First presidency of Donald Trump: Difference between revisions

Trump continued his use of [[Twitter]] following the presidential campaign. He continued to personally tweet from [[@realDonaldTrump]], his personal account, while his staff tweet on his behalf using the official [[@POTUS]] account. His use of Twitter was unconventional for a president, with his tweets initiating controversy and becoming news in their own right.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first=Andrew|last=Buncombe|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-twitter-tweets-no-regrets-interview-financial-times-a7664641.html|title=Donald Trump does not regret sending any of his tweets|date=April 3, 2017|newspaper=[[The Independent]] |access-date=April 30, 2017}}</ref> Some scholars have referred to his time in office as the "first true Twitter presidency."<ref>{{Cite book |url = https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781315447049 |title = Presidential Communication and Character |last = Farnsworth |first = Stephen J. |publisher = Routledge |year = 2018 |doi = 10.4324/9781315447049 |isbn = 978-1-315-44704-9 |access-date = July 23, 2019 |archive-date = August 6, 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200806133630/https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781315447049 |url-status = live }}</ref> The Trump administration described Trump's tweets as "official statements by the President of the United States."<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first=Elizabeth|last=Landers|title=Spicer: Tweets are Trump's official statements |access-date=November 11, 2021 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/06/06/politics/trump-tweets-official-statements/index.html|work=CNN|date=June 6, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170720220333/http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/06/politics/trump-tweets-official-statements/index.html|archive-date=July 20, 2017}}</ref> The federal judge [[Naomi Reice Buchwald]] ruled in 2018 that Trump's blocking of other Twitter users due to opposing political views violated the First Amendment and he must unblock them.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-twitter/trump-unblocks-more-twitter-users-after-u-s-court-ruling-idUSKCN1LE08Q |access-date=November 11, 2021 |work=[[Reuters]]|title=Trump unblocks more Twitter users after U.S. court ruling|date=August 29, 2018|first=David|last=Shepardson}}</ref> The ruling was upheld on appeal.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first=Charlie|last=Savage|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/09/us/politics/trump-twitter-first-amendment.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |newspaper=The New York Times|title=Trump Can't Block Critics From His Twitter Account, Appeals Court Rules|date=July 9, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first=Katelyn |last=Polantz |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/23/politics/trump-twitter-block/index.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=Appeals court won't revisit ruling saying Trump can't block Twitter users |work=CNN |date=March 23, 2020}}</ref>

Trump used Twitter to attack [[United States federal judge|federal judges]] who ruled against him in court cases<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first=Kristine |last=Phillips |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/04/26/all-the-times-trump-personally-attacked-judges-and-why-his-tirades-are-worse-than-wrong/ |title=All the times Trump personally attacked judges{{snd}}and why his tirades are 'worse than wrong' |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171103144335/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/04/26/all-the-times-trump-personally-attacked-judges-and-why-his-tirades-are-worse-than-wrong/ |archive-date=November 3, 2017 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=April 26, 2017 |url-status=live |access-date=November 11, 2021}}</ref> and to criticize officials within his own administration, including then-[[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]] [[Rex Tillerson]], then-[[National Security Advisor (United States)|National Security Advisor]] [[H. R. McMaster]], [[United States Deputy Attorney General|Deputy Attorney General]] [[Rod Rosenstein]], and, at various times, Attorney General Jeff Sessions.<ref name="Lee-2016">{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/01/28/upshot/donald-trump-twitter-insults.html|title=The 459 People, Places and Things Donald Trump Has Insulted on Twitter: A Complete List|last=Lee|first=Jasmine C.|date=2016|work=The New York Times|access-date=May 14, 2018|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Tillerson was eventually fired via a tweet by Trump.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Singletary|first=Michelle|title=Trump dumped Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in a tweet. What's the worst way you've been fired?|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/get-there/wp/2018/03/15/trump-dumped-secretary-of-state-rex-tillerson-in-a-tweet-whats-the-worst-way-youve-been-fired/ |date=March 15, 2018 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=March 18, 2018}}</ref> Trump also tweeted that his [[United States Department of Justice|Justice Department]] is part of the [[Deep state in the United States|American "deep state"]];<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=Trump again at war with 'deep state' Justice Department|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/01/02/politics/president-donald-trump-deep-state/index.html |date=January 2, 2018 |first1=Stephen |last1=Collinson |first2=Jeremy |last2=Diamond |newspaper=CNN|access-date=March 18, 2018}}</ref> that "there was tremendous leaking, lying and corruption at the highest levels of the FBI, Justice & [[United States Department of State|State]]" [[United States federal executive departments|Departments]];<ref name="Lee-2016" /> and that the [[Mueller special counsel investigation|special counsel investigation]] is a "[[Witch hunt|WITCH HUNT]]!"<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Griffiths|first=Brent|title=Trump slams Comey, mentions Mueller for first time in tweet|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2018/03/17/trump-james-comey-andrew-mccabe-fbi-469008 |date=March 17, 2018 |work=[[Politico]]|access-date=March 18, 2018}}</ref> In August 2018, Trump used Twitter to write that Attorney General Jeff Sessions "should stop" the special counsel investigation immediately; he also referred to it as "rigged" and its investigators as biased.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia/trump-says-attorney-general-should-stop-mueller-probe-right-now-idUSKBN1KM539| title=Trump says attorney general should stop Mueller probe 'right now'| work=[[Reuters]]| date=August 1, 2018| access-date=August 1, 2018| first=Doina| last=Chiacu}}</ref>

Due to [[Trump tariffs|Trump's trade tariffs]] combined with depressed commodities prices, American farmers faced the worst crisis in decades.<ref name="auto">{{#invoke:Cite web||first=Humeyra|last=Pamuk|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-budget-usda-idUSKBN1QS28Z|title=Trump budget proposes steep subsidy cuts to farmers as they grapple with crisis|date=March 11, 2019|work=[[Reuters]] |access-date=November 7, 2021}}</ref> Trump provided farmers $12{{spaces}}billion in direct payments in July 2018 to mitigate the negative impacts of his tariffs, increasing the payments by $14.5{{spaces}}billion in May 2019 after trade talks with China ended without agreement.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/23/us/politics/farm-aid-package.html|title=Trump Gives Farmers $16 Billion in Aid Amid Prolonged China Trade War|last1=Swanson|first1=Ana|last2=Thrush|first2=Glenn|newspaper=The New York Times|date=May 23, 2019}}</ref> Most of the administration's aid went to the largest farms.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-30/majority-of-trump-s-trade-aid-went-to-biggest-farms-study-finds |first=Mike |last=Dorning |title=Majority of Trump's Trade Aid Went to Biggest Farms, Study Finds|date=2019|website=[[Bloomberg LP]] |access-date=July 30, 2019}}</ref> ''Politico'' reported in May 2019 that some economists in the [[United States Department of Agriculture]] were being punished for presenting analyses showing farmers were being harmed by Trump's trade and tax policies, with six economists having more than 50 years of combined experience at the Service resigning on the same day.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||title=Economists flee Agriculture Dept. after feeling punished under Trump|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/07/agriculture-economists-leave-trump-1307146 |date=May 7, 2019 |last=Mccrimmon|first=Ryan|website=[[Politico]]}}</ref> Trump's fiscal 2020 budget proposed a 15% funding cut for the Agriculture Department, calling farm subsidies "overly generous".<ref name="auto" />

