Trump Accomplishments in the Whitehouse Term 1 (2017-2021)
Sourced directly from the official archived White House page: trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov
Table of Contents
Unprecedented Economic Boom
- Before the China Virus invaded our shores, we built the world’s most prosperous economy.
- America gained 7 million new jobs – more than three times government experts’ projections.
- Middle-Class family income increased nearly $6,000 – more than five times the gains during the entire previous administration.
- The unemployment rate reached 3.5 percent, the lowest in a half-century.
- Achieved 40 months in a row with more job openings than job-hirings.
- More Americans reported being employed than ever before – nearly 160 million.
- Jobless claims hit a nearly 50-year low.
- The number of people claiming unemployment insurance as a share of the population hit its lowest on record.
- Incomes rose in every single metro area in the United States for the first time in nearly 3 decades.
- Delivered a future of greater promise and opportunity for citizens of all backgrounds.
- Unemployment rates for African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and those without a high school diploma all reached record lows.
- Unemployment for women hit its lowest rate in nearly 70 years.
- Lifted nearly 7 million people off of food stamps.
- Poverty rates for African Americans and Hispanic Americans reached record lows.
- Income inequality fell for two straight years, and by the largest amount in over a decade.
- The bottom 50 percent of American households saw a 40 percent increase in net worth.
- Wages rose fastest for low-income and blue collar workers – a 16 percent pay increase.
- African American homeownership increased from 41.7 percent to 46.4 percent.
- Brought jobs, factories, and industries back to the USA.
- Created more than 1.2 million manufacturing and construction jobs.
- Put in place policies to bring back supply chains from overseas.
- Small business optimism broke a 35-year old record in 2018.
- Hit record stock market numbers and record 401ks.
- The DOW closed above 20,000 for the first time in 2017 and topped 30,000 in 2020.
- The S&P 500 and NASDAQ have repeatedly notched record highs.
- Rebuilding and investing in rural America.
- Signed an Executive Order on Modernizing the Regulatory Framework for Agricultural Biotechnology Products, which is bringing innovative new technologies to market in American farming and agriculture.
- Strengthened America’s rural economy by investing over $1.3 billion through the Agriculture Department’s ReConnect Program to bring high-speed broadband infrastructure to rural America.
- Achieved a record-setting economic comeback by rejecting blanket lockdowns.
- An October 2020 Gallup survey found 56 percent of Americans said they were better off during a pandemic than four years prior.
- During the third quarter of 2020, the economy grew at a rate of 33.1 percent – the most rapid GDP growth ever recorded.
- Since coronavirus lockdowns ended, the economy has added back over 12 million jobs, more than half the jobs lost.
- Jobs have been recovered 23 times faster than the previous administration’s recovery.
- Unemployment fell to 6.7 percent in December, from a pandemic peak of 14.7 percent in April – beating expectations of well over 10 percent unemployment through the end of 2020.
- Under the previous administration, it took 49 months for the unemployment rate to fall from 10 percent to under 7 percent compared to just 3 months for the Trump Administration.
- Since April, the Hispanic unemployment rate has fallen by 9.6 percent, Asian-American unemployment by 8.6 percent, and Black American unemployment by 6.8 percent.
- 80 percent of small businesses are now open, up from just 53 percent in April.
- Small business confidence hit a new high.
- Homebuilder confidence reached an all-time high, and home sales hit their highest reading since December 2006.
- Manufacturing optimism nearly doubled.
- Household net worth rose $7.4 trillion in Q2 2020 to $112 trillion, an all-time high.
- Home prices hit an all-time record high.
- The United States rejected crippling lockdowns that crush the economy and inflict countless public health harms and instead safely reopened its economy.
- Business confidence is higher in America than in any other G7 or European Union country.
- Stabilized America’s financial markets with the establishment of a number of Treasury Department supported facilities at the Federal Reserve.
Tax Relief for the Middle Class
- Passed $3.2 trillion in historic tax relief and reformed the tax code.
- Signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act – the largest tax reform package in history.
- More than 6 million American workers received wage increases, bonuses, and increased benefits thanks to the tax cuts.
- A typical family of four earning $75,000 received an income tax cut of more than $2,000 – slashing their tax bill in half.
- Doubled the standard deduction – making the first $24,000 earned by a married couple completely tax-free.
- Doubled the child tax credit.
- Virtually eliminated the unfair Estate Tax, or Death Tax.
- Cut the business tax rate from 35 percent – the highest in the developed world – all the way down to 21 percent.
