efforts and ethical standards for himself and his allies, dropped corruption charges against political figures with ties to him, and fired inspectors generals investigating fraud and abuse. The New York Times described Trump as making up statistics "out of thin air", and for accusing government agencies and "anyone he disfavors of corruption and even criminality without proof".{{Cite news |last=Baker |first=Peter |date=February 12, 2025 |title=Trump and Musk Hunt for Corruption, Very Selectively |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/12/us/politics/trump-musk-corruption.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=February 12, 2025 |issn=0362-4331 }} His second presidency was described as breaking with decades of ethical norms.{{Cite news |last1=Lipton |first1=Eric |last2=Haberman |first2=Maggie |date=February 17, 2025 |title=With Congress Pliant, an Emboldened Trump Pushes His Business Interests |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/17/us/politics/trump-ethics-conflicts-business-adams.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=March 20, 2025 |issn=0362-4331 }}

Trump's second presidency included multiple potential conflicts of interest that did not exist during his first term in office, including a publicly traded company in Truth Social, a cryptocurrency venture, new overseas real estate deals involving state-affiliated entities, and several branding and licensing deals selling Trump-branded merchandise.

His 2024 campaign was noted for an "unprecedented" mixing of personal business and political fundraising.{{cite news|title=Trump's deals to sell Bibles, sneakers and perfume are unprecedented for a presidential candidate, experts say|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/29/trump-sellig-bibles-sneakers-perfume-on-campaign-trail-unprecedented-experts-say.html|publisher=CNBC|date=March 29, 2024|last1=Breuninger|first1=Kevin|access-date=March 30, 2024}} Trump promoted $59.99 bibles, $399 sneakers, $99 "Victory47" cologne, and $99 Trump-branded NFT digital trading cards for his personal, non-campaign accounts.{{cite news|title=Sneakers and Bibles: What's behind Trump's growing merch trove|url=https://www.axios.com/2024/03/29/trump-sneakers-bibles-campaign|work=Axios|date=March 29, 2024|last1=Habeshian|first1=Sareen|access-date=March 30, 2024}}{{cite news|title=Trump endorses line of Bibles -- after selling shoes, NFTs and more|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-endorses-line-bibles-after-selling-shoes-nfts/story?id=108543985|publisher=ABC News|date=March 28, 2024|last1=Kim|first1=Soo Rin|last2=Ibssa|first2=Lalee|access-date=March 30, 2024|archive-date=March 29, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240329174452/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-endorses-line-bibles-after-selling-shoes-nfts/story?id=108543985|url-status=live}} Trump's campaign was noted for spending large sums of campaign money at Trump-owned businesses, in particular his Mar-a-Lago resort and the Trump National Doral Miami.{{cite news|title=Trump is funneling campaign money into cash-strapped businesses. Experts say it looks bad.|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/04/18/trump-campaign-funnels-money-to-his-businesses/73344744007/|work=USA Today|date=April 18, 2024|last1=Anderson|first1=Zac|last2=Mansfield|first2=Erin|access-date=April 21, 2024|archive-date=April 20, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240420053434/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/04/18/trump-campaign-funnels-money-to-his-businesses/73344744007/|url-status=live}}