In a May 2017 departure from the policy of the Department of Justice under Obama to reduce long jail sentencing for minor drug offenses and contrary to a growing bipartisan consensus, the administration ordered federal prosecutors to seek maximum sentencing for [[Drug offence|drug offenses]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/14/us/politics/jeff-sessions-criminal-sentencing.html|title=Bipartisan View Was Emerging on Sentencing. Then Came Jeff Sessions.|last=Hulse|first=Carl|date=May 14, 2017|work=The New York Times|access-date=May 14, 2017}}</ref> In a January 2018 move that created uncertainty regarding the legality of recreational and medical marijuana, Sessions rescinded a federal policy that had barred federal law enforcement officials from aggressively enforcing federal cannabis law in states where the drug is legal.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://apnews.com/19f6bfec15a74733b40eaf0ff9162bfa |first=Sadie |last=Gurman |date=January 4, 2018 |title=Sessions ending federal policy that let legal pot flourish |access-date=January 4, 2018 |work=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> The administration's decision contradicted then-candidate Trump's statement that marijuana legalization should be "up to the states".<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-justice-marijuana/trump-administration-to-end-obama-era-marijuana-policy-source-idUSKBN1ET1MU |first=Sarah N. |last=Lynch |title=Trump administration drops Obama-era easing of marijuana prosecutions|date=January 4, 2018|work=[[Reuters]] |access-date=January 8, 2018}}</ref> That same month, the VA said it would not research cannabis as a potential treatment against PTSD and chronic pain; veterans organizations had pushed for such a study.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://taskandpurpose.com/va-will-not-study-medical-marijuana-ptsd-chronic-pain/|title=VA Says It Will Not Study Effects Of Medical Marijuana On PTSD And Chronic Pain|last=Clark|first=James|date=January 16, 2018|work=Task & Purpose|access-date=January 17, 2018|archive-date=February 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210216184146/https://taskandpurpose.com/news/va-will-not-study-medical-marijuana-ptsd-chronic-pain/|url-status=dead}}</ref> In December 2018, Trump signed the [[Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018]], which included de-scheduling certain cannabis products, leading to a rise in legal [[Delta-8-Tetrahydrocannabinol|Delta-8]]—a step which resembled legalization.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Roberts |first=Chris |title=The Feds Are Coming For Delta-8 THC |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/chrisroberts/2021/09/17/the-feds-are-coming-for-delta-8-thc/ |access-date=August 30, 2023 |website=Forbes |language=en |archive-date=August 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230830182050/https://www.forbes.com/sites/chrisroberts/2021/09/17/the-feds-are-coming-for-delta-8-thc/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In March 2018, Trump imposed tariffs on [[solar panel]]s and [[washing machine]]s of 30–50%.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Gonzales |first=Richard |date=January 22, 2018 |title=Trump Slaps Tariffs On Imported Solar Panels and Washing Machines |access-date=November 10, 2021 |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/01/22/579848409/trump-slaps-tariffs-on-imported-solar-panels-and-washing-machines |work=[[NPR]]}}</ref> In March 2018, he imposed tariffs on [[steel]] (25%) and [[aluminum]] (10%) from most countries,<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Horsley|first=Scott|date=March 8, 2018|title=Trump Formally Orders Tariffs on Steel, Aluminum Imports|url=https://www.npr.org/2018/03/08/591744195/trump-expected-to-formally-order-tariffs-on-steel-aluminum-imports |access-date=November 10, 2021 |work=[[NPR]]}}</ref><ref name="Long">{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Long|first=Heather|date=May 31, 2018|title=Trump has officially put more tariffs on U.S. allies than on China|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2018/05/31/trump-has-officially-put-more-tariffs-on-u-s-allies-than-on-china/ |access-date=November 10, 2021}}</ref> which covered an estimated 4.1% of U.S. imports.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Chance|first=David|date=March 5, 2018|title=Trump's trade tariffs: Long on rhetoric, short on impact?|work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-trump-rhetoric-analysis/trumps-trade-tariffs-long-on-rhetoric-short-on-impact-idUSKBN1GH37N |access-date=November 10, 2021}}</ref> On June 1, 2018, this was extended to the [[European Union]], [[Canada]], and [[Mexico]].<ref name="Long" /> In separate moves, the Trump administration has set and escalated tariffs on goods imported from [[China]], leading to [[China–United States trade war|a trade war]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first1=Danielle |last1=Paquette |first2=David J. |last2=Lynch |first3=Emily |last3=Rauhala |title=As Trump's trade war starts, China retaliates with comparable tariffs of its own|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/china-fires-back-at-us-tariffs-vows-to-defend-its-core-interests/2018/07/06/f42fc812-8091-11e8-a63f-7b5d2aba7ac5_story.html |date=July 6, 2018 |access-date=July 6, 2018|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> The tariffs angered trading partners, who implemented retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods,<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||date=June 1, 2018|title=US tariffs a dangerous game, says EU|work=[[BBC News]]|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-44324565 |access-date=November 10, 2021}}</ref> and adversely affected real income and GDP.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite journal||last1=Amiti|first1=Mary|author1-link=Mary Amiti|last2=Redding|first2=Stephen J.|author2-link=Stephen Redding|last3=Weinstein|first3=David E.|author3-link=David E. Weinstein|year=2019|title=The Impact of the 2018 Tariffs on Prices and Welfare|journal=Journal of Economic Perspectives|volume=33|issue=Fall 2019|pages=187–210|doi=10.1257/jep.33.4.187|doi-access=free}}</ref> A CNBC analysis found that Trump "enacted tariffs equivalent to one of the largest tax increases in decades", while [[Tax Foundation]] and [[Tax Policy Center]] analyses found the tariffs could wipe out the benefits of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 for many households.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||title=Trump Tariffs Could Wipe Out Tax Cuts for Many Households|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/trump-tariffs-could-wipe-tax-142911498.html |work=Yahoo! Finance |date=May 16, 2019 |first=Michael |last=Rainey |access-date=November 8, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||date=May 14, 2019|title=For Many Households, Trump's Tariffs Could Wipe Out The Benefits of the TCJA|url=https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxvox/many-households-trumps-tariffs-could-wipe-out-benefits-tcja |first=Howard |last=Gleckman |access-date=November 10, 2021 |website=Tax Policy Center}}</ref> The two countries reached a "phase one" truce agreement in January 2020. The bulk of the tariffs remained in place until talks were to resume after the 2020 election. Trump provided $28 billion in cash aid to farmers affected by the trade war.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last2=Daly |first1=Hallie |last1=Gu |first2=Tom |date=August 5, 2019 |title=U.S. farmers suffer 'body blow' as China slams door on farm purchases |newspaper=[[Reuters]]|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-china-agriculture-idUSKCN1UV0XJ |access-date=November 10, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Swanson|first1=Ana|last2=Rappeport|first2=Alan|date=June 23, 2020|title=Trump Signs China Trade Deal, Putting Economic Conflict on Pause|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/15/business/economy/china-trade-deal.html |access-date=November 10, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Rappeport|first=Alan|date=February 18, 2020|title=U.S. Watchdog to Investigate Trump's Farm Bailout Program|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/14/us/politics/trump-farm-bailout-investigation.html |access-date=November 10, 2021}}</ref> Studies have found that the tariffs also adversely affected Republican candidates in elections.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite journal||last1=Blanchard|first1=Emily J|last2=Bown|first2=Chad P|last3=Chor|first3=Davin|date=2019|title=Did Trump's Trade War Impact the 2018 Election?|url=https://www.nber.org/papers/w26434 |publisher=[[National Bureau of Economic Research]] |journal=NBER Working Paper Series |series=Working Paper Series |doi=10.3386/w26434 |s2cid=207992615 |id=Working Paper 26434 |access-date=November 10, 2021}}</ref> An analysis published by ''The Wall Street Journal'' in October 2020 found the trade war did not achieve the primary objective of reviving American manufacturing, nor did it result in the [[reshoring]] of factory production.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Zumbrun|first=Josh|date=October 25, 2020|title=China Trade War Didn't Boost U.S. Manufacturing Might|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-trade-war-didnt-boost-u-s-manufacturing-might-11603618203 |access-date=November 10, 2021}}</ref>

