First presidency of Donald Trump: Difference between revisions

Trump's cabinet included U.S. senator from Alabama [[Jeff Sessions]] as [[United States Attorney General|attorney general]],<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Lichtblau|first=Eric|author-link=Eric Lichtblau|date=November 18, 2016|title=Jeff Sessions, as Attorney General, Could Overhaul Department He's Skewered|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/19/us/politics/jeff-sessions-donald-trump-attorney-general.html|access-date=December 19, 2019}}</ref> banker [[Steve Mnuchin]] as [[United States Secretary of the Treasury|Treasury Secretary]],<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||date=November 30, 2016|title=Former US banker Steve Mnuchin confirms he will be US treasury secretary|work=[[BBC News]]|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38141686|access-date=November 30, 2016}}</ref> retired Marine Corps general [[James Mattis]] as [[United States Secretary of Defense|Defense Secretary]],<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||date=December 1, 2016|last=Lamothe|first=Dan|title=Trump has chosen retired Marine Gen. James Mattis for secretary of defense|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-has-chosen-retired-marine-gen-james-mattis-for-secretary-of-defense/2016/12/01/6c6b3b74-aff9-11e6-be1c-8cec35b1ad25_story.html|access-date=December 1, 2016}}</ref> and [[ExxonMobil]] CEO [[Rex Tillerson]] as [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Shear|first1=Michael D.|author-link1=Michael D. Shear|last2=Haberman|first2=Maggie|author-link2=Maggie Haberman|date=December 12, 2016|title=Rex Tillerson, Exxon C.E.O., chosen as Secretary of State|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/12/us/politics/rex-tillerson-secretary-of-state-trump.html|access-date=December 26, 2016}}</ref> Trump also brought on board politicians who had opposed him during the presidential campaign, such as neurosurgeon [[Ben Carson]] as [[Secretary of Housing and Urban Development]],<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Gabriel|first=Trip|author-link=Trip Gabriel|date=December 5, 2016|title=Trump Chooses Ben Carson to Lead HUD|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/05/us/politics/ben-carson-housing-urban-development-trump.html|access-date=December 5, 2016}}</ref> and South Carolina governor [[Nikki Haley]] as [[United States Ambassador to the United Nations|Ambassador to the United Nations]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Markon|first1=Jerry|last2=Costa|first2=Robert|last3=Brown|first3=Emma|author-link=Robert Costa (journalist)|date=November 23, 2016|title=Trump nominates two prominent GOP women: DeVos as education secretary, Haley as U.N. ambassador|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/sc-gov-nikki-haley-tapped-to-be-trumps-un-ambassador/2016/11/23/c1395cb6-b144-11e6-8616-52b15787add0_story.html|access-date=November 23, 2016}}</ref>[[File:Donald Trump Cabinet meeting 2017-03-13 04.jpg|thumb|Cabinet meeting, March 2017|alt=Trump sits with Cabinet officials at an oval conference table in a formal room, with microphones above it]]

Days after the presidential election, Trump selected RNC Chairman [[Reince Priebus]] as his [[White House Chief of Staff|chief of staff]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Shear|first1=Michael|last2=Haberman|first2=Maggie|author2-link=Maggie Haberman|last3=Rappeport|first3=Alan|title=Donald Trump Picks Reince Priebus as Chief of Staff and Stephen Bannon as Strategist|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/14/us/politics/reince-priebus-chief-of-staff-donald-trump.html|newspaper=The New York Times|date=November 13, 2016|access-date=November 14, 2016}}</ref> Trump chose Sessions for the position of attorney general.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Stokols|first=Eli|title=What Trump's early picks say about his administration|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/trump-cabinet-selections-231617 |newspaper=[[Politico]]|date=November 18, 2016|access-date=November 18, 2016}}</ref>

On February 13, 2017, Trump fired [[Michael Flynn]] from the post of [[National Security Advisor (United States)|National Security Advisor]] on grounds that he had lied to Vice President Pence about his communications with [[List of ambassadors of Russia to the United States|Russian Ambassador]] [[Sergey Kislyak]]; Flynn later pleaded guilty to lying to the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] (FBI) about his contacts with Russia.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Goldman|first1=Adam|last2=Mazzetti|first2=Mark|date=May 14, 2020|title=Trump White House Changes Its Story on Michael Flynn|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/14/us/politics/trump-michael-flynn.html|access-date=May 20, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Flynn was fired amidst the ongoing controversy concerning [[Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections|Russian interference in the 2016 election]] and accusations that Trump's electoral team colluded with Russian agents.

Trump dismissed [[Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI Director]] [[James Comey]] on May 9, 2017, saying he had accepted the recommendations of Attorney General Sessions and [[United States Deputy Attorney General|Deputy Attorney General]] [[Rod Rosenstein]] to dismiss Comey. Sessions's recommendation was based on Rosenstein's, while Rosenstein wrote that Comey should be dismissed for his handling of the conclusion of the FBI investigation into the [[Hillary Clinton email controversy]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Gambacorta|first=David|title=Rod Rosenstein: one-man man standing in Trump's way is the president's polar opposite|url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/news/politics/presidential/rod-rosenstein-trump-russia-investigation-robert-mueller-20170727.html |date=July 27, 2017 |website=[[philly.com]]|publisher=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]|access-date=February 20, 2019}}</ref> On May 10, Trump met Russian foreign minister [[Sergey Lavrov]] and Russian ambassador [[Sergey Kislyak]]. Based on White House notes of [[Donald Trump's disclosures of classified information|the meeting]], Trump told the Russians, "I just fired the head of the FBI. He was crazy, a real nut job{{spaces}}... I faced great pressure because of Russia. That's taken off."<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Apuzzo|first1=Matt|author1-link=Matt Apuzzo|last2=Haberman|first2=Maggie|author2-link=Maggie Haberman|last3=Rosenberg|first3=Matthew|author3-link=Matthew Rosenberg|title=Trump Told Russians That Firing 'Nut Job' Comey Eased Pressure From Investigation|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/19/us/politics/trump-russia-comey.html|newspaper=The New York Times|date=May 19, 2017|access-date=May 19, 2017}}</ref> On May 11, Trump said in a videoed interview, "...{{spaces}}regardless of recommendation, I was going to fire Comey{{spaces}}... in fact, when I decided to just do it, I said to myself, I said, you know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story."<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Shabad|first=Rebecca|title=Trump says he planned to fire James Comey regardless of DOJ recommendation|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-says-he-planned-to-fire-james-comey-regardless-of-doj-recommendation/ |date=May 11, 2017 |work=[[CBS News]]|access-date=February 20, 2019}}</ref> On May 18, Rosenstein told members of the U.S. Senate that he recommended Comey's dismissal while knowing Trump had already decided to fire Comey.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first=Leigh Ann|last=Caldwell|title=Rosenstein Tells Senate He Knew of Comey Firing Before He Wrote Memo|date=May 18, 2017|work=[[NBC News]]|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/rosenstein-tells-senate-he-knew-comey-firing-he-wrote-memo-n761666 |access-date=November 8, 2021}}</ref> In the aftermath of Comey's firing, the events were compared with those of the "[[Saturday Night Massacre]]" during [[Richard Nixon]]'s administration and there was debate over whether Trump had provoked a [[constitutional crisis]], as he had dismissed the man leading an investigation into Trump's associates.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Rosen|first=Jeffrey|author-link=Jeffrey Rosen (legal academic)|title=Does Comey's Dismissal Fit the Definition of a Constitutional Crisis?|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/05/president-trump-james-comey-constitutional-crisis/526299/|access-date=May 12, 2017|work=[[The Atlantic]]|date=May 11, 2017}}</ref> Trump's statements raised concerns of potential obstruction of justice.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/30/us/politics/questions-mueller-wants-to-ask-trump-russia.html |date=April 30, 2018 |first1=Matt |last1=Apuzzo |first2=Michael S. |last2=Schmidt |title=The Questions Mueller Wants to Ask Trump About Obstruction, and What They Mean|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=October 20, 2018}}</ref> In [[Dismissal of James Comey#February 14 meeting|Comey's memo about a February 2017 meeting with Trump]], Comey said Trump attempted to persuade him to abort the investigation into Flynn.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Schmidt|first=Michael S.|author-link=Michael S. Schmidt|date=May 16, 2017|title=Comey Memo Says Trump Asked Him to End Flynn Investigation|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/16/us/politics/james-comey-trump-flynn-russia-investigation.html|access-date=May 16, 2017}}</ref>

Trump ultimately appointed 226 [[United States federal judge|Article III federal judges]] and [[List of federal judges appointed by Donald Trump|260 federal judges]] in total.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/01/13/how-trump-compares-with-other-recent-presidents-in-appointing-federal-judges/ |access-date=November 8, 2021 |first=John |last=Gramlich |date=January 13, 2021 |title=How Trump compares with other recent presidents in appointing federal judges}}</ref> His appointees, who were usually affiliated with the conservative [[Federalist Society]], [[Judicial appointment history for United States federal courts|shifted the judiciary to the right]].<ref name="Ruiz">{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Ruiz|first1=Rebecca R.|last2=Gebeloff|first2=Robert|last3=Eder|first3=Steve|last4=Protess|first4=Ben|date=March 14, 2020|title=A Conservative Agenda Unleashed on the Federal Courts|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/14/us/trump-appeals-court-judges.html |access-date=November 8, 2021}}</ref> A third of Trump's appointees were under 45 years old when appointed, far higher than under previous presidents.<ref name="Ruiz" /> Trump's judicial nominees were less likely to be female or ethnic minority than those of the previous administration.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||date=November 14, 2017|title=Trump choosing white men as judges, highest rate in decades|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-choosing-white-men-as-judges-highest-rate-in-decades/|access-date=December 21, 2021|website=www.cbsnews.com|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Gramlich|first=John|date=March 20, 2018|title=Trump has appointed a larger share of female judges than other GOP presidents, but lags Obama |publisher=Pew Research Center|url=https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/10/02/trump-has-appointed-a-larger-share-of-female-judges-than-other-gop-presidents-but-lags-obama/ |access-date=May 11, 2018}}</ref> Of Trump's judicial appointments to the U.S. courts of appeals (circuit courts), two-thirds were white men, compared to 31% of Obama nominees and 63% of George W. Bush nominees.<ref name="Ruiz" /><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||first=Andrew|last=Cohen|date=July 1, 2020|url=https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/trump-and-mcconnells-overwhelmingly-white-male-judicial-appointments |access-date=November 8, 2021 |work=[[Brennan Center for Justice]] |publisher=New York University School of Law|title=Trump and McConnell's Overwhelmingly White Male Judicial Appointments}}</ref>

* [[Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court nomination|Trump nominated Brett Kavanaugh]] in July 2018 to replace retiring Justice [[Anthony Kennedy]], who was considered a key swing vote on the Supreme Court. The Senate confirmed Kavanaugh in a mostly party-line vote of 50–48 in October 2018 after allegations that Kavanaugh had attempted to rape another student when they were both in high school, which Kavanaugh denied.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first=Sheryl Gay|last=Stolberg|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/06/us/politics/brett-kavanaugh-supreme-court.html |access-date=November 8, 2021 |date=October 6, 2018|title=Kavanaugh Is Sworn In After Close Confirmation Vote in Senate|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Barnes|first=Robert|title=Justice Kennedy, the pivotal swing vote on the Supreme Court, announces his retirement|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/justice-kennedy-the-pivotal-swing-vote-on-the-supreme-court-announces-retirement/2018/06/27/a40a8c64-5932-11e7-a204-ad706461fa4f_story.html|access-date=August 26, 2018|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=June 27, 2018}}</ref>

* [[Amy Coney Barrett Supreme Court nomination|Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett]] in September 2020 to fill the vacancy left by the [[Death and state funeral of Ruth Bader Ginsburg|death of Justice]] [[Ruth Bader Ginsburg]]. Ginsburg was considered part of the Court's liberal wing and her replacement with a conservative jurist substantially changed the [[Ideological leanings of United States Supreme Court justices|ideological composition of the Supreme Court]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Baker|first1=Peter|last2=Haberman|first2=Maggie|date=September 25, 2020|title=Trump Selects Amy Coney Barrett to Fill Ginsburg's Seat on the Supreme Court|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/25/us/politics/amy-coney-barrett-supreme-court.html |access-date=November 8, 2021 |author1-link=Peter Baker (journalist)|author2-link=Maggie Haberman}}</ref> Democrats opposed the nomination, arguing that the court vacancy should not be filled until after the [[2020 United States presidential election|2020 presidential election]]. On October 26, 2020, the Senate confirmed Barrett by a mostly party-line vote of 52–48, with all Democrats opposing her confirmation.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/senate-amy-coney-barrett-vote |first=Tyler |last=Olson |title=Senate confirms Amy Coney Barrett to Supreme Court, cements 6-3 conservative majority|website=[[Fox News]]|date=October 26, 2020|access-date=December 17, 2020}}</ref>

Trump's own staffers, subordinates, and allies frequently characterized Trump as infantile.<ref>{{Cite book |last = Drezner |first = Daniel W. |title = The Toddler-in-Chief |date = 2020 |publisher = University of Chicago Press |doi = 10.7208/chicago/9780226714394.001.0001 |isbn = 978-0-226-71425-7 |s2cid = 202954099}}</ref> Trump reportedly eschewed reading detailed briefing documents, including the [[President's Daily Brief]], in favor of receiving oral briefings.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/breaking-with-tradition-trump-skips-presidents-written-intelligence-report-for-oral-briefings/2018/02/09/b7ba569e-0c52-11e8-95a5-c396801049ef_story.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |date=February 9, 2018 |first1=Carol D. |last1=Leonnig |first2=Shane |last2=Harris |first3=Greg |last3=Jaffe |title=Breaking with tradition, Trump skips president's written intelligence report and relies on oral briefings|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/01/americas-first-post-text-president/549794/ |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=The President Who Doesn't Read |first=David A. |last=Graham |date=January 5, 2018 |website=[[The Atlantic]]}}</ref> Intelligence briefers reportedly repeated the President's name and title in order to keep his attention.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-intelligence-reports-white-house-read-them-mentioned-name-president-a7740726.html |first=Andrew |last=Griffin |access-date=November 7, 2021 |title=Donald Trump will only read intelligence reports if he is mentioned in them, White House sources claim|date=May 17, 2017 |website=[[The Independent]]}}</ref><ref name="time.com">{{cite magazine |url = https://time.com/5518947/donald-trump-intelligence-briefings-national-security/ |date = February 5, 2019 |first = John |last = Walcott |access-date = November 7, 2021 |title = 'Willful Ignorance'. Inside President Trump's Troubled Intel Briefings |magazine = Time |archive-date = October 27, 2021 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211027091400/https://time.com/5518947/donald-trump-intelligence-briefings-national-security/ |url-status = live }}</ref> He was also known to acquire information by watching up to eight hours of television each day, most notably [[Fox News]] programs such as ''[[Fox & Friends]]'' and ''[[Hannity]]'', whose broadcast talking points Trump sometimes repeated in public statements, particularly in early morning tweets.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/09/us/politics/donald-trump-president.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=Inside Trump's Hour-by-Hour Battle for Self-Preservation|first1=Maggie|last1=Haberman|first2=Glenn|last2=Thrush|first3=Peter|last3=Baker|newspaper=The New York Times|date=December 9, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/04/22/media/president-trump-fox-news/index.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=Watch President Trump repeat Fox News talking points|first=Jackie|last=Wattles|date=April 22, 2018|website=[[CNNMoney]]}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/01/05/trump-media-feedback-loop-216248/ |access-date=November 11, 2021 |date=January 5, 2018 |title=I've Studied the Trump-Fox Feedback Loop for Months. It's Crazier Than You Think.|first=Matthew |last=Gertz |website=[[Politico]]}}</ref> Trump reportedly expressed anger if intelligence analyses contradicted his beliefs or public statements, with two briefers stating they had been instructed by superiors to not provide Trump with information that contradicted his public statements.<ref name="time.com" />

Trump had reportedly fostered chaos as a management technique, resulting in low morale and policy confusion among his staff.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/01/us/politics/trump-chaos-oval-office.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=Trump's Chaos Theory for the Oval Office Is Taking Its Toll|first1=Mark|last1=Landler|first2=Maggie|last2=Haberman |date=March 1, 2018 |newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/13/business-professors-discuss-donald-trumps-chaotic-management-style.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=Business professors discuss Donald Trump's chaotic management style|first=Ruth|last=Umoh|date=March 13, 2018 |work=[[CNBC]]}}</ref> Trump proved unable to effectively compromise during the [[115th U.S. Congress]], which led to significant governmental [[Gridlock (politics)|gridlock]] and few notable legislative accomplishments despite Republican control of both houses of Congress.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite journal|| last=Binder| first=Sarah| date=2018| title=Dodging the Rules in Trump's Republican Congress| journal=The Journal of Politics| volume=80| issue=4| pages=1454–1463| doi=10.1086/699334| s2cid=158183066| issn=0022-3816}}</ref> Presidential historian [[Doris Kearns Goodwin]] found Trump lacked several traits of an effective leader, including "humility, acknowledging errors, shouldering blame and learning from mistakes, empathy, resilience, collaboration, connecting with people and controlling unproductive emotions."<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/10/business/trump-staff-turnover-leadership.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=Why Trump's Unusual Leadership Style Isn't Working in the White House|first=James B.|last=Stewart|date=January 10, 2019|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref>

The number and scale of Trump's statements in public speeches, remarks, and [[Twitter#Tweets|tweets]] identified as false by scholars, fact-checkers, and commentators were characterized as unprecedented for an American president,<ref>{{#invoke:Cite journal||first=Carole|last=McGranahan|url=https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/amet.12475|title=An anthropology of lying: Trump and the political sociality of moral outrage|journal=[[American Ethnologist]]|volume=44|issue=2|date=April 2017|pages=243–248|doi=10.1111/amet.12475|quote=Donald Trump is different. By all metrics and counting schemes, his lies are off the charts. We simply have not seen such an accomplished and effective liar before in U.S. politics.{{spaces}}... Stretching the truth and exaggerating is a key part of Trump's repertoire.|access-date=June 13, 2020|archive-date=January 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126005215/https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/amet.12475|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||access-date=November 11, 2021 |first=Grace |last=Segers |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/washington-post-fact-checker-talks-trumps-false-statements/|title=Washington Post fact checker talks about Trump and the truth |work=[[CBS News]] |date=June 12, 2020|quote=Glenn Kessler, the chief writer for the "Fact Checker" feature of ''The Washington Post'', says that 'every president lies,' but President Trump is unique in the sheer scale and number of his falsehoods.{{spaces}}... 'What is unique about Trump is that he misleads and says false things and lies about just about everything on a regular basis.'}}</ref> and even unprecedented in U.S. politics.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Stolberg|first=Sheryl Gay|date=August 7, 2017|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/07/us/politics/lies-trump-obama-mislead.html|title=Many Politicians Lie. But Trump Has Elevated the Art of Fabrication|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 11, 2019|quote=President Trump, historians and consultants in both political parties agree, appears to have taken what the writer Hannah Arendt once called 'the conflict between truth and politics' to an entirely new level.}}</ref> ''[[The New Yorker]]'' called falsehoods a distinctive part of his political identity,<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/letter-from-trumps-washington/trumps-escalating-war-on-the-truth-is-on-purpose| title=It's True: Trump Is Lying More, and He's Doing It on Purpose| magazine=[[The New Yorker]]| date=August 3, 2018| access-date=January 10, 2019| first=Susan| last=Glasser| quote=for the President's unprecedented record of untruths{{spaces}}... the previous gold standard in Presidential lying was, of course, Richard Nixon{{spaces}}... the falsehoods are as much a part of his political identity as his floppy orange hair and the "Make America Great Again" slogan.}}</ref> and they have also been described by Republican political advisor [[Amanda Carpenter]] as a [[gaslighting]] tactic.<ref>{{cite book |last = Carpenter |first = Amanda |author-link = Amanda Carpenter |title = Gaslighting America: Why We Love It When Trump Lies to Us |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=wPKmtAEACAAJ |publisher = [[HarperCollins]] |access-date = March 2, 2019 |isbn = 978-0-06-274801-0 |date = April 30, 2019}}</ref> His White House had dismissed the idea of [[objective truth]],<ref>{{cite book |last = Kakutani |first = Michiko |author-link = Michiko Kakutani |title = The Death of Truth: Notes on Falsehood in the Age of Trump |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=vlw_DwAAQBAJ |publisher = [[Crown Publishing Group]] |access-date = March 2, 2019 |isbn = 978-0-525-57484-2 |date = July 17, 2018}}</ref> and his campaign and presidency have been described as being "[[post-truth]]",<ref>{{cite book |last = Kellner |first = Douglas |author-link = Douglas Kellner |title = Post-Truth, Fake News |pages = 89–100 |chapter = Donald Trump and the Politics of Lying |doi = 10.1007/978-981-10-8013-5_7 |year = 2018 |isbn = 978-981-10-8012-8}}</ref> as well as hyper-[[Orwellian]].<ref>{{cite book |last = Peters |first = Michael A. |author-link = Michael Adrian Peters |title = Post-Truth, Fake News |pages = 145–150 |chapter = Education in a Post-truth World |doi = 10.1007/978-981-10-8013-5_12 |url = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323242136 |year = 2018 |isbn = 978-981-10-8012-8 |s2cid = 152030865 |access-date = November 8, 2021 |archive-date = November 10, 2021 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211110172459/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323242136_Education_in_a_Post-truth_World |url-status = live }}</ref> Trump's rhetorical signature included disregarding data from federal institutions that was incompatible to his arguments; quoting hearsay, anecdotal evidence, and questionable claims in partisan media; denying reality (including his own statements); and distracting when falsehoods were exposed.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite journal||last1=Jamieson|first1=Kathleen Hall|last2=Taussig|first2=Doron|title=Disruption, Demonization, Deliverance, and Norm Destruction: The Rhetorical Signature of Donald J. Trump|journal=[[Political Science Quarterly]]|date=2017|volume=132|issue=4|pages=619–650|url=https://go.galegroup.com/ps/anonymous?id=GALE%7CA523610257&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=00323195&p=AONE&sw=w|access-date=March 2, 2019|doi=10.1002/polq.12699 |s2cid=158646001}}</ref>

Shortly before Trump secured the 2016 Republican nomination, ''The New York Times'' reported "legal experts across the political spectrum say" Trump's rhetoric reflected "a constitutional worldview that shows contempt for the [[First Amendment to the United States Constitution|First Amendment]], the [[Separation of powers under the United States Constitution|separation of powers]], and the [[rule of law]]," adding "many conservative and libertarian legal scholars warn that electing Mr. Trump is a recipe for a [[constitutional crisis]]."<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/04/us/politics/donald-trump-constitution-power.html |first=Adam |last=Liptak |date=June 4, 2016 |title=Donald Trump Could Threaten U.S. Rule of Law, Scholars Say|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=November 18, 2018}}</ref> Political scientists warned that candidate Trump's rhetoric and actions mimicked those of other politicians who ultimately turned [[Authoritarianism|authoritarian]] once in office.<ref>{{cite book |access-date = November 10, 2021 |last = Levitsky |first = Steven |title = How democracies die |date = January 16, 2018 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=iF3ODgAAQBAJ&pg=PA61 |pages = 61–67 |publisher = Crown |isbn = 978-0-525-58795-8 |oclc = 1019872575}}</ref> Some scholars have concluded that during Trump's tenure as president and largely due to his actions and rhetoric, the U.S. has experienced [[democratic backsliding]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite journal||last1=Lieberman |first1=Robert C. |last2=Mettler |first2=Suzanne |last3=Pepinsky |first3=Thomas B. |last4=Roberts |first4=Kenneth M. |last5=Valelly |first5=Richard |title=The Trump Presidency and American Democracy: A Historical and Comparative Analysis |journal=Perspectives on Politics |date=October 29, 2018 |volume=17 |issue=2 |pages=470–479 |doi=10.1017/S1537592718003286 |issn=1537-5927 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite journal||last1=Kaufman |first1=Robert R. |last2=Haggard |first2=Stephan |title=Democratic Decline in the United States: What Can We Learn from Middle-Income Backsliding? |journal=Perspectives on Politics |date=October 29, 2018 |volume=17 |issue=2 |pages=417–432 |doi=10.1017/s1537592718003377 |issn=1537-5927 |doi-access=free}}</ref> Many prominent Republicans have expressed similar concerns that Trump's perceived disregard for the rule of law betrayed conservative principles.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.nhpr.org/all-things-considered/2018-05-23/bill-kristol-really-wants-someone-to-challenge-trump |title=Bill Kristol Really Wants Someone to Challenge Trump|first=Peter|last=Biello|date=May 23, 2018|publisher=NHPR|access-date=November 18, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/25/opinion/republicans-midterms-trump.html |date=June 25, 2018 |first=David |last=Leonhardt |title=Opinion – Republicans Against Trump|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=November 18, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=Just in time: A new Republican group seeks to protect Mueller |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=April 11, 2018 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2018/04/11/just-in-time-a-new-republican-group-seeks-to-protect-mueller/ |first=Jennifer |last=Rubin |access-date=November 10, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=Conservative Lawyers Say Trump Has Undermined the Rule of Law |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/14/us/politics/conservative-lawyers-trump.html |first=Adam |last=Liptak |access-date=November 18, 2018 |date=November 14, 2018}}</ref>

