In the early months of his presidency, Donald Trump has shown that he intends to follow through on his promises from the campaign trail. Such issues include immigration and the vetting process, bringing jobs back to the United States, and giving the green light for pipelines to promote American energy. In addition, his presidency has caused more and more Americans to take part in politics again, whether or not they agree with his politics. For these reasons, Donald Trump has been an effective leader thus far.
Trump has brought issues that haven’t been in the spotlight as much to the forefront of his administration. For example, Trump has placed a lot of importance on immigration and ensuring that the United States’ vetting system is sound; presidents have broad power in shaping immigration policy. He instituted an executive order that placed a temporary ban on seven specific countries in order to be able to review the vetting process. The seven countries in which the travel ban focused on countries that had already been deemed countries of concern for terrorism under the Obama administration.
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While Trump’s order is broader than Obama’s was — by banning all citizens from those countries from entering the United States for three months — it was all done in order to make sure that our vetting process is more secure and that we know exactly who we are letting into the country. While there was some pushback by the courts regarding the legality of the ban, and the fact that he instituted a new travel ban for six of the seven countries originally listed, it is important that we have a strong vetting system.
In addition, Trump has shown his dedication to job growth and bringing jobs back to the United States. According to ABC News, the United States’ employers added approximately 235,000 jobs in February, and the unemployment rate has dropped to 4.7 percent from 4.8 percent. He continues to shows promise for jobs in America. The policies that Trump has proposed could have very real effects on businesses, such as his pledge to have high tariffs on products that are manufactured outside of the United States but are sold here. Moreover, Trump plans to cut taxes and slash regulations in the United States, and this will make it cheaper to do business in the United States.
Furthermore, Trump signed two executive orders to revive the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines, as well as three other related executive orders. During his campaign, Trump promised that he would streamline the approval for the Keystone XL pipeline. While signing the orders, Trump said he would seek to “get that pipeline built,” CNN reported. Even Senators Heitkamp and Manchin, both Democrats, have welcomed this move. Trump also ordered that the oil pipelines be built using American materials. This will promote more jobs, and that’s what this country needs.
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Lastly, Trump has caused a surge in engagement among his supporters and opponents. Political participation has been in steady decline for decades, but now, millions of people are participating earnestly. In mass marches and town hall meetings, Americans across the country have taken a stand and have let their voices be heard. Opponents have gathered at airports and across college campuses to support those affected by the travel ban and undocumented individuals. According to Fortune, civil liberties groups have seen a surge in support and donations.
In addition, Trump has given a voice to communities that have long been disregarded. Trump has also caused a growth in civic education, with Americans wanting to join political organizations and become more knowledgeable about politics. I am sure that this renewal in public engagement will last through Trump’s presidency, and hopefully, beyond it as well.
While it still is rather early in Trump’s presidency, he has shown that he plans to hold true on his promises and what he has done thus far seems to be promising for the United States.