Donald Trump has quickly started planning for his second term after winning the US presidential election. He has outlined his top priorities, surprising many in Washington and across the world with his actions. Here’s a summary of what happened during his eventful first week as president-elect.
1) He’s building a loyal team to shake up government
Trump quickly started forming his team, picking cabinet members for Senate approval and appointing senior advisers. However, there’s more to the story.
His choices show that he plans big changes in government. Instead of experienced or traditional candidates, he’s picking people who are loyal to him and share his goals to challenge the usual way things work in Washington.
For example, his pick for defense secretary wants to remove military leaders who follow “woke” policies. His health secretary nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., aims to fight corruption in health agencies and possibly shut down some departments in the FDA.
Trump also announced a new “Department of Government Efficiency,” to be led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, focused on cutting costs and reducing regulations. Overall, his team seems strongly loyal to him and ready to make big changes in their areas of work.
2) He’ll have a friendly Congress on his side
Republicans now control both the House and the Senate, giving them a small but important majority for the next two years, until the midterm elections. This is a big win for Trump, as it will make it easier for him to pass laws and push his plans forward.
The Democrats will have less power to block his decisions, and Trump is likely to avoid the investigations he faced during the second half of his first term. With Republican control, he can work on big promises like stricter immigration policies, higher taxes on imports, and cutting back on environmental rules.
Trump’s influence was tested this week when Republicans in the Senate chose their new leader. Although Trump didn’t directly get involved, his allies and supportive media pushed hard for Rick Scott, a loyal supporter of Trump.
However, Scott lost in the first round, and the Republicans chose John Thune instead, someone who doesn’t always agree with Donald Trump.
Since the vote was secret, it wasn’t an open rejection of Trump’s influence. Bigger challenges to Trump’s power are still ahead, especially during the approval process for his controversial cabinet picks.
For example, some Senate Republicans are already opposing his surprising choice of Matt Gaetz to lead the justice department.
4) Trump’s criminal conviction could soon be wiped
Most of the attention has been on the president-elect’s new appointments, but his legal issues have also been affected by his win. In New York, his criminal fraud conviction in the hush-money case is still active for now, but it might be overturned soon.
This week, a judge postponed the decision on whether to dismiss the conviction, citing a Supreme Court ruling from the summer that gave presidents more legal protection. The judge’s decision is expected next week. Whether or not the conviction is dropped, Trump’s sentencing, originally set for November 26, is likely to be delayed.
Here’s a reminder of how Donald Trump’s election win impacts his cases.
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Trump picking Gaetz to head justice sends shockwaves – and a strong message
Who has joined Donald Trump’s team so far?
5) He has China firmly in his sights
Trump sees the world very differently from Biden, and his approach to U.S. foreign policy might change things significantly in the coming years.
A key focus of his plans is China. Many of the people he’s chosen for important roles believe that China is a serious threat to America’s economic and military power and want to take a stronger stand against it.
For example, Marco Rubio, his pick for secretary of state, has called China America’s “most advanced enemy.” Mike Waltz, his national security adviser, says the U.S. is in a “cold war” with China. Elise Stefanik, his choice for UN ambassador, has accused China of interfering in U.S. elections.
During Trump’s first presidency, relations with China were tense, and they didn’t improve much under Biden. Now, Trump seems ready to take an even tougher approach with trade barriers, stricter policies, and harsh criticism.
Donald Trump’s first week as president-elect was busy and surprising. He picked some controversial people for his Cabinet and made bold diplomatic decisions, showing his leadership style would be different. Love him or hate him, one thing was clear: Donald Trump wasn’t going to follow traditional rules. His first week gave the world a peek at the bold and unpredictable approach that would shape his presidency.
FAQs:
1.Why were Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks controversial?
His choices, like Steve Bannon, were divisive because of their strong political views and past actions, which made people worry about the direction his government would take.
2.What was important about Donald Trump’s call with Taiwan’s president?
It went against the usual “One China” policy, hinting at changes in U.S.-China relations and upsetting China.
3.Did Trump’s first week affect the economy long-term?
Markets were initially hopeful because of his plans for economic reform, but concerns about his trade policies created uncertainty.
4.How did Americans react to his election?
Many people protested across the country, showing their unhappiness and fears about what his presidency could bring.
5.Why was Donald Trump’s Twitter use important?
He used Twitter to speak directly to people without filters, energizing his supporters and attacking critics.