During the first two years of his presidency, Trump repeatedly sought to influence the [[United States Department of Justice|Department of Justice]] to investigate Clinton,<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/trumpometer/promise/1345/appoint-special-prosecutor-investigate-hillary-cli/ |access-date=November 10, 2021 |title=No special counsel was ever appointed to investigate Hillary Clinton |work=PolitiFact |first=Louis |last=Jacobson |date=July 15, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||access-date=November 10, 2021 |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/03/trump-doj-investigate-hillary-clinton-244505 |title=Trump ratchets up call for DOJ to investigate Hillary Clinton |first=Louis |last=Nelson |website=[[Politico]] |date=November 3, 2017}}</ref> the [[Democratic National Committee]],<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/358576-trump-calls-on-fbi-to-investigate-dems-after-revelations-about/|first1=Jordan|last1=Fabian|first2=Avery|last2=Anapol|title=Trump calls on FBI to investigate Clinton-DNC deal|work=The Hill|date=November 3, 2017|access-date=September 18, 2022}}</ref> and Comey.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-foes-james-comey-andrew-mccabe-reportedly-subjected-rare-rigorou-rcna37024|title=IRS asks for review of audits into Trump foes James Comey and Andrew McCabe|date=July 7, 2022|first1=Zoë|last1=Richards|first2=Dareh|last2=Gregorian|work=NBC News|access-date=September 19, 2022}}</ref> He persistently repeated a variety of allegations, at least some of which had already been investigated or debunked.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/03/trump-doj-investigate-hillary-clinton-244505 |first=Louis |last=Nelson |title=Trump ratchets up call for DOJ to investigate Hillary Clinton |work=[[Politico]] |access-date=November 21, 2018 |date=November 3, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/20/politics/donald-trump-justice-department-campaign/index.html|title=Trump demands Justice Department examine whether it or FBI spied on campaign |first1=Maegan |last1=Vazquez |first2=Laura |last2=Jarrett |first3=Dana |last3=Bash |date=May 20, 2018 |work=CNN|access-date=November 21, 2018}}</ref> In spring 2018, Trump told White House counsel [[Don McGahn]] he wanted to order the Department of Justice to prosecute Clinton and Comey, but McGahn advised Trump such action would constitute abuse of power and invite possible [[Federal impeachment in the United States|impeachment]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/20/us/politics/president-trump-justice-department.html |date=November 20, 2018 |first1=Michael S. |last1=Schmidt |first2=Maggie |last2=Haberman |title=Trump Wanted to Order Justice Dept. to Prosecute Comey and Clinton |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=November 21, 2018}}</ref> In May 2018, Trump demanded that the Department of Justice investigate "whether or not the FBI/DOJ infiltrated or surveilled the Trump Campaign for Political Purposes," which the Department of Justice referred to its [[United States Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General|inspector general]].<ref name="nytimes.com2">{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/20/us/politics/trump-mueller.html |date=May 20, 2018 |first1=Julie Hirschfeld |last1=Davis |first2=Adam |last2=Goldman |title=Trump Demands Inquiry Into Whether Justice Dept. 'Infiltrated or Surveilled' His Campaign|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=November 21, 2018}}</ref> Although it is not unlawful for a president to exert influence on the Department of Justice to open an investigation, presidents have assiduously avoided doing so to prevent perceptions of political interference.<ref name="nytimes.com2" /><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-politics-north-america-ap-top-news-impeachments-060ca2399a744b4a9554dbd2ec276a90 |title=Trump Wanted to Prosecute Comey, Hillary Clinton|work=[[Associated Press]] |date=November 21, 2018 |first=Zeke |last=Miller |access-date=November 21, 2018}}</ref>

Trump frequently criticized the independence of the judiciary for unfairly interfering in his administration's ability to decide policy.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Coyle|first=Marcia|date=February 25, 2020|title='Ridiculous and Unhelpful': Commentary on Trump's Bashing of SCOTUS|work=[[National Law Journal]]|url=https://www.law.com/nationallawjournal/2020/02/25/ridiculous-and-unhelpful-commentary-on-trumps-bashing-of-scotus/?slreturn=20200125193933|access-date=February 26, 2020}}</ref> In November 2018, in an extraordinary rebuke of a sitting president, Roberts criticized Trump's characterization of a judge who had ruled against his policies as an "Obama judge", adding "That's not law."<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/20/us/politics/trump-appeals-court-ninth-circuit.html |first=Adam |last=Liptak |date=November 20, 2018 |title=Trump Takes Aim at Appeals Court, Calling It a 'Disgrace'|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=November 21, 2018}}</ref> In October 2020, twenty Republican former [[United States Attorney|U.S. attorneys]], among them appointees by each Republican president since Eisenhower, characterized Trump as "a threat to the rule of law in our country." [[Greg Brower]], who worked in the Trump administration, asserted, "It's clear that President Trump views the Justice Department and the FBI as his own personal law firm and investigative agency."<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Hamburger |first1=Tom |last2=Barrett |first2=Devlin |title=Former U.S. attorneys – all Republicans – back Biden, saying Trump threatens 'the rule of law' |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/republican-us-attorneys-back-biden/2020/10/27/c1b55702-17fd-11eb-befb-8864259bd2d8_story.html |access-date=November 10, 2021 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=October 27, 2020}}</ref>

Early into his presidency, Trump developed a highly contentious relationship with the news media, repeatedly referring to them as the "[[fake news]] media" and "the [[enemy of the people]]."<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Bondarenko|first=Veronika|title=Trump keeps saying 'enemy of the people' – but the phrase has a very ugly history|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/history-of-president-trumps-phrase-an-enemy-of-the-people-2017-2 |date=February 27, 2017 |website=Business Insider|access-date=October 25, 2017}}</ref> As a candidate, Trump had refused press credentials for offending publications but said he would not do so if elected.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://money.cnn.com/2016/06/14/media/donald-trump-press-credentials-access/index.html|title=Donald Trump: I won't kick reporters out of White House press briefing room|last=Stelter|first=Brian|work=[[CNN Business]] |date=June 14, 2016|access-date=December 28, 2019}}</ref> Trump both privately and publicly mused about taking away critical reporters' [[White House press corps|White House press credentials]].<ref name="Stelter-2018">{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/05/09/media/president-trump-press-credentials/index.html |date=May 9, 2018 |title=Trump's latest shot at the press corps: 'Take away credentials?' |first1=Brian |last1=Stelter |first2=Kaitlan |last2=Collins |work=[[CNNMoney]] |access-date=May 9, 2018}}</ref> At the same time, the Trump White House gave temporary press passes to far-right [[pro-Trump]] fringe outlets, such as ''[[InfoWars]]'' and ''[[The Gateway Pundit]]'', which are known for publishing hoaxes and [[Conspiracy theory|conspiracy theories]].<ref name="Stelter-2018" /><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.businessinsider.com/infowars-granted-white-house-press-credentials-2017-5 |first=Maxwell |last=Tani |date=May 22, 2017 |title=Conspiracy outlet InfoWars was granted temporary White House press credentials|work=Business Insider|access-date=May 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news|| last=Grynbaum| first=Michael M.| title=White House Grants Press Credentials to a Pro-Trump Blog| website=The New York Times| date=February 13, 2017|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/13/business/the-gateway-pundit-trump.html| access-date=June 4, 2018}}</ref>

On his first day in office, Trump falsely accused journalists of understating the size of the crowd at his inauguration and called the news media "among the most dishonest human beings on earth." Trump's claims were notably defended by Press Secretary [[Sean Spicer]], who claimed the inauguration crowd had been the biggest in history, a claim disproven by photographs.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/21/us/politics/trump-white-house-briefing-inauguration-crowd-size.html|title=With False Claims, Trump Attacks Media on Turnout and Intelligence Rift|first1=Julie Hirschfeld|last1=Davis|first2=Matthew|last2=Rosenberg|date=January 21, 2017|access-date=April 30, 2017|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref> Trump's senior adviser [[Kellyanne Conway]] then defended Spicer when asked about the falsehood, saying it was an "[[alternative fact]]", not a falsehood.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Jaffe|first=Alexandra|title=Kellyanne Conway: WH Spokesman Gave 'Alternative Facts' on Inauguration Crowd|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/wh-spokesman-gave-alternative-facts-inauguration-crowd-n710466 |date=January 22, 2017 |access-date=January 22, 2017|work=[[NBC News]]}}</ref>

The administration frequently sought to punish and block access for reporters who broke stories about the administration.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/24/us/politics/white-house-sean-spicer-briefing.html|title=White House Bars Times and 2 Other News Outlets From Briefing|last=Grynbaum|first=Michael M.|date=February 24, 2017|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=February 24, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/reporters-blocked-white-house-gaggle-235360 |title=White House selectively blocks media outlets from briefing with Spicer|last=Gold|first=Hadas|date=February 24, 2017|newspaper=[[Politico]]|access-date=February 24, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first=Michael M.|last=Grynbaum|date=November 13, 2018|title=CNN Sues Trump Administration for Barring Jim Acosta From White House|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/13/business/media/cnn-jim-acosta-trump-lawsuit.html |access-date=November 11, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Farhi|first=Paul|date=April 30, 2020|title=Pence staff threatens action against reporter who tweeted about visit to clinic without surgical mask|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/media/pence-staff-threatens-action-against-reporter-who-tweeted-about-visit-to-clinic-without-surgical-mask/2020/04/30/27c63056-8b0a-11ea-9dfd-990f9dcc71fc_story.html |access-date=May 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200501001915/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/media/pence-staff-threatens-action-against-reporter-who-tweeted-about-visit-to-clinic-without-surgical-mask/2020/04/30/27c63056-8b0a-11ea-9dfd-990f9dcc71fc_story.html |archive-date=May 1, 2020}}</ref> Trump frequently criticized right-wing media outlet Fox News for being insufficiently supportive of him,<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||date=August 28, 2019|title=Trump Blasts Fox News: We Have to Start Looking for a New News Outlet|work=[[Haaretz]]|url=https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/trump-blast-fox-news-we-have-to-start-looking-for-a-new-news-outlet-1.7764396|access-date=September 18, 2019}}</ref> threatening to lend his support for alternatives to Fox News on the right.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Bowden|first=John|date=April 26, 2020|title=Trump blasts Fox News, says he wants 'an alternative'|work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/494745-trump-blasts-fox-news-says-he-wants-an-alternative|access-date=April 27, 2020}}</ref> On August 16, 2018, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution affirming that "the press is not the enemy of the people."<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||title=Senate adopts resolution declaring "the press is not the enemy of the people"|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/senate-unanimously-passes-resolution-declaring-the-press-is-not-the-enemy-of-the-people/ |first=Kathryn |last=Watson |date=August 16, 2018 |access-date=August 16, 2018|work=[[CBS News]]}}</ref>

In October 2018, Trump praised U.S. representative [[Greg Gianforte]] for assaulting political reporter [[Ben Jacobs (journalist)|Ben Jacobs]] in 2017.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/19/us/politics/trump-greg-gianforte-montana.html|title='That's My Kind of Guy,' Trump Says of Republican Lawmaker Who Body-Slammed a Reporter|last=Cochrane|first=Emily|date=October 19, 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=October 20, 2018}}</ref> According to analysts, the incident marked the first time the president has "openly and directly praised a violent act against a journalist on American soil."<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/18/trump-greg-gianforte-assault-guardian-ben-jacobs|title=Trump praises Gianforte for assault on Guardian reporter: 'He's my guy'|last=Pilkington|first=Ed|date=October 19, 2018|website=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=October 19, 2018}}</ref> Later that month, as [[October 2018 United States mail bombing attempts|CNN and prominent Democrats were targeted with mail bombs]], Trump initially condemned the bomb attempts but shortly thereafter blamed the "Mainstream Media that I refer to as Fake News" for causing "a very big part of the anger we see today in our society."<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/10/25/politics/trump-blames-media-for-anger-after-attacks/index.html |date=October 25, 2018 |title=Trump claims media to blame for 'anger' after bombs sent to CNN, Dems |first1=Veronica |last1=Stracqualursi |first2=Liz |last2=Stark |work=CNN |access-date=October 25, 2018}}</ref>

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>

His tweets have been reported as ill-considered, impulsive, vengeful, and [[bullying]], often being made late at night or in the early hours of the morning.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite journal||last=Ott|first=Brian L.|date=January 1, 2017|title=The age of Twitter: Donald J. Trump and the politics of debasement |journal=Critical Studies in Media Communication|volume=34|issue=1|pages=59–68|doi=10.1080/15295036.2016.1266686 |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15295036.2016.1266686 |s2cid=152133074|issn=1529-5036}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/30/us/politics/freedom-caucus-donald-trump.html|title='We Must Fight Them': Trump Goes After Conservatives of Freedom Caucus|last1=Thrush|first1=Glenn|author1-link=Glenn Thrush|last2=Martin|first2=Jonathan|date=March 30, 2017|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=April 30, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/3/30/15114408/trump-tweets-freedom-caucus-new-york-times |date=March 30, 2017 |title=Were those Trump tweets impulsive or strategic? The latest in a continuing series.|access-date=April 30, 2017 |work=[[Vox (website)|Vox]]|last1=Prokop|first1=Andrew|last2=Beauchamp|first2=Zack}}</ref> His tweets about a Muslim ban were successfully turned against his administration to halt two versions of travel restrictions from some Muslim-majority countries.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.wired.com/2017/03/blocked-immigration-ban-proves-trumps-tweets-will-haunt-presidency/ |date=March 15, 2017 |title=A court just blocked Trump's second immigration ban, proving his tweets will haunt his presidency|first=Issie|last=Lapowsky|magazine=Wired|access-date=April 30, 2017}}</ref> He has used Twitter to threaten and intimidate his political opponents and potential political allies needed to pass bills.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||title=Trump Used Twitter to Praise and Blame Congress, Yet the Hill Agreed With Him Most of the Time|url=https://www.rollcall.com/2017/12/18/trump-used-twitter-to-praise-and-blame-congress-yet-the-hill-agreed-with-him-most-of-the-time/ |access-date=November 11, 2021 |last=McMinn|first=Sean|date=December 18, 2017|website=Roll Call}}</ref> Many tweets appear to be based on stories Trump has seen in the media, including far-right news websites such as [[Breitbart News|Breitbart]] and television shows such as ''Fox & Friends''.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||access-date=June 4, 2018|title=A Trump tweet echoed RT and Breitbart criticisms of the FBI's Russia distraction|url=https://www.vox.com/world/2018/2/20/17029860/trump-rt-breitbart-fbi-russia |date=February 20, 2018 |first=Ricky |last=Zipp |newspaper=[[Vox (website)|Vox]]}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||access-date=June 4, 2018|title=Trump's Fox News Addiction Is Even Worse Than We Knew|url=https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a20681265/trump-fox-news-sean-hannity/ |first=Jack |last=Holmes |newspaper=Esquire|date=May 14, 2018}}</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>

{{Tweet|name=Twitter Safety|username=TwitterSafety|date=January 8, 2021|text=After close review of recent Tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and the context around them we have permanently suspended the account due to the risk of further incitement of violence.|ID=1347684877634838528 }} In February 2020, Trump tweeted criticism of the prosecutors' proposed sentence for Trump's former aide [[Roger Stone]]. A few hours later, the Justice Department replaced the prosecutors' proposed sentence with a lighter proposal. This gave the appearance of presidential interference in a criminal case and caused a strong negative reaction. All four of the original prosecutors withdrew from the case; more than a thousand former Department of Justice lawyers signed a letter condemning the action.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Benner|first=Katie|date=February 16, 2020|title=Former Justice Dept. Lawyers Press for Barr to Step Down|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/16/us/politics/barr-trump-justice-department.html|access-date=February 18, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Wise|first=Justin|date=February 17, 2020|title=Judges' association calls emergency meeting in wake of Stone sentencing reversal|work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/483398-judges-association-calls-emergency-meeting-in-wake-of-roger-stone|access-date=February 18, 2020}}</ref> On July 10, Trump commuted the sentence of Stone days before he was due to report to prison.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Baker|first=Peter|title=In Commuting Stone's Sentence, Trump Goes Where Nixon Would Not|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/11/us/politics/trump-roger-stone-nixon.html|access-date=July 17, 2020|website=The New York Times|date=July 11, 2020}}</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" />

The ''New York Times'' summarized the Trump administration's "general approach to law enforcement" as "cracking down on violent crime", "not regulating the police departments that fight it", and overhauling "programs that the Obama administration used to ease tensions between communities and the police".<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Eder|first1=Steve|last2=Protess|first2=Ben|last3=Dewan|first3=Shaila|date=November 21, 2017|title=How Trump's Hands-Off Approach to Policing Is Frustrating Some Chiefs|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/21/us/trump-justice-department-police.html|access-date=November 22, 2017|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Trump reversed a ban on providing federal military equipment to [[Local law enforcement in the United States|local police departments]]<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Johnson|first=Kevin|title=Trump lifts ban on military gear to local police forces|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/08/27/trump-expected-lift-ban-military-gear-local-police-forces/606065001/|access-date=June 17, 2020|work=[[USA Today]]|date=August 28, 2017}}</ref> and reinstated the use of civil [[asset forfeiture]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=Sessions reinstates asset forfeiture policy at Justice Department|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sessions-signals-more-police-property-seizures-coming-from-justice-department/ |work=CBS News |date=July 19, 2017 |agency=CBS/AP |access-date=July 19, 2017}}</ref> The administration stated that it would no longer investigate police departments and publicize their shortcomings in reports, a policy previously enacted under the Obama administration. Later, Trump falsely claimed that the Obama administration never tried to reform the police.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Timm|first=Jane|title=Trump says Obama didn't reform policing – but he did. Then the president ditched it.|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1231200|access-date=June 17, 2020|work=[[NBC News]]|date=June 16, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Benner|first=Katie|title=Sessions, in Last-Minute Act, Sharply Limits Use of Consent Decrees to Curb Police Abuses|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/08/us/politics/sessions-limits-consent-decrees.html|access-date=June 17, 2020|work=The New York Times|date=November 8, 2018|archive-url=https://archive.today/20181109033145/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/08/us/politics/sessions-limits-consent-decrees.html|archive-date=November 9, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

Despite Trump's pro-police rhetoric, his 2019 budget plan proposed nearly fifty percent cuts to the [[Community Oriented Policing Services|COPS]] Hiring Program which provides funding to state and local law enforcement agencies to help hire community policing officers.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Lopez|first=German|date=February 12, 2018|title=Trump said, "I love the police." But his budget slashes funding that helps hire more cops.|url=https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/2/12/17004432/trump-budget-police-cops-hiring-2019|access-date=June 5, 2019|website=[[Vox (website)|Vox]]}}</ref> Trump appeared to advocate [[Police brutality in the United States|police brutality]] in a July 2017 speech to police officers, prompting criticism from law enforcement agencies.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/29/nyregion/trump-police-too-nice.html|title=Police Criticize Trump for Urging Officers Not to Be 'Too Nice' With Suspects|last=Rosenthal|first=Brian M.|date=July 29, 2017|access-date=July 19, 2017|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref> In 2020, the inspector general of the Department of Justice criticized the Trump administration for reducing police oversight and eroding public confidence in law enforcement.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Reilly|first=Ryan J.|date=November 18, 2020|title=Watchdog Knocks Trump DOJ On Lax Police Oversight, Urging 'Swift' Federal Action|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/doj-trump-police-oversight_n_5fb53eafc5b695be82ff01b9|access-date=December 20, 2020|website=HuffPost}}</ref>

In December 2018, Trump signed the [[First Step Act]], a bipartisan criminal justice reform bill which sought to rehabilitate prisoners and reduce recidivism, notably by expanding job training and early-release programs, and lowering mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug offenders.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/01/us/politics/first-step-act-donald-trump.html|title=Trump Celebrates Criminal Justice Overhaul Amid Doubts It Will Be Fully Funded|newspaper=The New York Times|first1=Maggie|last1=Haberman|first2=Annie|last2=Karni|date=April 1, 2018|access-date=May 9, 2019}}</ref>

During his presidency, Trump [[Federal pardons in the United States|pardoned]] or commuted the sentences of 237 individuals.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Thomson-DeVeaux|first=Amelia|date=January 21, 2021|title=How Trump Used His Pardon Power|url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-trump-used-his-pardon-power/|access-date=January 22, 2021|website=FiveThirtyEight}}</ref> Most of those pardoned had personal or political connections to Trump.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||date=July 11, 2020 |first1=Jack |last1=Goldsmith |first2=Matt |last2=Gluck |authorlink=Jack Goldsmith |title=Trump's Aberrant Pardons and Commutations|url=https://www.lawfaremedia.org/trumps-aberrant-pardons-and-commutations |access-date=July 11, 2020|website=[[Lawfare (website)|Lawfare]]}}</ref> A significant number had been convicted of fraud or public corruption.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Frum |first=David |authorlink=David Frum |date=January 20, 2021 |title=Swamp Thing|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/01/trump-was-swamp/617748/ |access-date=January 20, 2021 |website=[[The Atlantic]]}}</ref> Trump circumvented the typical clemency process, taking no action on more than ten thousand pending applications, using the pardon power primarily on "public figures whose cases resonated with him given his own grievances with investigators".<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||date=May 31, 2018 |title=Trump Wields Pardon Pen to Confront Justice System |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/31/us/politics/dsouza-pardon.html |access-date=June 1, 2018 |first=Peter |last=Baker |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

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>

Trump misleadingly blamed the [[2018 California wildfires|destructive wildfires in 2018 in California]], on "gross" and "poor" "mismanagement" of forests by California, saying there was no other reason for these wildfires. The fires in question were not "forest fires"; most of the forest was owned by federal agencies; and [[climate change]] in part contributed to the fires.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/12/us/politics/fact-check-trump-california-fire-tweet.html|title=Trump's Misleading Claims About California's Fire 'Mismanagement'|newspaper=The New York Times|department=Fact Check|first=Kendra|last=Pierre-Louis|date=November 12, 2018|access-date=November 14, 2018}}</ref> Trump mentioned Finland as a model, saying, "they spend a lot of time on raking and cleaning and doing things, and they don't have any problem. And when it is, it is a very small problem. So I know everybody is looking at that—to that end. And it's going to work out. It's going to work out well."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hannon |first1=Elliot |title=During Wildfire Tour, Trump Suggests Doing More Raking Like Finland Could Prevent California Wildfires |url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/11/during-wildfire-tour-trump-suggests-doing-more-raking-like-finland-could-prevent-california-wildfires.html |access-date=November 9, 2024 |work=Slate |date=November 17, 2018}}</ref>

One of Trump's first actions was to indefinitely suspend a cut in fee rates for federally-insured mortgages implemented by the Obama administration which saved individuals with lower credit scores around $500 per year on a typical loan.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-fha-rate-cut-explained-20170123-story.html |date=January 23, 2017 |title=Trump's team suspended a mortgage insurance rate cut. Here's what that means |last=Khouri |first=Andrew |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]] |access-date=January 23, 2017}}</ref> Upon taking office, Trump halted trade negotiations with the [[European Union]] on the [[Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership]], which had been underway since 2013.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=Trump's Trade Truce With Europe Has a Familiar Feel: It Mirrors Obama's Path|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/26/us/politics/trump-trade-european-union.html |date=July 26, 2018 |first1=Ana |last1=Swanson |first2=Jack |last2=Ewing |access-date=July 28, 2018}}</ref>