- Small businesses can now deduct 20 percent of their business income.
- Businesses can now deduct 100 percent of the cost of their capital investments in the year the investment is made.
- Since the passage of tax cuts, the share of total wealth held by the bottom half of households has increased, while the share held by the top 1 percent has decreased.
- Over 400 companies have announced bonuses, wage increases, new hires, or new investments in the United States.
- Over $1.5 trillion was repatriated into the United States from overseas.
- Lower investment cost and higher capital returns led to faster growth in the middle class, real wages, and international competitiveness.
- Jobs and investments are pouring into Opportunity Zones.
- Created nearly 9,000 Opportunity Zones where capital gains on long-term investments are taxed at zero.
- Opportunity Zone designations have increased property values within them by 1.1 percent, creating an estimated $11 billion in wealth for the nearly half of Opportunity Zone residents who own their own home.
- Opportunity Zones have attracted $75 billion in funds and driven $52 billion of new investment in economically distressed communities, creating at least 500,000 new jobs.
- Approximately 1 million Americans will be lifted from poverty as a result of these new investments.
- Private equity investments into businesses in Opportunity Zones were nearly 30 percent higher than investments into businesses in similar areas that were not designated Opportunity Zones.
Massive Deregulation
- Instead of 2-for-1, we eliminated 8 old regulations for every 1 new regulation adopted.
- Provided the average American household an extra $3,100 every year.
- Reduced the direct cost of regulatory compliance by $50 billion, and will reduce costs by an additional $50 billion in FY 2020 alone.
- Removed nearly 25,000 pages from the Federal Register – more than any other president. The previous administration added over 16,000 pages.
- Established the Governors’ Initiative on Regulatory Innovation to reduce outdated regulations at the state, local, and tribal levels.
- Signed an executive order to make it easier for businesses to offer retirement plans.
- Signed two executive orders to increase transparency in Federal agencies and protect Americans and their small businesses from administrative abuse.
- Modernized the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for the first time in over 40 years.
- Reduced approval times for major infrastructure projects from 10 or more years down to 2 years or less.
- Helped community banks by signing legislation that rolled back costly provisions of Dodd-Frank.
- Established the White House Council on Eliminating Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Housing to bring down housing costs.
- Removed regulations that threatened the development of a strong and stable internet.
- Eased and simplified restrictions on rocket launches, helping to spur commercial investment in space projects.
- Published a whole-of-government strategy focused on ensuring American leadership in automated vehicle technology.
- Streamlined energy efficiency regulations for American families and businesses, including preserving affordable lightbulbs, enhancing the utility of showerheads, and enabling greater time savings with dishwashers.
- Removed unnecessary regulations that restrict the seafood industry and impede job creation.
- Modernized the Department of Agriculture’s biotechnology regulations to put America in the lead to develop new technologies.
- Took action to suspend regulations that would have slowed our response to COVID-19, including lifting restrictions on manufacturers to more quickly produce ventilators.
- Rescinded the previous administration’s Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule, which would have abolished zoning for single-family housing to build low-income, federally subsidized apartments.
- Issued a final rule on the Fair Housing Act’s disparate impact standard.
- Eliminated the Waters of the United States Rule and replaced it with the Navigable Waters Protection Rule, providing relief and certainty for farmers and property owners.
- Repealed the previous administration’s costly fuel economy regulations by finalizing the Safer Affordable Fuel Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles rule, which will make cars more affordable, and lower the price of new vehicles by an estimated $2,200.
- Deregulation had an especially beneficial impact on low-income Americans who pay a much higher share of their incomes for overregulation.
- Cut red tape in the healthcare industry, providing Americans with more affordable healthcare and saving Americans nearly 10 percent on prescription drugs.
- Deregulatory efforts yielded savings to the medical community an estimated $6.6 billion – with a reduction of 42 million hours of regulatory compliance work through 2021.
- Removed government barriers to personal freedom and consumer choice in healthcare.
- Once fully in effect, 20 major deregulatory actions undertaken by the Trump Administration are expected to save American consumers and businesses over $220 billion per year.
- Signed 16 pieces of deregulatory legislation that will result in a $40 billion increase in annual real incomes.
Fair and Reciprocal Trade
- Immediately withdrew from the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
- Ended the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and replaced it with the brand new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
- The USMCA contains powerful new protections for American manufacturers, auto-makers, farmers, dairy producers, and workers.
