Following Trump’s second election this past Tuesday, American citizens are wondering how many of his policies will be carried out - and what that means for the country.
Marco Haynes sat down with Kamy Akhavan, Director of the Center for Political Futures here at USC to talk about Trump’s first 100 days.
Marco Haynes: So professor, thanks for joining us. Let’s start with Donald Trump’s campaign promises. He promised his supporters that he’d carry out mass deportations, address the Ukraine war, and combat inflation. He talked about cutting taxes and regulations. A lot of these things are easier said than done, like deporting millions of immigrants. What can we actually expect in the first 100 days?
Kamy Akhavan: Well, I think for people who support Donald Trump, they expect that he’s going to carry through on these promises. He has doubled down on his ability to deliver, even in his acceptance speech, where he said delivering on promises is his trademark. For those who opposed him and didn’t vote for him, they’re hoping his inability to deliver on those promises is a good thing.
Marco Haynes: Trump has also talked a great deal about sweeping changes to the federal government, including replacing federal workers with at-will employees. Realistically, what kind of changes could he start making right away?
Kamy Akhavan: A lot of that will depend on control of the House. Right now, the Senate is in the Republican column. The House of Representatives is still up for grabs, and of course, the executive office. There’s a lot he can do with the tools he already has. Donald Trump didn’t win by the narrow margins everyone predicted; he won overwhelmingly, and surprisingly so. There’s a real appetite for change in the country, and he’ll be motivated to deliver, thinking this is what the people want.
Marco Haynes: What can we expect in terms of climate regulations? Trump has talked about withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement and opening up wilderness areas to oil drilling. How much can he actually do in a short amount of time?
Kamy Akhavan: Some of that can be done unilaterally through executive action, without Congress. We can expect places like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to be a target. Some national parks may lose their status to become areas for resource extraction. There’s concern from the environmental community about what the Trump administration means for resources. Cutting taxes reduces government revenue, so to continue spending, that money has to come from somewhere. In Trump’s view, that means more investment in domestic resource extraction and removing regulations that block drilling and mining.
Marco Haynes: Trump has promised what he called the biggest mass deportation of undocumented immigrants in history. He tried to end DACA. How much can he actually do, and what kinds of logistical and legal challenges might he face?
Kamy Akhavan: There will be many legal challenges. Civil society organizations are committed to helping immigrants, particularly those here under legal programs that Trump’s allies have threatened to eliminate. Logistically, deporting 11 million people is a massive operation. First, you have to find them, then detain them, process and sort them, and physically transport them back to their countries. California, especially Los Angeles and San Francisco, are likely initial targets for deportation efforts.
Marco Haynes: Trump has said he would not sign a nationwide abortion ban but has talked about other restrictions, like pulling the abortion pill mifepristone from the market. What can we expect in the first 100 days?
Kamy Akhavan: Trump has said a lot on reproductive rights, making it hard to pin down his exact stance. The last thing he said is that he would leave it up to the states, which aligns with his support for the elimination of Roe v. Wade. If that holds true, California will likely continue to be a haven for reproductive rights, while other states will take the opposite approach, leading to greater polarization. People may move to communities where their values are more in line with the local laws.
Marco Haynes: Lastly, let’s talk about January 6. Trump has said he will pardon some of the rioters convicted during the 2021 insurrection. Can he realistically do this?
Kamy Akhavan: He has the power of the pardon, so yes, you can expect that some people in prison now may be released after he takes office. Trump has often been supportive of his allies and harsh on his opponents. The election process was secure, despite the outcome not being what many hoped for. Democracy held up, with high levels of engagement and the will of the people reflected. If we don’t like the outcomes, we should use the same systems to vote for the changes we want.
Marco Haynes: Well, Kevin, thanks so much for your time and your responses.
Kamy Akhavan: It’s my great pleasure.
Marco Haynes: Thank you very much.