In September 2017, Trump proposed the most sweeping federal tax overhaul in many years.<ref name="Davis-2017">{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Davis|first1=Julie Hirschfeld|last2=Rappeport|first2=Alan|date=September 27, 2017|title=Trump Proposes the Most Sweeping Tax Overhaul in Decades|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/27/us/politics/trump-tax-cut-plan-middle-class-deficit.html|access-date=September 27, 2017}}</ref> Trump signed [[Tax Cuts and Jobs Act|the tax legislation]] on December 22, 2017, after it passed Congress on party-line votes.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||date=December 20, 2017|title=Republicans pass historic tax cuts without a single Democratic vote |work=[[Axios (website)|Axios]]|url=https://www.axios.com/republicans-pass-historic-tax-cuts-without-a-single-democratic-vote-1515110718-8cdf005c-c1c9-481a-975b-72336765ebe4.html |access-date=November 10, 2021}}</ref><ref name="KaplanRappeport">{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/19/us/politics/tax-bill-vote-congress.html |access-date=November 10, 2021 |newspaper=The New York Times|title=Republican Tax Bill Passes Senate in 51-48 Vote |first1=Thomas |last1=Kaplan |first2=Alan |last2= Rappeport |date=December 19, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Radnofsky">{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-signs-sweeping-tax-overhaul-into-law-1513959753 |access-date=November 10, 2021 |newspaper=[[Wall Street Journal]] |date=December 22, 2017 |title=Trump Signs Sweeping Tax Overhaul Into Law |first=Louise |last=Radnofsky}}</ref> The tax bill was the first major legislation signed by Trump.<ref name="Timm">{{#invoke:Cite news||access-date=November 10, 2021 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-signs-tax-cut-bill-first-big-legislative-win-n832141 |work=[[NBC News]] |title=Trump signs tax cut bill, first big legislative win |date=December 22, 2017 |first=Jane C. |last=Timm}}</ref> The $1.5 trillion bill reduced the corporate federal tax rate from 35% to 21%,<ref name="KaplanRappeport" /> its lowest point since 1939.<ref name="Radnofsky" /> The bill also cut the individual tax rate, reducing the top rate from 39.6% to 37%, although these individual tax cuts expire after 2025;<ref name="KaplanRappeport" /> as a result, "by 2027, every income group making less than $75,000 would see a net tax increase."<ref name="Timm" /> The bill doubled the [[estate tax]] exemption (to $22 million for married couples); and allowed the owners of pass-through businesses to deduct 20% of business income.<ref name="KaplanRappeport" /> The bill doubled the [[standard deduction]] while eliminating many [[itemized deduction]]s,<ref name="Timm" /> including the deduction for state and local taxes.<ref name="KaplanRappeport" /> The bill also repealed the [[Individual shared responsibility provision|individual health insurance mandate]] contained in the [[Affordable Care Act]].<ref name="Timm" />

According to ''The New York Times'', the plan would result in a "huge windfall" for the very wealthy but would not benefit those in the bottom third of the income distribution.<ref name="Davis-2017" /> The nonpartisan [[Tax Policy Center]] estimated that the richest 0.1% and 1% would benefit the most in raw dollar amounts and percentage terms from the tax plan, earning 10.2% and 8.5% more income after taxes respectively.<ref name="Matthews-2017">{{#invoke:Cite news||title=The numbers are in: Trump's tax plan is a bonanza for the rich, not the middle class|work=[[Vox (website)|Vox]]|url=https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/9/29/16384274/big-six-tax-reform-congress-trump-tax-policy-center |first=Dylan |last=Matthews |date=September 29, 2017 |access-date=September 29, 2017}}</ref> Middle-class households would on average earn 1.2% more after tax, but 13.5% of middle class households would see their tax burden increase.<ref name="Matthews-2017" /> The poorest fifth of Americans would earn 0.5% more.<ref name="Matthews-2017" /> Treasury Secretary [[Steven Mnuchin]] argued that the [[Corporate tax in the United States|corporate income tax]] cut would benefit workers the most, while the nonpartisan [[United States Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation|Joint Committee on Taxation]], the [[Congressional Budget Office]] and many economists estimated that owners of capital would benefit vastly more than workers.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Rubin|first=Richard|date=September 28, 2017|title=Treasury Removes Paper at Odds With Mnuchin's Take on Corporate-Tax Cut's Winners|work=The Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/treasury-removes-paper-at-odds-with-mnuchins-take-on-corporate-tax-cuts-winners-1506638463|access-date=September 29, 2017}}</ref> A preliminary estimate by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget found that the tax plan would add more than $2{{spaces}}trillion over the next decade to the federal debt,<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Kaplan|first=Thomas|date=September 28, 2017|title=With Tax Cuts on the Table, Once-Mighty Deficit Hawks Hardly Chirp|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/28/us/politics/trump-tax-cuts-deficit-republicans-congress.html|access-date=September 28, 2017}}</ref> while the Tax Policy Center found that it would add $2.4{{spaces}}trillion to the debt.<ref name="Matthews-2017" /> A 2019 [[Congressional Research Service]] analysis found that the tax cuts had "a relatively small (if any) first-year" growth effect on the economy.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=Analysis – A new report further undermines Trump's claim that the tax cuts were economic 'rocket fuel'|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/05/28/new-report-further-undermines-trumps-claim-that-tax-cuts-were-economic-rocket-fuel/ |first=Philip |last=Bump |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=May 28, 2019 |access-date=November 10, 2021}}</ref> A 2019 analysis by the [[Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget]] concluded that Trump's policies will add $4.1{{spaces}}trillion to the national debt from 2017 to 2029. Around $1.8{{spaces}}trillion of debt is projected to eventually arise from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Marcellus|first=Sibile|date=July 26, 2019|title=Trump adds $4.1 trillion to national debt. Here's where the money went|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/trump-adds-41-trillion-to-national-debt-heres-where-the-money-went-162238723.html|access-date=July 30, 2019|website=[[Yahoo Finance]]}}</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>

Three weeks after Republican senator [[Chuck Grassley]], chairman of the [[Senate Finance Committee]], wrote an April 2019 ''Wall Street Journal'' op-ed entitled "Trump's Tariffs End or His Trade Deal Dies", stating "Congress won't approve [[USMCA]] while constituents pay the price for Mexican and Canadian retaliation," Trump lifted steel and aluminum tariffs on Mexico and Canada.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Salama|first1=Vivian|last2=Zumbrun|first2=Josh|last3=Mackrael|first3=Kim|date=May 17, 2019|title=U.S. Reaches Deal With Canada, Mexico to End Steel and Aluminum Tariffs|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-close-to-deal-with-canada-mexico-to-end-steel-and-aluminum-tariffs-11558110448 |access-date=November 10, 2021}}</ref> Two weeks later, Trump unexpectedly announced he would impose a 5% tariff on all imports from Mexico on June 10, increasing to 10% on July 1, and by another 5% each month for three months, "until such time as illegal migrants coming through Mexico, and into our Country, STOP".<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Karni|first1=Annie|last2=Swanson|first2=Ana|last3=Shear|first3=Michael D.|date=May 30, 2019|title=Trump Says U.S. Will Hit Mexico With 5% Tariffs on All Goods|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/30/us/politics/trump-mexico-tariffs.html |access-date=November 10, 2021}}</ref> Grassley commented the move as a "misuse of presidential tariff authority and counter to congressional intent".<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=Trump says U.S. to impose 5 percent tariff on all Mexican imports beginning June 10 in dramatic escalation of border clash|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/trump-prepares-to-threaten-mexico-with-new-tariffs-in-attempt-to-force-migrant-crackdown/2019/05/30/0f05f01e-8314-11e9-bce7-40b4105f7ca0_story.html |first1=Damian |last1=Paletta |first2=Nick |last2=Miroff |first3=Josh |last3=Dawsey |date=May 30, 2019 |access-date=November 10, 2021 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> That same day, the Trump administration formally initiated the process to seek congressional approval of USMCA.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||title=Trump Pushes USMCA Approval Plan in Move That Irks Pelosi|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-30/trump-plows-ahead-with-usmca-approval-plan-as-democrats-waver |access-date=November 10, 2021 |date=May 30, 2019 |first1=Jenny |last1=Leonard |first2=Erik |last2=Wasson |website=[[Bloomberg LP]]}}</ref> Trump's top trade advisor, [[Office of the United States Trade Representative|U.S. Trade Representative]] [[Robert Lighthizer]], opposed the new Mexican tariffs on concerns it would jeopardize passage of USMCA.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Salama |first1=Vivian |last2=Mauldin |first2=William |last3=Lucey |first3=Catherine |date=June 1, 2019|title=Trump's Threat of Tariffs on Mexico Prompts Outcry |access-date=November 10, 2021 |newspaper=[[Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/trumps-top-trade-adviser-opposed-mexican-tariffs-11559320692}}</ref> Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin and Trump senior advisor Jared Kushner also opposed the action. Grassley, whose committee is instrumental in passing USMCA, was not informed in advance of Trump's surprise announcement.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=Trump defies close advisers in deciding to threaten Mexico with disruptive tariffs|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-defies-close-advisers-in-deciding-to-threaten-mexico-with-disruptive-tariffs/2019/05/31/d87ae82c-83ba-11e9-bce7-40b4105f7ca0_story.html |first1=Seung Min |last1=Kim |first2=Josh |last2=Dawsey |first3=Damian |last3=Paletta |date=May 31, 2021 |access-date=November 10, 2021 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> On June 7, Trump announced the tariffs would be "indefinitely suspended" after Mexico agreed to take actions, including deploying its [[National Guard (Mexico)|National Guard]] throughout the country and along its southern border.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Shear|first1=Michael D.|last2=Swanson|first2=Ana|last3=Ahmed|first3=Azam|date=June 7, 2019|title=Trump Calls Off Plan to Impose Tariffs on Mexico|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/07/us/politics/trump-tariffs-mexico.html |access-date=November 10, 2021}}</ref> ''The New York Times'' reported the following day that Mexico had actually agreed to most of the actions months earlier.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Shear|first1=Michael D. |last2=Haberman |first2=Maggie |date=June 8, 2019|title=Mexico Agreed to Take Border Actions Months Before Trump Announced Tariff Deal |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/08/us/politics/trump-mexico-deal-tariffs.html |access-date=November 10, 2021}}</ref>

In 2017, Trump revoked an Obama administration memo which provided protections for people in default on [[Student loans in the United States|student loans]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||date=March 17, 2017 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2017/03/17/trump-administration-rolls-back-protections-for-people-in-default-on-student-loans/ |first=Danielle |last=Douglas-Gabriel |title=Trump administration rolls back protections for people in default on student loans |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=March 18, 2017}}</ref> The [[United States Department of Education]] cancelled agreements with the [[Consumer Financial Protection Bureau]] (CFPB) to police student loan fraud.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://thehill.com/policy/finance/349223-education-dept-ends-agreement-to-work-with-consumer-bureau-on-student-loan |title=DeVos ends agreement to work on student loan fraud|last=Lane|first=Sylvan|date=September 5, 2017|work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |access-date=September 7, 2017}}</ref> The administration rescinded a regulation restricting federal funding to [[For-profit colleges in the United States|for-profit colleges]] unable to demonstrate that college graduates had a reasonable debt-to-earnings ratio after entering the job market.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=DeVos Ends Obama-Era Safeguards Aimed at Abuses by For-Profit Colleges |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/10/us/politics/betsy-devos-for-profit-colleges.html |date=August 10, 2018 |work=The New York Times |first=Erica L. |last=Green |access-date=August 11, 2018}}</ref> Seth Frotman, the CFPB student loan ombudsman, resigned, accusing the Trump administration of undermining the CFPB's work on protecting student borrowers.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.npr.org/2018/08/27/642199524/student-loan-watchdog-quits-blames-trump-administration |first=Cory |last=Turner |title=Student Loan Watchdog Quits, Says Trump Administration 'Turned Its Back' On Borrowers |work=[[NPR]] |date=August 27, 2018 |access-date=August 27, 2018}}</ref> DeVos marginalized an investigative unit within the Department of Education that under Obama investigated predatory activities by for-profit colleges. An investigation started under Obama into the practices of [[DeVry Education Group]], which operates for-profit colleges, was halted in early 2017, and the former dean at DeVry was made into the supervisor for the investigative unit later that summer. DeVry paid a $100{{spaces}}million fine in 2016 for defrauding students.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||date=May 13, 2018|title=Education Department Unwinds Unit Investigating Fraud at For-Profits|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/13/business/education-department-for-profit-colleges.html |first1=Danielle |last1=Ivory |first2=Erica L. |last2=Green |first3=Steve |last3=Eder |access-date=May 13, 2018|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

In 2017, the administration reversed an Obama administration guidance on how schools and universities should combat [[sexual harassment]] and [[sexual violence]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/22/us/devos-colleges-sex-assault.html |newspaper=The New York Times |title=Betsy DeVos Reverses Obama-era Policy on Campus Sexual Assault Investigations |first1=Stephanie |last1=Saul |first2=Kate |last2=Taylor |date=September 22, 2017 |access-date=October 24, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Silva|first=Daniella|title=Betsy DeVos to Overhaul Obama-Era Title IX Guidance on Campus Sex Assault|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/betsy-devos-overhaul-obama-era-guidance-campus-sex-assault-n799471|date=September 7, 2017|website=[[NBC News]]|access-date=October 29, 2019}}</ref>

The administration's "[[America First Energy Plan]]" did not mention [[Renewable energy in the United States|renewable energy]] and instead focused on [[fossil fuel]]s.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/03/business/energy-environment/trump-energy-plan-climate.html|title=Trump Got Nearly $1 Million in Energy-Efficiency Subsidies in 2012|last=Tabuchi|first=Hiroko|author-link=Hiroko Tabuchi|date=March 3, 2017|work=The New York Times|access-date=May 27, 2018}}</ref> The administration enacted 30% tariffs on imported [[solar panel]]s. The American solar energy industry is highly reliant on foreign parts (80% of parts are made abroad); as a result, the tariffs could raise the costs of [[Solar power in the United States|solar energy]], reduce innovation and reduce jobs in the industry{{snd}}which in 2017 employed nearly four times as many American workers as the coal industry.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/23/us/politics/trump-solar-tariffs.html|title=Trump's Solar Tariffs Are Clouding the Industry's Future|last1=Swanson|first1=Ana|last2=Plumer|first2=Brad|date=2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=January 24, 2018|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-22/trump-taxes-solar-imports-in-biggest-blow-to-clean-energy-yet |first1=Brian |last1=Eckhouse |first2=Ari |last2=Natter |first3=Chris |last3=Martin |title=Trump's Solar Tariffs Mark Biggest Blow to Renewables Yet|date=January 22, 2018|work=Bloomberg.com|access-date=January 23, 2018}}</ref> The administration reversed standards put in place to make commonly used lightbulbs more energy-efficient.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.npr.org/2019/09/04/757623821/trump-administration-reverses-standards-for-energy-efficient-light-bulbs|title=Trump Administration Reverses Standards For Energy-Efficient Lightbulbs|website=[[NPR]]|date=September 4, 2019|access-date=December 26, 2019|last1=Sant|first1=Shannon Van}}</ref>

In 2017, Trump ordered the reversal of an Obama-era ban on new oil and gas leasing in the [[Arctic Ocean]] and [[Offshore drilling on the Atlantic coast of the United States|environmentally sensitive areas of the North Atlantic coast]], in the [[Outer Continental Shelf]].<ref name="Davenport">{{#invoke:Cite news||first=Coral |last=Davenport |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/30/climate/trump-oil-drilling-arctic.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=Trump's Order to Open Arctic Waters to Oil Drilling Was Unlawful, Federal Judge Finds |work=The New York Times |date=March 30, 2019}}</ref> Trump's order was halted by a federal court, which ruled in 2019 that it unlawfully exceeded his authority.<ref name="Davenport" /> Trump also revoked the 2016 Well Control Rule, a safety regulation adopted after the [[Deepwater Horizon oil spill|''Deepwater Horizon'' oil spill]]; this action is the subject of legal challenges from environmental groups.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first=Steven |last=Mufson |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/ten-years-after-gulf-of-mexico-oil-spill-trump-administration-weakens-reforms/2020/04/19/f935ec1c-7ffc-11ea-8013-1b6da0e4a2b7_story.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=Ten years after Gulf of Mexico oil spill, Trump administration weakens regulations |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=April 19, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first=Sara |last=Sneath |url=https://www.nola.com/news/environment/article_0a8f2f64-e070-11e9-9795-2f80e45ffc1d.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=Environmental group sues over exemptions to safety rule put in place after Deepwater Horizon |work=[[NOLA.com]] |date=September 28, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first=Laurel |last=Wamsley |access-date=November 11, 2021 |url=https://www.npr.org/2019/05/03/720008093/trump-administration-moves-to-roll-back-offshore-drilling-safety-regulations |title=Trump Administration Moves To Roll Back Offshore Drilling Safety Regulations |work=[[NPR]] |date=May 3, 2019}}</ref>

Despite rhetoric about boosting the coal industry, coal-fueled electricity generating capacity declined faster during Trump's presidency than during any previous presidential term, falling 15% with the idling of 145 coal-burning units at 75 power plants. An estimated 20% of electricity was expected to be generated by coal in 2020, compared to 31% in 2017.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/05/us/politics/trump-coal-industry.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title='The Coal Industry Is Back,' Trump Proclaimed. It Wasn't. |first=Eric |last=Lipton |newspaper=The New York Times |date=October 5, 2020}}</ref>

By October 2020, the administration had overturned 72 environmental regulations and was in process of reversing an additional 27.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Popovich|first1=Nadja|last2=Albeck-Ripka|first2=Livia|last3=Pierre-Louis|first3=Kendra|date=2019|title=The Trump Administration Is Reversing 100 Environmental Rules. Here's the Full List.|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/climate/trump-environment-rollbacks.html|access-date=August 26, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> A 2018 ''[[American Journal of Public Health]]'' study found that in Trump's first six months in office, the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency]] adopted a pro-business attitude unlike that of any previous administration, as it "moved away from the public interest and explicitly favored the interests of the regulated industries".<ref>{{#invoke:Cite journal||last1=Dillon|first1=Lindsey|last2=Sellers|first2=Christopher|last3=Underhill|first3=Vivian|last4=Shapiro|first4=Nicholas|last5=Ohayon|first5=Jennifer Liss|last6=Sullivan|first6=Marianne|last7=Brown|first7=Phil|last8=Harrison|first8=Jill|last9=Wylie|first9=Sara|date=April 2018|title=The Environmental Protection Agency in the Early Trump Administration: Prelude to Regulatory Capture|journal=American Journal of Public Health|volume=108|issue=S2|pages=S89–S94|doi=10.2105/ajph.2018.304360|issn=0090-0036|pmc=5922212|pmid=29698086}}</ref>

Analyses of EPA enforcement data showed that the Trump administration brought fewer cases against polluters, sought a lower total of civil penalties and made fewer requests of companies to retrofit facilities to curb pollution than the Obama and Bush administrations. According to ''The New York Times'', "confidential internal E.P.A. documents show that the enforcement slowdown coincides with major policy changes ordered by Mr. Pruitt's team after pleas from oil and gas industry executives."<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/10/us/politics/pollution-epa-regulations.html|title=Under Trump, E.P.A. Has Slowed Actions Against Polluters, and Put Limits on Enforcement Officers|last1=Lipton|first1=Eric|last2=Ivory|first2=Danielle|date=December 10, 2017|work=The New York Times|access-date=December 11, 2017|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In 2018, the administration referred the lowest number of pollution cases for criminal prosecution in 30 years.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://apnews.com/d72a4d3dfb584d15949c88917b48ddf9|title=EPA criminal action against polluters hits 30-year low|last=Knickmeyer|first=Ellen|date=January 15, 2019|website=[[Associated Press]]|access-date=January 20, 2019}}</ref> Two years into Trump's presidency, ''The New York Times'' wrote he had "unleashed a regulatory rollback, lobbied for and cheered on by industry, with little parallel in the past half-century".<ref name="Lipton-2018">{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/12/26/us/politics/donald-trump-environmental-regulation.html|title=President Trump's Retreat on the Environment Is Affecting Communities Across America|last1=Lipton|first1=Eric|last2=Eder|first2=Steve|last3=Branch|first3=John|date=December 26, 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=December 27, 2018|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In June 2018, [[David Cutler]] and [[Francesca Dominici]] of [[Harvard University]] estimated conservatively that the Trump administration's modifications to environmental rules could result in more than 80,000 additional U.S. deaths and widespread respiratory ailments.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite journal||last1=Cutler|first1=David|author1-link=David Cutler|last2=Dominici|first2=Francesca|author2-link=Francesca Dominici|date=June 12, 2018|title=A Breath of Bad Air: Cost of the Trump Environmental Agenda May Lead to 80 000 Extra Deaths per Decade|journal=JAMA|volume=319|issue=22|pages=2261–2262|doi=10.1001/jama.2018.7351|issn=0098-7484|pmid=29896617|doi-access=free}}</ref> In August 2018, the administration's own analysis showed that loosening coal plant rules could cause up to 1,400 premature deaths and 15,000 new cases of respiratory problems.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/21/climate/epa-coal-pollution-deaths.html |newspaper=The New York Times |first=Lisa |last=Friedman|date=August 21, 2018 |title=Cost of New E.P.A. Coal Rules: Up to 1,400 More Deaths a Year |access-date=September 1, 2018}}</ref> From 2016 to 2018, air pollution increased by 5.5%, reversing a seven-year trend where air pollution had declined by 25%.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/10/24/climate/air-pollution-increase.html|title=America's Air Quality Worsens, Ending Years of Gains, Study Says|last=Popovich|first=Nadja|date=October 24, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=October 30, 2019|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

All references to climate change were removed from the White House website, with the sole exception of mentioning Trump's intention to eliminate the Obama administration's [[climate change policies]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/20/us/politics/trump-white-house-website.html |date=January 20, 2017 |first=Coral |last=Davenport |title=With Trump in Charge, Climate Change References Purged From Website|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=July 10, 2018}}</ref> The EPA removed climate change material on its website, including detailed [[climate data]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/04/28/epa-website-removes-climate-science-site-from-public-view-after-two-decades/ |date=April 29, 2017 |first1=Chris |last1=Mooney |first2=Juliet |last2=Eilperin |title=EPA website removes climate science site from public view after two decades |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=July 10, 2018}}</ref> In June 2017, Trump announced [[United States withdrawal from the Paris Agreement|U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement]], a 2015 climate change accord reached by 200 nations to cut [[greenhouse gas emissions]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/01/climate/trump-paris-climate-agreement.html |first=Michael D. |last=Shear |title=Trump Will Withdraw U.S. From Paris Climate Agreement|date=June 1, 2017|work=The New York Times}}</ref> In December 2017, Trump{{snd}}who had repeatedly called [[Scientific opinion on climate change|scientific consensus on climate]] a "hoax" before becoming president{{snd}}falsely implied that cold weather meant climate change was not occurring.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://edition.cnn.com/2017/12/28/politics/trump-global-warming-tweet/index.html |date=December 29, 2017 |title=Trump tweets that 'cold' East Coast 'could use a little bit of' global warming|first=Dan|last=Merica|work=CNN|access-date=December 29, 2017}}</ref> Through executive order, Trump reversed multiple Obama administration policies meant to tackle climate change, such as a moratorium on federal coal leasing, the [[Presidential Climate Action Plan]], and guidance for federal agencies on taking climate change into account during [[National Environmental Policy Act]] action reviews. Trump also ordered reviews and possibly modifications to several directives, such as the [[Clean Power Plan]] (CPP), the estimate for the "[[social cost of carbon]]" emissions, [[carbon dioxide]] emission standards for new [[coal plants]], [[methane emissions]] standards from [[oil extraction|oil]] and [[natural gas]] extraction, as well as any regulations inhibiting domestic energy production.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2017/3/27/14922516/trump-executive-order-climate|title=Trump's big new executive order to tear up Obama's climate policies, explained|last=Plumer|first=Brad|website=[[Vox (website)|Vox]]|date=March 27, 2017|access-date=April 2, 2017}}</ref> The administration rolled back regulations requiring the federal government to account for climate change and [[Sea level rise|sea-level rise]] when building infrastructure.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/15/climate/flooding-infrastructure-climate-change-trump-obama.html|title=Trump Signs Order Rolling Back Environmental Rules on Infrastructure|last=Friedman|first=Lisa|date=August 15, 2017|work=The New York Times|access-date=August 29, 2017}}</ref> The EPA disbanded a 20-expert panel on pollution which advised the EPA on the appropriate threshold levels to set for air quality standards.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/11/climate/epa-disbands-pollution-science-panel.html |first=Lisa |last=Friedman |newspaper=The New York Times |date=October 11, 2018 |title=E.P.A. to Disband a Key Scientific Review Panel on Air Pollution|access-date=October 24, 2018}}</ref>

