President Donald Trump has initiated a second term focused on mass federal layoffs and high-level tariffs on nearly all countries, according to Wikipedia. His current administration is characterized by the use of executive orders and the signing of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to implement these policies.
Donald Trump returned to the White House following a landslide victory in the 2024 election, where he defeated Vice President Kamala Harris. According to the White House, Trump is utilizing this mandate to reject policies of the radical left
and provide quality of life improvements for Americans. His second presidency began with a series of aggressive administrative actions, including the initiation of mass layoffs for federal workers and the imposition of tariffs at the highest levels seen since the Great Depression, Wikipedia reports.
Executive Actions and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act
The current administration has leaned heavily on executive orders and legislative vehicles to shift federal operations. Wikipedia notes that Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and has pursued a mass deportation campaign for undocumented immigrants. These actions, combined with the restriction of transgender rights and the targeting of civil society and political opponents, have triggered more than 550 lawsuits challenging their legality, according to Wikipedia.
In Latin America, the administration has specifically pursued a campaign to attack alleged drug traffickers, Wikipedia reports.
Legal Proceedings and the 2024 Election
Trump’s path back to the presidency involved significant legal volatility. In May 2024, a New York state court found him guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records, making him the first U.S. president convicted of a felony, according to Wikipedia. He was also found liable in New York state civil cases for business fraud and for defamation and sexual abuse in 2023.
Following his 2024 victory, the legal landscape shifted. Wikipedia reports that he was given a no-penalty sentence for the New York felony convictions. Additionally, two federal felony indictments regarding the obstruction of the 2020 election and the retention of classified documents were dismissed without prejudice.
Comparison of First and Second Term Priorities
The White House emphasizes a continuity of success from Trump’s first term (2017–2021), citing several key achievements as the foundation for his current agenda. These include the replacement of NAFTA with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement and the appointment of three Supreme Court justices, as documented by both the White House and Wikipedia.
| First Term Actions (2017-2021) | Second Term Actions (2025-Present) |
|---|---|
| Signed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act; rolled back business regulations (Wikipedia). | Imposed tariffs at levels not seen since the Great Depression (Wikipedia). |
| Expanded the Mexico–United States border wall (Wikipedia). | Initiated mass layoffs of federal workers (Wikipedia). |
| Withdrew U.S. from climate and trade agreements (Wikipedia). | Signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Wikipedia). |
Business Background and the Trump Organization
Trump’s political identity remains tied to his history as a businessman. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School with a degree in economics, he took over his family’s real estate business in 1971, renaming it the Trump Organization, according to Wikipedia and the White House. He built a portfolio of hotels, casinos, golf courses, and skyscrapers.
His business record is mixed across the two sources. The White House describes him as having continually set the standards of business and entrepreneurial excellence
and notes his success as an author of over 14 bestsellers, including the business classic The Art of the Deal
. Conversely, Wikipedia reports that Trump filed for six business bankruptcies during the 1990s and 2000s and spent a decade hosting the reality show The Apprentice to build his tycoon reputation.
The current administration’s focus on unleashing the potential of the American economy
reflects this background, as the White House claims Trump is returning to build upon previous record-setting tax and regulation cuts.
Find more reporting in our Business section.