- The USMCA is expected to generate over $68 billion in economic activity and potentially create over 550,000 new jobs over ten years.
- Signed an executive order making it government policy to Buy American and Hire American, and took action to stop the outsourcing of jobs overseas.
- Negotiated with Japan to slash tariffs and open its market to $7 billion in American agricultural products and ended its ban on potatoes and lamb.
- Over 90 percent of American agricultural exports to Japan now receive preferential treatment, and most are duty-free.
- Negotiated another deal with Japan to boost $40 billion worth of digital trade.
- Renegotiated the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement, doubling the cap on imports of American vehicles and extending the American light truck tariff.
- Reached a written, fully-enforceable Phase One trade agreement with China on confronting pirated and counterfeit goods, and the protection of American ideas, trade secrets, patents, and trademarks.
- China agreed to purchase an additional $200 billion worth of United States exports and opened market access for over 4,000 American facilities to exports while all tariffs remained in effect.
- Achieved a mutual agreement with the European Union (EU) that addresses unfair trade practices and increases duty-free exports by 180 percent to $420 million.
- Secured a pledge from the EU to eliminate tariffs on American lobster – the first United States-European Union negotiated tariff reduction in over 20 years.
- Scored a historic victory by overhauling the Universal Postal Union, whose outdated policies were undermining American workers and interests.
- Engaged extensively with trade partners like the EU and Japan to advance reforms to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
- Issued a first-ever comprehensive report on the WTO Appellate Body’s failures to comply with WTO rules and interpret WTO agreements as written.
- Blocked nominees to the WTO’s Appellate Body until WTO Members recognize and address longstanding issues with Appellate Body activism.
- Submitted 5 papers to the WTO Committee on Agriculture to improve Members’ understanding of how trade policies are implemented, highlight areas for improved transparency, and encourage members to maintain up-to-date notifications on market access and domestic support.
- Imposed tariffs on hundreds of billions worth of Chinese goods to protect American jobs and stop China’s abuses under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 and Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.
- Directed an all-of-government effort to halt and punish efforts by the Communist Party of China to steal and profit from American innovations and intellectual property.
- Imposed tariffs on foreign aluminum and foreign steel to protect our vital industries and support our national security.
- Approved tariffs on $1.8 billion in imports of washing machines and $8.5 billion in imports of solar panels.
- Blocked illegal timber imports from Peru.
- Took action against France for its digital services tax that unfairly targets American technology companies.
- Launched investigations into digital services taxes that have been proposed or adopted by 10 other countries.
- Successfully negotiated more than 50 agreements with countries around the world to increase foreign market access and boost exports of American agriculture products, supporting more than 1 million American jobs.
- Authorized $28 billion in aid for farmers who have been subjected to unfair trade practices – fully funded by the tariffs paid by China.
- China lifted its ban on poultry, opened its market to beef, and agreed to purchase at least $80 billion of American agricultural products in the next two years.
- The European Union agreed to increase beef imports by 180 percent and opened up its market to more imports of soybeans.
- South Korea lifted its ban on American poultry and eggs, and agreed to provide market access for record exports of American rice.
- Argentina lifted its ban on American pork.
- Brazil agreed to increase wheat imports by $180 million a year and raised its quotas for purchases of United States ethanol.
- Guatemala and Tunisia opened up their markets to American eggs.
- Won tariff exemptions in Ecuador for wheat and soybeans.
- Suspended $817 million in trade preferences for Thailand under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program due to its failure to adequately provide reasonable market access for American pork products.
- The amount of food stamps redeemed at farmers markets increased from $1.4 million in May 2020 to $1.75 million in September 2020 – a 50 percent increase over last year.
- Rapidly deployed the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, which provided $30 billion in support to farmers and ranchers facing decreased prices and market disruption when COVID-19 impacted the food supply chain.
- Authorized more than $6 billion for the Farmers to Families Food Box program, which delivered over 128 million boxes of locally sourced, produce, meat, and dairy products to charity and faith-based organizations nationwide.
- Delegated authorities via the Defense Production Act to protect breaks in the American food supply chain as a result of COVID-19.
American Energy Independence
- Unleashed America’s oil and natural gas potential.
- For the first time in nearly 70 years, the United States has become a net energy exporter.
- The United States is now the number one producer of oil and natural gas in the world.
- Natural gas production reached a record-high of 34.9 quads in 2019, following record high production in 2018 and in 2017.
- The United States has been a net natural gas exporter for three consecutive years and has an export capacity of nearly 10 billion cubic feet per day.