Trump rescinded a rule requiring oil, gas and mining firms to disclose how much they paid foreign governments,<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/14/trump-and-gop-killed-energy-corruption-rule-for-no-good-reason-advocates-say.html|title=Trump and GOP killed an energy anti-corruption rule for no good reason, advocates say |last=DiChristopher |first=Tom |date=February 14, 2017 |access-date=February 15, 2017 |work=[[CNBC]]}}</ref> and withdrew from the international [[Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative]] (EITI) which required disclosure of payments by oil, gas and mining companies to governments.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-eiti/u-s-withdraws-from-extractive-industries-anti-corruption-effort-idUSKBN1D2290 |date=November 2, 2017 |title=U.S. withdraws from extractive industries anti-corruption effort |last=Simon |first=Julia |access-date=November 3, 2017 |work=[[Reuters]]}}</ref>

Trump repeatedly expressed a desire to "let Obamacare fail",<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/07/18/trump-tweet-obamacare-repeal-failure-240664 |title=Trump says he plans to 'let Obamacare fail' |last=Nelson |first=Louis |date=July 18, 2017 |work=[[Politico]] |access-date=September 29, 2017}}</ref> and the Trump administration undermined Obamacare through various actions.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-obamacare-sabotage-enrollment-cuts_n_59a87bffe4b0b5e530fd5751 |title=Trump Ramps Up Obamacare Sabotage With Huge Cuts To Enrollment Programs|last=Young|first=Jeffrey|date=August 31, 2017|work=HuffPost|access-date=September 29, 2017}}</ref> The open enrollment period was cut from twelve weeks to six, the advertising budget for enrollment was cut by 90%, and organizations helping people shop for coverage got 39% less money.<ref name="Humer-2017">{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-healthcare-cbo/obamacare-enrollment-to-fall-in-2018-and-beyond-after-cuts-cbo-idUSKCN1BP2Z5 |work=[[Reuters]] |date=September 20, 2017 |first=Caroline |last=Humer |title=Obamacare enrollment to fall in 2018 and beyond after cuts: CBO|access-date=September 14, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/08/31/trump-obamacare-outreach-cuts-242225 |title=Trump administration slashes Obamacare outreach|last=Pradhan|first=Rachana|date=August 31, 2017|work=[[Politico]]|access-date=September 29, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/katenocera/the-trump-administration-wont-support-state-obamacare |title=The Trump Administration Is Pulling Out Of Obamacare Enrollment Events |last1=Nocera |first1=Kate |last2=McLeod |first2=Paul |date=September 27, 2017 |work=[[Buzzfeed News]] |access-date=September 29, 2017}}</ref> The CBO found that ACA enrollment at [[Health insurance marketplace|health care exchanges]] would be lower than its previous forecasts due to the Trump administration's undermining of the ACA.<ref name="Humer-2017" /> A 2019 study found that enrollment into the ACA during the Trump administration's first year was nearly thirty percent lower than during 2016.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite journal||last1=Shafer|first1=Paul|last2=Anderson|first2=David|title=The Trump Effect: Postinauguration Changes in Marketplace Enrollment|journal=Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law |volume=44 |issue=5 |pages=715–736 |doi=10.1215/03616878-7611623 |pmid=31199870 |year=2019 |s2cid=189861794}}</ref> The CBO found that insurance premiums would rise sharply in 2018 due to the Trump administration's refusal to commit to continuing paying ACA subsidies, which added uncertainty to the insurance market and led insurers to raise premiums for fear they will not get subsidized.<ref name="Humer-2017" />

Although the U.S. government was initially quick to develop a diagnostic test for COVID-19, U.S. [[COVID-19 testing]] efforts from mid-January to late-February lost pace compared to the rest of the world.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-testing-specialrep-idUSKBN2153BW |first1=Toluse |last1=Olorunnipa |first2=Griff |last2=Witte |first3=Lenny |last3=Bernstein |title=Special Report: How Korea trounced U.S. in race to test people for coronavirus|date=March 18, 2020 |work=[[Reuters]] |access-date=March 19, 2020}}</ref> ABC News described the testing as "shockingly slow".<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-responsible-testing-problems-things/story?id=69590286 |date=March 14, 2020 |first=Anne |last=Flaherty |title=Trump says he's not responsible for testing problems: 3 things to know|website=ABC News|access-date=March 19, 2020}}</ref> When the WHO distributed 1.4 million COVID-19 tests in February, the U.S. chose instead to use its own tests. At that time, the CDC had produced 160,000 COVID-19 tests, but many were defective. As a result, fewer than 4,000 tests were done in the U.S. by February 27, with U.S. state laboratories conducting only about 200. In this period, academic laboratories and hospitals had developed their own tests, but were not allowed to use them until February 29, when the [[Food and Drug Administration]] issued approvals for them and private companies.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Whoriskey|first1=Peter|last2=Satija|first2=Neena|title=How U.S. coronavirus testing stalled: Flawed tests, red tape and resistance to using the millions of tests produced by the WHO|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/03/16/cdc-who-coronavirus-tests/|access-date=March 18, 2020|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=March 16, 2020}}</ref> A comprehensive ''New York Times'' investigation concluded that "technical flaws, regulatory hurdles, business-as-usual bureaucracies and lack of leadership at multiple levels" contributed to the testing failures.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Shear|first1=Michael D.|last2=Goodnough|first2=Abby|last3=Kaplan|first3=Sheila|last4=Fink|first4=Sheri|last5=Thomas|first5=Katie|last6=Weiland|first6=Noah|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/28/us/testing-coronavirus-pandemic.html|title=The Lost Month: How a Failure to Test Blinded the U.S. to Covid-19|date=March 28, 2020|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 28, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> An Associated Press investigation found the administration made its first bulk orders for vital health care equipment, such as [[N95 respirator]] masks and ventilators, in mid-March.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-health-us-news-ap-top-news-politics-090600c299a8cf07f5b44d92534856bc |title=U.S. 'wasted' months before preparing for virus pandemic |date=April 5, 2020 |last=Biesecker |first=Michael |work=[[Associated Press]] |access-date=April 5, 2020|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200405130007/https://apnews.com/090600c299a8cf07f5b44d92534856bc |archive-date=April 5, 2020}}</ref>