After winning the election, Trump mirrored his first term's ethics commitments and did not divest from his interests in branding and real estate. He also did not place his assets in a trust managed by an independent trustee.{{Cite news |last=Schouten |first=Fredreka |date=January 23, 2025 |title='The gloves are off': Trump appears poised to cash in from his presidency in new ways |publisher=CNN |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/23/politics/ethics-business-trump-presidency/index.html |access-date=January 23, 2025 |archive-date=January 23, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250123151021/https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/23/politics/ethics-business-trump-presidency/index.html |url-status=live}} Trump did not adopt his own formal ethics guidelines.{{Cite news |last=Lipton |first=Eric |date=February 1, 2025 |title=Ethics Pledges by Trump Cabinet Draw Questions and Skepticism |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/01/us/politics/ethics-trump-zinke-bondi-lutnick-rfk.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=February 1, 2025 |issn=0362-4331 }} Trump transferred his shares of Truth Social into a trust in which he is the sole beneficiary, of which his oldest son is the trustee. Ethics experts described it as falling "well short of the blind trusts and divestitures from private business interests that other presidents have used to avoid ethical conflicts with their job". Trump's son, Eric Trump, said the Trump Organization would continue to pursue business deals overseas, dropping a self-imposed prohibition during Trump's first presidency. Trump profited from holding events at his hotels and golf courses.{{Cite news |last1=Lipton |first1=Eric |last2=Schleifer |first2=Theodore |last3=Kanno-Youngs |first3=Zolan |date=April 5, 2025 |title=Trump Family's Cash Registers Ring as Financial Meltdown Plays Out |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/05/us/politics/trump-family-saudi-golf.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=April 19, 2025 |issn=0362-4331 }} Trump's conflicts of interest were described as having national-security risks, with particular emphasis placed on relationships with the Saudi and Dubai governments through the Trump Organization and his son-in-law Jared Kushner's investment fund backed by the Saudis.{{Cite news |last=Sicard |first=Sarah |date=January 20, 2025 |title=Tracking Trump's national-security conflicts of interest |work=Defense One |url=https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2025/01/tracking-trumps-national-security-conflicts-interest/402329/ |access-date=January 23, 2025 |archive-date=January 22, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250122095226/https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2025/01/tracking-trumps-national-security-conflicts-interest/402329/ |url-status=live}}

Trump repealed ethics rules prohibiting executive branch employees accepting major gifts from lobbyists and two year bans on lobbyists seeking executive jobs and vice versa. Critics described the repeal as the opposite of his pledge to "drain the swamp".{{Cite news |last=Weissert |first=Will |date=January 22, 2025 |title=Trump has canceled Biden's ethics rules. Critics call it the opposite of 'drain the swamp' |publisher=The Associated Press |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-revokes-ethics-rules-drain-swamp-b8e3ba0f98c9c60af11a8e70cbc902bd |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 23, 2025 |archive-date=January 23, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250123104507/https://apnews.com/article/trump-revokes-ethics-rules-drain-swamp-b8e3ba0f98c9c60af11a8e70cbc902bd |url-status=live}} Trump also signed an executive order to stop the Justice Department prosecuting Americans accused of bribing foreign government officials.{{Cite news |last1=Holland |first1=Steve |last2=Bose |first2=Nandita |date=February 11, 2025 |title=Trump loosens enforcement of US law banning bribery of foreign officials |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-loosen-enforcement-us-law-banning-bribery-foreign-officials-2025-02-10/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=February 12, 2025 }}

Trump's wife, Melania, entered into a deal with Amazon to create a documentary about herself, which raised ethics concerns as it was made while she was still in office.

In March 2025, Trump praised Tesla's cars on the white house lawn with notes about the cars features in "something of a sales pitch" which was described in The Nation as "brazenly corrupt".{{Cite web |last=Ingram |first=David |date=2025-03-11 |title=Trump turns the White House lawn into a Tesla showroom |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/elon-musk/trump-musk-tesla-white-house-showroom-buys-car-rcna195905 |access-date= |website=NBC News |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Abramsky |first=Sasha |date=2025-03-14 |title=The Corruption Being Obscured by Trump's Tesla Spectacle |url=https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/the-corruption-being-obscured-by-trumps-tesla-spectacle/ |work=The Nation |language=en-US |issn=0027-8378}}

On April 9, 2025, Trump's encouragement of investors to buy stocks hours before pausing tariffs that sent markets soaring was scrutinized by Democrats and government ethics experts as possible market manipulation.{{Cite news|last=Kanno-Youngs|first=Zolan|date=April 9, 2025|title=Trump's Encouragement of Stock Investors Draws Scrutiny|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/09/us/politics/trump-stock-market.html|url-access=subscription|access-date=April 19, 2025|issn=0362-4331}} Representative Adam Schiff called on congress to investigate whether in pausing tarrifs, Trump had engaged in insider trading or market manipulation.{{Cite web |last=Popli |first=Nik |date=2025-04-09 |title=Schiff Wants Tariff Pause Investigation Over Insider Trading |url=https://time.com/7276234/trump-tariff-insider-trading-schiff/ |access-date= |website=Time.com |language=en}}

