One year of Trump 2.0 | Two mandates, two Trumps?

Border security, American power, promises of prosperity: themes dear to Donald Trump have changed little since his entry into the political arena almost 10 years ago. But both the tone and the actions have strengthened. How does this past year compare to his first term?

Presidential decrees

First term (2017-2021)

Between 2017 and 2021, Trump signed 220 executive orders, including 55 in the first year. Among his most controversial actions, from his first week in the White House: a measure to restrict the number of refugees and to bar nationals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the country – the “anti-Muslim” ban, as it was nicknamed by his detractors. This measure was revoked by his successor, Joe Biden. On the environmental front, Trump announced during his first year the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement and the end of green measures put in place by his predecessor, Barack Obama. He also tried, without success, to repeal “Obamacare”, the reform of the health system for the less fortunate.

Second term (2025-)

Trump signed 227 executive orders in his first year – including 26 on January 20, 2025 alone, the day he returned to office. This is more than during the four years of his first mandate. They cover a host of subjects: immigration, customs duties, energy, diversity policies, equity and inclusion, cancellation of the decrees of his predecessor. More than 250 lawsuits have been filed against the Trump government in 2025. “He doesn’t work with Congress at all,” notes Edward Alden of Western Washington University. He does everything by decree. » The president also proclaimed a national emergency to implement various measures, such as customs duties imposed on Canada, under the pretext of the entry of fentanyl and illegal migrants. He ended the clean energy and climate investment program adopted under Biden.

Immigration and borders

First term (2017-2021)

Building a wall on the 3,111 km border between Mexico and the United States was a signature promise of Trump’s first campaign. At the end of its first mandate, the wall was 727 km long – of which only 129 km constituted a new barrier, with fences already existing in different places, the BBC noted. In 2019, he also implemented a policy to force asylum seekers to stay in Mexico while their applications were processed – which was reinstated in January 2025. His zero-tolerance policy on illegal immigration led to the separation of at least 3,900 children from their families between 2017 and 2021, sparking an outcry. “It was intended, in a way, to dissuade people from coming to the United States,” notes Casey Dominguez, of the University of San Diego. Due to the pandemic, migration programs were also suspended in 2020.

Second term (2025-)

During the election campaign, the Republican candidate had promised “mass expulsions” of migrants, targeting more specifically undocumented immigrants, estimated at around 11 million by the Department of Homeland Security and the Pew Research Center. “There’s a more aggressive approach to quotas to reduce the number of immigrants – mostly undocumented, but also legal – and to make immigration to the United States much more difficult,” says Casey Dominguez of the University of San Diego. Recruitment of National Immigration Enforcement (ICE) agents has increased. Trump has repeatedly denounced sanctuary cities and states, where law enforcement traditionally does not collaborate with ICE on civil offenses, and threatened to suspend federal money transfers to those states. The Supreme Court must notably rule on the constitutionality of a controversial decree signed in 2025 to no longer make obtaining citizenship automatic for children born in the United States to non-citizen parents.

International relations

First term (2017-2021)

The first official meeting between Trump and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was held in Washington in February 2017. But, contrary to tradition, he did not choose his northern neighbor as his first foreign destination. He visited Saudi Arabia, Israel, the Vatican, Belgium and Italy for this first official trip, in May 2017. He imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum in the spring of 2018, and signaled his desire to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). A few months later, the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) was signed by the three countries. In 2019, Trump became the first president of the United States to visit North Korea, to meet Kim Jong-un. He had also sent a warning in his first speech to the United Nations General Assembly to the man he nicknamed “Rocket Man”. He contributed to the normalization of relations between Israel and Arab countries. He met with Russian President Vladimir Putin twice during his term. An investigation was then underway into Russian interference in the American elections.

Second term (2025-)

The tariffs imposed on a significant number of countries have caused a commotion, particularly with traditional partners, such as Canada and Mexico. Trump’s emphasis on acquiring Greenland and the role he sees for the United States in the Western Hemisphere also signaled a shift in tone. “A point of divergence with the first mandate, still developing, is the imperial ambitions of the administration; “before, and even at the beginning of this term, Trump seemed rather isolationist,” said Edward Alden of Western Washington University. The Trump administration proposed its Gaza peace plan, accepted by the parties. The president was also involved in negotiations to end the conflicts between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, between Cambodia and Thailand, and between Armenia and Azerbaijan, among others. Even though he met Putin in Alaska, he failed to bring peace to Ukraine – the stormy meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky also revealed his impatience.

Highlights

First term (2017-2021)

The election of Trump caused a surprise. His team was poorly prepared for the coming to power of this political neophyte. His presidency was also marked by an unusual number of resignations and dismissals in his inner circle. During his four years in office, 14 Cabinet members left – compared to 3 for his predecessor, according to Brookings data. There were also departures in key positions, such as those of chief of staff and director of communications. Trump also became the first American president to undergo two impeachment proceedings (impeachment) during his first term. The end of his term was marked by the COVID-19 pandemic and nationwide Black Lives Matter protests, sparked by the killing of George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer.

Second term (2025-)

“The transformation compared to the first mandate is radical: it was then disruptive, but not destructive,” believes Mr. Alden. During his second term, he was destructive. » He cites his blatant departure from standards, the massive layoffs in the civil service, the attitude towards the allies. In addition to governing by executive orders, Trump has proclaimed states of emergency to increase the scope of executive action. He deployed the National Guard in American cities, mainly Democratic, without the agreement of the governors of these states – an idea mentioned during his first term, but not implemented. The team surrounding him was more prepared, more aware of the weaknesses of the institutions, explains Mr. Alden. “Legal decisions take time and it is difficult to force their implementation,” he illustrates. “The people who accepted his attempt to overturn the election are more radical, and are committed to a radical overhaul of the American government and the international order,” says Mr.^me Dominguez.

With BBC and the Associated Press