On March 26, the U.S. became the country with the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 infections, with over 82,000 cases.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Caspani|first1=Maria|last2=Trotta|first2=Daniel|title=As of Thursday, U.S. had most coronavirus cases in world|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa/as-of-thursday-u-s-had-most-coronavirus-cases-in-world-idUSKBN21D1ZR|access-date=April 21, 2020|work=[[Reuters]]|date=March 26, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107023840/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa/as-of-thursday-u-s-had-most-coronavirus-cases-in-world-idUSKBN21D1ZR|archive-date=November 7, 2020}}</ref> On April 11, the U.S. became the country with the highest official death toll for COVID-19, with over 20,000 deaths.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Shumaker|first=Lisa|title=U.S. coronavirus deaths top 20,000, highest in world exceeding Italy: Reuters tally|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-casualties/u-s-coronavirus-deaths-highest-in-world-exceeding-italy-reuters-tally-idUSKCN21T0NA|access-date=April 21, 2020|work=[[Reuters]]|date=April 11, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201003232224/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-casualties/u-s-coronavirus-deaths-highest-in-world-exceeding-italy-reuters-tally-idUSKCN21T0NA|archive-date=October 3, 2020}}</ref> The [[Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services|HHS Inspector General]] released a report in April of its survey of 323 hospitals in late March; reporting severe shortages of test supplies and extended waits for results, widespread shortages of [[personal protective equipment]] (PPE), and other strained resources due to extended patient stays while awaiting test results.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Grimm|first=Christi|title=Hospital Experiences Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a National Pulse Survey March 23–27, 2020|url=https://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-06-20-00300.pdf|access-date=April 21, 2020|publisher=[[Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201229211322/https://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-06-20-00300.pdf |date=April 2020 |archive-date=December 29, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Robertson |first=Lori |title=The HHS Inspector General Report |date=April 7, 2020 |url=https://www.factcheck.org/2020/04/the-hhs-inspector-general-report/ |website=[[Factcheck.org]] |access-date=April 21, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022064603/https://www.factcheck.org/2020/04/the-hhs-inspector-general-report/ |archive-date=October 22, 2020}}</ref> Trump called the IG's report "just wrong", and subsequently Trump replaced the inspector general.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=Trump Moves To Replace Watchdog Who Reported Medical Shortages |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/05/02/849642036/trump-moves-to-replace-watchdog-who-reported-medical-shortages |last=Slotkin |first=Jason |website=[[NPR]]|date=May 2, 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201211040928/https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/05/02/849642036/trump-moves-to-replace-watchdog-who-reported-medical-shortages|archive-date=December 11, 2020}}</ref>

Trump has repeatedly characterized [[Illegal immigration to the United States|illegal immigrants]] as criminals, although some studies have found they have lower crime and incarceration rates than native-born Americans.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/22/us/politics/trump-immigration-borders-family-separation.html |first=Katie |last=Rogers |date=June 22, 2018 |title=Trump Highlights Immigrant Crime to Defend His Border Policy. Statistics Don't Back Him Up.|work=The New York Times|access-date=June 24, 2018}}</ref> Prior to taking office, Trump promised to deport the estimated eleven million illegal immigrants living in the United States and to build a [[Trump wall|wall]] along the [[Mexico–U.S. border]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Tareen|first=Sophia|title=Trump's election triggers flood of immigration questions|url=https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2016/1118/Trump-s-election-triggers-flood-of-immigration-questions |newspaper=[[Christian Science Monitor]] |date=November 18, 2016|access-date=November 18, 2016}}</ref> During his presidency, Trump reduced legal immigration substantially while the illegal immigrant population remained the same.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||date=January 20, 2021|title=President Trump Reduced Legal Immigration. He Did Not Reduce Illegal Immigration|url=https://www.cato.org/blog/president-trump-reduced-legal-immigration-he-did-not-reduce-illegal-immigration |first=Alex |last=Nowrasteh |access-date=January 21, 2021|website=Cato Institute}}</ref> The administration took several steps to limit the rights of legal immigrants, which included attempted revocations of [[Temporary Protected Status]] for Central American refugees,<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Nakamura|first=David|date=August 16, 2017|title=Trump administration ends Obama-era protection program for Central American minors|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-administration-ends-obama-era-protection-program-for-central-american-minors/2017/08/16/8101507e-82b6-11e7-ab27-1a21a8e006ab_story.html |access-date=November 10, 2021}}</ref> 60,000 Haitians (who emigrated following the [[2010 Haiti earthquake]]),<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Miroff|first=Nick|date=January 8, 2018|title=200,000 Salvadorans may be forced to leave the U.S. as Trump ends immigration protection|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-administration-to-end-provisional-residency-for-200000-salvadorans/2018/01/08/badfde90-f481-11e7-beb6-c8d48830c54d_story.html|access-date=January 8, 2018|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> and 200,000 Salvadorans (who emigrated following a series of devastating earthquakes in 2001)<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Jordan |first=Miriam |date=January 8, 2018 |title=Trump Administration Says That Nearly 200,000 Salvadorans Must Leave |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/08/us/salvadorans-tps-end.html |access-date=January 8, 2018 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> as well as making it illegal for refugees and asylum seekers,<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Thomsen |first=Jacqueline |date=July 3, 2018 |title=Sessions rescinds DOJ guidance on refugees, asylum seekers' right to work |work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |url=https://thehill.com/regulation/international/395440-sessions-rescinds-guidance-on-refugees-asylum-seekers-right-to-work |access-date=July 4, 2018}}</ref> and spouses of [[H-1B visa]] holders to work in the U.S.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Mullen|first=Jethro|title=Trump will stop spouses of H-1B visa holders from working |work=[[CNN Business]] |url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/12/15/technology/h1b-visa-spouses-h4-trump/index.html |date=December 15, 2017 |access-date=December 15, 2017}}</ref> A federal judge blocked the administration's attempt to deport the TPS recipients, citing what the judge said was Trump's racial "animus against non-white, non-European immigrants".<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=Federal judge blocks Trump from deporting hundreds of thousands of immigrants under TPS|work=[[USA Today]]|url=https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2018/10/03/judge-blocks-trump-administration-deporting-immigrants-under-tps/1517268002/ |date=October 3, 2018 |first=Alan |last=Gomez |access-date=October 4, 2018}}</ref> The administration slashed refugee admissions to record low levels (since the modern program began in 1980).<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||date=September 27, 2019|title=US slashes refugee limit to all-time low of 18,000|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49847906 |access-date=November 10, 2021 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> The administration made it harder non-citizens who served in the military to receive necessary paperwork to pursue U.S. citizenship.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Copp|first=Tara|date=May 3, 2018|title=Naturalizations drop 65 percent for service members seeking citizenship after Mattis memo|work=Military Times|url=https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2018/05/03/naturalizations-drop-65-percent-for-service-members-seeking-citizenship-after-mattis-memo|access-date=May 4, 2018}}</ref> The administration's key legislative proposal on immigration was the 2017 [[RAISE Act]], a proposal to reduce legal immigration levels to the U.S. by fifty percent by halving the number of [[Permanent residence (United States)|green cards]] issued, capping [[refugee]] admissions at 50,000 a year and ending the [[Diversity Immigrant Visa|visa diversity lottery]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first=Harold |last=Brubaker |date=August 10, 2017 |title=Wharton study: Immigration proposal will lead to less economic growth and fewer jobs |work=Philadelphia Daily News |url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/business/wharton-study-immigration-proposal-will-lead-to-less-economic-growth-and-fewer-jobs-20170810.html |access-date=August 11, 2017}}</ref> In 2020, the Trump administration set the lowest cap for refugees in the modern history of the United States for the subsequent year: 15,000 refugees.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first1=Susan |last1=Heavey |first2=Ted |last2=Hesson |first3=Kristina |last3=Cooke |first4=Mimi |last4=Dwyer |first5=Mica |last5=Rosenberg |date=October 28, 2020|title=Trump administration sets record low limit for new U.S. refugees|work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-refugees-idUSKBN27D1TS|access-date=April 23, 2021}}</ref> The administration increased fees for citizen applications, as well as caused delays in the processing of citizen applications.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||date=May 25, 2021|title=Citizenship agency eyes improved service without plan to pay|url=https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-voter-registration-lifestyle-travel-immigration-1c0554d5d141776722c64f5deadbad8d |first1=Elliot |last1=Spagat |first2=Sophia |last2=Tareen |access-date=June 20, 2021|website=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>

