President Donald Trump has promised ambitious policies in his second term, laying out a sweeping agenda that reflects a mix of conservative principles and populist priorities.

His plans emphasize traditional conservative stances on tax cuts, deregulation and cultural issues, coupled with a populist approach to trade and a reorientation of America's global role.

In addition, Trump wants to scale back federal involvement in civil rights initiatives and significantly expand presidential powers, which would mean a shift toward a stronger executive role in government.

Hare takes a look at what Trump has proposed for each major policy area:

Reducing immigration

The “Build the Wall!” slogan from Trump’s 2016 campaign has evolved into a call for what he calls “the largest mass deportation program in history.” Trump envisions using the National Guard along with police to enforce this plan, although he has provided few details about how this plan would work or how it would specifically target those in the country illegally.

His immigration agenda also includes “ideological reviews” for new arrivals, an end to first-time citizenship — which would likely require a constitutional amendment — and a revival of freshmen policies such as “Remain in Mexico,” public health-based restrictions, and possible entry bans for certain majority Muslim countries.

Abortion downplayed

Trump has downplayed abortion as a major focus of his second term, but still maintains he supports the Supreme Court's decision, Roe v. Repealing Wade would shift abortion regulation back to the states. Notably, at Trump's urging, the GOP platform no longer calls for a nationwide ban on abortion – a first in decades. Trump argues that overturning Roe is sufficient federal action.

However, Trump has not yet committed to vetoing any national abortion restrictions that might end up on his desk. Anti-abortion advocates point out that the GOP platform still assumes that a fetus is entitled to protection under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, which could serve as a legal basis for conservatives seeking to enforce a nationwide abortion ban with or without federal courts Trump's support.

Tax relief

Trump's tax agenda continues to favor corporations and wealthier Americans, largely due to his plan to extend the 2017 tax cuts with key updates. His proposed changes include cutting the corporate tax rate from 21 percent to 15 percent, reversing income tax increases on high earners enacted under President Biden and repealing Inflation Reduction Act taxes that fund clean energy initiatives.

Trump also emphasizes tax cuts for working and middle class Americans. His new proposals include exempting tips, Social Security wages and overtime from income taxes.

National Defense: A New Star Wars?

Trump's foreign policy approach combines elements of isolationism, military non-interventionism and economic protectionism, marking a departure from traditional US strategies since World War II. He advocates military expansion, promises to protect Pentagon funding from austerity measures and proposes a new missile defense system reminiscent of Reagan's Cold War-era “Star Wars” program. Trump claims that he can quickly end the conflicts in Ukraine and between Israel and Hamas, but he did not provide specific details about his strategies. Trump represents Reagan's “peace through strength” philosophy and yet is vocal in his criticism of NATO and the US military leadership.

He has praised authoritarian leaders including Hungary's Viktor Orban and Russia's Vladimir Putin, expressing his admiration for strongman-style governance.

Tariffs imposed

Trump's approach to international trade is rooted in skepticism about global markets, seeing them as potentially harmful to American interests. He proposes imposing tariffs of between 10 and 20 percent on imported goods, occasionally hinting at even higher rates in his speeches. He also plans to reinstate an executive order starting in August 2020 that will require the Food and Drug Administration to source “essential” drugs only from U.S.-based companies.

Trump is signaling a more protectionist stance toward foreign investment, promising to block Chinese buyers from purchasing “vital infrastructure” in the United States.

DEI, LGBTQ and civil rights

Trump has worked to reduce society's focus on diversity and limit certain legal protections for LGBTQ people. He proposes eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs within state institutions and using federal funding as leverage to enforce this change. On transgender rights, Trump has promised to eliminate what he calls “boys in girls' sports,” although he has offered no evidence that it is a widespread problem.

Redistribution of power

The president-elect plans to reduce the influence of federal bureaucrats and regulations in various sectors of the economy, portraying regulatory cuts as a cure for economic growth. Trump promises significant reductions in budget costs by removing barriers to fossil fuel production, including unrestricted access to federal lands for exploration – even though US energy production is already at record levels. He also promises to boost housing construction by cutting regulations.

Education depoliticized

In a second term, Trump aims to dismantle the Federal Department of Education, but he has no intention of completely eliminating Washington's influence in schools. He plans to use federal funding to encourage K-12 schools to eliminate tenure, implement performance-based pay for teachers and eliminate diversity initiatives at all levels of education.

Trump has also vowed to withdraw federal support from any school or program that he believes promotes critical race theory, gender ideology or what he considers inappropriate racial, sexual or political content for children. This approach would place significant federal pressure on education systems to align with his administration's priorities.

Social Security, Medicare coverage

Trump has emphasized his commitment to protecting Social Security and Medicare, two programs that are highly valued by older Americans and contribute significantly to federal spending. But his proposal to exempt tips and overtime wages from taxes raises questions about the potential impact on those claims. If the exemptions apply only to income tax, Social Security and Medicare are unaffected. However, if the payroll tax were included, it could reduce the funding sources for these programs. While Trump has largely avoided discussing Medicaid, his first term aimed to give states more flexibility, often approving waivers to federal rules and supporting state-level work requirements for Medicaid recipients.

Climate hoax

Trump, who has dismissed climate change as a “hoax,” has vowed to reverse Biden-era spending aimed at reducing dependence on fossil fuels through clean energy initiatives. His proposed energy policy focuses on traditional fossil fuels and advocates for infrastructure with an emphasis on roads, bridges and internal combustion engine vehicles. With shouts of “Drill, Baby, Drill,” Trump rallied his supporters and took a pro-drilling stance. Although he claims he is not an opponent of electric vehicles, he has vowed to end all incentives introduced by the Biden administration to boost the electric vehicle market.

Worker-friendly, anti-union?

Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance positioned their campaigns as champions of American workers. However, Trump's policies could pose obstacles to unionization efforts. As he addressed auto workers, Trump's criticism focused largely on Biden's electric vehicle initiatives, which he said threaten traditional manufacturing jobs. In his comments about unions, Trump often grouped together “union bosses and CEOs” and accused them of supporting what he called a “disastrous electric car program.” On October 23, 2023, Trump addressed members of the United Auto Workers directly and advised, “I'm telling you, you shouldn't pay these dues,” signaling a stance that could undermine the union's leadership.

This article contains reporting from The Associated Press