When President Trump was in office previously, he attempted to implement significant reductions in foreign aid but faced opposition from Congress. This time, he is encountering minimal resistance from his Republican colleagues regarding his decision to pause such funding.
During a special counsel investigation in his first term, Mr. Trump revealed his intention to dismiss the investigator, a move that was thwarted by White House attorneys. Now, he has rapidly ousted numerous federal officials overseeing his administration.
In the waning days of his first term, Mr. Trump sought to appoint a loyalist to manage the F.B.I., a plan that was blocked by Attorney General Bill Barr, who later discussed it in his memoir. Currently, this same loyalist, Kash Patel, is set to take charge of the bureau.
Throughout his second term, Mr. Trump is showing how liberated he is from past constraints, making bold transformations in both domestic and foreign policies at an unprecedented level. His swift actions in the first month of his return to office highlight a confidence within an administration that has a more stable hold on the mechanisms of government than during Mr. Trump’s previous term in the White House.
The traditional conservatives from the Bush and Reagan eras who once advised him are now absent. Instead, a group of predominantly America First Republicans surround Mr. Trump, radically reshaping the nation’s policies, supported by billionaire Elon Musk, who has been empowered to navigate through the bureaucracy.
“We’ve never witnessed such a scale of actions from a presidential administration as we’re seeing now,” commented Jeffrey A. Engel, head of the Center for Presidential History at Southern Methodist University. “It’s not merely a reversal of policies from previous administrations — which we commonly anticipate — but a fundamental upheaval of American foreign policy established since 1945.”
Take a look at Mr. Trump’s initiatives from just the past week:
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He terminated diplomatic isolation efforts against Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago, engaging in extensive discussions with President Vladimir V. Putin. Mr. Trump described the dialogue as the start of negotiations to end the war, without a prominent role for President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine.
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His administration initiated widespread layoffs throughout the government, targeting most of an estimated 200,000 probationary federal workers, significantly intensifying the president’s initiative to reduce the workforce.
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Top officials aligned with Trump further plunged the Justice Department into disarray by moving to dismiss corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams, resulting in a wave of resignations among prosecutors.
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Mr. Trump proposed a radical overhaul of global tariffs — introducing what he refers to as “reciprocal tariffs” that could undermine the commitments the United States has made internationally via the World Trade Organization and possibly ignite a new era of trade conflicts.
Throughout these developments, the president has maintained a rapid pace in signing executive orders, taking actions to undermine job protections for career diplomats and expand Mr. Musk’s influence over the federal workforce.
Supporters of Mr. Trump argue that his actions reflect his swift movement to deliver on his promises to voters.
“The pace has been remarkable,” stated Representative Steve Scalise of Louisiana, the No. 2 Republican in the House. “When you examine Donald Trump’s first month in office in 2017 compared to today, you see a president who is far more focused and aggressive.”
He added: “He’s applying lessons learned from his first term to achieve more significant and expedited outcomes for the American people.”
Thus far, the turmoil resulting from Mr. Trump’s early actions does not seem to have led to a significant shift in public opinion against him, though it is uncertain how the funding freezes and cuts to the federal workforce will be perceived by his key supporters once the effects become evident.
“Most of his voters sought change,” Mr. Engel noted. “I would argue that most of those voters aren’t deeply concerned with the complexities of federal law. They react to the headlines, ‘Trump took action’ and they feel a sense of momentum.”
The rapid policy shifts Mr. Trump has implemented in his first month are largely unprecedented, according to historians.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt experienced a similar surge of activity during his first 100 days, but those actions were intended to strengthen American institutions rather than dismantle them.
“In Roosevelt’s case, it was a revolution aimed at instituting change,” Mr. Engel remarked. “This is not a construction project — it’s akin to a wrecking ball.”
Unlike previous presidents, Mr. Trump seems to face minimal checks.
Congress, now under Republican leadership, has relinquished its typical oversight and budgetary functions to support his objectives.
Speaker Mike Johnson expressed his willingness to grant fiscal authority to Musk’s team within the executive branch, indicating no opposition to Mr. Trump withdrawing or retracting funds sanctioned by Congress.
“I’ve been asked countless times, ‘Doesn’t this concern you?’” Mr. Johnson informed reporters. “No, it does not.” He continued: “We the people are applauding what’s transpiring in the new administration.”
One of the few Republicans who has not aligned fully with Mr. Trump in Congress is Senator Mitch McConnell from Kentucky, who has opted not to support some of the president’s more contentious Cabinet nominees. However, his “no” votes have not prevented the confirmation of individuals such as Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence or Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary.
The primary areas of resistance to Mr. Trump have emerged in the judicial system. Some federal judges have intervened to temporarily block certain actions by Mr. Trump, including his attempt to eliminate birthright citizenship, halt foreign aid, and restrict some of Mr. Musk’s engagements with the federal government.
This has provoked Mr. Trump’s frustration.
“Billions of dollars in FRAUD, WASTE, AND ABUSE have already been uncovered in the investigation of our inefficient government,” the president posted on Truth Social without substantiating claims of specific misappropriations. “Now, some activists and politically motivated judges want us to slow down or halt our progress. Losing this momentum will be extremely detrimental to uncovering the TRUTH, which is proving disastrous for those managing our government. There’s still much to uncover. No Excuses!!!”
In some respects, Mr. Trump has embraced the rapid pace philosophy associated with Silicon Valley, supported by business figures like Mr. Musk, who has been cutting jobs and agencies at an unprecedented rate: Move fast and break things.
Federal officials who have been removed during Mr. Trump’s swift purges assert that he is systematically dismantling any checks on his power. He has dismissed 19 inspectors general; the chair of the Federal Election Commission; the leader of the Office of Special Counsel, a watchdog agency, and the chair of the Merit Systems Protection Board, which safeguards civil servants from unjust disciplinary actions. Several of these terminations are currently facing legal challenges.
Cathy Harris, chair of the merit board, has filed a lawsuit seeking to reinstate her position, arguing that her termination was unlawful. She perceives a troubling pattern in Mr. Trump’s efforts to eliminate accountability.
“He’s taking extensive measures to undermine the civil service,” Ms. Harris remarked. “The M.S.P.B. is one of the agencies dedicated to shielding civil servants from being targeted for partisan political reasons or other inappropriate motives, and by weakening the board’s bipartisan nature, I am deeply concerned about the future of the civil service as a result.”