Upon taking office, Trump directed the DHS to begin work on a wall.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jan/25/donald-trump-sign-mexico-border-executive-order |first=David |last=Smith |access-date=November 10, 2021 |title=Trump signs order to begin Mexico border wall in immigration crackdown|newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=January 25, 2017}}</ref> An internal DHS report estimated Trump's wall would cost $21.6{{spaces}}billion and take 3.5 years to build (far higher than the Trump 2016 campaign's estimate ($12{{spaces}}billion) and the $15{{spaces}}billion estimate from Republican congressional leaders).<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-trump-immigration-wall-idINKBN15O2ZZ |date=February 9, 2017 |title=Trump border 'wall' to cost $21.6 billion, take 3.5 years to build: Homeland Security internal report|last=Ainsley|first=Julia Edwards|access-date=February 10, 2017|work=[[Reuters]]}}</ref> In a January 2017 phone call between Trump and Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto, Trump conceded that the U.S. would pay for the border wall, not Mexico as he promised during the campaign, and implored Nieto to stop saying publicly the Mexican government would not pay for the border wall.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/you-cannot-say-that-to-the-press-trump-urged-mexican-president-to-end-his-public-defiance-on-border-wall-transcript-reveals/2017/08/03/0c2c0a4e-7610-11e7-8f39-eeb7d3a2d304_story.html |first=Greg |last=Miller |date=November 10, 2021 |title=Trump urged Mexican president to end his public defiance on border wall, transcript reveals|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=August 3, 2017}}</ref> In January 2018, the administration proposed spending $18{{spaces}}billion over the next ten years on the wall, more than half of the $33{{spaces}}billion spending blueprint for border security.<ref name="Nixon-2018">{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/08/us/politics/trump-border-wall-funding-surveillance.html |title=To Pay for Wall, Trump Would Cut Proven Border Security Measures |last=Nixon |first=Ron |date=January 8, 2018 |work=The New York Times |access-date=January 9, 2018 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Trump's plan would reduce funding for border surveillance, radar technology, patrol boats and customs agents; experts and officials say these are more effective at curbing illegal immigration and preventing terrorism and smuggling than a border wall.<ref name="Nixon-2018" />

The presence and tactics of the officers drew widespread condemnation. Oregon officials including the governor, the mayor of Portland, and multiple members of Congress asked the DHS to remove federal agents from the city.<ref name="mayor">{{#invoke:Cite web||date=July 15, 2020|title=Portland mayor wants federal agents gone as rioters create 'autonomous zone' amid city takeover |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200716164218/https://www.lawofficer.com/portland-mayor-wants-federal-agents-gone-as-rioters-create-autonomous-zone-amid-city-takeover/ |archive-date=July 16, 2020 |url-status=dead |url=https://www.lawofficer.com/portland-mayor-wants-federal-agents-gone-as-rioters-create-autonomous-zone-amid-city-takeover/ |access-date=July 18, 2020|website=Law Officer}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Flanigan |first=Kaitlin |date=July 15, 2020 |title='Intolerable': Lawmakers blast federal response to Portland protests: Federal authorities have repeatedly used tear gas on protesters in downtown Portland |work=KOIN |url=https://www.koin.com/news/protests/intolerable-lawmakers-blast-federal-response-to-portland-protests/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200715204110/https://www.koin.com/news/protests/intolerable-lawmakers-blast-federal-response-to-portland-protests/ |access-date=November 10, 2021 |archive-date=July 15, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Pitofsky|first=Marina|date=July 17, 2020|title=Oregon governor criticizes Trump for sending federal officers to Portland|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/507841-oregon-governor-criticizes-trump-sending-federal-officers-to |access-date=November 10, 2021 |website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]}}</ref> The mayor said the officers were causing violence and "we do not need or want their help."<ref name="mayor" /> Multiple Congressional committees asked for an investigation, saying "Citizens are concerned that the Administration has deployed a secret police force."<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||first1=Jerrold|last1=Nadler|first2=Bennie G.|last2=Thompson|first3=Carolyn B.|last3=Maloney|title=Letter to the DHS and DOJ|url=https://fm.cnbc.com/applications/cnbc.com/resources/editorialfiles/2020/07/19/2020-07-19_letter_to_doj_dhs_ig_regarding_special_deputations_portland.pdf |date=July 19, 2020 |access-date=November 10, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||agency=[[Reuters]]|title=House Democrats Demand Investigation Into Use of Force at Portland Protests|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-global-race-protests-portland-investi-idUKKCN24K0Q0 |date=July 19, 2020 |first=Sarah N. |last=Lynch |access-date=July 21, 2020 |work=[[Reuters]]}}</ref> Lawsuits against the administration were filed by the American Civil Liberties Union<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Axelrod |first=Tal |date=July 17, 2020 |title=ACLU files lawsuit over federal agents in Portland |url=https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/507922-aclu-files-lawsuit-over-federal-agents-in-portland |access-date=November 10, 2021 |website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]}}</ref> and the [[Attorney General of Oregon|attorney general of Oregon]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Gillespie|first=Emily|title=Oregon attorney general sues federal agencies for allegedly violating protesters' civil rights|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/07/18/portland-oreland-ag-lawsuit/|access-date=July 21, 2020|date=July 18, 2020|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> The inspectors general for the Justice Department and Homeland Security announced investigations into the deployment.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Cohen|first=Max|date=July 23, 2020|title=DOJ IG launches probe into law enforcement actions in Portland and Washington, D.C.|work=[[Politico]]|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/23/doj-ig-probe-law-enforcement-portland-washington-dc-380383|access-date=July 23, 2020}}</ref>

In 2019, Trump signed into law a six-year extension of Section 702 of the [[Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act]], allowing the NSA to conduct searches of foreigners' communications without any warrant. The process incidentally collects information from Americans.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Volz|first=Dustin|date=January 20, 2018|title=Trump signs bill renewing NSA's internet surveillance program|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-cyber-surveillance/trump-signs-bill-renewing-nsas-internet-surveillance-program-idUSKBN1F82MK|access-date=June 27, 2019|website=[[Reuters]]}}</ref>

In August 2020, the Trump administration unsuccessfully attempted to trigger a mechanism that was part of the agreement and would have led to the return of U.N. sanctions against Iran.<ref>{{cite web|last=Nichols|first=Michelle|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-nuclear-un-idUSKBN2AI2Y9|title=U.S. rescinds Trump White House claim that all U.N. sanctions had been reimposed on Iran|work=[[Reuters]]|date=February 18, 2021 |access-date=December 14, 2021}}</ref> The Trump administration asserted that the U.S. remained a "participant" in the [[Iran nuclear deal framework|Iran Deal]] to persuade the [[United Nations Security Council]] to reimpose pre-agreement sanctions on Iran for its breaches of the deal after the U.S. withdrawal. The agreement provided for a resolution process among signatories in the event of a breach, but that process had not yet played out. The Security Council voted on the administration's proposal in August, with only the [[Dominican Republic]] joining the U.S. to vote in favor.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/26/world/middleeast/us-iran-nuclear-deal-pompeo.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=To Pressure Iran, Pompeo Turns to the Deal Trump Renounced|first=David E.|last=Sanger|newspaper=The New York Times|date=April 26, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/20/us/politics/trump-iran-nuclear-deal.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=Instead of Isolating Iran, U.S. Finds Itself on the Outside Over Nuclear Deal |first1=Lara |last1=Jakes |first2=David E. |last2=Sanger |newspaper=The New York Times |date=August 20, 2020}}</ref>