Trump's cabinet were noted to have a large number of potential conflicts of interest, with the Campaign Legal Center finding over 467 that would require recusal, with the most, 106, belonging to Howard Lutnick. Trump Media gifted 25,946 shares of stock of DJT to each of his picks for FBI director, Kash Patel, and education secretary nominee, Linda McMahon, totaling $779,400 each as of January 31, 2025. He also gifted thousands of shares to his son.{{Cite news |last=Breuninger |first=Kevin |date=January 31, 2025 |title=Trump Media gifts DJT shares to FBI pick Kash Patel, Linda McMahon and president's son |work=CNBC |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/01/31/trump-media-djt-stock-shares-kash-patel.html |access-date=February 1, 2025}}

On January 17, Trump launched, promoted, and personally benefited from a cryptocurrency memecoin, $Trump, that soared to a market valuation of over $5 billion within a few hours—a total $27 billion diluted value—through a Trump-owned company called CIC Digital LLC, which owned 80 percent of the coin's supply.{{Cite news |last=Goodman |first=Jasper |date=January 18, 2025 |title=Trump launches crypto meme coin, ballooning net worth ahead of inauguration |work=Politico |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/18/trump-crypto-meme-coin-inauguration-00199157 |access-date=January 18, 2025}} Within two days, the $Trump coin became the 19th most valuable form of cryptocurrency in the world, with a total trading value of nearly $13 billion, and a total of $29 billion worth of trades based on a $64 value of each of the 200 million tokens issued by the afternoon of January 19. The New York Times reported that Trump affiliates controlled an additional 800 million tokens that, hypothetically, could be worth over $51 billion, potentially making Trump one of the richest people in the world. Trump also launched a new memecoin named after his wife, $Melania, and promoted it on Truth Social shortly before attending an inauguration rally. The crypto venture was criticized by ethics experts and government watchdogs.{{Cite news |last1=Lipton |first1=Eric |last2=Yaffe-Bellany |first2=David |date=January 19, 2025 |title=Trump's Cryptocurrency Surges to Become One of the World's Most Valuable |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/19/us/politics/trump-cryptocurrency-surges.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 19, 2025 |issn=0362-4331}} The venture and the possibility of foreign governments buying the coin was highlighted as possibly violating the Constitution's foreign emoluments clause.{{Cite news |last=Romm |first=Tony |date=January 19, 2025 |title=Trump promotes meme coin, raising ethics issues as value soars |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/01/19/trump-meme-coin-crypto/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 19, 2025 |issn=0190-8286}}

File:1828- Margin of victory in US presidential elections - popular vote.svg —to inflate the actual degree of voter support—he failed to receive 50% of the popular vote.{{cite news |last1=Bump |first1=Philip |title=Trump’s 2024 ‘mandate’ isn’t as robust as Biden’s was in 2020 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/11/18/trumps-2024-mandate-isnt-robust-bidens-was-2020/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=November 18, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241118200100/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/11/18/trumps-2024-mandate-isnt-robust-bidens-was-2020/ |archive-date=November 18, 2024 |url-status=live }} His 1.5 percentage point margin of victory in 2024 (shown in chart) place it in only the 20th percentile of presidential elections since 1828.Woolley, John T. and Peters, Gerhard, Eds. {{cite web |title=Presidential Election Margin of Victory |url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/statistics/data/presidential-election-mandates |publisher=The American Presidency Project (University of California) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250329061727/https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/statistics/data/presidential-election-mandates |archive-date=March 29, 2025 |date=November 6, 2024 |url-status=live}}]]