The administration rolled back major [[Clean Water Act]] protections, narrowing the definition of the "[[waters of the United States]]" under federal protection.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.eenews.net/stories/1062934329 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200425193046/https://www.eenews.net/stories/1062934329 |archive-date=April 25, 2020 |first1=Jeremy P. |last1=Jacobs |first2=Pamela |last2=King |title=Clean Water Act: Trump's rewrite is finalized. What happens now?|website=E&E News |publisher=[[Environment & Energy Publishing]] |date=April 21, 2020 |access-date=April 23, 2020}}</ref> Studies by the Obama-era EPA suggest that up to two-thirds of California's inland freshwater streams would lose protections under the rule change.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-clean-water-20181211-story.html|title=Trump administration unveils major Clean Water Act rollback|last=Halper|first=Evan|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=December 11, 2018|access-date=December 14, 2018}}</ref> The EPA sought to repeal a regulation which required oil and gas companies to restrict emissions of [[methane]], a potent [[greenhouse gas]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/white-house-pressured-epa-on-changes-to-methane-leak-rule/|title=White House Pressured EPA on Changes to Methane Leak Rule|first=Maxine |last=Joselow |date=October 23, 2018 |work=Scientific American|access-date=October 24, 2018}}</ref> The EPA rolled back automobile fuel efficiency standards introduced in 2012.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||title=Trump rolled back fuel-economy standards in the US this week to make vehicles 'substantially safer,' but his claims about car safety don't mesh with reality|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-eases-emissions-rules-make-cars-safer-but-ignores-facts-2020-4 |date=April 4, 2020 |last=King |first=Alanis |website=Business Insider |access-date=May 16, 2020}}</ref> The EPA granted a loophole allowing a small set of trucking companies to skirt emissions rules and produce [[Glider (automobiles)#Glider truck|glider trucks]] that emit 40 to 55 times the air pollutants of other new trucks.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/06/us/glider-trucks-loophole-pruitt.html |newspaper=The New York Times |first=Eric |last=Lipton |date=July 6, 2018 |title='Super Polluting' Trucks Receive Loophole on Pruitt's Last Day|access-date=July 7, 2018}}</ref> The EPA rejected a ban on the toxic pesticide [[chlorpyrifos]]; a federal court then ordered the EPA to ban chlorpyrifos, because the EPA's own extensive research showed it caused adverse health effects in children.<ref name="Lipton-2018" /> The administration scaled back the ban on the use of the solvent [[Dichloromethane|methylene chloride]],<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/15/climate/epa-paint-stripper-methylene-chloride.html|title=E.P.A., Scaling Back Proposed Ban, Plans Limits on Deadly Chemical in Paint Strippers|last=Friedman|first=Lisa|date=March 15, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 23, 2019|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> and lifted a rule requiring major farms to report pollution emitted through animal waste.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/447151-epa-exempts-farms-from-reporting-pollution-tied-to-animal-waste|title=EPA exempts farms from reporting pollution tied to animal waste|last=Beitsch|first=Rebecca|date=June 5, 2019|website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|access-date=June 16, 2019}}</ref>

The administration suspended funding on several [[environmental research]] studies,<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=http://www.wvgazettemail.com/news-politics/20170821/trumps-interior-department-moves-to-stop-mountaintop-removal-study |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821171306/http://www.wvgazettemail.com/news-politics/20170821/trumps-interior-department-moves-to-stop-mountaintop-removal-study |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 21, 2017 |first=Ken Jr. |last=Ward |date=August 21, 2017 |title=Trump's Interior Department moves to stop mountaintop removal study|work=Charleston Gazette-Mail|access-date=August 22, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/12/21/this-study-aimed-to-make-offshore-drilling-safer-trump-just-put-a-stop-to-it/|title=This study aimed to make offshore drilling safer. Trump just put a stop to it.|last=Fears|first=Darryl|date=December 21, 2017|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=January 10, 2018|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> a multi-million-dollar program that distributed grants for research the effects of [[Toxicity|chemical exposure on children]]<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://thehill.com/regulation/energy-environment/375725-major-epa-reorganization-will-end-science-research-program |title=Major EPA reorganization will end science research program|last=Lejeune|first=Tristan|date=February 26, 2018|work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|access-date=February 27, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Plumer-2019">{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/28/climate/trump-administration-war-on-science.html|title=Science Under Attack: How Trump Is Sidelining Researchers and Their Work|last1=Plumer|first1=Brad|last2=Davenport|first2=Coral|date=December 28, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=December 29, 2019|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> and $10-million-a-year research line for [[NASA]]'s Carbon Monitoring System.<ref name="Voosen-2018">{{#invoke:Cite journal||last=Voosen|first=Paul|date=May 11, 2018|title=NASA cancels carbon monitoring research program|journal=Science|volume=360|issue=6389|pages=586–587|bibcode=2018Sci...360..586V|doi=10.1126/science.360.6389.586|issn=0036-8075|pmid=29748262}}</ref> including an unsuccessful attempt to kill aspects of [[NASA Earth Science|NASA's climate science]] program.<ref name="Voosen-2018" />

The EPA expedited the process for approving new chemicals and made the process of evaluating the safety of those chemicals less stringent; EPA scientists expressed concerns that the agency's ability to stop hazardous chemicals was being compromised.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/21/us/trump-epa-chemicals-regulations.html|title=Why Has the E.P.A. Shifted on Toxic Chemicals? An Industry Insider Helps Call the Shots|last=Lipton|first=Eric|date=October 21, 2017|work=The New York Times|access-date=October 21, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/07/us/politics/epa-toxic-chemicals.html |first=Eric |last=Lipton |title=The Chemical Industry Scores a Big Win at the E.P.A.|date=June 7, 2018 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=June 8, 2018|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Internal emails showed that Pruitt aides prevented the publication of a health study showing some toxic chemicals endanger humans at far lower levels than the EPA previously characterized as safe.<ref name="Atkin-2018">{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://newrepublic.com/article/149280/military-drinking-water-crisis-white-house-tried-hide |first=Emily |last=Atkin |date=June 22, 2018 |title=The Military Drinking-Water Crisis the White House Tried to Hide|magazine=The New Republic|access-date=June 23, 2018}}</ref> One such chemical was present in high quantities around several military bases, including groundwater.<ref name="Atkin-2018" /> The non-disclosure of the study and the delay in public knowledge of the findings may have prevented the government from updating the infrastructure at the bases and individuals who lived near the bases to avoid the tap water.<ref name="Atkin-2018" />

The administration weakened enforcement the [[Endangered Species Act of 1973|Endangered Species Act]], making it easier to start mining, drilling and construction projects in areas with endangered and threatened species.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/12/climate/endangered-species-act-changes.html|title=Trump Administration Weakens Protections for Endangered Species|last=Friedman|first=Lisa|date=August 12, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=August 12, 2019|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name="Friedman-2019">{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/24/climate/trump-bird-deaths.html|title=A Trump Policy 'Clarification' All but Ends Punishment for Bird Deaths|last=Friedman|first=Lisa|date=December 24, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=December 24, 2019|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The administration has actively discouraged local governments and businesses from undertaking preservation efforts.<ref name="Friedman-2019" />

The administration sharply reduced the size of two national monuments in [[Utah]] by approximately two million acres, making it the largest reduction of public land protections in American history.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/04/us/trump-bears-ears.html|title=Trump Slashes Size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Monuments|last=Turkewitz|first=Julie|date=December 4, 2017|work=The New York Times|access-date=December 5, 2017|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Shortly afterwards, Interior Secretary [[Ryan Zinke]] advocated for downsizing four additional national monuments and changing the way six additional monuments were managed.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/zinke-backs-shrinking-more-national-monuments-shifting-management-of-10-others/2017/12/05/e116344e-d9e5-11e7-b1a8-62589434a581_story.html|title=Zinke backs shrinking more national monuments and shifting management of 10|last=Eilperin|first=Juliet|date=December 5, 2017|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=December 6, 2017|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> In 2019, the administration sped up the process for environmental reviews for oil and gas drilling in the Arctic; experts said the speeding up made reviews less comprehensive and reliable.<ref name="Federman-2019">{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.politico.com/interactives/2019/trump-science-alaska-drilling-rush/ |first=Adam |last=Federman |date=July 26, 2019 |title=How Science Got Trampled in the Rush to Drill in the Arctic|website=[[Politico]] |access-date=July 26, 2019}}</ref> According to ''Politico'', the administration sped up the process in the event that a Democratic administration was elected in 2020, which would have halted new oil and gas leases in the [[Arctic National Wildlife Refuge]].<ref name="Federman-2019" /> The administration sought to open up more than 180,000 acres of the [[Tongass National Forest]] in Alaska, the largest in the country, for logging.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/15/politics/alaska-national-forest-logging/index.html|title=Trump administration proposes new logging in nation's largest national forest|first=Gregory|last=Wallace|website=CNN|date=October 15, 2019|access-date=October 17, 2019}}</ref>

In April 2018, Pruitt announced a policy change prohibiting EPA regulators from considering scientific research unless the raw data of the research was made publicly available. This would limit EPA regulators' use of much environmental research, given that participants in many such studies provide personal health information which is kept confidential.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/24/climate/epa-science-transparency-pruitt.html |first=Lisa |last=Friedman |title=E.P.A. Announces a New Rule. One Likely Effect: Less Science in Policymaking.|date=April 24, 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 25, 2018|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The EPA cited two bipartisan reports and various nonpartisan studies about the use of science in government to defend the decision. However, the authors of those reports dismissed that the EPA followed their instructions, with one author saying, "They don't adopt any of our recommendations, and they go in a direction that's opposite, completely different. They don't adopt any of the recommendations of ''any'' of the sources they cite."<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/04/how-the-epas-new-secret-science-rule/558878/ |date=April 25, 2018 |title=Scott Pruitt's New Rule Could Completely Transform the EPA|last=Meyer|first=Robinson|work=[[The Atlantic]] |access-date=April 26, 2018}}</ref>

In July 2020, Trump moved to weaken the [[National Environmental Policy Act]] by limiting public review to speed up permitting.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Friedman|first=Lisa|title=Trump Weakens Major Conservation Law to Speed Construction Permits |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/15/climate/trump-environment-nepa.html|website=The New York Times|access-date=July 21, 2020|date=July 15, 2020}}</ref> In August 2020, Trump signed the [[Great American Outdoors Act]] to fully fund the [[Land and Water Conservation Fund]]. He had intended to oppose the bill and gut the fund until Republican senators afraid of losing their reelection bids and the Senate majority changed his mind.<ref>{{cite news|first1=Maegan|last1=Vazquez|first2=Betsy|last2=Klein|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/04/politics/donald-trump-great-american-outdoors-act/index.html|title=Trump signs conservation funding law that will aid national parks|work=CNN|date=August 4, 2020 |access-date=September 4, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Hulse|first=Carl|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/08/us/politics/senate-public-lands.html|title=Senate Moves Toward Preserving Public Lands, and Political Careers|work=The New York Times|date=June 11, 2020|access-date=September 4, 2023}}</ref>

The administration imposed far fewer financial penalties against banks and major companies accused of wrongdoing relative to the Obama administration.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/03/us/trump-sec-doj-corporate-penalties.html |newspaper=The New York Times |first1=Ben |last1=Protess |first2=Robert |last2=Gebeloff |first3=Danielle |last3=Ivory |date=November 3, 2018 |title=Trump Administration Spares Corporate Wrongdoers Billions in Penalties|access-date=November 5, 2018}}</ref>

In the first six weeks of his tenure, Trump suspended{{snd}}or in a few cases, revoked{{snd}}more than 90 regulations.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=Trump-Era Trend: Industries Protest. Regulations Rolled Back. A Dozen Examples|url=https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3480299-10-Examples-Industries-Push-Followed-by-Trump.html#document/p60/a341284|newspaper=The New York Times |via=[[DocumentCloud]] |access-date=March 7, 2017}}</ref> In early 2017, Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to slash two existing regulations for every new one (without spending on regulations going up).<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=Trump Signs Executive Order to Drastically Cut Federal Regs|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-signs-executive-order-to-drastically-cut-federal-regs |date=January 30, 2017 |work=[[Fox News]]|access-date=March 6, 2017}}</ref> A September 2017 [[Bloomberg BNA]] review found that due to unclear wording in the order and the large proportion of regulations it exempts, the order had had little effect since it was signed.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Bolen|first=Sheryl|title=Trump's 2-for-1 Regulatory Policy Yields Minimal Results|url=https://www.bna.com/trumps-2for1-regulatory-n73014470324/|date=September 29, 2017|publisher=[[Bloomberg BNA]]|access-date=October 31, 2017}}</ref> The Trump [[Office of Management and Budget|OMB]] released an analysis in February 2018 indicating the economic benefits of regulations significantly outweigh the economic costs.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://thehill.com/regulation/administration/375684-wh-quietly-issues-report-to-congress-showing-benefits-of|title=WH quietly issues report to Congress showing benefits of regulations|last=Rowland|first=Geoffrey|date=February 26, 2018|work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|access-date=October 24, 2018}}</ref> The administration ordered one-third of government advisory committees for federal agencies eliminated, except for committees that evaluate consumer product safety or committees that approve research grants.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=McCausland|first=Phil|title=Trump's order to slash number of science advisory boards blasted by critics as 'nonsensical'|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1017921|website=[[NBC News]]|access-date=June 16, 2019|date=June 15, 2019}}</ref>

The 2010 Affordable Care Act (also known as "Obamacare" or the ACA) elicited major opposition from the Republican Party from its inception, and Trump called for a repeal of the law during the 2016 election campaign.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Haberkorn |first=Jennifer |title=Trump victory puts Obamacare dismantling within reach |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/trump-victory-obamacare-risk-231090 |newspaper=[[Politico]] |date=November 9, 2016 |access-date=November 18, 2016}}</ref> On taking office, Trump promised to pass a healthcare bill that would cover everyone and result in better and less expensive insurance.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=Handicapping Trump's first 100 days|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/trump-first-100-days-policy-233871 |newspaper=[[Politico]] |date=January 20, 2017|access-date=January 20, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Jacobson" /> Throughout his presidency, Trump repeatedly asserted that his administration and Republicans in Congress supported protections for individuals with preexisting conditions; however, fact-checkers noted the administration supported attempts both in Congress and in the courts to roll back the ACA (and its protections for [[Pre-existing condition|preexisting conditions]]).<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/24/trump-pledges-to-protect-obamacare-pre-existing-conditions-as-midterms-loom.html|title=Trump keeps promising to protect pre-existing condition coverage – but his policies say otherwise|last=Pramuk|first=Jacob|date=October 24, 2018|work=[[CNBC]]|access-date=October 29, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Klein-2018">{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/10/18/politics/trump-pre-existing-conditions/index.html |date=October 18, 2018 |title=Trump: 'All Republicans' support pre-existing conditions, but White House policy says otherwise|first=Betsy|last=Klein|work=CNN|access-date=October 29, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/21/us/politics/fact-check-trump-pre-existing-health-conditions-.html |first=Linda |last=Qiu |date=September 21, 2018 |title=Trump Claims to Protect Pre-Existing Health Conditions. That's Not What the Government Says.|work=The New York Times|access-date=October 29, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2018/oct/05/donald-trump/donald-trumps-pants-fire-claim-about-democrats-pre/ |first=Louis |last=Jacobson |date=October 5, 2018 |title=Trump's 86th Pants on Fire claim is a health care doozy |work=[[Politifact]]|access-date=October 29, 2018}}</ref>

The administration ended subsidy payments to [[Health insurance in the United States|health insurance companies]], in a move expected to raise premiums in 2018 for middle-class families by an average of about twenty percent nationwide and cost the federal government nearly $200{{spaces}}billion more than it saved over a ten-year period.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/10/13/557541856/halt-in-subsidies-for-health-insurers-expected-to-drive-up-costs-for-middle-clas |date=October 13, 2017 |first=Alison |last=Kodjak |title=Halt In Subsidies For Health Insurers Expected To Drive Up Costs For Middle Class|access-date=October 14, 2017 |work=[[NPR]]}}</ref> The administration made it easier for businesses to use health insurance plans not covered by several of the ACA's protections, including for preexisting conditions,<ref name="Klein-2018" /> and allowed organizations not to cover birth control.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/10/06/555970210/trump-ends-requirement-that-employer-health-plans-pay-for-birth-control |first=Alison |last=Kodjak |date=October 6, 2017 |title=Trump Guts Requirement That Employer Health Plans Pay For Birth Control|access-date=October 6, 2017|work=[[NPR]]}}</ref> In justifying the action, the administration made false claims about the health harms of contraceptives.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Carroll|first=Aaron E.|date=October 10, 2017|title=Doubtful Science Behind Arguments to Restrict Birth Control Access|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/10/upshot/doubtful-science-behind-arguments-to-restrict-birth-control-access.html|access-date=October 10, 2017}}</ref>

The administration proposed substantial spending cuts to [[Medicare (United States)|Medicare]], [[Medicaid]] and [[Social Security Disability Insurance]]. Trump had previously vowed to protect Medicare and Medicaid.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/12/trump-2020-budget-proposes-reduced-medicare-and-medicaid-spending.html|title=Trump 2020 budget proposes reduced Medicare and Medicaid spending|last=Pramuk|first=Jacob|date=March 12, 2019|website=www.cnbc.com|access-date=March 16, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/with-social-program-fights-some-republicans-fear-being-seen-as-the-party-of-the-1-percent/2019/03/29/9cfc3232-516b-11e9-a3f7-78b7525a8d5f_story.html |first1=Robert |last1=Costa |first2=Mike |last2=DeBonis |title=With social program fights, some Republicans fear being seen as the party of the 1 percent |date=March 29, 2019 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> The administration reduced enforcement of penalties against nursing homes that harm residents.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Rau|first=Jordan|date=December 24, 2017|title=Trump Administration Eases Nursing Home Fines in Victory for Industry|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/24/business/trump-administration-nursing-home-penalties.html|access-date=December 26, 2017|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> As a candidate and throughout his presidency, Trump said he would cut the [[Prescription drug prices in the United States|costs of pharmaceuticals]]. During his first seven months in office, there were 96 price hikes for every drug price cut.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first1=Ricardo |last1=Alonso-Zaldivar |first2=Deb |last2=Riechmann|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/health_care/trump-says-new-proposal-will-lower-some-us-drug-prices/2018/10/25/db16c92a-d8ca-11e8-8384-bcc5492fef49_story.html|title=Trump says goal of proposal is to lower some US drug prices |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |access-date=November 5, 2018|archive-date=November 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106004923/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/health_care/trump-says-new-proposal-will-lower-some-us-drug-prices/2018/10/25/db16c92a-d8ca-11e8-8384-bcc5492fef49_story.html |date=October 26, 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Abandoning a promise he made as candidate, Trump announced he would not allow [[Medicare (United States)|Medicare]] to use its bargaining power to negotiate lower drug prices.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/trumps-drug-price-retreat-adds-to-list-of-abandoned-populist-promises/2018/05/14/1989ace8-5781-11e8-858f-12becb4d6067_story.html|title=Trump's drug price retreat adds to list of abandoned populist promises|last=Paletta|first=Damian|date=May 14, 2018|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=May 14, 2018|issn=0190-8286}}</ref>

Trump reinstated the [[Mexico City policy]], also known as the global gag rule, prohibiting funding to foreign [[non-governmental organization]]s that perform abortions as a method of [[family planning]] in other countries.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||date=December 18, 2018|title=U.S. alone in its opposition to parts of a U.N. draft resolution addressing violence against girls|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2018/12/18/latest-un-draft-resolution-america-has-problem-with-one-condemning-violence-against-girls/ |first=Rick |last=Noack |url-access=limited |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181219112540/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2018/12/18/latest-un-draft-resolution-america-has-problem-with-one-condemning-violence-against-girls/|archive-date=December 19, 2018 |url-status=live |access-date=December 19, 2018}}</ref> The administration implemented a policy restricting taxpayer dollars given to family planning facilities that mention abortion to patients, provide abortion referrals, or share space with abortion providers.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Belluck|first=Pam|date=February 22, 2019|title=Trump Administration Blocks Funds for Planned Parenthood and Others Over Abortion Referrals|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/22/health/trump-defunds-planned-parenthood.html|access-date=June 22, 2019|issn=0362-4331|url-access=limited}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||date=June 22, 2019|title=Trump abortion rules on referrals, clinic locations can take effect during appeals, court rules|work=[[NBC News]]|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/trump-abortion-rules-referrals-clinic-locations-can-take-effect-during-n1020641 |first1=Carla K. |last1=Johnson |first2=Ricardo |last2=Alonso-Zaldivar |access-date=August 25, 2019}}</ref> As a result, [[Planned Parenthood]], which provides [[Title X|Title{{spaces}}X]] birth control services to 1.5 million women, withdrew from the program.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Chuck|first=Elizabeth|date=August 19, 2019|title=Planned Parenthood withdraws from Title X family planning program|work=[[NBC News]]|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/planned-parenthood-withdraws-title-x-family-planning-program-n1044041|access-date=August 25, 2019}}</ref> Throughout his presidency, Trump pressed for a ban on [[Late termination of pregnancy|late-term abortions]] and made frequent false claims about them.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Cameron |first=Chris |date=April 28, 2019|title=Trump Repeats a False Claim That Doctors 'Execute' Newborns|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/28/us/politics/trump-abortion-fact-check.html |access-date=November 12, 2021 |newspaper=The New York Times|url-access=limited}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Greenberg|first=Jon|date=April 29, 2019|title=Do Democrats not mind 'executing' babies, as Trump said? |access-date=November 12, 2021 |url=https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2019/feb/28/donald-trump/fact-checking-donald-trumps-tweet-saying-democrats/|website=Politifact}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Buncombe|first=Andrew|date=February 5, 2019|title=Trump says ban late-term abortion to stop babies from being 'ripped from mother's womb' in controversial State of the Union address|work=[[The Independent]]|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-abortion-state-union-late-term-execute-baby-virginia-new-york-law-congress-a8765076.html|access-date=August 25, 2019}}</ref>

The [[White House Coronavirus Task Force]] was led by Vice President Mike Pence, Coronavirus Response Coordinator [[Deborah Birx]], and Trump's son-in-law [[Jared Kushner]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Shear|first1=Michael|last2=Weiland|first2=Noah|last3=Rogers|first3=Katie|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/26/us/politics/trump-coronavirus-cdc.html|title=Trump Names Mike Pence to Lead Coronavirus Response|date=February 26, 2020|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 27, 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200227003735/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/26/us/politics/trump-coronavirus-cdc.html|archive-date=February 27, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> Congress appropriated $8.3{{spaces}}billion in emergency funding, which Trump signed into [[Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act|law]] on March 6.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Keith|first=Tamara|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/03/06/812825943/trump-signs-coronavirus-funding-bill-cancels-trip-to-cdc|title=Trump Visits CDC After Coronavirus Fears Throw Schedule Into Chaos|date=March 6, 2020|work=[[NPR]]|access-date=March 7, 2020}}</ref> During his oval office address on March 11, Trump announced an imminent travel ban between Europe and the U.S. The announcement caused chaos in European and American airports, as Americans abroad scrambled to get flights back to the U.S. The administration later had to clarify that the travel ban applied to foreigners coming from the [[Schengen Area]], and later added Ireland and the UK to the list.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Specia|first=Megan|date=March 12, 2020|title=What You Need to Know About Trump's European Travel Ban|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/12/world/europe/trump-travel-ban-coronavirus.html|access-date=March 28, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Snyder |first=Tanya |title=White House adds U.K., Ireland to travel ban, hints at airline aid |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/14/white-house-adds-uk-ireland-to-travel-ban-129470 |date=March 14, 2020 |access-date=March 28, 2020 |website=[[Politico]]}}</ref> Previously, in late January 2020, the administration banned travel to the U.S. from China; prior to the decision, major U.S. carriers had already announced that they would no longer fly to and from China.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Tate|first=Curtis|title=Delta, American, United to suspend all China mainland flights as coronavirus crisis grows|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/2020/01/31/coronavirus-china-flight-ban-delta-cuts-all-flights-white-house/4620989002/ |date=January 31, 2020 |access-date=April 3, 2020|website=[[USA Today]]}}</ref> On March 13, Trump designated COVID-19 pandemic as a [[national emergency]], as the number of known cases of COVID-19 in the country exceeded 1,500, while known deaths exceeded 40.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Politi|first1=James|last2=Kuchler|first2=Hannah|date=March 14, 2020|title=Donald Trump declares US national emergency for coronavirus|work=[[Financial Times]]|url=https://www.ft.com/content/465543fa-655c-11ea-b3f3-fe4680ea68b5|access-date=March 18, 2020}}</ref>

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>

Following a dramatic economic downturn as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, federal intervention in providing Governmental aid was heavily lobbied for resulting in the initial signing of a $8 Billion aid package relating to vaccine research and outbreak prevention among states on March 8, 2020<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Hirsch|first1=Lauren|last2=Breuninger|first2=Kevin|date=March 6, 2020|title=Trump signs $8.3 billion emergency coronavirus spending package|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/06/trump-signs-8point3-billion-emergency-coronavirus-spending-package.html|access-date=October 5, 2020|website=[[CNBC]]|language=en|archive-date=February 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210215175449/https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/06/trump-signs-8point3-billion-emergency-coronavirus-spending-package.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and a secondary $192 billion aid package addressing sick leave for workers, expanding unemployment benefits and increased testing resources.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Grisales|first=Claudia|date=March 18, 2020|title=President Trump Signs Coronavirus Emergency Aid Package|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/03/18/817737690/senate-passes-coronavirus-emergency-aid-sending-plan-to-president|access-date=October 5, 2020|newspaper=[[NPR]]|language=en|archive-date=February 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210215175451/https://www.npr.org/2020/03/18/817737690/senate-passes-coronavirus-emergency-aid-sending-plan-to-president|url-status=live}}</ref> A subsequent $2.2 trillion aid package was later proposed and signed into law March 27, 2020, titled the [[CARES Act]] which provided forgivable loans for small businesses, increased unemployment benefits, a temporary [[Child tax credit (United States)|child tax credit]] and further aid towards state and local governments in addressing the pandemic. The CARES Act emerged as the largest economic stimulus bill in American history with limited opposition against it; passing unanimously in the [[U.S. Senate|Senate]] and 419–6 in the [[U.S. House of Representatives|House]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hulse |first1=Carl |last2=Cochrane |first2=Emily |title=As Coronavirus Spread, Largest Stimulus in History United a Polarized Senate |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/26/us/coronavirus-senate-stimulus-package.html |website=The New York Times |date=March 26, 2020 |access-date=July 11, 2020 |archive-date=October 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201006070721/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/26/us/coronavirus-senate-stimulus-package.html/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.npr.org/2020/03/27/822062909/house-aims-to-send-2-trillion-rescue-package-to-president-to-stem-coronavirus-cr | title= President Trump Signs $2 Trillion Coronavirus Rescue Package Into Law | work=[[NPR]] | date=March 27, 2020}}</ref> An additional $900 Billion would be further dedicated to the pandemic in the [[Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021|2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act]] that was signed into law December 27, 2020, despite initial opposition by Trump following criticism of the individual stimulus payments as too low and of the bill as having wasteful spending.<ref>{{cite web |last=Seddiq |first=Oma | url=https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-demand-2000-checks-cost-gop-but-shows-his-power-2020-12 | title=Trump's demand for $2,000 stimulus checks could cost the GOP its Senate majority, but reveals his enduring influence within the party | website=[[Business Insider]] | date=December 29, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/23/politics/trump-complaints-spending-bill-graphic/index.html|publisher=CNN|title=Trump's complaints vs. his own budget proposal|date=December 23, 2020|first1=Kevin |last1=Liptak |first2=Christopher |last2=Hickey}}</ref>