Trump actively supported the [[Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen]] against the [[Houthis]].<ref name="prince">{{#invoke:Cite news||title=Trump praises arms sales as he meets Saudi crown prince|url=https://www.ft.com/content/94204940-2c47-11e8-9b4b-bc4b9f08f381 |access-date=November 8, 2021 |work=[[Financial Times]]|date=March 20, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=Senate rejects bid to end U.S. support for Saudi campaign in Yemen |access-date=November 8, 2021 |first=Patricia |last=Zengerle |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-saudi-senate-idUSKBN1GW2BA |work=[[Reuters]]|date=May 21, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=Trump signs $110 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia on 'a tremendous day'|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-signs-110-billion-arms-deal-saudi-arabia/story?id=47531180|work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]|date=May 20, 2017|access-date=July 6, 2018|first1=Jordyn|last1=Phelps|first2=Ryan|last2=Struyk}}</ref> Trump also praised his relationship with [[Saudi Arabia]]'s powerful Crown Prince [[Mohammad bin Salman]].<ref name="prince" /> On May 20, 2017, Trump and [[Saudi Arabia]]'s [[King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud]] signed a series of letters of intent for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to purchase arms from the United States totaling $110{{spaces}}billion immediately,<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/truth-president-trumps-110-billion-saudi-arms-deal/story?id=47874726 |date=June 7, 2017 |first1=Elizabeth |last1=McLaughlin |first2=Conor |last2=Finnegan |title=The truth about President Trump's $110 billion Saudi arms deal|website=ABC News|access-date=May 21, 2017}}</ref> and $350{{spaces}}billion over ten years.<ref name="cnbc-20170520">{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/20/us-saudi-arabia-seal-weapons-deal-worth-nearly-110-billion-as-trump-begins-visit.html|title=US–Saudi Arabia ink historic 10-year weapons deal worth $350 billion as Trump begins visit|last=David|first=Javier E.|date=May 20, 2017|website=[[CNBC]] |access-date=May 21, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-saudi-arabia-arms-deal-sale-arab-nato-gulf-states-a7741836.html |first=Mythili |last=Sampathkumar |title=Donald Trump to announce $380bn arms deal to Saudi Arabia – one of the largest in history|date=May 17, 2017 |work=[[The Independent]] |access-date=May 21, 2017}}</ref> The transfer was widely seen as a counterbalance against the influence of Iran in the region<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-21/what-do-we-know-about-saudi-arabias-arms-deal-with-america/8544892 |title=What's the goal of America's arms deal with Saudi Arabia?|date=May 21, 2017 |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |access-date=May 21, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/president-donald-trump-arrives-in-saudi-arabia-as-overseas-trip-starts-1495263979|title=Donald Trump, Saudi Arabia Sign Agreements in Move to Counterbalance Iran|last1=Lee|first1=Carol E.|last2=Stancati|first2=Margherita|date=May 20, 2017|work=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=May 21, 2017|issn=0099-9660}}</ref> and a "significant" and "historic" expansion of [[United States relations with Saudi Arabia]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-latest-saudi-arabia-billions-arms-deal-military-sales-a7746601.html |first=Alexandra |last=Wilts |title=Trump signs $110bn arms deal with Saudi Arabia|date=May 20, 2017|work=[[The Independent]]|access-date=May 21, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.vox.com/2017/5/20/15626638/trump-saudi-arabia-arms-deal |first=Alex |last=Ward |title=What America's new arms deal with Saudi Arabia says about the Trump administration|date=May 20, 2017|website=[[Vox (website)|Vox]]|access-date=May 21, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/20/rex-tillerson-saudi-arabia-arms-deal-investment-historic-moment-238637 |title=Tillerson hails 'historic moment' in U.S.-Saudi relations |work=[[Politico]] |date=May 20, 2017 |first=Hanna |last=Trudo |access-date=May 21, 2017}}</ref><ref name="cnbc-20170520" /><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2017/05/20/Trump-signs-110B-defense-deal-receives-warm-welcome-in-Saudi-Arabia/8291495280862/ |date=May 20, 2017 |title=Trump signs $110B defense deal, receives warm welcome in Saudi Arabia|work=UPI|access-date=May 21, 2017}}</ref> By July 2019, two of Trump's three vetoes were to overturn bipartisan congressional action related to Saudi Arabia.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/24/us/politics/trump-veto-arms-saudi-arabia.html|title=Trump Vetoes Bipartisan Resolutions Blocking Arms Sales to Gulf Nations|last1=Shear|first1=Michael D.|last2=Edmondson|first2=Catie|date=July 24, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=July 25, 2019|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

As Donald Trump lost the election bid against Joe Biden, the U.S. State Department notified Congress about its plans to sell 18 sophisticated armed [[General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper|MQ-9B aerial drones]] to the [[United Arab Emirates]], under a deal worth $2.9 billion. The drones were expected to be equipped with maritime radar, and the delivery was being estimated by 2024.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-emirates-drones-exclusive/exclusive-trump-administration-advances-29-billion-drone-sale-to-uae-sources-idUSKBN27M06L |date=November 5, 2020 |title= Trump administration advances $2.9 billion drone sale to UAE – sources|access-date=November 5, 2020|website=[[Reuters]] |first2=Patricia |last2=Zengerle |first1=Mike |last1=Stone}}</ref> Besides, another informal notification was sent to the Congress regarding the plans of providing the UAE with $10 billion of defense equipment, including precision-guided munitions, non-precision bombs and missiles.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-emirates-ordnance/trump-administration-advances-10-billion-defense-sale-to-uae-source-idINL1N2HT026 |date=November 6, 2020 |first1=Patricia |last1=Zengerle |first2=Mike |last2=Stone |title=Trump administration advances $10 billion defense sale to UAE – source|access-date=November 6, 2020 |website=[[Reuters]]}}</ref>