Professor Christina Pagel mapped the first actions of the Trump administration in a Venn diagram that identifies "five broad domains that correspond to features of proto-authoritarian states". These five domains are: undermining democratic institutions and the rule of law, dismantling federal government; dismantling social protections and rights, enrichment and corruption; suppressing dissent and controlling information; attacking science, environment, health, arts and education; aggressive foreign policy and global destabilization.{{Cite web | last=Kottke |first=Jason |title = The Venn Diagram of Trump's Authoritarian Actions| work = kottke.org| access-date = 2025-02-14| date = 2025-02-14| url = https://kottke.org/25/02/the-venn-diagram-of-trumps-authoritarian-actions}}

Journalist Martin Sandu and authoritarian politics researcher Alex Norris described the maximalist interpretation of executive power in Donald Trump's second term as President, including sweeping executive orders, the federal funding freeze, actions against political opponents and the media, pardons of those involved in the 2021 attempted self-coup, the actions of Elon Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency, and the like as an attempted self-coup.{{cite news |last1=Sandbu |first1=Martin |title=Donald Trump's administrative self-coup |url=https://www.ft.com/content/a221a10a-5ac2-47b6-ba8b-30e18553c181 |access-date=14 February 2025 |work=Financial Times |date=30 January 2025|quote="This assault on both Congress’s power of the purse and on the US’s administrative state is as much of a self-coup as was the spurring of insurrectionists on January 6, 2021."}}{{cite news |last1=Norris |first1=Alex |title=Is It a Coup? |url=https://www.liberalcurrents.com/is-it-a-coup/ |access-date=14 February 2025 |work=Liberal Currents |date=13 February 2025 |language=en|quote="Verdict: Self coup, in-progress, success still unknown"}}

Political scientist Lee Morgenbesser argued the actions of DOGE are a form of state capture.{{cite news |last1=Morgebesser |first1=Lee |title=Why we should be worried about Elon Musk's siege of the US government |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/elon-musk-donald-trump-government-state-capture-coup-b2697554.html |access-date=14 February 2025 |work=The Independent |date=13 February 2025 |language=en|quote="More accurately, Musk’s siege amounts to a form of 'state capture'. This refers to 'the appropriation of state resources by political actors for their own ends: either private or political.'"}}

{{Main|Opinion polling on the second Donald Trump administration|United States presidential approval rating}}

File:Hands Off! Protest in Chico, California (April 5, 2025)-104A8592.jpg in Chico, California, in April 2025]]

Donald Trump began his second term with another historically low job approval rate, only improving on the lowest rate, which he claimed in his first term, by three points.{{Cite web |last=Brenan |first=Megan |date=2025-01-29 |title=Trump's Inaugural Approval Rating Is Historically Low Again |url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/655955/trump-inaugural-approval-rating-historically-low-again.aspx |access-date=2025-02-23 |publisher=Gallup, Inc. |language=en}} President Trump began his first term at a 45% job approval, and begun with 47% for his second term. According to Gallup, "Trump remains the only elected president with sub-50% initial approval ratings".

In a CBS News/YouGov poll conducted from February 5–7, 2025, Trump reached a career high poll rating of 53% in adults.{{Cite web |last1=Salvanto |first1=Anthony |last2=De Pinto |first2=Jennifer |last3=Backus |first3=Fred |last4=Khanna |first4=Kabir |date=2025-02-09 |title=CBS News poll — Trump has positive approval amid "energetic" opening weeks; seen as doing what he promised - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-approval-opinion-poll-2025-2-9/ |access-date=2025-02-13 |website= |publisher=CBS News |language=en-US}}

For February 9–11, 2025, approval decreased by seven points in Adults, in the YouGov Approval Poll, at 46%. Additionally, approval was at 47% RV (Real Voters).{{Cite web |last1=Best |first1=Ryan |last2=Bycoffe |first2=Aaron |last3=King |first3=Ritchie |last4=Mehta |first4=Dhrumil |last5=Wiederkehr |first5=Anna |date=2018-06-28 |title=Donald Trump : Approval Polls |url=https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/approval/donald-trump/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230915194216/https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/approval/donald-trump/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 15, 2023 |access-date=2025-02-23 |website=FiveThirtyEight |language=en}}

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