Donald Trump’s presidency, from 2017 to 2021, included various policy actions and initiatives. Here’s a summary of notable accomplishments and the benefits often attributed to them by supporters:

1. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (2017)

• Accomplishment: The act reduced the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% and temporarily lowered individual tax rates.
• Benefits:
  • Boosted corporate profits, leading to stock market growth.
  • Increased take-home pay for many individuals.
  • Encouraged business investment due to lower taxes.

2. Deregulation

• Accomplishment: Trump’s administration cut regulations in industries like energy, finance, and the environment, including rolling back Obama-era environmental protections.
• Benefits:
  • Reduced costs for businesses, which some argue led to job creation.
  • Boosted domestic energy production, particularly oil and gas, making the U.S. a net exporter of energy.
  • Streamlined processes in several industries, including infrastructure and manufacturing.

3. Judicial Appointments

• Accomplishment: Trump appointed more than 200 federal judges, including three Supreme Court Justices: Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett.
• Benefits:
  • Shifted the judiciary to a more conservative interpretation of the Constitution, which supporters believe preserves traditional values and limits government overreach.
  • Long-lasting influence on U.S. law due to the lifetime tenure of federal judges.

4. Criminal Justice Reform (First Step Act, 2018)

• Accomplishment: This bipartisan law reformed federal prison sentencing, reduced mandatory minimum sentences for certain non-violent offenders, and improved rehabilitation programs.
• Benefits:
  • Reduced incarceration rates for non-violent crimes.
  • Offered inmates a second chance by promoting rehabilitation and reducing recidivism.
  • Addressed some racial disparities in sentencing.

5. Middle East Peace Initiatives (Abraham Accords, 2020)

• Accomplishment: Brokered peace deals between Israel and several Arab nations, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco.
• Benefits:
  • Promoted stability and normalized diplomatic relations in the Middle East.
  • Increased economic cooperation and travel between Israel and Arab countries.
  • Reduced regional tensions and bolstered U.S. influence in the Middle East.

6. Economic Growth (Pre-COVID)

• Accomplishment: The U.S. economy grew steadily during Trump’s first three years, with unemployment reaching a 50-year low of 3.5% in 2019.
• Benefits:
  • Record low unemployment for African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and other minority groups.
  • Rising wages, particularly for lower-income workers.
  • A stock market boom that benefited investors and retirement accounts.

7. Immigration Policies

• Accomplishment: Implemented strict immigration policies, including the “Remain in Mexico” policy for asylum seekers, increased border security, and efforts to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
• Benefits:
  • Reduced illegal border crossings, according to the administration.
  • Increased focus on national security and immigration law enforcement.
  • Supporters argue these policies protected American jobs and lowered crime rates.

8. Foreign Policy

• China Trade War: Imposed tariffs on Chinese goods to pressure China into reforming its trade practices.
  • Benefits: Intended to protect U.S. intellectual property and reduce the trade deficit with China.
• NATO Funding: Pressured NATO allies to increase defense spending.
  • Benefits: Reduced the U.S. financial burden in supporting NATO’s collective defense.
• North Korea Diplomacy: Met with Kim Jong-un, attempting to negotiate denuclearization (though ultimately unsuccessful).
  • Benefits: Reduced immediate tensions on the Korean Peninsula, though lasting agreements were not achieved.

9. Operation Warp Speed (COVID-19 Vaccine Development)

• Accomplishment: Fast-tracked the development, production, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, leading to the rollout of vaccines in record time.
• Benefits:
  • Accelerated vaccine availability, which helped combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Played a role in enabling the rapid development of multiple effective vaccines.
  • Allowed economies to begin reopening faster.

10. Trade Deals (USMCA)

• Accomplishment: Renegotiated NAFTA into the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
• Benefits:
  • Updated provisions for digital trade and intellectual property.
  • Strengthened labor protections in Mexico.
  • Created a more balanced trade relationship between the three countries.

11. Veterans Affairs Reforms

• Accomplishment: Expanded healthcare options for veterans, allowing them to seek care outside of the VA system through the VA MISSION Act.
• Benefits:
  • Improved access to healthcare for veterans.
  • Gave veterans more control over their healthcare decisions.
  • Reduced wait times at VA hospitals.

12. Environmental Actions

• Accomplishment: Supported conservation efforts through the Great American Outdoors Act, which provided funding to maintain national parks and public lands.
• Benefits:
  • Helped protect and preserve public lands for future generations.
  • Generated jobs and economic benefits through conservation projects.

13. Military Rebuild

• Accomplishment: Increased military spending and initiated the creation of the U.S. Space Force.
• Benefits:
  • Modernized the U.S. military and enhanced its readiness.
  • Established the Space Force as a new branch to address emerging threats in space.
  • Ensured continued U.S. dominance in global military capabilities.