In June 2020, amid surges in COVID-19 case numbers, Trump administration officials falsely claimed that the steep rise was due to increased testing; public health experts disputed the administration's claims, noting that the positivity rate of tests was increasing.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Feuer|first=William|date=June 23, 2020|title=Trump blames rise in coronavirus cases on increased testing, despite evidence of more spread|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/23/trump-blames-rise-in-coronavirus-cases-on-testing-despite-signs-of-spread.html|access-date=June 28, 2020|website=[[CNBC]]}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Cameron|first1=Chris|last2=Kaplan|first2=Sheila|date=June 28, 2020|title=White House Blames Rise in Virus Cases on More Testing, as Experts Dispute the Claim|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/28/us/politics/coronavirus-sunday-talk-shows.html|access-date=June 28, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

In December 2017, ''The Economist'' described the [[United States Department of Housing and Urban Development|Department of Housing and Urban Development]] (HUD), led by Carson, as "directionless". Most of the top HUD positions were unfilled and Carson's leadership was "inconspicuous and inscrutable". Of the policies HUD was enacting, ''The Economist'' wrote, "it is hard not to conclude that the governing principle at HUD is to take whatever the Obama administration was doing, and do the opposite."<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.economist.com/united-states/2017/11/29/hud-embodies-the-pathologies-afflicting-the-white-house |date=November 30, 2017 |title=HUD embodies the pathologies afflicting the White House|newspaper=The Economist|access-date=December 5, 2017}}</ref> HUD scaled back the enforcement of fair housing laws, halted several fair housing investigations started by the Obama administration and removed the words "inclusive" and "free from discrimination" from its mission statement.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/28/us/ben-carson-hud-fair-housing-discrimination.html|title=Under Ben Carson, HUD Scales Back Fair Housing Enforcement|last=Thrush|first=Glenn|date=March 28, 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 29, 2018|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The administration designated [[Lynne Patton]], an event planner who had worked on the Trump campaign and planned Eric Trump's wedding, to lead HUD's New York and New Jersey office (which oversees billions of federal dollars).<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/26/us/politics/lynne-patton-hud.html|title='Give Me a Chance,' Trump Associate-Turned-Housing-Official Says|last=Alcindor|first=Yamiche|date=June 26, 2017|work=The New York Times|access-date=January 25, 2018|issn=0362-4331}}</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>

By February 2018, arrests of undocumented immigrants by ICE increased by forty percent during Trump's tenure. Arrests of noncriminal undocumented immigrants were twice as high as during Obama's final year in office. Arrests of undocumented immigrants with criminal convictions increased only slightly.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Miroff|first1=Nick|last2=Sacchetti|first2=Maria|date=February 11, 2018|title=Trump takes 'shackles' off ICE, which is slapping them on immigrants who thought they were safe|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-takes-shackles-off-ice-which-is-slapping-them-on-immigrants-who-thought-they-were-safe/2018/02/11/4bd5c164-083a-11e8-b48c-b07fea957bd5_story.html|access-date=February 12, 2018|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> In 2018, experts noted that the Trump administration's immigration policies had led to an increase in criminality and lawlessness along the U.S.–Mexico border, as asylum seekers prevented by U.S. authorities from filing for asylum had been preyed upon by human smugglers, organized crime and corrupt local law enforcement.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first1=Ray |last1=Sanchez |first2=Nick |last2=Valencia |first3=Tal |last3=Kopan |title=Trump's immigration policies were supposed to make the border safer. Experts say the opposite is happening. |date=July 20, 2018 |work=CNN|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/07/19/americas/trump-migration-border-smuggling/index.html|access-date=July 24, 2018}}</ref> To defend administration policies on immigration, the administration fudged data and presented intentionally misleading analyses of the costs associated with refugees (omitting data that showed net positive fiscal effects),<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=Trump Administration Rejects Study Showing Positive Impact of Refugees|website=The New York Times|date=September 19, 2017|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/18/us/politics/refugees-revenue-cost-report-trump.html|access-date=June 25, 2018|last1=Davis|first1=Julie Hirschfeld|last2=Sengupta|first2=Somini}}</ref> as well as created the [[Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement]] to highlight crimes committed by undocumented immigrants (there is no evidence undocumented immigrants increase the U.S. crime rate).<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Lee|first=Michelle|date=March 1, 2017|title=Fact check: Trump claim on murders by unauthorized immigrants|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2017/live-updates/trump-white-house/real-time-fact-checking-and-analysis-of-trumps-address-to-congress/fact-check-trump-claim-on-murders-by-unauthorized-immigrants/|access-date=March 3, 2017}}</ref> In January 2018, Trump was widely criticized after referring to Haiti, El Salvador, and African nations in general as "shithole countries" at a bipartisan meeting on immigration. Multiple international leaders condemned his remarks as racist.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=African nations slam Trump's vulgar remarks as "racist"|work=[[NBC News]]|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/african-nations-slam-trump-s-vulgar-remarks-reprehensible-racist-n837486 |first=Erik |last=Ortiz |date=January 13, 2018 |access-date=January 15, 2018}}</ref>

The administration sought to add a citizenship question to the [[2020 United States Census|2020 census]], which experts warned would likely result in severe undercounting of the population and faulty data,<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/26/us/politics/census-citizenship-question-trump.html|title=Despite Concerns, Census Will Ask Respondents if They Are U.S. Citizens|last=Baumgaertner|first=Emily|date=March 26, 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 27, 2018|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> with naturalized U.S. citizens, legal immigrants, and undocumented immigrants all being less likely to respond to the census.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first=Holly |last=Straut-Eppsteiner |access-date=November 10, 2021 |url=https://www.nilc.org/2019/04/22/citizenship-question-would-undermine-census-reliability/ |publisher=National Immigration Law Center |title=Research Shows a Citizenship Question Would Suppress Participation among Latinxs and Immigrants in the 2020 Census, Undermining Its Reliability |date=April 22, 2019 |quote=Researchers uncovered a significant and troubling finding from this survey research: Fewer Latinx immigrant households will participate in the 2020 census if the question is implemented, which will result in an undercount. Without the citizenship question, 84 percent of respondents were willing to participate in the census; after including the citizenship question, however, willingness to participate dropped by almost half, to 46 percent. Willingness dropped among individuals across legal status: naturalized citizens, legal residents, and undocumented individuals.}}</ref> [[Blue states]] were estimated to get fewer congressional seats and lower congressional appropriations than they would otherwise get, because they have larger non-citizen populations.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/03/27/politics/blue-states-lose-citizenship-question-census/index.html |date=March 27, 2018 |title=Blue states are far more likely to lose money and power over Census citizenship question|last=Enten|first=Harry|work=CNN|access-date=March 27, 2018}}</ref> [[Thomas B. Hofeller]], an architect of Republican gerrymandering, had found adding the census question would help to gerrymander maps that "would be advantageous to Republicans and non-Hispanic whites" and that Hofeller had later written the key portion of a letter from the Trump administration's Justice Department justifying the addition of a citizenship question by claiming it was needed to enforce the 1965 Voting Rights Act.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/30/us/census-citizenship-question-hofeller.html |title=Deceased G.O.P. Strategist's Hard Drives Reveal New Details on the Census Citizenship Question |first=Michael |last=Wines |date=May 30, 2019 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=November 10, 2021}}</ref> In July 2019, the Supreme Court in ''[[Department of Commerce v. New York]]'' blocked the administration from including the citizenship question on the census form.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=Trump abandons effort to add citizenship question to census |work=[[Politico]] |first1=Anita |last1=Kumar |first2=Caitlin |last2=Oprysko |date=July 11, 2019 |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2019/07/11/trump-expected-to-take-executive-action-to-add-citizenship-question-to-census-1405893 |access-date=November 10, 2021}}</ref>

During the 2018 midterm election campaign, Trump sent nearly 5,600 troops to the U.S.–Mexico border for the stated purpose of protecting the United States against a caravan of Central American migrants.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/10/us/deployed-inside-the-united-states-the-military-waits-for-the-migrant-caravan.html |newspaper=The New York Times |first1=Thomas |last1=Gibbons-Neff |first2=Helene |last2=Cooper |date=November 10, 2018 |title=Deployed Inside the United States: The Military Waits for the Migrant Caravan|access-date=November 10, 2018}}</ref> The Pentagon had previously concluded the caravan posed no threat to the U.S. The border deployment was estimated to cost as much as $220{{spaces}}million by the end of the year.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/05/trump-border-deployments-could-cost-220-million-pentagon-sees-no-caravan-threat.html|title=Trump's border deployments could cost $220 million as Pentagon sees no threat from migrant caravan|last=Macias|first=Amanda|date=November 5, 2018 |work=[[CNBC]] |access-date=November 5, 2018}}</ref> With daily warnings from Trump about the dangers of the caravan during the midterm election campaign, the frequency and intensity of the caravan rhetoric nearly stopped after election day.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://apnews.com/article/immigration-north-america-donald-trump-ap-top-news-elections-38870e6a25d5469292253b4b716ecc17 |first1=Jonathan |last1=Lemire |first2=Catherine |last2=Lucey|access-date=November 10, 2021 |title=Remember the caravan? After vote, focus on migrants fades|date=November 13, 2018|work=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>

In May 2018, the administration announced it would separate children from parents caught unlawfully crossing the southern border into the United States. Parents were routinely charged with a [[misdemeanor]] and jailed; their children were placed in separate detention centers with no established procedure to track them or reunite them with their parent after they had served time for their offence, generally only a few hours or days.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Jarrett|first=Laura|title=Federal judge orders reunification of parents and children, end to most family separations at border|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/26/politics/federal-court-order-family-separations/index.html|website=CNN|date=June 27, 2018|access-date=July 24, 2018}}</ref> Later that month, Trump falsely accused Democrats of creating that policy, despite it originating from his own administration, and urged Congress to "get together" and pass an immigration bill.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/28/us/trump-immigrant-children-lost.html |first=Amy |last=Harmon |title=Did the Trump Administration Separate Immigrant Children From Parents and Lose Them? |date=May 28, 2018|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=May 28, 2018}}</ref> Members of Congress from both parties condemned the practice and pointed out that the White House could end the separations on its own.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.vox.com/2018/6/19/17478350/republicans-family-separations-trump-midterms|title=Republicans are starting to worry that voters will punish them for family separations|last=Zhou|first=Li|date=June 19, 2018|work=[[Vox (website)|Vox]]|access-date=June 20, 2018}}</ref> ''[[The Washington Post]]'' quoted a White House official as saying Trump's decision to separate migrant families was to gain political leverage to force Democrats and moderate Republicans to accept hardline immigration legislation.<ref name="Scherer-2018">{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Scherer |first1=Michael |last2=Dawsey |first2=Josh |title=Trump cites as a negotiating tool his policy of separating immigrant children from their parents |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-cites-as-a-negotiating-tool-his-policy-of-separating-immigrant-children-from-their-parents/2018/06/15/ade82b80-70b3-11e8-bf86-a2351b5ece99_story.html |date=June 15, 2018 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=June 17, 2018}}</ref>

Six weeks into the implementation of the "zero tolerance" policy, at least 2,300 migrant children had been separated from their families.<ref name="Shear-2018">{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/20/us/politics/trump-immigration-children-executive-order.html |first1=Michael D. |last1=Shear |first2=Abby |last2=Goodnough |first3=Maggie |last3=Haberman |date=June 20, 2018 |newspaper=The New York Times |title=Trump Retreats on Separating Families, Signing Order to Detain Them Together |access-date=June 20, 2018}}</ref> The [[American Academy of Pediatrics]], the [[American College of Physicians]] and the [[American Psychiatric Association]] condemned the policy, with the American Academy of Pediatrics saying the policy was causing "irreparable harm" to the children.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/14/health/immigrant-family-separation-doctors/index.html |date=June 14, 2018 |title=Doctors saw immigrant kids separated from their parents. Now they're trying to stop it. |first=Catherine E. |last=Shoichet |work=CNN |access-date=June 15, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Scherer-2018" /> The policy was extremely unpopular, more so than any major piece of legislation in recent memory.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2018/06/19/the-extraordinary-unpopularity-of-trumps-family-separation-policy-in-one-graph/|title=Analysis {{!}} The extraordinary unpopularity of Trump's family separation policy (in one graph)|last=Sides|first=John|author1-link=John M. Sides|date=June 19, 2018|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=June 20, 2018|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> Videos and images of children held in cage-like detention centers, distraught parents separated from their children, and sobbing children caused an outcry.<ref name="Shear-2018" /> [[George Takei]] and other survivors of [[Japanese internment camps in the United States|Japanese internment camps]] have also criticized the conditions in these centers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Alexander |first=Bryan |date=June 19, 2018 |title=George Takei slams Trump's border policy, 'worse' than Japanese internment camp |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2018/06/19/george-takei-trumps-border-policy-worse-than-interment-camp/716478002/ |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Chen |first=Stacy |date=March 30, 2019 |title=Coalition of WWII Japanese American internment camp survivors stage peaceful protest at immigrant detention facility on Texas border |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/coalition-wwii-japanese-american-internment-camp-survivors-stage/story?id=62039367 |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=ABC News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Kang |first1=Inyoung |last2=Stevens |first2=Matt |date=June 22, 2018 |title=California Today: Recalling Japanese Internment in the Era of Trump |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/22/us/japanese-internment-manzanar-trump.html |work=New York Times}}</ref> After criticism, [[Department of Homeland Security|DHS]] secretary [[Kirstjen Nielsen]] falsely claimed that "We do not have a policy of separating families at the border."<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.factcheck.org/2018/06/nielsens-rhetoric-on-family-separations/ |first=D'Angelo |last=Gore |access-date=November 10, 2021 |title=Nielsen's Rhetoric on Family Separations|date=June 20, 2018|publisher=Fact Check}}</ref>

On June 20, 2018, amid worldwide outrage and enormous political pressure to roll back his policy, Trump reversed the family-separation policy by signing an executive order,<ref name="Shear-2018" /> despite earlier having said "you can't do it through an executive order."<ref name="Shear-2018" /> Six days later, as the result of a class-action lawsuit filed by the [[American Civil Liberties Union]], U.S. District Judge [[Dana Sabraw]] issued a nationwide [[preliminary injunction]] against the family-separation policy, and required the government to reunite separated families within 30 days.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first1=Michael D. |last1=Shear |first2=Julie Hirschfeld |last2=Davis |first3=Thomas |last3=Kaplan |first4=Robert |last4=Pear |access-date=November 10, 2021 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/26/us/politics/family-separations-congress-states.html |title=Federal Judge in California Issues Injunction Halting Government From Separating Families |work=The New York Times |date=June 26, 2018}}</ref> By November 2020, the parents of 666 children still had not been found.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||title=Lawyers can't find parents of another 100-plus migrant kids|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/lawyers-can-t-find-parents-666-migrant-kids-higher-number-n1247144 |date=November 9, 2020 |first1=Jacob |last1=Soboroff |first2=Julia |last2=Ainsley |access-date=November 10, 2020|website=[[NBC News]]}}</ref> The administration refused to provide funds to cover the expenses of reuniting families, and volunteer organizations continue to provide both volunteers and funding.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last1=transcript|title=Why hundreds of migrant children remain separated from their parents|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/why-hundreds-of-migrant-children-remain-separated-from-their-parents#transcript|access-date=October 22, 2020|website=[[PBS NewsHour]]|date=October 21, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||title=Lawyers: We can't find parents of 545 kids separated by Trump administration |first1=Julia |last1=Ainsley |first2=Jacob |last2=Soboroff |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/lawyers-say-they-can-t-find-parents-545-migrant-children-n1244066 |date=October 21, 2020 |access-date=October 21, 2020|website=[[NBC News]]}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Dickerson|first=Caitlin|date=October 21, 2020|title=Parents of 545 Children Separated at the Border Cannot Be Found|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/21/us/migrant-children-separated.html|access-date=October 22, 2020}}</ref> The administration also refused to pay for mental health services for the families and orphaned children traumatized by the separations.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||title=White House nixed deal to pay for mental health care for separated families|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/white-house-killed-deal-pay-mental-health-care-migrant-families-n1248158 |date=November 19, 2020 |first1=Jacob |last1=Soboroff |first2=Julia |last2=Ainsley |first3=Geoff |last3=Bennett |access-date=December 20, 2020|website=[[NBC News]]}}</ref>

In January 2017, Trump signed an [[Executive Order 13769|executive order]] which indefinitely suspended admission of asylum seekers fleeing the [[Syrian Civil War]], suspended admission of all other refugees for 120 days, and denied entry to citizens of [[Iraq]], [[Iran]], [[Libya]], [[Somalia]], [[Sudan]], [[Syria]] and [[Yemen]] for 90 days. The order also established a religious test for refugees from Muslim nations by giving priority to refugees of other religions over Muslim refugees.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/27/us/politics/trump-syrian-refugees.html|title=Trump Bars Refugees and Citizens of 7 Muslim Countries|last1=Shear|first1=Michael D.|last2=Cooper|first2=Helene|date=January 27, 2017|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=January 28, 2017}}</ref> Later, the administration seemed to reverse a portion of part of the order, effectively exempting visitors with a [[Permanent residence (United States)|green card]].<ref name="Shear">{{#invoke:Cite news||first=Peter |last=Baker |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/29/us/politics/white-house-official-in-reversal-says-green-card-holders-wont-be-barred.html |access-date=November 10, 2021 |title=White House Official, in Reversal, Says Green Card Holders Won't Be Barred |work=The New York Times |date=January 29, 2017}}</ref> After the order was challenged in the federal courts, several federal judges issued rulings [[Injunction|enjoining]] the government from enforcing the order.<ref name="Shear" /> Trump [[Dismissals of Sally Yates and Daniel Ragsdale|fired]] acting attorney general [[Sally Yates]] after she said she would not defend the order in court; Yates was replaced by [[Dana Boente]], who said the Department of Justice would defend the order.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/30/politics/dana-boente-acting-attorney-general/|title=New acting attorney general set for brief tenure|last=Schleifer|first=Theodore|date=January 31, 2017|access-date=January 31, 2017|work=CNN}}</ref>

In September, Trump signed a proclamation placing limits on the six countries in the second executive order and added [[Chad]], [[North Korea]], and [[Venezuela]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.lawfaremedia.org/white-house-updates-travel-ban-summary|title=White House Updates to the Travel Ban: A Summary|first=Russell|last=Spivak|publisher=[[Lawfare (website)|Lawfare]]|location=[[Washington, D.C.]]|date=September 25, 2017|access-date=October 19, 2017}}</ref> In October 2017, Judge [[Derrick Watson]], of the [[United States District Court for the District of Hawaii|U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii]] issued another temporary [[restraining order]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/federal-judge-blocks-trumps-third-travel-ban/2017/10/17/e73293fc-ae90-11e7-9e58-e6288544af98_story.html|title=Federal judge blocks Trump's third travel ban|first=Matt|last=Zapotosky|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|location=[[Washington, D.C.]]|date=October 17, 2017|access-date=October 19, 2017}}</ref> In December 2017, the Supreme Court allowed the September 2017 travel restrictions to go into effect while legal challenges in Hawaii and Maryland are heard. The decision effectively barred most citizens of Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Chad and North Korea from entry into the United States along with some government officials from Venezuela and their families.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/04/us/politics/trump-travel-ban-supreme-court.html|newspaper=The New York Times|title=Supreme Court Allows Trump Travel Ban to Take Effect|last=Liptak|first=Adam|date=December 4, 2017|access-date=December 5, 2017}}</ref>

The federal government was partially shut down from December 22, 2018, until January 25, 2019, (the longest shutdown in U.S. history) over Trump's demand that Congress provide $5.7{{spaces}}billion in federal funds for a U.S.–Mexico border wall.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/01/09/us/politics/longest-government-shutdown.html|title=This Government Shutdown Is One of the Longest Ever|last=Gates|first=Guilbert|date=January 9, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=January 10, 2019}}</ref> The House and Senate lacked votes necessary to support his funding demand and to overcome Trump's refusal to sign the appropriations last passed by Congress into law.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first1=Julie Hirschfeld|last1=Davis|first2=Michael|last2=Tackett|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/02/us/politics/trump-congress-shutdown.html|title=Trump and Democrats Dig In After Talks to Reopen Government Go Nowhere|newspaper=The New York Times|date=January 2, 2019|access-date=January 3, 2019}}</ref> In negotiations with Democratic leaders leading up to the shutdown, Trump commented he would be "proud to shut down the government for border security".<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.politico.com/story/2018/12/11/trump-border-wall-congress-budget-1055433|title=Trump says he's 'proud' to shut down government during fight with Pelosi and Schumer|work=[[Politico]]|date=December 11, 2018|access-date=January 10, 2019|first1=Burgess|last1=Everett|first2=Sarah|last2=Ferris|first3=Caitlin|last3=Oprysko}}</ref> By mid-January 2019, the White House [[Council of Economic Advisors]] estimated that each week of the shutdown reduced GDP by 0.1 percentage points, the equivalent of 1.2 points per quarter.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/15/us/politics/government-shutdown-economy.html|title=Shutdown's Economic Damage Starts to Pile Up, Threatening an End to Growth |first=Jim |last=Tankersley |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=November 10, 2021 |date=January 15, 2019}}</ref>

The administration rescinded a directive that public schools treat students according to their gender identity.<ref name="Berg-2019" /> The administration rescinded a federal policy that allowed transgender students to use bathrooms corresponding to their gender identity, and dropped a lawsuit against [[North Carolina]]'s "bathroom bill".<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/22/us/politics/devos-sessions-transgender-students-rights.html |first1=Jeremy W. |last1=Peters |first2=Jo |last2=Becker |first3=Julie Hirschfeld |last3=Davis |title=Trump Rescinds Rules on Bathrooms for Transgender Students|date=February 22, 2017|website=The New York Times|access-date=March 16, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170315213910/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/22/us/politics/devos-sessions-transgender-students-rights.html|archive-date=March 15, 2017}}</ref> The administration rescinded rules that prohibited discrimination against LGBT patients by health care providers.<ref name="Berg-2019" /><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/24/transgender-patients-protections-health-care-1343005 |date=May 24, 2019 |title=Trump administration rolls back health care protections for LGBTQ patients|last1=Diamond|first1=Dan|last2=Pradhan|first2=Rachana|website=[[Politico]]|access-date=May 31, 2019}}</ref> Rules were rescinded to give transgender homeless people equal access to homeless shelters, and to house transgender prison inmates according to their gender identity "when appropriate".<ref name="Berg-2019" /> HHS stopped collecting information on LGBT participants in its national survey of older adults,<ref name="TrumpRecordAgainstTrans">{{citation |url = https://transequality.org/the-discrimination-administration |title = Trump's record of action against transgender people |date = April 20, 2017 |publisher = transequality.org |access-date = February 20, 2019 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190220231746/https://transequality.org/the-discrimination-administration |archive-date = February 20, 2019}}</ref> and the [[Census Bureau]] removed "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" as proposed subjects for possible inclusion on the decennial census or [[American Community Survey]].<ref name="TrumpRecordAgainstTrans" /> The Justice Department and [[United States Labor Department|Labor Department]] cancelled quarterly conference calls with LGBT organizations.<ref name="TrumpRecordAgainstTrans" />

