Tracking Trump's Promises to America
Coming Soon: Take a look at how policy issues that matter to you are being tackled by the Trump Administration
Trump's Promise
Issue Areas:
- Democracy and Rule of Law
- Economic Growth
- Wealth Inequality
- Health Care Policy
- Changing Climate
- Women's Rights
- Immigration and Human Rights
- Child and Youth Care and Development
Frequently Asked Questions
Please reach us at jill@trumppromise.org if you cannot find an answer to your question.
Many Americans remember the 2017 tax refund they received through the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) and even more can recall the direct payment in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) which included $1200 payments to individuals from the U.S. Treasury which Trump had asked to place his name on. Although the first time a President's name appeared on checks from the Treasury, the IRS agency did receive a legal opinion that it was acceptable to do so.
The 2017 Tax Legislation provided all Americans with an income tax benefit and additionally supported corporations including by reducing the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%, while also establishing policies to generate taxes from corportations in previously untaxed areas, slightly increasing contributions from profitable large corporations that did have a tax liability.
While Trump did aim to reduce the federal deficit and spur economic growth, he fell short of the goal. From the beginning of his tenure in 2017 to the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020 the amount of debt held by the public as a percentage of GDP significantly increased outpacing Congressional Budget Office estimates from the beginning of his tenure.
Sources: https://www.cbpp.org/research/federal-tax/the-2017-trump-tax-law-was-skewed-to-the-rich-expensive-and-failed-to-deliver ; https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2024-10-18/trump-name-on-covid-stimulus-checks-was-legal-irs-documents-reveal; https://www.cbo.gov/data/budget-economic-data; https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-105384
Although Trump was out of office when the American Rescue Plan (ARP) legislation passed providing up to $3600 annually to families in monthly installments, including to those whose incomes previously had not qualified them for the credit, the policy has strong appeal in across the aisle. On the campaign trail, JD Vance mentioned a desire to see the credit increase to $5000 per child. The ARP credit expanded access to reach 19 million new children and dropped the child poverty rate in half.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2024/08/15/nx-s1-5074121/child-tax-credit-explained-jd-vance-kamala-harris
Trump got to a pretty good start at building a wall. Of 1900 miles of border, with some natural barriers and a goal of completing 1,000 miles, his project built or reinforced almost half of that. The costs were paid for by the American people, not by Mexico. About $16 billion were set to be spent on the wall, with $10 billion being diverted from other Department of Defense Projects. However, analysis by conservative groups such as the Cato Institute found that the wall was not a successful deterrent to immigration numbers, "Even before Biden assumed office, the Border Patrol was making more arrests and witnessing far more successful crossings after the wall went up than most months before the Trump wall."
Trump employed family separation policies as an additional deterrent in response to increasing numbers of border crossings. However the Department of Homeland Security did not have the systems set up to keep children safe at the time, or to help them to reunite with their families. These policies did lead to an increase in the number of family units apprehended at the border.
Where Trump made a significant impact on immigration was in reducing the number of legal immigrants by reducing the number of green cards issued and non-immigrant visas.
Sources: https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/19/politics/fact-check-christie-trump-border-wall/index.html; https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IN/IN11675; https://www.cato.org/blog/border-wall-didnt-work; https://www.forbes.com/sites/stuartanderson/2024/08/11/trumps-family-separation-immigration-policy-how-history-could-repeat/; https://www.cato.org/blog/president-trump-reduced-legal-immigration-he-did-not-reduce-illegal-immigration; https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2020/03/02/how-border-apprehensions-ice-arrests-and-deportations-have-changed-under-trump/
Showcasing the Headlines of Policy Activity
My Blog
Contact Us
What are you thinking about?
Have a story idea for us? Would you like to write for us?
Send us a message and let us know what you are thinking about.
Trump's Promise
Subscribe
Copyright © 2024 Trump's Promise - All Rights Reserved.
Powered by GoDaddy
This website uses cookies.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.