So, you’re looking at what the second term actually looks like now that the dust has settled. It's funny because during the campaign, everyone was arguing about what might happen, but 2025 turned out to be a total whirlwind of executive orders that basically flipped the script on how Washington works. Honestly, if you're trying to track Trump's agenda if elected—well, since he was elected—it’s not just a list of talking points anymore. It's a massive, unfolding reality that's hitting everything from the price of your milk to who’s allowed to cross the border.
The biggest thing people miss is that this wasn't just about "doing 2016 again." It was a much more surgical strike on the federal bureaucracy.
The Tariff War and Your Wallet
The economy was the big selling point, right? But the way it played out with tariffs was pretty wild. On January 20, 2025, right out of the gate, there was this "America First Trade Policy" memorandum. It wasn't just a suggestion. By February, we saw 25% tariffs slapped on Mexico and Canada. Just like that. The trade agreement Trump himself signed years ago (the USMCA) basically got tossed into the "needs revision" pile.
Why does this matter to you? Well, if you’ve noticed the prices at the grocery store or for car parts lately, that’s the "beautiful word" in action. Trump calls tariffs the most beautiful word in the dictionary, but for the average person, it’s meant a bit of a shock.
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- Average US tariff rates jumped from 2.5% to nearly 27% by April 2025.
- The government pulled in about $300 billion in tariff revenue in 2025 alone.
- There was a whole mess with the "de minimis" exemption—basically, those cheap packages from overseas sites—which got axed in late August.
The Penn Wharton Budget Model actually looked at this and figured it’s like a massive tax hike for middle-class families, even though the administration says the revenue will eventually replace income taxes for people making under $200k. It’s a huge "wait and see" game right now.
The Border and the "Invasion" Proclamation
Immigration was the other pillar. Day one, Trump signed a proclamation declaring a national emergency and calling the situation at the southern border an "invasion." It wasn't just rhetoric; it gave him the legal cover to use "expedited removal." Basically, it means skipping the long court dates and moving people out fast.
We’ve seen the numbers. Illegal crossings dropped to the lowest levels in decades by mid-2025. But it's more than just the wall. There’s the Laken Riley Act, which mandates detaining immigrants charged with certain crimes. And then there's the "Trump Gold Card" idea for high-skilled workers, though that’s been harder to get through than the deportations.
The Brookings Institution even reported that for the first time in ages, the U.S. had "negative net migration" in 2025. More people left than came in. That’s a massive shift in the American demographic landscape that we haven't seen since the Great Depression era.
The New Power Players in D.C.
You can't talk about Trump's agenda if elected without looking at the people he actually put in the seats. It’s a very different crew this time.
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- Susie Wiles as Chief of Staff—she's the one keeping the trains running on time.
- Marco Rubio at State—a huge pivot toward "hard-nosed realism."
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at HHS—which, let's be real, nobody had on their 2024 bingo card.
- Pete Hegseth at Defense—confirmed after a tie-breaker vote from J.D. Vance.
And then you have DOGE. No, not the coin. The Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. Their whole job is to take a chainsaw to federal spending. It’s been chaotic, with some offices literally being shuttered overnight.
Energy: Drill, Baby, Drill is Back
The climate stuff? Yeah, that got mothballed fast. The "Unleashing American Energy" executive order on January 20 was the signal. It wasn't just about oil; it was about removing the "EV mandate" and protecting your right to buy a gas stove or a high-pressure showerhead.
The administration pulled out of international green agreements again, focusing instead on the Outer Continental Shelf and federal lands. They want the U.S. to be the absolute leader in minerals and fuel, period. If it produces energy and it's under American soil, they want it out.
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What it Means for You Right Now
Honestly, the "agenda" is now just the "daily news." If you're looking for actionable insights on how to navigate this 2026 landscape, here is the deal:
- Watch the Markets: The 2025 stock market crash after the April tariffs showed how sensitive things are to trade news. If you see more "reciprocal tariffs" coming, expect volatility.
- H-1B and Work Visas: If you're a business owner or a tech worker, the new $100k fee for H-1B petitions (which started in September 2025) is a game-changer. It’s making it way more expensive to bring in foreign talent.
- Energy Costs: While the administration is pushing for more production, the transition takes time. Keep an eye on local utility deregulation; that’s where the "drill, baby, drill" policy will eventually hit your bill.
- Bureaucracy Shifts: If you deal with federal agencies, expect delays. With the DOGE cuts and the "Schedule F" reclassification of civil servants, a lot of the people who used to answer the phones aren't there anymore.
The reality of Trump's agenda if elected has been a total overhaul of the executive branch's power. It’s moved faster than his first term because the legal groundwork (like Project 2025's blueprints) was already laid out. Whether you think it’s a "restoration" or a "disruption," it is, without a doubt, a completely different version of America than we had two years ago.
For those trying to stay ahead of the curve, the best move is to watch the "America First Trade Policy" reports. These are the documents that justify the next round of tariffs or trade bans. They usually drop with very little warning, and in this administration, the time between a "report" and a "new tax" is often less than 24 hours.