In response to the 2020 rioting and looting amid [[2020–2022 United States racial unrest|nationwide protests]] against racism and police brutality after a white [[Minneapolis Police Department]] officer [[Murder of George Floyd|murdered]] an African American man named [[George Floyd]], Trump tweeted a quote, "[[when the looting starts, the shooting starts]]", coined in 1967 by a Miami police chief that has been widely condemned by civil rights groups.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Wines|first=Michael|date=May 29, 2020|title='Looting' Comment From Trump Dates Back to Racial Unrest of the 1960s|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/29/us/looting-starts-shooting-starts.html|access-date=May 30, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name="Milman-2020">{{#invoke:Cite web||title=Trump praises Secret Service and threatens protesters with 'vicious dogs'|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/30/trump-secret-service-george-floyd-protesters-white-house |first1=Oliver |last1=Milman |first2=Martin |last2=Pengelly |first3=Richard |last3=Luscombe |first4=David |last4=Smith |date=May 30, 2020|website=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> Trump later addressed protestors outside the White House by saying they "would have been greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons, I have ever seen" if they breached the White House fence.<ref name="Milman-2020" />

On June 1, 2020, hundreds of police officers, members of the [[National Guard (United States)|National Guard]] and other forces, in riot gear used smoke canisters, rubber bullets, batons and shields to disperse a crowd of peaceful protesters outside [[St. John's Episcopal Church, Lafayette Square|St. John's Episcopal Church]] across [[Lafayette Square, Washington, D.C.|Lafayette Square]] from the White House.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Rogers|first=Katie|date=June 1, 2020|title=Protesters Dispersed With Tear Gas So Trump Could Pose at Church|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/01/us/politics/trump-st-johns-church-bible.html|access-date=June 2, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Beauchamp|first=Zack|date=June 1, 2020|title=Officers fire tear gas on peaceful protesters to clear the way for Trump's photo op|url=https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2020/6/1/21277530/trump-speech-police-violence-dc-tear-gas|website=[[Vox (website)|Vox]]|access-date=June 2, 2020}}</ref> A news crew from Australia was attacked by these forces<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Hume|first=Tim|title=Australian Journalists Covering DC Protests Were Assaulted by Cops on Live Morning Television|url=https://www.vice.com/en_au/article/akzvzz/australian-journalists-covering-dc-protests-were-assaulted-by-cops-on-live-morning-television|work=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]]|date=June 3, 2020|access-date=June 3, 2020}}</ref> and clergy on the church's porch suffered effects of the gas and were dispersed along with the others.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||date=June 1, 2020|title=Police Fire Tear Gas Outside White House Before Trump Speech|url=https://www.mediaite.com/tv/watch-police-fire-tear-gas-at-protesters-gathered-outside-the-white-house-as-trump-prepares-to-address-the-nation/ |first=KJ |last=Edelman |website=Mediaite|access-date=June 2, 2020}}</ref> Trump, accompanied by other officials including the secretary of defense, then walked across Lafayette Square and posed for pictures while he was holding a Bible up for the cameras, outside the church which had suffered minor damage from a fire started by arsonists the night before.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=McCreesh |first=Shawn |title=Protests Near White House Spiral Out of Control Again |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/31/us/politics/washington-dc-george-floyd-protests.html |work=The New York Times |date=June 1, 2020|access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/historic-church-near-white-house-damaged-amid-unrest-leaders-pray-for-healing/2318673/|title=Historic Church Near White House Damaged Amid Unrest; Leaders Pray for Healing|first=Sophia|last=Barnes|date=June 1, 2020|work=NBC 4 Washington|access-date=June 3, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Zoellner |first=Danielle |title='Here in New York, we read the Bible': Cuomo condemns Trump for his church photo op |website=[[The Independent]] |date=June 3, 2020 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/cuomo-trump-bible-photo-new-york-coronavirus-a9547481.html |access-date=November 10, 2021 |quote='Is that your Bible?' a reporter is heard asking Mr Trump during the moment. He responded: 'It's a Bible.'}}</ref> [[Mariann Edgar Budde]], Bishop of the [[Episcopal Diocese of Washington]] said she was "outraged" by Trump's actions,<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title='He Did Not Pray': Fallout Grows From Trump's Photo-Op At St. John's Church |newspaper=[[NPR]] |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/06/02/867705160/he-did-not-pray-fallout-grows-from-trump-s-photo-op-at-st-john-s-church |date=June 2, 2020 |first=Bill |last=Chappell |access-date=June 2, 2020}}</ref> which also received widespread condemnation from other religious leaders.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Jackson|first1=David|last2=Collins|first2=Michael|last3=Wu|first3=Nicholas|title=Washington archbishop denounces Trump visit to Catholic shrine as 'baffling' and 'reprehensible'|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/06/02/george-floyd-trump-visit-catholic-shrine-amid-photo-op-criticism/3122549001/|access-date=June 2, 2020|work=[[USA Today]]|publisher=[[Gannett]]|date=June 2, 2020|location=[[McLean, Virginia]]}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=George Floyd death: Archbishop attacks Trump as US unrest continues|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52897303|access-date=June 2, 2020|work=[[BBC News]]|publisher=[[BBC]]|date=June 2, 2020|location=[[London]]}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=Outraged Episcopal leaders condemn tear-gassing clergy, protesters for Trump photo op at Washington church |url=https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/2020/06/02/episcopal-leaders-express-outrage-condemn-tear-gassing-protesters-for-trump-photo-op-at-washington-church/ |first=Egan |last=Millard |website=Episcopal News Service |access-date=June 3, 2020 |date=June 2, 2020}}</ref> However, the reaction from the religious right and evangelicals generally praised the visit.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/06/trumps-biblical-spectacle-outside-st-johns-church/612529/ |last=Coppins |first=McKay |title=The Christians Who Loved Trump's Stunt |website=[[The Atlantic]] |date=June 2, 2020|access-date=June 4, 2020|quote="I thought it was completely appropriate for the president to stand in front of that church," Jeffress told me. "And by holding up the Bible, he was showing us that it teaches that, yes, God hates racism, it's despicable{{snd}}but God also hates lawlessness."}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/06/christian-right-leaders-loved-trumps-bible-photo-op.html|title=Christian Right Leaders Loved Trump's Bible Photo Op|website=[[New York (magazine)|New York]] |last=Kilgore|first=Ed|date=June 2, 2020|access-date=June 4, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/03/donald-trump-church-photo-op-evangelicals|title='He wears the armor of God': evangelicals hail Trump's church photo op |website=[[The Guardian]] |last=Teague |first=Matthew |date=June 3, 2020|access-date=June 4, 2020}}</ref>

In July 2020, federal forces were deployed to [[Portland, Oregon]], in response to rioting during [[George Floyd protests in Portland, Oregon|protests]] against police brutality, which had resulted in vandalism to [[Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse|the city's federal courthouse]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2020/07/01/DHS-forms-task-force-to-protect-monuments-over-July-4th-weekend/7901593624821/ |access-date=November 10, 2021 |date=July 1, 2020 |title=DHS forms task force to protect monuments over July 4th weekend|website=UPI}}</ref> The Department of Homeland Security cited Trump's June 26 executive order to protect statues and monuments as allowing federal officers to be deployed without the permission of individual states.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||date=July 21, 2020|title=Trump threatens to send officers to more US cities|work=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53481383|access-date=July 21, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53201784|title=Trump orders statues be protected from 'mob rule'|date=June 27, 2020|work=[[BBC News]] |access-date=July 28, 2020}}</ref> Federal agents fired pepper spray or tear gas at protesters who got too close to the U.S. courthouse.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Victoria Lozano|first=Alicia|title=Federal agents, Portland protesters in standoff as chaos envelops parts of city|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/federal-agents-portland-protesters-standoff-chaos-envelopes-portions-city-n1234520|date=July 21, 2020|access-date=July 22, 2020|work=[[NBC News]]}}</ref> The heavily armed officers were dressed in military camouflage uniforms (without identification) and used unmarked vans to arrest protestors, some of whom were nowhere near the federal courthouse.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Levinson|first1=Jonathan|last2=Wilson|first2=Conrad|title=Federal Law Enforcement Use Unmarked Vehicles To Grab Protesters Off Portland Streets|work=Oregon Public Broadcasting|date=July 17, 2020|url=https://www.opb.org/news/article/federal-law-enforcement-unmarked-vehicles-portland-protesters/|access-date=July 18, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Olmos|first1=Sergio|last2=Baker|first2=Mike|last3=Kanno-Youngs|first3=Zolan|date=July 17, 2020|title=Federal Agents Unleash Militarized Crackdown on Portland|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/17/us/portland-protests.html|access-date=July 18, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Shepherd|first1=Katie|last2=Berman|first2=Mark|date=July 17, 2020|title='It was like being preyed upon': Portland protesters say federal officers in unmarked vans are detaining them|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/07/17/portland-protests-federal-arrests/|access-date=July 17, 2020|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref>

The administration marginalized the role of science in policymaking, halted numerous research projects, and saw the departure of scientists who said their work was marginalized or suppressed.<ref name="Plumer-2019" /> In 2018, 19 months after Trump took office, meteorologist [[Kelvin Droegemeier]] became the [[Science Advisor to the President]]; this was the longest period without a science advisor since the 1976 administration.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite journal||title=The wait is over: Trump taps meteorologist as White House science adviser |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-05862-y |journal=Nature |year=2018 |doi=10.1038/d41586-018-05862-y |access-date=June 27, 2021|last1=Reardon |first1=Sara |last2=Witze |first2=Alexandra |volume=560 |issue=7717 |pages=150–151 |pmid=30087470 |bibcode=2018Natur.560..150R |s2cid=51934499}}</ref> While preparing for talks with [[Kim Jong-un]], the White House did not do so with the assistance of a White House science adviser or senior counselor trained in [[nuclear physics]]. The position of chief scientist in the State Department or the Department of Agriculture was not filled. The administration nominated [[Sam Clovis]] to be chief scientist in the [[U.S. Department of Agriculture]], but he had no scientific background and the White House later withdrew the nomination. The administration successfully nominated [[Jim Bridenstine]], who had no background in science and rejected the [[scientific consensus on climate change]], to lead [[NASA]]. The [[U.S. Department of the Interior]], the [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]], and the [[Food and Drug Administration]] (FDA) disbanded advisory committees,<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/09/climate/trump-administration-science.html |first=Coral |last=Davenport |title=In the Trump Administration, Science Is Unwelcome. So Is Advice.|date=June 9, 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=June 9, 2018|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> while the [[United States Department of Energy|Department of Energy]] prohibited use of the term "climate change".<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/03/energy-department-climate-change-phrases-banned-236655 |first=Eric |last=Wolff |date=March 29, 2017 |title=Energy Department climate office bans use of phrase 'climate change'|work=[[Politico]]|access-date=December 16, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/cdc-director-says-there-are-no-banned-words-at-the-agency|title=CDC director says there are 'no banned words' at the agency|work=[[PBS]] |first=Michael D. |last=Regan |date=December 17, 2017 |access-date=June 10, 2018}}</ref> In March 2020, ''The New York Times'' reported that an official at the Interior Department has repeatedly inserted climate change-denying language into the agency's scientific reports, such as those that affect water and mineral rights.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/02/climate/goks-uncertainty-language-interior.html|title=A Trump Insider Embeds Climate Denial in Scientific Research|last=Tabuchi|first=Hiroko|date=March 2, 2020|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 7, 2020}}</ref>

Prior to [[David Shulkin]]'s firing in April 2018, ''The New York Times'' described the [[U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs]] (VA) as a "rare spot of calm in the Trump administration". Shulkin built upon changes started under the Obama administration to do a long-term overhaul of the VA system.<ref name="Philipps-2018">{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/04/us/politics/va-medical-system-chaos.html|title=V.A. Medical System Staggers as Chaos Engulfs Its Leadership|last1=Philipps|first1=Dave|last2=Fandos|first2=Nicholas|date=May 4, 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=May 4, 2018|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In May 2018, legislation to increase veterans' access to private care was stalled, as was a VA overhaul which sought to synchronize medical records.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/who-wants-to-work-there-now-trumps-ronny-jackson-fiasco-may-be-the-least-of-vas-worries/2018/05/02/e1c64af0-44cf-11e8-8569-26fda6b404c7_story.html|title=Exodus from Trump's VA: When the mission of caring for veterans 'is no longer a reason for people to stay'|last=Rein|first=Lisa|date=May 3, 2018|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=May 4, 2018|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> In May 2018, there were reports of a large number of resignations of senior staffers and a major re-shuffling.<ref name="Philipps-2018" />

Under the Trump administration, the Justice Department limited enforcement actions to protect [[voting rights]], and in fact often defended restrictions on voting rights imposed by various states that have been challenged as [[Voter suppression in the United States|voter suppression]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first=Michael|last=Wines|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/12/us/voting-rights-voter-id-suppression.html |access-date=November 10, 2021 |title=Voting Rights Advocates Used to Have an Ally in the Government. That's Changing.|newspaper=The New York Times|date=August 13, 2018}}</ref><ref name="LevineVoting">{{#invoke:Cite news||first=Sam|last=Levine|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/23/us-justice-department-voting-rights-2020-election |access-date=November 10, 2021 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |title='An embarrassment': Trump's justice department goes quiet on voting rights|date=June 23, 2020}}</ref> The Justice Department under Trump has filed only a single new case under the [[Voting Rights Act of 1965]].<ref name="LevineVoting" /> Trump's Justice Department opposed minority voters' interests in all of the major voting litigation since 2017 in which the [[United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division|Justice Department Civil Rights Division]] Voting Section has been involved.<ref name="LevineVoting" />

Trump has repeatedly alleged, without evidence, there was widespread voter fraud.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.npr.org/2018/11/09/666018707/trump-scott-spread-claims-of-voter-fraud-as-florida-race-narrows |date=November 9, 2018 |first1=Miles |last1=Parks |first2=Emily |last2=Sullivan |first3=Brian |last3=Naylor |title=As Florida Races Narrow, Trump And Scott Spread Claims of Fraud Without Evidence|work=[[NPR]]|access-date=November 10, 2018}}</ref> The administration created a [[Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity|commission]] with the stated purpose to review the extent of voter fraud in the wake of Trump's false claim that millions of unauthorized votes cost him the popular vote in the 2016 election. It was chaired by Vice President Pence, while the day-to-day administrator was [[Kris Kobach]], best known for promoting restrictions on access to voting. The commission began its work by requesting each state to turn over detailed information about all registered voters in their database. Most states rejected the request, citing privacy concerns or state laws.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first1=Liz |last1=Stark |first2=Grace |last2=Hauck |date=July 5, 2017 |work=CNN |url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/07/03/politics/kris-kobach-letter-voter-fraud-commission-information/index.html |title=Forty-four states and DC have refused to give certain voter information to Trump commission |access-date=July 11, 2017}}</ref> Multiple lawsuits were filed against the commission. [[Maine Secretary of State]] [[Matthew Dunlap]] said Kobach was refusing to share working documents and scheduling information with him and the other Democrats on the commission. A federal judge ordered the commission to hand over the documents.<ref name="Woodward-2018">{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.pressherald.com/2018/01/06/trump-administration-resists-turning-over-documents-to-dunlap/ |first=Colin |last=Woodward |title=Trump refuses to release documents to Maine secretary of state despite judge's order|date=January 6, 2018|work=Portland Press Herald|access-date=January 7, 2018}}</ref> Shortly thereafter, Trump disbanded the commission, and informed Dunlap that it would not obey the court order to provide the documents because the commission no longer existed.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/03/us/politics/trump-voter-fraud-commission.html|title=Trump Disbands Commission on Voter Fraud|last=Haag|first=Matthew|date=January 3, 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=January 4, 2018|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Election integrity experts argued that the commission was disbanded because of the lawsuits, which would have led to greater transparency and accountability and thus prevented the Republican members of the commission from producing a sham report to justify restrictions on voting rights.<ref name="Woodward-2018" /> It was later revealed the commission had, in its requests for Texas voter data, specifically asked for data that identifies voters with Hispanic surnames.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/trump-election-fraud-commission-bought-texas-election-data-flagging-hispanic-voters/2018/01/22/2791934a-fd55-11e7-ad8c-ecbb62019393_story.html|title=Trump voting commission bought Texas election data flagging Hispanic voters|last1=Hsu|first1=Spencer S.|last2=Wagner|first2=John|date=January 22, 2018|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=January 22, 2018|issn=0190-8286}}</ref>

{{See also|Unite the Right rally|Racial views of Donald Trump}}On August 13, 2017, Trump condemned violence "on many sides" after a gathering of hundreds of [[white nationalists]] in [[Charlottesville, Virginia]], the previous day (August 12) turned deadly. A white supremacist drove a car into a crowd of counter-protesters, killing one woman and injuring 19 others. According to Sessions, that action met the definition of [[domestic terrorism]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-white-nationalists-charlottesville-20170814-story.html|title=Emboldened white nationalists say Charlottesville is just the beginning |last=Reeves |first=Jay |date=August 14, 2017 |agency=[[Associated Press]] |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]] |access-date=September 27, 2017}}</ref> During the rally there had been other violence, as some counter-protesters charged at the white nationalists with swinging clubs and mace, throwing bottles, rocks, and paint.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Costello |first=Tom |url=https://www.today.com/video/charlottesville-fact-check-were-both-sides-to-blame-for-violence-1025759299536 |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=Charlottesville Fact Check: Were Both Sides To Blame For Violence? |work=[[Today (U.S. TV program)|Today Show]] |date=August 16, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Gunter |first=Joel |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-40952796 |access-date=November 10, 2021 |title=What Trump Said Versus What I Saw |work=[[BBC News]] |date=August 16, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Alexander |first=Harriet |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/08/15/alt-left-donald-trump-said-violent-charlottesville/ |access-date=August 16, 2017 |title=What is the 'alt Left' that Donald Trump said was 'very violent' in Charlottesville? |work=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] |date=August 16, 2017 |quote=photos and videos from Saturday's riot does show people dressed in black, their faces covered, engaging the neo-Nazis in violent confrontation.}}</ref> Trump did not expressly mention neo-Nazis, white supremacists, or the [[alt-right]] movement in his remarks on August 13,<ref name="Merica-2017">{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/08/12/politics/trump-statement-alt-right-protests/index.html |date=August 13, 2017 |title=Trump condemns 'hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides' in Charlottesville |first=Dan |last=Merica |work=CNN |access-date=August 13, 2017}}</ref> but the following day condemned "the [[Ku Klux Klan|KKK]], [[Neo-Nazism|neo-Nazis]], [[White supremacy|white supremacists]], and other [[hate group]]s".<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=Trump decries KKK, neo-Nazi violence in Charlottesville|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/8/14/trump-decries-kkk-neo-nazi-violence-in-charlottesville |date=August 14, 2017|access-date=August 15, 2017|work=[[Al Jazeera Media Network|Al Jazeera]]}}</ref> On August 15, he again blamed "both sides".<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Shear|first1=Michael D.|last2=Haberman|first2=Maggie|author2-link=Maggie Haberman|title=Trump Defends Initial Remarks on Charlottesville; Again Blames 'Both Sides'|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/15/us/politics/trump-press-conference-charlottesville.html|date=August 15, 2017|work=The New York Times|access-date=August 15, 2017}}</ref>

Many Republican and Democratic elected officials condemned the violence and hatred of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and alt-right activists. Trump came under criticism from world leaders<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Toosi|first=Nahal|title=World leaders condemn Trump's remarks on neo-Nazis|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/world-leaders-condemn-trumps-remarks-on-neo-nazis/|work=[[Politico]] |access-date=August 17, 2017|date=August 16, 2017}}</ref> and politicians,<ref name="Thrush-2017">{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/12/us/trump-charlottesville-protest-nationalist-riot.html|title=Trump's Remarks on Charlottesville Violence Are Criticized as Insufficient|last1=Thrush|first1=Glenn|author1-link=Glenn Thrush|last2=Haberman|first2=Maggie|author2-link=Maggie Haberman|date=August 12, 2017|work=The New York Times|access-date=August 13, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Merica-2017" /> as well as a variety of religious groups<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Pink|first=Aiden|title=Orthodox Rabbinical Group Condemns Trump Over Charlottesville|url=https://forward.com/fast-forward/380204/orthodox-rabbinical-group-condemns-trump-over-charlottesville/ |work=[[The Forward]] |access-date=August 17, 2017|date=August 16, 2017}}</ref> and anti-hate organizations<ref>{{cite press release |title = ADL Condemns President Trump's Remarks |url = https://www.adl.org/news/press-releases/adl-condemns-president-trumps-remarks |publisher = [[Anti-Defamation League]] |access-date = August 17, 2017 |date = August 15, 2017}}</ref> for his remarks, which were seen as muted and equivocal.<ref name="Thrush-2017" /> ''The New York Times'' reported Trump "was the only national political figure to spread blame for the 'hatred, bigotry and violence' that resulted in the death of one person to 'many sides'",<ref name="Thrush-2017" /> and said Trump had "buoyed the white nationalist movement on Tuesday as no president has done in generations".<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/15/us/politics/trump-charlottesville-white-nationalists.html |title=Trump Gives White Supremacists an Unequivocal Boost|last1=Thrush|first1=Glenn|author1-link=Glenn Thrush|last2=Haberman|first2=Maggie|author2-link=Maggie Haberman|date=August 15, 2017|work=The New York Times|access-date=September 27, 2017}}</ref>

On October 27, 2019, ISIS leader [[Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi]] killed himself and three children by detonating a [[suicide vest]] during the [[Barisha raid]] conducted by the U.S. [[Delta Force]] in Syria's northwestern [[Idlib Governorate|Idlib Province]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/27/world/middleeast/al-baghdadi-dead.html|title=Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, ISIS Leader Known for His Brutality, Is Dead at 48|last1=Callimachi|first1=Rukmini|last2=Hassan|first2=Falih|date=October 27, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=October 27, 2019|location=New York City|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

As a candidate and as president, Trump called for a major build-up of American military capabilities. Trump announced in October 2018 that the United States would withdraw from the [[Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty]] with Russia. The goal was to enable the United States to counter increasing Chinese intermediate nuclear missile capabilities in the Pacific.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/19/us/politics/russia-nuclear-arms-treaty-trump-administration.html|title=U.S. to Tell Russia It Is Leaving Landmark I.N.F. Treaty|last1=Sanger|first1=David E.|last2=Broad|first2=William J.|date=October 19, 2018|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=December 5, 2018}}</ref> In December 2018, Trump complained about the amount the United States spends on an "uncontrollable [[arms race]]" with Russia and China. Trump said that the $716{{spaces}}billion which the United States was spending on the "arms race" was "Crazy!". He had previously praised his own increased defense spending, five months earlier. The total fiscal 2019 defense budget authorization was $716{{spaces}}billion, although missile defense and nuclear programs made up about $10{{spaces}}billion of the total.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/08/us/politics/donald-trump-speech.html|title=Donald Trump Vows to Bolster Nation's Military Capacities|last1=Parker|first1=Ashley|last2=Rosenberg|first2=Matthew|date=September 7, 2016|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=December 5, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/02/world/middleeast/obama-nuclear-security-summit-iran.html|title=Obama Rebukes Donald Trump's Comments on Nuclear Weapons|last=Landler|first=Mark|date=April 1, 2016|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=December 5, 2018}}</ref>

During 2018, Trump falsely asserted that he had secured the largest defense budget authorization ever, the first military pay raise in ten years, and that [[Military budget of the United States|military spending]] was at least 4.0% of GDP, "which got a lot bigger since I became your president".<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=3 False Claims From Trump's Naval Academy Speech|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/25/us/politics/fact-check-trump-naval-academy-speech.html |first=Linda |last=Qiu |date=May 15, 2018 |access-date=November 25, 2018}}</ref>

Controversy arose in November 2019 after Trump pardoned or promoted three soldiers accused or convicted of [[war crime]]s.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-announces-review-green-beret-murder-case-we-train-our-n1065421 |access-date=November 11, 2021 |first=Phil |last=McCausland |date=October 12, 2019 |title=Trump announces 'review' of Green Beret murder case: 'We train our boys to be killing machines' |website=[[NBC News]]}}</ref> The most prominent case involved [[Eddie Gallagher (Navy SEAL)|Eddie Gallagher]], a Navy SEAL team chief who had been reported to Navy authorities by his own team members for [[sniper|sniping]] at an unarmed civilian girl and an elderly man. Gallagher faced [[court martial]] for the murder of a wounded teenage combatant, among other charges. The medic of his SEAL team was granted immunity to testify against him, but on the witness stand the medic reversed what he had previously told investigators and testified that he himself had murdered the teenage combatant. Gallagher was subsequently acquitted of the murder charge against him, and the Navy demoted him to the lowest possible rank due to his conviction on another charge. The Navy later moved to strip Gallagher of his [[Special Warfare insignia|Trident pin]] and to eject him from the Navy. Trump intervened to restore Gallagher's rank and pin. Many military officers were enraged by Trump's intervention, as they felt it disrupted principles of military discipline and justice. [[Secretary of the Navy]] [[Richard V. Spencer|Richard Spencer]] protested Trump's intervention and was forced to resign; in his resignation letter, he sharply rebuked Trump for his judgment in the matter. Trump told a rally audience days later, "I stuck up for three great warriors against the [[Deep state in the United States|deep state]]."<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/19/us/navy-seals-edward-gallagher-trident.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=Navy Wants to Eject From SEALs a Sailor Cleared by Trump, Officials Say |first=Dave |last=Philipps |date=November 19, 2019|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/21/us/trump-seals-eddie-gallagher.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=Trump Reverses Navy Decision to Oust Edward Gallagher From SEALs |first=Dave |last=Philipps |date=November 21, 2019 |newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/472201-trump-says-he-stood-up-to-the-deep-state-by-intervening-in-war-crime-cases |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=Trump says he stood up to the 'deep state' by intervening in war crime cases |first=Brett |last=Samuels |date=November 26, 2019 |website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]}}</ref>

