You read the headline right: We are only 100 days into Trump’s second term. As Donald Trump has done more than the last five presidents combined during his first 100 days, it feels like a lot longer. He has issued over 300 executive orders and actions, significantly more than his predecessors. He’s done 50 interviews and 150 press gaggles, compared to Biden’s 22 interviews and 50 press gaggles. He’s traveled more, both nationally and internationally, and met with more world leaders. The only thing Trump has done less in his first 100 days than Biden is take vacation days.
The list is exhaustive, but here are just some of the highlights from President Trump’s first 100 days in office.
Immigration Enforcement
Trump prioritized immigration enforcement, declaring a national emergency at the southern border, deploying troops, and ordering aggressive deportations of undocumented migrants. His administration targeted “twilight” statuses, reducing work permits and deportation relief for millions. Under Biden, enforcement was less stringent, with policies like catch-and-release and limited deportations, allowing higher border crossings and temporary protections for migrants.
The media will lie and claim that Trump’s deportation numbers are actually lower than prior administrations (a claim they make while simultaneously attacking Trump for deportations). The fact is that deportation numbers were previously conflated to include border turnaways along with deportations from the interior of the country. In that regard, Trump is exceeding expectations.
Border Security
Trump reinstated border wall construction, deployed thousands of troops to the southern border, and implemented stricter entry protocols, significantly reducing illegal crossings. His policies aimed to deter asylum seekers and expedite deportations. During Biden’s term, border security faced criticism for lax enforcement, with record-high migrant surges and incomplete wall construction, leading to overwhelmed border facilities. Trump’s policies have reduced southern border crossings to a fraction of what they were under Biden. He’s been so successful that polls indicate that the border isn’t even a priority in the minds of the American people anymore.
Tariff Implementation
Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on imports, particularly from China, to boost domestic manufacturing and address trade imbalances. His administration renegotiated trade deals to favor U.S. interests, claiming $7 trillion in new investments. The rollout of this new policy was incredibly messy, leading to turmoil in the markets and a trade war that could ultimately harm the American consumer and manufacturing sector. This is the topic most likely to have a vastly different grade soon, but for now, Trump needs to fix the problem that he created.
Energy Policy
Trump expanded domestic energy production, approving new drilling permits and promoting critical minerals exploration to reduce reliance on foreign energy. His policies reversed environmental restrictions to boost oil and gas output. Under Biden, energy policy emphasized so-called “green” initiatives (no one ever calculates the carbon footprint of making solar panels or wind farms, which is incredibly high), with restrictions on fossil fuel projects and a push for renewable energy, leading to record highs in gas prices.
Government Efficiency
Trump launched a government efficiency initiative with Elon Musk at the helm, tasked with streamlining federal agencies, reducing bureaucratic delays, and implementing a hiring freeze for non-essential roles. This is something presidents, both Democrat and Republican, have said is vitally important. Videos of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama resurfaced with their pledges to make government more efficient, and the bureaucracy only grew under their administrations. So far, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has eliminated, according to its estimates, $160 billion. Fraud has also been found at various agencies like the Social Security Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency. This is vital work that literally no other president would tackle, but there is far more to be done.
DEI Program Elimination
Trump eliminated Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs across federal agencies, arguing they were divisive and inefficient. His administration redirected resources to merit-based systems. Under Biden, DEI initiatives were expanded, with mandatory training and funding for diversity programs, which some criticized as prioritizing ideology over performance. Undoing the DEI regime in favor of merit-based hiring is absolutely vital in multiple sectors of government, like the FAA. Trump is also rooting out saboteurs within the federal government who are guilty of malicious compliance—people who claim to be listening to Trump’s orders but are doing so just to make him look bad. A key example of this was removing the Tuskegee Airmen from Air Force Academy educational materials. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reversed this immediately because that was obviously not the intention. Trump is not only changing government with this move; he is changing culture, and merit-based hiring is becoming more common across the business world.
Federal Censorship Ban
Trump issued executive orders banning federal agencies from censoring online speech, targeting perceived biases in tech platforms and government communication. He aimed to protect free expression across digital spaces. Biden’s administration faced accusations of pressuring tech companies to moderate content, with policies seen as enabling indirect censorship of controversial viewpoints.
Gender Definition Policy
Trump redefined gender in federal policy to align strictly with biological sex, reversing protections for transgender individuals in education and healthcare. His administration prioritized traditional definitions in law. Biden’s policies expanded transgender rights, including Title IX protections and healthcare access, which critics argued conflicted with biological distinctions.
Federal Hiring Reform
Trump reformed federal hiring by extending probationary periods and easing the removal of underperforming employees, aiming for a leaner workforce. He emphasized accountability in civil service. Biden’s administration strengthened federal employee protections, making dismissals harder and prioritizing union agreements, which some saw as shielding inefficiency.
Civil Rights Act Enforcement
Trump strengthened enforcement of the Civil Rights Act to focus on equal treatment without racial or ethnic preferences, targeting affirmative action abuses. His administration investigated discriminatory practices in education. Biden’s policies emphasized systemic racism, expanding affirmative action and funding programs to address historical inequities, sometimes facing legal challenges.
Education Policy
In March, Trump signed an order to begin dismantling the Department of Education, returning educational responsibilities to the states and allocating the other responsibilities to various federal agencies. Through Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, Trump ultimately aims to empower parents and reduce bureaucracy. Biden’s administration caved to teachers’ unions, opposed voucher programs, and enforced federal guidelines, which limited parental control.
AI Infrastructure Investment
Trump invested heavily in AI infrastructure, allocating billions to develop domestic AI capabilities and compete globally, particularly with China. His policies prioritized innovation and private-sector partnerships.
Military Deployment
Trump deployed troops domestically for border security and internationally to counter threats while maintaining a non-interventionist stance in new conflicts. He prioritized military recruitment, achieving record numbers.
Foreign Aid Pause
Trump paused foreign aid to reassess allocations, prioritizing U.S. interests and demanding accountability from recipient nations. By shutting down USAID, Trump ultimately eliminated a slush fund that pushed leftist and secularist priorities around the world on the dime of the American taxpayer.
Critical Minerals Exploration
Trump accelerated critical minerals exploration, issuing permits for domestic mining to secure supply chains for technology and defense. His policies relaxed environmental regulations to speed projects. Trump is also set to sign a critical minerals deal with Ukraine, which will not only be a part of the postwar economy of Ukraine but will also take away a vital bargaining chip in the trade war with China.
Foreign Policy
During Trump’s first term, he was handed a world with a rising ISIS, Iran on its way to a nuclear weapon, a belligerent North Korea, and Russia and China looking to expand their territories. In four years, he completely changed the global world order. Biden managed to undo much of that work, and Trump was handed an even worse world his second time around: wars in Ukraine and Israel, Iran on the brink of nuclear capability, China preparing to take Taiwan, and complete unrest in South America and the Middle East. Trump has yet to solve any of these problems, but his “Peace Through Strength” approach is the right one. Trump has made the right moves with Israel but is stumbling a bit with China and Russia.
Conclusion
This is only Trump’s first 100 days, and his presidency is shaping up to be one of the most consequential in our lifetimes. Hopefully, his agenda will continue, and his mistakes will be corrected. The Democrats and the media are waiting for him to fail so they can swoop in and take over during the 2026 midterms. It’s up to Trump to not allow that to happen.
Moshe Hill is a political analyst and columnist. His work can be found at www.aHillwithaView.com and on X at @HillWithView.