In May 2017, Trump discussed [[Donald Trump revelation of classified information to Russia|highly classified intelligence]] in an [[Oval Office]] meeting with the Russian foreign minister [[Sergey Lavrov]] and ambassador [[Sergey Kislyak]], providing details that could expose the source of the information and how it was collected.<ref name="NYRosenberg">{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Rosenberg|first1=Matthew|last2=Schmitt|first2=Eric|title=Trump Revealed Highly Classified Intelligence to Russia, in Break With Ally, Officials Say|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/15/us/politics/trump-russia-classified-information-isis.html|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=May 15, 2017|date=May 15, 2017|archive-date=May 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170515224247/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/15/us/politics/trump-russia-classified-information-isis.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> A Middle Eastern ally{{efn|Revealed to be Israel the day after publication in the press.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/16/world/middleeast/israel-trump-classified-intelligence-russia.html?_r=0 |title=Israel Said to Be Source of Secret Intelligence Trump Gave to Russians |last1=Goldman |first1=Adam |date=May 16, 2017 |work=The New York Times |last2=Rosenberg |first2=Matthew |last3=Apuzzo |first3=Matt |last4=Schmitt |first4=Eric |author-link=Adam Goldman |author-link2=Matthew Rosenberg |author-link3=Matt Apuzzo |author-link4=Eric P. Schmitt |archive-date=May 17, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517045515/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/16/world/middleeast/israel-trump-classified-intelligence-russia.html?_r=0}}</ref>}} provided the intelligence which had the highest level of classification and was not intended to be shared widely.<ref name="NYRosenberg" /> ''The New York Times'' reported, "sharing the information without the express permission of the ally who provided it was a major breach of espionage etiquette, and could jeopardize a crucial [[Intelligence sharing|intelligence-sharing]] relationship."<ref name="NYRosenberg" /> The White House, through [[National Security Advisor (United States)|National Security Advisor]] [[H. R. McMaster]], issued a limited denial, saying the story "as reported" was incorrect<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first1=Jack |last1=Goldsmith |author-link=Jack Goldsmith |first2=Susan |last2=Hennessey |first3=Quinta |last3=Jurecic |first4=Matthew |last4=Kahn |first5=Benjamin |last5=Wittes |author-link5=Benjamin Wittes |first6=Elishe Julian |last6=Wittes |url=https://www.lawfaremedia.org/bombshell-initial-thoughts-washington-posts-game-changing-story |access-date=November 13, 2021 |title=Bombshell: Initial Thoughts on the Washington Post's Game-Changing Story |work=[[Lawfare (website)|Lawfare]] |date=May 15, 2017}}</ref> and that no "intelligence sources or methods" were discussed.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Mason |first1=Jeff |last2=Zengerle |first2=Patricia |title=Trump revealed intelligence secrets to Russians in Oval Office: officials |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-idUSKCN18B2MX |access-date=November 13, 2021 |work=[[Reuters]]|date=May 16, 2017}}</ref> McMaster did not deny that information had been disclosed.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first=Aaron |last=Blake |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/05/15/the-white-house-isnt-denying-that-trump-gave-russia-classified-information-not-really/ |access-date=November 13, 2021 |title=The White House isn't denying that Trump gave Russia classified information{{snd}}not really |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=May 15, 2017}}</ref> The following day Trump said on Twitter that Russia is an important ally against terrorism and that he had an "absolute right" to share classified information with Russia.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/333550-trump-i-had-absolute-right-to-share-facts-with-russia |title=Trump: I have 'absolute right' to share facts with Russia |last=Savransky |first=Rebecca |date=May 16, 2017 |newspaper=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |access-date=May 16, 2017}}</ref> Soon after the meeting, American intelligence extracted a high-level covert source from within the Russian government, on concerns the individual could be at risk due, in part, to Trump and his administration repeatedly mishandling classified intelligence.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/09/politics/russia-us-spy-extracted/index.html|title=US extracted top spy from inside Russia in 2017 |first=Jim |last=Sciutto |access-date=November 13, 2021 |website=CNN|date=September 9, 2019}}</ref>

After Trump took office, the [[watchdog group]] [[Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington]], represented by a number of constitutional scholars, sued him<ref name="Riback">{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/01/23/why-trumps-business-conflicts-cant-and-wont-just-be-swept-aside-commentary.html |access-date=November 7, 2021 |title=Why Trump's business conflicts can't – and won't – just be swept aside|first=Chris|last=Riback|date=January 23, 2017|work=[[CNBC]]}}</ref> for violations of the [[Foreign Emoluments Clause]] (a [[United States Constitution|constitutional]] provision that bars the president or any other federal official from taking gifts or payments from foreign governments), because his hotels and other businesses accept payment from foreign governments.<ref name="Riback" /><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/liberal-watchdog-group-sues-trump-alleging-he-violated-constitutional-ban/2017/01/22/5e8b35c2-e113-11e6-a547-5fb9411d332c_story.html |access-date=November 7, 2021|title=Liberal watchdog group sues Trump, alleging he violated constitutional ban|first1=David A.|last1=Fahrenthold|author1-link=David Fahrenthold|first2=Jonathan|last2=O'Connell|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=January 23, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first1=David A.|last1=Fahrenthold|author1-link=David Fahrenthold|first2=Jonathan|last2=O'Connell|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/what-is-the-emoluments-clause-does-it-apply-to-president-trump/2017/01/23/12aa7808-e185-11e6-a547-5fb9411d332c_story.html |access-date=November 7, 2021 |title=What is the 'Emoluments Clause'? Does it apply to President Trump?|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=January 23, 2017}}</ref> CREW separately filed a complaint with the [[General Services Administration]] (GSA) over [[Trump International Hotel Washington, D.C.]]; the 2013 lease that Trump and the GSA signed "explicitly forbids any elected government official from holding the lease or benefiting from it".<ref name="Horowitz">{{#invoke:Cite news||first=Julia |last=Horowitz |url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/01/20/news/trump-conflicts-inauguration/ |access-date=November 7, 2021 |title=President Trump hit immediately with ethics complaint |work=CNN |date=January 20, 2017}}</ref> The GSA said it was "reviewing the situation".<ref name="Horowitz" /> By May 2017, the ''[[CREW v. Trump]]'' lawsuit had grown with additional plaintiffs and alleged violations of the [[Domestic Emoluments Clause]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/18/us/politics/trump-crew-lawsuit-constitution.html |title=Watchdog Group Expands Lawsuit Against Trump |date=April 18, 2017|last=LaFraniere|first=Sharon |newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=June 11, 2017}}</ref> In June 2017, attorneys from the Department of Justice filed a motion to dismiss the case on the grounds that the plaintiffs had no right to sue<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/06/09/532302106/trump-administration-calls-for-lawsuit-about-his-businesses-to-be-dismissed|title=Trump Administration Calls For Lawsuit About His Businesses To Be Dismissed|first=Marilyn|last=Geewax|date=June 9, 2017|access-date=June 10, 2017|work=[[NPR]]}}</ref> and that the described conduct was not illegal.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-emoluments-foreign-government-payments-2017-6 |title=Justice Department argues it's fine for Trump to take payments from foreign governments, citing George Washington |website=Business Insider |date=June 10, 2017 |access-date=June 10, 2017 |first=Allan |last=Smith}}</ref> Also in June 2017, two more lawsuits were filed based on the [[Foreign Emoluments Clause]]: ''[[D.C. and Maryland v. Trump]]'',<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=LaFrainere|first=Sharon|title=Maryland and D.C. Sue Trump Over His Private Businesses|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/12/us/trump-lawsuit-private-businesses.html|access-date=June 12, 2017|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 12, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Davis|first=Aaron C.|title=D.C. and Maryland sue President Trump, alleging breach of constitutional oath|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/dc-and-maryland-to-sue-president-trump-alleging-breach-of-constitutional-oath/2017/06/11/0059e1f0-4f19-11e7-91eb-9611861a988f_story.html|access-date=June 12, 2017|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=June 12, 2017}}</ref> and ''[[Blumenthal v. Trump]]'', which was signed by more than one-third of the voting members of [[United States Congress|Congress]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Bykowicz|first=Julie|title=Democrats in Congress are the latest to sue President Trump|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2017/06/13/democrats-congress-are-latest-sue-president-trump/1tG7Mqk5tO4kxjHDh94ABO/story.html|access-date=June 14, 2017|agency=[[Associated Press]]|newspaper=[[Boston Globe]]|date=June 14, 2017|archive-date=June 14, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170614054544/http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2017/06/13/democrats-congress-are-latest-sue-president-trump/1tG7Mqk5tO4kxjHDh94ABO/story.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[United States District Judge]] [[George B. Daniels]] dismissed the CREW case on December 21, 2017, holding that plaintiffs lacked [[Standing (law)|standing]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/judge-dismisses-lawsuit-alleging-trump-violated-constitution/2017/12/21/31011510-e697-11e7-ab50-621fe0588340_story.html |first1=David A. |last1=Fahrenthold |first2=Jonathan |last2=O'Connell |access-date=November 7, 2021 |title=Judge dismisses lawsuit alleging Trump violated Constitution|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=December 21, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/EmolumentsDismissal.pdf |access-date=November 7, 2021 |title=Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington v. Trump |quote=17 Civ. 458 |publisher=S.D.N.Y. |date=December 21, 2017 |via=courthousenews.com}}</ref> ''D.C. and Maryland v. Trump'' cleared three judicial hurdles to proceed to the [[Discovery (law)|discovery]] phase during 2018,<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/28/us/trump-emoluments-lawsuit.html|title=Lawsuit Over Trump's Ties to His Businesses Is Allowed to Advance|first=Sharon|last=LaFraniere|date=March 28, 2018|newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=January 3, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/25/us/politics/trump-emoluments-lawsuit.html|title=In Ruling Against Trump, Judge Defines Anticorruption Clauses in Constitution for First Time|first=Sharon|last=LaFraniere|date=July 25, 2018|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=January 3, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/02/us/politics/trump-emoluments-lawsuit-evidence.html|title=Judge Orders Evidence to Be Gathered in Emoluments Case Against Trump|first=Sharon|last=LaFraniere|date=November 2, 2018|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=January 3, 2019}}</ref> with prosecutors issuing 38 subpoenas to Trump's businesses and cabinet departments in December before the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit|Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals]] issued a [[Stay of proceedings|stay]] days later at the behest of the Justice Department, pending hearings in March 2019.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-attorneys-general-subpoena-trump-irs-20181204-story.html|title=2 attorneys general issue subpoenas to Trump entities in Washington hotel case|first1=Jonathan |last1=O'Connell |first2=Ann E. |last2=Marimow |date=December 4, 2018 |first3=David A. |last3=Fahrenthold |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]] |access-date=January 4, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/17/us/politics/justice-department-trump-emoluments.html|title=Justice Department Asks Court to Halt Emoluments Case Against Trump|first=Sharon|last=LaFraniere|date=December 17, 2018|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=January 4, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-emoluments-idUSKCN1OJ30R |first=Jan |last=Wolfe |title=U.S. appeals court grants Trump request for halt to emoluments case|date=December 21, 2018|work=[[Reuters]]|access-date=January 3, 2019}}</ref> NBC News reported that by June 2019 representatives of 22 governments had spent money at Trump properties.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/reps-22-foreign-governments-have-spent-money-trump-properties-n1015806 |access-date=November 7, 2021 |date=June 12, 2019 |first1=Shelby |last1=Hanssen |first2=Ken |last2=Dilanian |title=Reps of 22 foreign governments have spent money at Trump properties|website=[[NBC News]]}}</ref> In January 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed the lawsuits as Trump was no longer president.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/25/politics/emoluments-supreme-court-donald-trump-case/index.html |access-date=November 7, 2021 |title=Supreme Court dismisses emoluments cases against Trump|first1=Ariane|last1=de Vogue|first2=Devan|last2=Cole |work=CNN|date=January 25, 2021}}</ref>