In February 2020, [[United States–Taliban deal|the Trump administration signed a deal with the Taliban]], which if upheld by the Taliban, would result in the [[2020–2021 U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan|withdrawal of United States troops from Afghanistan]] by May 2021 (Trump's successor Joe Biden later extended the deadline to September 2021).<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=Afghan conflict: US and Taliban sign deal to end 18-year war |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-51689443 |access-date=August 16, 2021 |work=[[BBC News]] |date=February 29, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Brown |first1=Matthew |title=A timeline of the US withdrawal and Taliban recapture of Afghanistan |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/08/15/timeline-afghanistans-history-and-us-involvement/8143131002/ |access-date=August 16, 2021 |work=[[USA Today]] |date=August 15, 2021}}</ref> As part of the deal, the U.S. agreed to the release of 5,000 Taliban members who were imprisoned by the Afghan government; some of these ex-prisoners went on to join the [[2021 Taliban offensive]] that felled the Afghan government.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Mashal |first1=Mujib |last2=Faizi |first2=Fatima |title=Afghanistan to Release Last Taliban Prisoners, Removing Final Hurdle to Talks |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/09/world/asia/afghanistan-taliban-prisoners-peace-talks.html |access-date=August 18, 2021 |work=The New York Times |date=September 3, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Weissert |first1=Will |last2=Fram |first2=Alan |title=GOP hits Biden despite divides over Afghanistan withdrawal |url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-afghanistan-036874ebcb40acb404ac1a7f3db11f1a |access-date=August 18, 2021 |work=[[Associated Press]]|date=August 17, 2021}}</ref>

After initially adopting a verbally hostile posture<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Clark|first=Dartunorro|date=May 10, 2018|title=Trump says he will hold summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore on June 12|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-north-korea-leader-kim-jong-un-will-meet-singapore-n872966|url-status=live|work=[[NBC News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200614135459/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-north-korea-leader-kim-jong-un-will-meet-singapore-n872966|archive-date=June 14, 2020|access-date=June 17, 2020|quote=Trump promising "fire and fury" towards the "little rocket man".}}</ref> toward [[North Korea]] and its leader, [[Kim Jong Un]], Trump quickly pivoted to embrace the regime, saying he and Kim "fell in love".<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-45696420 |access-date=November 9, 2021 |date=September 30, 2018 |title=Trump on Kim Jong-un: 'We fell in love'|website=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Trump engaged Kim by meeting him at two summits, [[2018 North Korea–United States Singapore Summit|in June 2018]] and [[2019 North Korea–United States Hanoi Summit|February 2019]], an unprecedented move by an American president, as previous policy had been that a president's simply meeting with the North Korean leader would legitimize the regime on the world stage. During the June 2018 summit, the leaders signed a vague agreement to pursue denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, with Trump immediately declaring "There is no longer a Nuclear Threat from North Korea."<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/13/politics/trump-north-korea-nuclear-threat/index.html |date=June 13, 2018 |title=Trump declares North Korea 'no longer a nuclear threat' |first1=Veronica |last1=Stracqualursi |first2=Stephen |last2=Collinson |website=CNN |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200608125827/https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/13/politics/trump-north-korea-nuclear-threat/index.html |archive-date=June 8, 2020 |access-date=November 11, 2021}}</ref> Little progress was made toward that goal during the months before the February 2019 summit, which ended abruptly without an agreement, hours after the White House announced a signing ceremony was imminent.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/27/trump-schedules-joint-agreement-signing-ceremony-with-north-korean-dictator-kim-jong-un.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=Trump schedules joint agreement signing ceremony with North Korea's Kim|first=Carmin|last=Chappell|date=February 27, 2019|website=[[CNBC|cnbc.com]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190228115237/https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/27/trump-schedules-joint-agreement-signing-ceremony-with-north-korean-dictator-kim-jong-un.html|archive-date=February 28, 2019}}</ref> During the months between the summits, a growing body of evidence indicated North Korea was continuing its nuclear fuel, bomb and missile development, including by redeveloping an [[ICBM]] site it was previously appearing to dismantle{{snd}}even while the second summit was underway.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/16/world/asia/trump-north-korea-nuclear.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=North Korea's Trump-Era Strategy: Keep Making A-Bombs, but Quietly|first=David E.|last=Sanger|newspaper=The New York Times|date=September 16, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/12/us/politics/north-korea-missile-bases.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=In North Korea, Missile Bases Suggest a Great Deception|first1=David E.|last1=Sanger|first2=William J.|last2=Broad|newspaper=The New York Times|date=November 12, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/05/world/asia/north-korea-missile-site.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=North Korea Has Started Rebuilding Key Missile-Test Facilities, Analysts Say|first=Choe|last=Sang-Hun|newspaper=The New York Times |date=March 5, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/north-korea-completes-work-on-missile-facility-images-show-11551967478 |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=U.S. Seeks Access to North Korean Missile Base|first=Michael R.|last=Gordon|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|date=March 7, 2019}}</ref> In the aftermath of the February 2019 failed summit, the Treasury department imposed additional sanctions on North Korea. The following day, Trump tweeted, "It was announced today by the U.S. Treasury that additional large scale Sanctions would be added to those already existing Sanctions on North Korea. I have today ordered the withdrawal of those additional Sanctions!"<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/22/world/asia/north-korea-sanctions.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=Trump Reverses North Korea Sanctions That U.S. Imposed Yesterday|first=Alan|last=Rappeport|newspaper=The New York Times|date=March 22, 2019}}</ref> On December 31, 2019, the [[Korean Central News Agency]] announced that Kim had abandoned his moratoriums on nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests, quoting Kim as saying, "the world will witness a new strategic weapon to be possessed by the DPRK in the near future."<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/31/world/asia/north-korea-kim-speech.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=North Korea Is No Longer Bound by Nuclear Test Moratorium, Kim Says|first=Choe|last=Sang-Hun |newspaper=The New York Times|date=December 31, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://news.yahoo.com/kim-jong-un-north-korea-ending-test-moratoriums-221240994.html |agency=AFP |access-date=November 8, 2021 |date=December 31, 2019 |title=Kim Jong Un: North Korea ending test moratoriums|website=[[Yahoo! News]]}}</ref> Two years after the Singapore summit, the North Korean nuclear arsenal had significantly expanded.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/12/world/asia/korea-nuclear-trump-kim.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=Two Years After Trump-Kim Meeting, Little to Show for Personal Diplomacy |first1=David E. |last1=Sanger |first2=Choe |last2=Sang-Hun |newspaper=The New York Times |date=June 12, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/24/world/asia/kim-jong-un-nuclear-north-korea.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=Kim Jong-un Moves to Increase North Korea's Nuclear Strength |first=Choe |last=Sang-Hun |newspaper=The New York Times |date=June 16, 2020}}</ref>

During a [[2019 Koreas–United States DMZ Summit|June 2019 visit to South Korea]], Trump visited the [[Korean Demilitarized Zone]] and invited North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to meet him there, which he did, and Trump became the first sitting president to step inside North Korea.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/30/world/asia/trump-north-korea-dmz.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=Trump Steps Into North Korea and Agrees With Kim Jong-un to Resume Talks|first1=Peter|last1=Baker|first2=Michael|last2=Crowley|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 30, 2019}}</ref>{{efn|Trump later falsely asserted, "President Obama wanted to meet and chairman Kim would not meet him. The Obama administration was begging for a meeting."<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/07/02/no-obama-didnt-beg-kim-jong-un-meeting/ |access-date=November 11, 2021 |first=Salvador |last=Rizzo |title=No, Obama didn't beg Kim Jong Un for a meeting|date=July 2, 2019|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref>}}

After an Iranian missile test on January 29, 2017, and Houthi attacks on Saudi warships, the Trump administration sanctioned 12 companies and 13 individuals suspected of being involved in Iran's missile program.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Borger|first1=Julian|author-link1=Julian Borger|last2=Smith|first2=David|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/03/trump-administration-iran-sanctions|title=Trump administration imposes new sanctions on Iran|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=February 3, 2017|access-date=November 9, 2018}}</ref> In May 2018, Trump [[United States withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action|withdrew the United States]] from the [[Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action]] (JCPOA), the 2015 agreement between Iran, the U.S., and five other countries that lifted most economic sanctions against Iran in return for Iran agreeing to restrictions on its nuclear program.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lederman|first1=Josh|last2=Lucey|first2=Catherine|date=May 8, 2018|title=Trump declares US leaving 'horrible' Iran nuclear accord|work=[[Associated Press]]|url=https://apnews.com/article/cead755353a1455bbef08ef289448994/Trump-decides-to-exit-nuclear-accord-with-Iran|access-date=May 8, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/08/world/middleeast/trump-iran-nuclear-deal.html|title=Trump Abandons Iran Nuclear Deal He Long Scorned|first=Mark|last=Landler|author-link=Mark Landler|date=May 8, 2018|access-date=October 4, 2021|work=The New York Times}}</ref> Analysts determined that, after the United States's withdrawal, Iran moved closer to developing a nuclear weapon.<ref name="close">{{cite web|last=Hennigan|first=W.J.|title='They're Very Close.' U.S. General Says Iran Is Nearly Able to Build a Nuclear Weapon|url=https://time.com/6123380/iran-near-nuclear-weapon-capability/|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|date=November 24, 2021 |access-date=December 18, 2021}}</ref>

In January 2020, Trump ordered [[Assassination of Qasem Soleimani|a U.S. airstrike]] that killed Iranian general [[Qasem Soleimani]], who had planned nearly every significant operation by Iranian forces over the past two decades.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/02/world/middleeast/qassem-soleimani-iraq-iran-attack.html|title=U.S. Strike in Iraq Kills Qassim Suleimani, Commander of Iranian Forces|last1=Crowley|first1=Michael|author-link1=Michael Crowley (journalist)|last2=Hassan|first2=Falih|last3=Schmitt|first3=Eric|author-link3=Eric P. Schmitt|date=January 2, 2020|work=The New York Times|access-date=January 3, 2020}}</ref> Trump threatened to hit 52 Iranian sites, including some "important to Iran & the Iranian culture", if Iran retaliated.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Daniel|first1=Douglas K.|last2=Lemire|first2=Jonathan|url=https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-donald-trump-nancy-pelosi-ap-top-news-international-news-75944e42ccc66ac08ee5122e080d7f33|title=Trump says 52 targets already lined up if Iran retaliates|work=[[Associated Press]]|date=January 5, 2020 |access-date=November 3, 2022}}</ref> The threat to hit cultural sites was seen as illegal and both Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the U.S. would not attack such sites, but would "follow the laws of armed conflict" and "behave inside the system".<ref name="Wamsley_1/6/2020">{{cite web|last=Wamsley|first=Laurel|title=Trump Says He'll Target Iran's Cultural Sites. That's Illegal|website=[[NPR]]|date=January 6, 2020|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/01/06/794006073/trump-says-hell-target-iran-s-cultural-sites-that-s-illegal | access-date=November 6, 2022}}</ref> Iran did retaliate with [[Operation Martyr Soleimani|ballistic missile strikes against two U.S. airbases]] in Iraq.<ref name="close" /> On the same day, amid the heightened tensions between the United States and Iran, Iran accidentally<ref name="Ward_1/9/2020" /> shot down [[Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752]] after takeoff from Tehran airport.<ref name="Baker_et al_1/11/2020">{{cite web|last1=Baker|first1=Peter|last2=Bergman|first2=Ronen|last3=Kirkpatrick|first3=David D.|last4=Barnes|first4=Julian E.|last5=Rubin|first5=Alissa J.|date=January 11, 2020|title=Seven Days in January: How Trump Pushed U.S. and Iran to the Brink of War|website=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/11/us/politics/iran-trump.html |access-date=November 8, 2022}}</ref><ref name="Ward_1/9/2020">{{cite web|last=Ward|first=Alex|title=Evidence is mounting that Iran accidentally shot down the Ukraine flight|website=[[Vox (website)|Vox]]|date=January 9, 2020|url=https://www.vox.com/2020/1/9/21059004/iran-plane-crash-missile-video-trump-ukraine | access-date=November 8, 2022}}</ref><ref name="Motamedi_4/17/2021">{{cite web|last=Motamedi|first=Maziar|title=Iran rejects claim Ukraine's plane shot down intentionally|website=[[Al Jazeera English|Al Jazeera]]|date=April 17, 2021|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/17/iran-rejects-claim-ukraines-plane-was-shot-down-intentionally | access-date=November 8, 2022}}</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>

In October 2018, amid widespread condemnation of Saudi Arabia for the murder of prominent Saudi journalist and dissident [[Jamal Khashoggi]], the Trump administration pushed back on the condemnation.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/16/world/middleeast/pompeo-saudi-arabia-turkey.html |date=October 16, 2018 |first1=Ben |last1=Hubbard |first2=Rick |last2=Gladstone |first3=Mark |last3=Landler |newspaper=The New York Times|title=Trump Jumps to the Defense of Saudi Arabia in Khashoggi Case|access-date=October 17, 2018}}</ref> After the CIA assessed that Saudi crown prince Mohammad bin Salman ordered the [[Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi|murder of Khashoggi]], Trump rejected the assessment and said the CIA only had "feelings" on the matter.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-brushes-aside-cia-assertion-that-crown-prince-ordered-killing-defends-him-and-saudi-arabia/2018/11/22/d3bdf23c-ee70-11e8-96d4-0d23f2aaad09_story.html |first=Josh |last=Dawsey |date=November 22, 2018 |title=Trump brushes aside CIA assertion that crown prince ordered killing, defends him and Saudi Arabia|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=November 23, 2018}}</ref>

Trump unveiled his own [[Trump peace plan|peace plan]] to resolve the [[Israeli–Palestinian conflict]] on January 28, 2020.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.dw.com/en/trump-reveals-israeli-palestinian-peace-plan/a-52179629|title=Trump reveals Israeli-Palestinian peace plan|date=January 28, 2020|publisher=[[Deutsche Welle]]|access-date=January 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200129053628/https://www.dw.com/en/trump-reveals-israeli-palestinian-peace-plan/a-52179629|archive-date=January 29, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> A step toward improved relations in the region occurred in August 2020 with the first of the [[Abraham Accords]], when Israel and the [[United Arab Emirates]] agreed to begin normalizing relations in [[Israel–United Arab Emirates normalization agreement|an agreement]] brokered by [[Jared Kushner]], an accomplishment described by ''[[Foreign Policy]]'' as "arguably his administration's first unqualified diplomatic success".<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=The Israel-UAE Deal Is Trump's First Unambiguous Diplomatic Success|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/08/14/israel-uae-peace-trump-success/ |first=Josh |last=Hannah |access-date=November 8, 2020 |work=Foreign Policy|date=August 14, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=UAE and Israel announce they're establishing ties; Israel suspending annexation|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-august-13-2020/ |access-date=November 11, 2021 |first=Joshua |last=Davidovich |work=The Times of Israel|date=August 13, 2020}}</ref> The following month, Israel and [[Bahrain]] agreed to [[Bahrain–Israel normalization agreement|normalize diplomatic relations]] in another deal mediated and brokered by the Trump administration.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=Trump announces 'peace deal' between Bahrain and Israel|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-54124996 |access-date=November 11, 2021 |work=[[BBC News]] |date=September 11, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/13/world/middleeast/israel-uae-annexation.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=Netanyahu Drops Troubled Annexation Plan for Diplomatic Gain |first=David M. |last=Halbfinger |newspaper=The New York Times |date=August 13, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/29/world/middleeast/trump-peace-plan-explained.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=What to Know About Trump's Middle East Plan |first=Megan |last=Specia |newspaper=The New York Times |date=January 29, 2020}}</ref> A month later, Israel and [[Sudan]] [[Israel–Sudan normalization agreement|agreed to normalize relations]] in a third such agreement in as many months. On December 10, 2020, Trump announced that Israel and [[Morocco]] had agreed to [[Israel–Morocco normalization agreement|establish full diplomatic relations]], while also announcing that the United States recognized Morocco's claim over the [[Political status of Western Sahara|disputed territory]] of [[Western Sahara]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Levine|first=Marianne|title=Inhofe slams Trump administration on Western Sahara policy|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/10/inhofe-slams-trump-administration-on-western-sahara-policy-444459 |date=December 10, 2020 |website=[[Politico]] |access-date=November 11, 2021}}</ref>

American intelligence sources found the [[Government of Russia|Russian government]] [[Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections|attempted to intervene]] in the 2016 presidential election to favor the election of Trump,<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=U.S. government officially accuses Russia of hacking campaign to interfere with elections|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|first=Ellen|last=Nakashima|date=October 7, 2016|access-date=January 25, 2017|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-government-officially-accuses-russia-of-hacking-campaign-to-influence-elections/2016/10/07/4e0b9654-8cbf-11e6-875e-2c1bfe943b66_story.html}}</ref> and that members of Trump's campaign were in contact with Russian government officials both before and after the election.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Schmidt|first1=Michael S.|author1-link=Michael S. Schmidt|last2=Mazzetti|first2=Mark|author2-link=Mark Mazzetti|last3=Apuzzo|first3=Matt|author3-link=Matt Apuzzo|title=Trump Campaign Aides Had Repeated Contacts With Russian Intelligence|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/14/us/politics/russia-intelligence-communications-trump.html |access-date=November 13, 2021 |newspaper=The New York Times|date=February 14, 2017}}</ref> In May 2017, the Department of Justice appointed [[Robert Mueller]] as special counsel to [[Mueller special counsel investigation|investigate]] "any links and/or coordination between Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump, and any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation".<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/05/17/us/politics/document-Robert-Mueller-Special-Counsel-Russia.html|title=Rod Rosenstein's Letter Appointing Mueller Special Counsel|last=Rosenstein|first=Rod|author-link=Rod Rosenstein|date=May 17, 2017|newspaper=The New York Times|url-status=live|access-date=May 18, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170518015032/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/05/17/us/politics/document-Robert-Mueller-Special-Counsel-Russia.html|archive-date=May 18, 2017}}</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>

In October 2017, former Trump campaign advisor [[George Papadopoulos]] pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements to the FBI regarding his contacts with Russian agents. During the campaign he had tried repeatedly but unsuccessfully to set up meetings in Russia between Trump campaign representatives and Russian officials.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first1=Matt|last1=Apuzzo|author1-link=Matt Apuzzo|first2=Michael S.|last2=Schmidt|author2-link=Michael S. Schmidt|title=Trump Campaign Adviser Met With Russian to Discuss 'Dirt' on Clinton|work=The New York Times|date=October 30, 2017|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/30/us/politics/george-papadopoulos-russia.html |access-date=November 13, 2021}}</ref>

Of Trump's campaign advisors and staff, six of them were indicted by the special counsel's office; five of them ([[Michael Cohen (lawyer)|Michael Cohen]], [[Michael Flynn]], [[Rick Gates (political consultant)|Rick Gates]], [[Paul Manafort]], [[George Papadopoulos]]) pleaded guilty, while one has pleaded not guilty ([[Roger Stone]]).<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last1=Yourish|first1=Karen|last2=Buchanan|first2=Larry|last3=Parlapiano|first3=Alicia|title=Everyone Who's Been Charged in Investigations Related to the 2016 Election|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/08/21/us/mueller-trump-charges.html |work=The New York Times|access-date=March 23, 2019|date=March 13, 2019}}</ref> As of December 2020, Stone, Papadopoulos, Manafort, and Flynn have been pardoned by Trump, but not Cohen or Gates.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Brown |first=Pamela |title=Trump issues 26 new pardons, including for Stone, Manafort and Charles Kushner |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/23/politics/trump-pardons-stone-manafort-kushner/index.html |date=December 24, 2020 |website=CNN |access-date=December 28, 2020}}</ref>

On June 12, 2019, Trump asserted he saw nothing wrong in accepting intelligence on his political adversaries from foreign powers, such as Russia, and he could see no reason to contact the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] about it. Responding to a reporter who told him FBI director [[Christopher A. Wray|Christopher Wray]] had said such activities should be reported to the FBI, Trump said, "the FBI director is wrong." Trump elaborated, "there's nothing wrong with listening. If somebody called from a country, Norway, 'we have information on your opponent'{{snd}}oh, I think I'd want to hear it." Both Democrats and Republicans repudiated the remarks.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Baker |first=Peter |date=June 12, 2019 |title=Trump Says 'I'd Take It' if Russia Again Offered Dirt on Opponent |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/12/us/politics/trump-russia-fbi.html |access-date=November 13, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Baker|first1=Peter|last2=Fandos|first2=Nicholas|date=June 13, 2019|title=Trump Assailed for Saying He Would Take Campaign Help From Russia|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/13/us/politics/trump-russia-campaign-help.html |access-date=November 13, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last1=Everett|first1=Burgess|last2=Levine|first2=Marianne|title=Republicans lash Trump for being open to foreign oppo|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2019/06/13/republicans-trump-foreign-interference-remarks-1364220 |date=June 13, 2019 |access-date=November 8, 2021 |website=[[Politico]]}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title='Absolutely unprecedented': Trump upends long-held views with openness to foreign assistance|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/absolutely-unprecedented-trump-upends-long-held-views-with-openness-to-foreign-assistance/2019/06/13/13f94f66-8df6-11e9-b08e-cfd89bd36d4e_story.html |first1=Rosalind S. |last1=Helderman |first2=Tom |last2=Hamburger |first3=Josh |last3=Dawsey |date=June 13, 2019 |access-date=November 8, 2021 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref>

''The New York Times'' reported in June 2021 that in 2017 and 2018 the Justice Department subpoenaed [[metadata]] from the [[iCloud]] accounts of at least a dozen individuals associated with the [[House Intelligence Committee]], including that of ranking Democratic member [[Adam Schiff]] and [[Eric Swalwell]], and family members, to investigate leaks to the press about contacts between Trump associates and Russia. Records of the inquiry did not implicate anyone associated with the committee, but upon becoming attorney general [[Bill Barr]] revived the effort, including by appointing a federal prosecutor and about six others in February 2020. ''The Times'' reported that, apart from corruption investigations, subpoenaing communications information of members of Congress is nearly unheard-of, and that some in the Justice Department saw Barr's approach as politically motivated.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/10/us/politics/justice-department-leaks-trump-administration.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/10/us/politics/justice-department-leaks-trump-administration.html |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url-access=limited |access-date=November 13, 2021 |title=Hunting Leaks, Trump Officials Focused on Democrats in Congress|first1=Katie|last1=Benner|first2=Nicholas|last2=Fandos|first3=Michael S.|last3=Schmidt|first4=Adam|last4=Goldman|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 11, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-donald-trump-5b6f6bf0daf8bccf106a90d2ff52686c |access-date=November 13, 2021 |first1=Mary Clare |last1=Jalonick |first2=Michael |last2=Balsamo |title=Trump DOJ seized data from House Democrats in leaks probe|website=[[Associated Press]]|date=June 11, 2021}}</ref> Justice Department Inspector General [[Michael E. Horowitz|Michael Horowitz]] announced an inquiry into the matter the day after the ''Times'' report.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.axios.com/deputy-ag-doj-watchdog-trump-house-subpoenas-8306e261-456d-4adb-827e-3770130c9efc.html |date=June 11, 2021 |access-date=November 8, 2021 |title=Justice Department watchdog opens internal probe into House Dems data subpoenas |first=Jacob |last=Knutson |website=[[Axios (website)|Axios]]}}</ref>

{{Main|Mueller report}}In February 2018, when Mueller indicted more than a dozen Russians and three entities for interference in the 2016 election, Trump asserted the indictment was proof his campaign did not collude with the Russians. ''The New York Times'' noted Trump "voiced no concern that a foreign power had been trying for nearly four years to upend American democracy, much less resolve to stop it from continuing to do so this year".<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Baker|first=Peter|date=February 17, 2018|title=Trump's Conspicuous Silence Leaves a Struggle Against Russia Without a Leader|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/17/us/politics/trump-russia.html|access-date=February 18, 2018|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

In July 2018, the special counsel indicted twelve Russian intelligence operatives and accused them of conspiring to interfere in the 2016 U.S. elections, by hacking servers and emails of the Democratic Party and the [[Hillary Clinton 2016 presidential campaign]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||title=Read: Mueller indictment against twelve Russian spies for DNC hack|url=https://www.vox.com/2018/7/13/17568806/mueller-russia-intelligence-indictment-full-text |first=Alex |last=Ward |access-date=July 28, 2018|website=[[Vox (website)|Vox]]|date=July 13, 2018}}</ref> The indictments were made before [[2018 Russia–United States summit|Trump's meeting with Putin in Helsinki]], in which Trump supported Putin's denial that Russia was involved and criticized American law enforcement and intelligence community (subsequently Trump partially walked back some of his comments). A few days later, it was reported that Trump had actually been briefed on the veracity and extent of Russian cyber-attacks two weeks before his inauguration, back in December 2016, including the fact that these were ordered by Putin himself. The evidence presented to him at the time included text and email conversations between Russian military officers as well as information from a source close to Putin.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Sanger|first1=David E.|last2=Rosenberg|first2=Matthew|date=July 18, 2018|title=From the Start, Trump Has Muddied a Clear Message: Putin Interfered|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/18/world/europe/trump-intelligence-russian-election-meddling-.html|access-date=July 28, 2018}}</ref>