- Withdrew from the unfair, one-sided Paris Climate Agreement.
- Canceled the previous administration’s Clean Power Plan that would have crippled the energy industry.
- Approved the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines.
- Opened up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska to oil and gas exploration.
- Repealed the Obama-era Waters of the United States Rule that greatly expanded federal control over water.
- Replaced the Obama-era Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards with more realistic standards that will increase safety on our roads while saving Americans money.
- Modernized and streamlined nuclear energy regulations to enable the next generation of nuclear technology innovation.
- Revoked California’s Federal Waiver on emissions in order to produce far more affordable cars for Americans and reduce unnecessary environmental regulatory burdens on automakers.
- Ended the war on coal with the Affordable Clean Energy rule, replacing the previous administration’s Clean Power Plan.
- Empowered states to manage coal resources while protecting the environment.
- Improved energy efficiency regulations to make appliances more affordable for Americans while saving energy.
- Promoted energy efficiency by streamlining regulations on appliances like showerheads, dishwashers, and light bulbs.
- The Department of Energy finalized new efficiency standards for general service lamps that will deliver $11 billion in savings for consumers.
- Expanded offshore energy exploration and production.
- Issued new offshore oil and gas leasing plans that open more than 90 percent of the Outer Continental Shelf to exploration.
- Supported energy development on tribal lands.
- Promoted American energy exports around the world.
- The United States became a net exporter of natural gas in 2017 and exported a record amount of crude oil in 2019.
Immigration & Border Security
- Secured the Southern Border of the United States through historic action to stop illegal immigration.
- Constructed over 450 miles of Border Wall.
- The Border Wall System is equipped with advanced technology, including sensors, cameras, lights, and an all-weather road.
- Ended catch-and-release.
- Detained and removed dangerous criminals from our communities.
- Implemented Migrant Protection Protocols (Remain in Mexico) policy to keep migrants in Mexico while their cases are adjudicated.
- More than 60,000 migrants have been returned to Mexico under the policy.
- Entered into historic asylum cooperative agreements with Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras to ensure migrants seek asylum in the first safe country they enter.
- Negotiated with Mexico to deploy its National Guard to secure its southern border with Guatemala.
- Reduced refugee admissions to sustainable levels while prioritizing the persecuted.
- Issued a proclamation suspending the entry of immigrants who cannot pay for their healthcare.
- Reformed the H-1B visa program to prioritize the best and brightest talent.
- Protected American workers by temporarily pausing the issuance of certain new immigrant visas during the coronavirus crisis.
- Suspended the entry of certain foreign workers to protect American jobs during the coronavirus recovery.
- Cracked down on visa overstays.
- Implemented new vetting procedures to keep terrorists out of the United States.
- Took action to confront “birth tourism.”
- Rescinded sanctuary city policies that endangered Americans.
- Removed illegal aliens who have been convicted of serious crimes.
- Worked with Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Mexico to dismantle human smuggling networks.
- Reduced illegal immigration crossings by 87 percent in areas where the wall has been built.
Protecting Life & Religious Liberty
- Signed an executive order to protect Medicare Advantage for seniors.
- Expanded Medicare Advantage options for seniors, adding 2,500 new plans.
- More than 3.5 million seniors have enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan this year.
- Lowered Medicare Part D prescription drug premiums, saving seniors an average of $75 per year.
- Finalized a rule to allow seniors to import lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada.
- Protected the conscience rights of doctors, nurses, and organizations like the Little Sisters of the Poor.
- Issued a final rule protecting the rights of faith-based adoption and foster care providers.
- Issued regulations to ensure taxpayer dollars do not support abortion.
- Issued regulations to ensure Title X family planning funding does not go to abortion providers.
- Defunded International Planned Parenthood.
- Appointed a record number of federal judges who will interpret the Constitution as written.
- Appointed three Supreme Court justices and more than 260 federal judges.
- Signed the largest funding increase for school choice in American history.
- Expanded school choice options for millions of students.
- Issued an executive order strengthening religious liberty protections for students.
- Ended the previous administration’s assault on religious liberty.
- Restored the role of faith-based organizations in providing vital social services.
- Protected the rights of religious organizations to participate in federal programs.
- Issued guidance to ensure religious organizations are not discriminated against in federal contracting.
- Took action to protect the religious liberty of doctors, nurses, and other health care workers.
- Stopped the Johnson Amendment from interfering with pastors’ right to speak freely.