In January 2024, the [[White House Medical Unit]] and its pharmacy caught the media's attention when the [[Department of Defense Office of Inspector General]] issued an [[White House Medical Unit#2024 Patient Eligibility and Pharmaceutical Management Report|investigation report]] focused on prescription drug records and care between 2017 and 2019, describing improper recording of prescriptions, disposal of controlled substances, and verification of identities, among other problems. The pharmacy dispensed expensive brand-name products for free, and the Unit spent considerable amounts of money on healthcare for numerous ineligible White House staff members, employees, and contractors.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/01/16/ineligible-white-house-staffers-got-free-care-military-hospitals-free-prescription-drugs-watchdog.html |title=Free Surgeries and Prescriptions: White House Staff Got Access to Military Health Care Despite Being Ineligible |last=Kime |first=Patricia |publication-date=January 16, 2024 |publisher=[[Military.com]] |access-date=January 26, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2024/01/24/health/white-house-medical-unit-report/index.html |title=White House clinic handed out medications with little oversight during past administrations, new investigation shows |last=Goodman |first=Brenda |publication-date=January 24, 2024 |publisher=CNN |access-date=January 25, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-white-house-pharmacy-improperly-provided-drugs-misused-funds-pentagon-2024-01-28/ |title=Trump White House pharmacy improperly provided drugs and misused funds, Pentagon report says |last=Aboulenein |first=Ahmed |publication-date=January 28, 2024 |publisher=[[Reuters]] |access-date=January 30, 2024}}</ref>

Trump refused to concede, and the administration did not begin cooperating with president-elect Biden's transition team until November 23.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-transition-agencies-biden/2020/11/09/ad9f2ba2-22b7-11eb-952e-0c475972cfc0_story.html|title=White House, escalating tensions, orders agencies to rebuff Biden transition team|last1=Rein|first1=Lisa|last2=Viser|first2=Matt|last3=Miller|first3=Greg|last4=Dawsey|first4=Josh|date=November 9, 2020|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=March 27, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last1=Holmes|first1=Kristen|last2=Herb|first2=Jeremy|date=November 23, 2020|title=First on CNN: Key government agency acknowledges Biden's win and begins formal transition|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/23/politics/transition-biden-gsa-begin/index.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201123232709/https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/23/politics/transition-biden-gsa-begin/index.html|archive-date=November 23, 2020|access-date=November 24, 2020|website=CNN}}</ref> In late December 2020, Biden and his transition team criticized Trump administration political appointees for hampering the transition and failing to cooperate with the Biden transition team on national security areas, such as the Defense and State departments, as well as on the economic response to the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that many of the agencies that are critical to their security have incurred enormous damage and have been hollowed out{{snd}}in personnel, capacity and in morale.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Kaplan|first=Thomas|date=December 28, 2020|title=Biden Admonishes Trump Administration Over 'Obstruction'|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/28/us/politics/biden-trump-transition.html|access-date=November 7, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Forgey|first=Quint|date=December 30, 2020|title=Biden transition chief blasts 'obstruction' by political appointees at OMB, Pentagon|work=[[Politico]]|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/30/abraham-blasts-trump-omb-pentagon-452354|access-date=November 7, 2021}}</ref> Throughout December and January, Trump continued to insist that he had won the election. He filed numerous lawsuits alleging election fraud, tried to persuade state and federal officials to [[Attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election|overturn the results]], and urged his supporters to rally on his behalf.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2021-01-06/trump-supporters-crowd-into-washington-to-protest-congress-certifying-bidens-victory|title=Trump Summoned Supporters to 'Wild' Protest, and Told Them to Fight. They Did|last1=Holland|first1=Steve|last2=Mason|first2=Jeff|last3=Landay|first3=Jonathan|date=January 6, 2021|agency=[[Reuters]]|publisher=U.S. News|access-date=March 27, 2021}}</ref> At the urging and direction of Trump campaign attorneys and other Trump associates, including [[Rudy Giuliani]] and [[Steve Bannon]], Republican activists in seven states filed and submitted false documents claiming to be the official presidential electors.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=Trump campaign officials, led by Rudy Giuliani, oversaw fake electors plot in 7 states |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/20/politics/trump-campaign-officials-rudy-giuliani-fake-electors/index.html |publisher=CNN |date=January 20, 2022|first1= Marshall|last1= Cohen|first2=Zachary|last2=Cohen|first3=Dan|last3=Merica}}</ref> The "alternate slates" were intended to serve as a reason for Congress or the vice president to reject the results from the seven states.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=Memos Show Roots of Trump's Focus on Jan. 6 and Alternate Electors |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/02/us/politics/trump-jan-6-memos.html |work=The New York Times |date=February 2, 2022|first1=Alan|last1=Feuer|first2=Maggie|last2=Haberman|first3=Luke|last3=Broadwater}}</ref>