OPINION:
Day one of the Trump administration will be exciting with bold executive actions on border security, public safety, workforce rules, and even women’s protection in sports. Watch for swift action in other areas like reducing the tax burden, cutting red tape, making government more efficient, fair trade practices, more parental control over education, eliminating woke mandates, ending environmental extremism, and protecting free speech rights in higher education.
As promised, President-elect Donald Trump will take decisive and immediate action to secure the southern border between the United States and Mexico. He will finish building the wall and set up immigration detention facilities. According to the Associated Press, one of the U.S. Senators briefed this week believes that the new administration will focus on illegal aliens who “most recently entered the country, have been convicted of crimes or who courts have otherwise determined are otherwise ineligible to stay in the U.S.”
Mr. Trump will immediately push to return to policies that he had in place during his first term, including those that require migrants to apply in other countries or remain in Mexico instead of illegally crossing into the United States. He will also seek the help of law enforcement to deport illegal aliens who entered recently or who committed crimes. The Trump administration will seek some $100 billion as part of a large budget reconciliation package to secure the border completely.
Mr. Trump is prepared to take aggressive action to remove obstacles to energy production—including opening federal lands for exploration. Even new efforts to respond rapidly to permit requests could help drop energy prices and increase economic growth.
The Trump administration wants to make it easier to eliminate bad federal workers by classifying thousands of them as being outside civil service protections. We reformed that system in Wisconsin, which significantly impacted our outcomes. This is a major way to strip power from the permanent ruling class in Washington, D.C., as he drains the swamp.
The new president also claims exclusive executive power to control spending even after Congress has appropriated the funds. It is a position that many current and former governors—including myself—embrace as it incentivizes the executive branch to be more efficient and effective in their work implementing the laws. If the budget provides $10,000 for something, but the administration can do it for $7,500, they should be able to do it as long as it is consistent with the law.
When I was governor of Wisconsin, we inherited a boondoggle of a high-speed rail project between Milwaukee and Madison. Even though the previous Governor and Legislature approved the project and funding was coming from the federal government, I did not want to do it as I feared it would eventually cost the state’s taxpayers. Looking at the unfinished high-speed rail project in California, which is nearly $100 billion over budget, proves I was right.
Mr. Trump is empowering Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, and their Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team to make some incredible changes in the federal government. Stopping the invasion at our southern border, deporting illegal aliens who came in during the Biden administration, and ending their benefits will also provide significant savings for the federal budget. Finding additional reductions through the work at DOGE will help control inflation by curbing federal spending. That will help bring prices down and improve the economy.
In 2017, Mr. Trump signed a massive tax cut that benefited hard-working Americans. He will work with the Congress to make these tax cuts permanent. In addition, watch for a push to end taxes on tips, overtime wages, and Social Security benefits. These policies will help put more money into Americans’ hands, which should help the economy grow.
Mr. Trump will move to block funds from colleges with woke, anti-free speech policies. Watch him make it easier for parents to have choices in educational opportunities for their children. And be prepared as he seeks to dissolve the federal Department of Education and send the responsibilities and resources back to the states, schools, and parents.
The Trump administration will move to protect women in women’s sports. They will look to keep men out of women’s bathrooms and locker rooms. They will seek to protect minors from surgery that aims to change their gender. They will seek federal legislation to define two genders: Male and female.
Finally, President-elect Trump will swiftly strengthen our military. The response from those watching the confirmation hearing for the president’s choice for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is overwhelmingly positive. It will be a remarkable tool for recruiting new service members and retaining the current U.S. Armed Forces members, as they will see a leader who stands with the warriors.
The fireworks begin on Jan. 20, 2025. That will help us make America great again!
• Scott Walker is president of Young America’s Foundation and served as the 45th governor of Wisconsin.
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