Law & Order
- Signed the First Step Act – the most significant criminal justice reform in a generation.
- More than 90 percent of those who have had their sentences reduced under the First Step Act are Black Americans.
- Prison reform legislation has led to the release of more than 3,000 prisoners.
- Signed funding legislation to establish the St. Johns River Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Florida.
- Launched a national campaign to recruit 1,000 new police officers in underserved communities.
- Signed an executive order to improve safety and accountability in law enforcement.
- Issued an executive order to establish the Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice.
- Issued guidance to prevent the misuse of federal funds to support sanctuary cities.
- Withdrew funding from sanctuary jurisdictions that obstruct federal immigration enforcement.
- Supported law enforcement by signing legislation to provide $600 million in grants to hire more police officers.
- Signed legislation to reauthorize the Bulletproof Vest Partnership grant program.
- Issued an executive order to better protect American monuments, memorials, and statues from vandalism and destruction.
- Established the National Center for Policing Terrorism to train law enforcement in counterterrorism.
Supporting Veterans
- Signed the VA MISSION Act, revolutionizing the VA to give veterans more choice and control over their health care.
- More than 3 million veterans have taken advantage of VA health care choice programs.
- Veterans now have more options than ever before for health care providers.
- Signed the VA Accountability Act, making it easier to fire failing VA employees and protect whistleblowers.
- Fired more than 9,000 failing VA employees.
- Signed legislation to extend the Veterans Choice Program.
- Expanded telehealth services for veterans, especially in rural areas.
- Issued an executive order to improve mental health care for transitioning veterans.
- Signed the Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act.
- Reduced veteran homelessness by more than 50 percent since 2010.
- More than 500,000 veterans have been lifted out of poverty.
- Veteran unemployment reached a record low of 2.7 percent.
- Signed legislation to provide $1 billion in grants to help homeless veterans.
- Expanded educational benefits for veterans and their families.
- Forever GI Bill expanded benefits and gave veterans more time to use them.
- Signed legislation to provide $2.1 billion to modernize the VA electronic health records system.
- Launched the PREVENTS Initiative to end veteran suicide.
- Established the President’s Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End a National Tragedy of Suicide (PREVENTS) Task Force.
National Security & Defense
- Rebuilt the military and signed the largest defense budget in history.
- Increased defense spending by more than $200 billion.
- Created the sixth branch of the military – the United States Space Force.
- Defeated 100 percent of ISIS’ territorial caliphate in Iraq and Syria.
- Eliminated ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
- Eliminated al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.
- Eliminated Qasem Soleimani, the world’s top terrorist and commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force.
- Modernized the nuclear triad.
- Invested $2.2 trillion in the military.
- Added nearly 200,000 active-duty troops.
- Launched the Army Futures Command.
- Signed historic arms sales deals with allies.
- Established the United States Space Command.
- Withdrew from the flawed Iran nuclear deal.
- Imposed crippling sanctions on Iran.
- Recognized Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
- Moved the American Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
- Withdrew from the INF Treaty due to Russia’s violations.
- Imposed sanctions on Russia for its aggression.
- Expelled 60 Russian intelligence officers from the United States.
- Strengthened NATO allies’ defense spending commitments.
- Secured commitments from NATO allies to increase defense spending by $400 billion by 2024.
Foreign Policy Achievements
- Secured historic peace agreements between Israel and Arab nations – the Abraham Accords.
- Israel established diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, Kosovo, and Morocco.
- Launched Operation Warp Speed to deliver a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine in record time.
- More than 400 million doses of vaccine have been administered in the United States.
- Secured commitments from manufacturers to produce billions of vaccine doses.
- No new wars started – the first president in decades to achieve this.
- Withdrew troops from Afghanistan and set conditions for responsible withdrawal.
- Brought home dozens of American hostages and detainees.
- Hosted historic summits with North Korea.
- Secured the release of American hostages from North Korea.
- Strengthened alliances in the Indo-Pacific.
- Established the Quad partnership with India, Japan, and Australia.
- Confronted China’s unfair trade practices and intellectual property theft.
- Supported democracy in Hong Kong and held China accountable for human rights abuses.
- Stood with the people of Venezuela against the Maduro regime.
- Recognized Juan Guaidó as the legitimate interim president of Venezuela.
- Provided humanitarian aid to the Venezuelan people.
- Promoted religious freedom around the world.
- Hosted the first-ever Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom at the State Department.
- Launched the International Religious Freedom Alliance.
- Protected Christian communities in the Middle East.