On March 22, 2019, Mueller submitted the final report to Attorney General William Barr. Two days later, Barr sent Congress a [[Barr letter|four-page letter]], describing what he said were the special counsel's principal conclusions in the report. Barr added that, since the special counsel "did not draw a conclusion" on obstruction,<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/mueller-told-barr-weeks-ago-he-wouldnt-reach-conclusion-on-obstruction-charge-11553548191|title=Mueller Told Barr Weeks Ago He Wouldn't Reach Conclusion on Obstruction Charge|last=Gurman|first=Sadie|date=March 25, 2019|work=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=April 18, 2019|issn=0099-9660}}</ref> this "leaves it to the Attorney General to determine whether the conduct described in the report constitutes a crime".<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/03/24/us/politics/barr-letter-mueller-report.html|title=Read Attorney General William Barr's Summary of the Mueller Report|date=March 24, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 22, 2019|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Barr continued: "Deputy Attorney General [[Rod Rosenstein]] and I have concluded that the evidence developed during the Special Counsel's investigation is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense."<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/17/attorney-general-william-barr-will-hold-a-press-conference-to-discuss-mueller-report-at-930-am-et-thursday.html|title=Attorney General William Barr will hold a press conference to discuss Mueller report at 9:30 am ET Thursday|last1=Calia|first1=Mike|last2=El-Bawab|first2=Nadine|date=April 17, 2019|access-date=April 18, 2019|website=[[CNBC]]}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/aba-news-archives/2019/03/mueller-concludes-investigation/ |date=March 2019 |title=Mueller finds no collusion with Russia, leaves obstruction question open|website=[[American Bar Association]]|access-date=April 18, 2019}}</ref>

[[Mueller Report#Volume II|Volume II]] covered obstruction of justice. The report described [[Mueller Report#Episodes of alleged obstruction|ten episodes]] where Trump may have obstructed justice as president, plus one instance before he was elected.<ref name="FactCheck11">{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.factcheck.org/2019/04/what-the-mueller-report-says-about-obstruction/|title=What the Mueller Report Says About Obstruction|last1=Farley|first1=Robert|last2=Robertson|first2=Lori|last3=Gore|first3=D'Angelo|last4=Spencer|first4=Saranac Hale|last5=Fichera|first5=Angelo|last6=McDonald|first6=Jessica|date=April 19, 2019|website=[[FactCheck.org]]|access-date=April 22, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Desjardins|first=Lisa|title=11 moments Mueller investigated for obstruction of justice|date=April 18, 2019|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/11-moments-mueller-investigated-for-obstruction-of-justice |work=[[PBS]]|access-date=April 22, 2019}}</ref> The report said that in addition to Trump's public attacks on the investigation and its subjects, he had also privately tried to "control the investigation" in multiple ways, but mostly failed to influence it because his subordinates or associates refused to carry out his instructions.<ref name="NYTview">{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Schmidt|first1=Michael|last2=Savage|first2=Charlie|title=Mueller Rejects View That Presidents Can't Obstruct Justice|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/18/us/politics/special-counsel-trump-obstruction.html |date=April 18, 2019 |work=The New York Times|access-date=April 19, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/18/trump-barely-disrupted-russia-investigation-mueller-report-says.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=Trump barely disrupted Russia investigation, Mueller report says|first=Jacob|last=Pramuk|date=April 18, 2019 |work=[[CNBC]]}}</ref> For that reason, no charges against the Trump's aides and associates were recommended "beyond those already filed".<ref name="FactCheck11" /> The special counsel could not charge Trump himself once investigators decided to abide by an [[Office of Legal Counsel]] (OLC) opinion that a sitting president cannot stand trial,<ref name="APnocall">{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Day|first1=Chad|last2=Gresko|first2=Jessica|title=How Mueller made his no-call on Trump and obstruction|url=https://www.apnews.com/d7830de6911b44d2afb3b180a6b54ad2|date=April 19, 2019|work=[[Associated Press]]|access-date=April 19, 2019}}</ref><ref name="TimeSay">{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Gajanan|first=Mahita|title=Despite Evidence, Robert Mueller Would Not Say Whether Trump Obstructed Justice. Here's Why|url=https://time.com/5573289/robert-mueller-trump-obstruction-charges/ |date=April 18, 2019 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|access-date=April 20, 2019}}</ref> and they feared charges would affect Trump's governing and possibly preempt his impeachment.<ref name="TimeSay" /><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/mueller-s-report-trump-sections-blacked-out-released-public-n990191|date=April 18, 2019|title=Mueller report found Trump directed White House lawyer to 'do crazy s|work=[[NBC News]]|access-date=April 19, 2019|first1=Dareh|last1=Gregorian|first2=Julia|last2=Ainsley}}</ref> In addition, investigators felt it would be unfair to accuse Trump of a crime without charges and without a trial in which he could clear his name,<ref name="APnocall" /><ref name="TimeSay" /><ref name="NYTview" /> hence investigators "determined not to apply an approach that could potentially result in a judgment that the President committed crimes".<ref name="TimeSay" /><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Barrett|first1=Devlin|last2=Zapotosky|first2=Matt|title=Mueller report lays out obstruction evidence against the president|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/attorney-general-to-provide-overview-of-mueller-report-at-news-conference-before-its-release/2019/04/17/8dcc9440-54b9-11e9-814f-e2f46684196e_story.html|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=April 17, 2019|access-date=April 20, 2019}}</ref><ref name="APdilemma">{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Mascaro |first=Lisa |title=Mueller drops obstruction dilemma on Congress |date=April 19, 2019|url=https://www.apnews.com/35829a2b010248f193d1efd00c4de7e5 |work=[[Associated Press]]|access-date=April 20, 2019}}</ref><ref>''[https://www.justice.gov/storage/report.pdf Mueller Report]'', vol. II, p. 2: "Third, we considered whether to evaluate the conduct we investigated under the Justice Manual standards governing prosecution and declination decisions, but we determined not to apply an approach that could potentially result in a judgment that the President committed crimes."</ref>

On May 1, 2019, following publication of the special counsel's report, Barr testified before the [[United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|Senate Judiciary Committee]], during which Barr said he "didn't exonerate" Trump on obstruction as that was not the role of the Justice Department.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Day|first=Chad|title=Key takeaways from AG Barr's testimony, Mueller's letter|url=https://apnews.com/ec455a7ba1c846deaf8a2616f7754698|date=May 2, 2019|website=[[Associated Press]]|access-date=May 2, 2019}}</ref> He declined to testify before the [[United States House Committee on the Judiciary|House Judiciary Committee]] the following day because he objected to the committee's plan to use staff lawyers during questioning.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/01/us/politics/william-barr-hearing.html|title=William Barr Hearing: Highlights of His Testimony|work=The New York Times|date=May 1, 2019|access-date=May 7, 2019|first1=Katie|last1=Benner|first2=Nicholas|last2=Fandos}}</ref> Barr also repeatedly<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2019-05-08/president-donald-trump-asserts-executive-privilege-over-mueller-report|title=Trump Asserts Executive Privilege Over Mueller Report|work=U.S. News & World Report|date=May 8, 2019|access-date=May 8, 2019|first=Alan|last=Neuhauser}}</ref> failed to give the unredacted special counsel's report to the Judiciary Committee by its deadline of May 6, 2019.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/06/us/politics/house-contempt-attorney-general-barr.html|title=Democrats Threaten to Hold Barr in Contempt as White House Guards Tax Returns|work=The New York Times|date=May 6, 2019|access-date=May 7, 2019|first1=Nicholas|last1=Fandos|first2=Alan|last2=Rappeport}}</ref> On May 8, 2019, the committee voted to hold Barr in [[contempt of Congress]], which refers the matter to entire House for resolution.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://theweek.com/speedreads/840197/house-judiciary-committee-just-voted-hold-barr-contempt-heres-what-happens-next| title=The House Judiciary Committee just voted to hold Barr in contempt. Here's what happens next.| work=[[The Week]]| date=May 8, 2019| access-date=May 8, 2019| first=Brendan| last=Morrow}}</ref> Concurrently, Trump asserted [[executive privilege]] via the Department of Justice in an effort to prevent the redacted portions of the special counsel's report and the underlying evidence from being disclosed.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/08/us/politics/congress-contempt-barr.html| title=Trump Asserts Executive Privilege Over Full Mueller Report| work=The New York Times| date=May 8, 2019| access-date=May 8, 2019| first=Nicholas| last=Fandos}}</ref> Committee chairman [[Jerry Nadler]] said the U.S. is in a [[constitutional crisis]], "because the President is disobeying the law, is refusing all information to Congress".<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first1=Mary Clare |last1=Jalonick |first2=Lisa |last2=Mascaro |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/nadler-constitutional-crisis-over-mueller-report-dispute |title=Nadler: 'Constitutional crisis' over Mueller report dispute |work=[[PBS]] |date=May 8, 2019 |access-date=May 8, 2019}}</ref> Speaker [[Nancy Pelosi]] said Trump was "self-impeaching" by stonewalling Congress.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/09/us/politics/mueller-testify.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=Trump Suggests Mueller May Testify; Pelosi Declares 'Constitutional Crisis'|first1=Annie|last1=Karni|first2=Sheryl Gay|last2=Stolberg|newspaper=The New York Times|date=May 9, 2019}}</ref>

Following release of the Mueller report, Trump and his allies turned their attention toward "investigating the investigators".<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/investigate-the-investigators-is-new-trump-rallying-cry-to-counter-mueller-report/2019/05/04/9319b520-6db6-11e9-be3a-33217240a539_story.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |date=May 4, 2019 |first=Toluse |last=Olorunnipa |title='Investigate the investigators' is new Trump rallying cry to counter Mueller report|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> On May 23, 2019, Trump ordered the [[United States Intelligence Community|intelligence community]] to cooperate with Barr's investigation of the origins of the investigation, granting Barr full authority to declassify any intelligence information related to the matter. Some analysts expressed concerns that the order could create a conflict between the Justice Department and the intelligence community over closely guarded intelligence sources and methods, as well as open the possibility Barr could cherrypick intelligence for public release to help Trump.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/23/us/politics/trump-barr-intelligence.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=Trump Gives Attorney General Sweeping Power in Review of 2016 Campaign Inquiry |first1=Maggie |last1=Haberman |first2=Michael S. |last2=Schmidt |newspaper=The New York Times |date=May 23, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||access-date=November 11, 2021 |url=https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-russia-ap-top-news-europe-eb4c8e7b1a8c4a5d9d618464249a8be8 |title=Critics worry AG will reveal Russia probe info to help Trump |first=Deb |last=Riechmann |date=May 24, 2019 |website=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||access-date=November 11, 2021 |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/24/trump-justice-department-intelligence-1344958 |date=May 24, 2019 |title=Trump puts DOJ on crash course with intelligence agencies |first=Natasha |last=Bertrand |website=[[Politico]]}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/barr-could-expose-secrets-politicize-intelligence-with-review-of-russia-probe-current-and-former-officials-fear/2019/05/24/58f822f8-7e2f-11e9-8bb7-0fc796cf2ec0_story.html |first=Shane |last=Harris |date=May 24, 2019 |access-date=November 8, 2019 |title=Barr could expose secrets, politicize intelligence with review of Russia probe, current and former officials fear|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref>

Upon announcing the formal closure of the investigation and his resignation from the Justice Department on May 29, Mueller said, "If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so. We did not, however, decide as to whether the president did commit a crime."<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/29/us/politics/mueller-special-counsel.html |access-date=November 11, 2021 |title=Mueller, in First Comments on Russia Inquiry, Declines to Clear Trump |first1=Sharon |last1=LaFraniere |first2=Eileen |last2=Sullivan |newspaper=The New York Times |date=May 29, 2019 |archive-date=January 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126135207/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/29/us/politics/mueller-special-counsel.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> During his testimony to Congress on July 24, 2019, Mueller said that a president could be charged with obstruction of justice (or other crimes) after the president left office.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Thomsen |first=Jacqueline |title=Mueller: Trump could be charged with obstruction of justice after leaving office|url=https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/454502-mueller-trump-could-be-charged-with-obstruction-of-justice-after |website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |date=July 24, 2019 |access-date=July 24, 2019}}</ref>

Amid accusations by Trump and his supporters that he had been subjected to an illegitimate investigation, in May 2019, Barr appointed federal prosecutor [[John Durham (lawyer)|John Durham]] to review the origins of the Crossfire Hurricane investigation.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/13/us/politics/russia-investigation-justice-department-review.html |title=Barr Assigns U.S. Attorney in Connecticut to Review Origins of Russia Inquiry |first1=Adam |last1=Goldman |first2=Charlie |last2=Savage |first3=Michael S. |last3=Schmidt |newspaper=The New York Times |date=May 13, 2019 |access-date=November 13, 2019}}</ref> By September 2020, Durham's inquiry had expanded to include the FBI's investigation of the Clinton Foundation during the 2016 campaign.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/24/us/politics/durham-clinton-foundation-investigation.html |access-date=November 13, 2021 |title=In Politically Charged Inquiry, Durham Sought Details About Scrutiny of Clintons|first1=Adam|last1=Goldman|first2=William K.|last2=Rashbaum|first3=Nicole|last3=Hong|newspaper=The New York Times|date=September 24, 2020}}</ref>

In November 2017, Sessions appointed U.S. Attorney [[John W. Huber|John Huber]] to investigate the FBI's surveillance of [[Carter Page]] and [[Clinton Foundation–State Department controversy#Uranium One|connections]] between the [[Clinton Foundation]] and [[Uranium One]], starting in November 2017.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Burr |first1=Thomas |last2=Manson |first2=Pamela |url=https://www.sltrib.com/news/2018/03/29/us-attorney-for-utah-huber-probing-gop-raised-concerns-about-the-fbi-surveilling-trump-aide-ignoring-clinton-uranium-ties/ |title=U.S. Attorney for Utah is investigating GOP-raised concerns about the FBI surveilling Trump aide and ignoring Clinton uranium ties |newspaper=The Salt Lake Tribune |access-date=March 30, 2018}}</ref> The investigation ended in January 2020 after no evidence was found to warrant the opening of a criminal investigation.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||date=January 9, 2020 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/justice-dept-winds-down-clinton-related-inquiry-once-championed-by-trump-it-found-nothing-of-consequence/2020/01/09/ca83932e-32f9-11ea-a053-dc6d944ba776_story.html |access-date=November 10, 2021 |title=Justice Dept. winds down Clinton-related inquiry once championed by Trump. It found nothing of consequence. |first=Devlin |last=Barrett |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> Special Counsel Robert Mueller's April 2019 report documented that Trump pressured Sessions and the Department of Justice to re-open the investigation into Clinton's emails.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/24/us/politics/jeff-sessions-hillary-clinton-donald-trump.html|title=Mueller Report Reveals Trump's Fixation on Targeting Hillary Clinton|last=Schmidt|first=Michael S.|date=April 24, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 25, 2019|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

The Trump administration was characterized by a departure from ethical norms.<ref name="FloutNorms">{{#invoke:Cite news||first=Michael |last=Crowley |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/16/us/politics/trump-goya-ivanka.html |access-date=November 7, 2021 |title=As Election Nears, Trump's White House Grows Bolder in Flouting Ethical Norms |newspaper=The New York Times |date=July 16, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first=Tom |last=Scheck |url=https://www.marketplace.org/2018/02/16/ethics-be-damned-more-half-trumps-20-person-cabinet-has-engaged-questionable-or/ |access-date=November 7, 2021 |title=Ethics Be Damned: More than half of Trump's 20-person Cabinet has engaged in questionable or unethical conduct |work=Marketplace |publisher=[[Minnesota Public Radio]] |date=February 16, 2018 |quote=every ethics professional interviewed for this story thinks the Trump administration has significantly undermined decades of ethical norms and standards.}}</ref> Unlike previous administrations of both parties, the Trump White House did not observe a strict boundary between official government activities and personal, political, or campaign activities.<ref name="FloutNorms" /><ref name="Gomez">{{#invoke:Cite news||first=Melissa |last=Gomez |url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-07-23/trump-hatch-act-ethics-campaign |access-date=November 7, 2021 |title=Trump is 'hijacking' White House events for 'partisan, political' gain, experts say |work=Los Angeles Times |date=July 23, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first1=Annie |last1=Karni |first2=Maggie |last2=Haberman |author-link2=Maggie Haberman |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/08/us/politics/trump-campaign-rallies.html |access-date=November 7, 2021 |title=As Campaign Season Heats, Trump Has Turned the Official Into the Political |newspaper=The New York Times |date=November 8, 2019}}</ref> Some critics went so far as to describe Trump as bringing [[kleptocracy]] to America.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Beauchamp |first=Zack |date=2017-07-31 |title=How Donald Trump's kleptocracy is undermining American democracy |url=https://www.vox.com/world/2017/7/31/15959970/donald-trump-authoritarian-children-corruption |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=Vox |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Cassidy |first=John |date=2017-04-04 |title=Trump Kleptocracy Watch: An Update |url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/john-cassidy/trump-kleptocracy-watch-an-update |access-date=2024-09-28 |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en-US |issn=0028-792X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Telnaes |first=Ann |date=2021-10-23 |title=Opinion {{!}} The Trump kleptocracy |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/opinions/wp/2018/05/30/the-trump-kleptocracy/ |access-date=2024-09-28 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=David |date=2017-07-31 |title=Trump risks US being seen as 'kleptocracy', says ex-ethics chief Walter Shaub |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jul/31/trump-ethics-chief-walter-shaub-kleptocracy |access-date=2024-09-28 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Foer |first=Franklin |date=2019-02-07 |title=Russian-Style Kleptocracy Is Infiltrating America |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/03/how-kleptocracy-came-to-america/580471/ |access-date=2024-09-28 |work=The Atlantic |language=en |issn=2151-9463}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2017-05-22 |title=Trump and the Path Toward Kleptocracy |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2017-05-22/trump-and-the-path-toward-kleptocracy |access-date=2024-09-28 |work=Bloomberg.com |language=en}}</ref>

Trump's presidency was marked by significant public concern about [[conflict of interest]] stemming from his diverse business ventures. In the lead up to his inauguration, Trump promised to remove himself from the day-to-day operations of his businesses.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/11/us/politics/trump-press-conference-transcript.html|title=Donald Trump's News Conference: Full Transcript and Video|date=January 11, 2017|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=April 30, 2017}}</ref> Trump placed his sons [[Eric Trump]] and [[Donald Trump Jr.]] at the head of his businesses claiming they would not communicate with him regarding his interests. However, critics noted that this would not prevent him from having input into his businesses and knowing how to benefit himself, and Trump continued to receive quarterly updates on his businesses.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/mar/24/eric-trump-business-conflicts-of-interest|title=Eric Trump says he will keep father updated on business despite 'pact'|first=Alan|last=Yuhas|date=March 24, 2017|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=April 30, 2017}}</ref> As his presidency progressed, he failed to take steps or show interest in further distancing himself from his business interests resulting in numerous potential conflicts.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/08/donald-trump-conflicts-of-interests/508382/ |date=August 9, 2017 |title=Donald Trump's Conflicts of Interest: A Crib Sheet|first=Jeremy|last=Venook |work=[[The Atlantic]] |access-date=April 30, 2017}}</ref> Ethics experts found Trump's plan to address conflicts of interest between his position as president and his private business interests to be entirely inadequate.<ref name="YourishBuchanan">{{#invoke:Cite news||first1=Karen |last1=Yourish |first2=Larry |last2=Buchanan |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/01/12/us/politics/ethics-experts-trumps-conflicts-of-interest.html |access-date=November 7, 2021 |title=It 'Falls Short in Every Respect': Ethics Experts Pan Trump's Conflicts Plan |newspaper=The New York Times |date=January 12, 2017}}</ref> Unlike every other president in the last 40 years, Trump did not put his business interests in a [[blind trust]] or equivalent arrangement "to cleanly sever himself from his business interests".<ref name="YourishBuchanan" /> In January 2018, a year into his presidency, Trump owned stakes in hundreds of businesses.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=Trump Ethics Monitor: Has The President Kept His Promises?|url=https://www.npr.org/2017/02/17/513724796/trump-ethics-monitor-has-the-president-kept-his-promises|newspaper=[[NPR]]|date=February 17, 2017|access-date=January 20, 2018|last1=Selyukh|first1=Alina|last2=Sullivan|first2=Emily|last3=Maffei|first3=Lucia}}</ref> [[Anne Applebaum]] noted how Trump properties, including Trump Tower, has been used for [[Money laundering|laundering money]] by [[Kleptocracy|kleptocrats]] around the world (though there is no evidence Trump knew that was going on) and that two-thirds of the sales in Trump-owned properties went to anonymous buyers in 2017, raising potential [[Conflict of interest|conflicts-of-interest]] with a sitting president of the United States.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Applebaum |first=Anne |date=August 30, 2024 |title=The kleptocrats aren't just stealing money. They're stealing democracy |url=https://www.ft.com/content/0876ef7a-bf88-463e-b8ca-bd9b4a11665c |work=Financial Times}}</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 March 2018, ''The New York Times'' reported that [[George Nader (businessman)|George Nader]] had turned Trump's major fundraiser [[Elliott Broidy]] "into an instrument of influence at the White House for the rulers of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates{{spaces}}... High on the agenda of the two men{{spaces}}... was pushing the White House to remove Secretary of State [[Rex Tillerson|Rex W. Tillerson]]," a top defender of the [[Iran nuclear deal framework|Iran nuclear deal]] in Donald Trump's administration, and "backing confrontational approaches to Iran and Qatar".<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/21/us/politics/george-nader-elliott-broidy-uae-saudi-arabia-white-house-influence.html |first1=David D. |last1=Kirkpatrick |first2=Mark |last2=Mazzetti |author-link2=Mark Mazzetti |title=How 2 Gulf Monarchies Sought to Influence the White House |newspaper=The New York Times |date=March 21, 2018 |access-date=November 7, 2021}}</ref>

In March 2019, [[Tricia Newbold]], a White House employee working on security clearances, privately told the [[House Oversight Committee]] that at least 25 Trump administration officials had been granted security clearances over the objections of career staffers. Newbold also asserted that some of these officials had previously had their applications rejected for "disqualifying issues", only for those rejections to be overturned with inadequate explanation.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/house-panel-interviews-whistleblower-tricia-newbold-about-white-house-security-clearances/|title=Whistleblower says 25 people given White House clearance despite rejections|last=Kaplan|first=Rebecca|date=April 1, 2019|work=CBS News|access-date=April 3, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/white-house-whistleblower-says-she-felt-humiliated-after-retaliation-boss-n990171|title=White House whistleblower says she felt humiliated after retaliation from boss|last1=Strickler|first1=Laura|last2=Alexander|first2=Peter|last3=Schapiro|first3=Rich|date=April 2, 2019|work=[[NBC News]]|access-date=April 3, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/01/us/politics/tricia-newbold-whistle-blower-white-house.html|title=White House Whistle-Blower Did the Unexpected: She Returned to Work|last=Rogers|first=Katie|date=April 1, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 3, 2019|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

On September 22, Trump confirmed that he had discussed with Zelensky how "we don't want our people like Vice President Biden and his son creating to the corruption already in the Ukraine."<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Baker|first=Peter|title=Trump Acknowledges Discussing Biden in Call With Ukrainian Leader|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/22/us/politics/trump-ukraine-biden.html|access-date=October 1, 2019|work=The New York Times|date=September 23, 2019}}</ref> Trump also confirmed that he had indeed temporarily withheld military aid from Ukraine, offering contradicting reasons for his decision on September 23 and 24.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Forgey|first=Quint|title=Trump changes story on withholding Ukraine aid|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2019/09/24/donald-trump-ukraine-military-aid-1509070|access-date=October 1, 2019|work=[[Politico]]|date=September 24, 2019}}</ref>

On September 24, House Speaker [[Nancy Pelosi]] announced the start of a formal [[Impeachment inquiry into Donald Trump|impeachment inquiry]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||work=The New York Times|date=September 24, 2019|first=Nicholas|last=Fandos|author-link=Nicholas Fandos|title=Nancy Pelosi Announces Formal Impeachment Inquiry of Trump|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/24/us/politics/democrats-impeachment-trump.html |access-date=November 7, 2021}}</ref> On September 25, the White House released a non-verbatim transcript of the call between Trump and Zelensky; while the members and staff of congressional intelligence committees were allowed to read the whistleblower complaint.<ref name="wapotut" /> On September 26, the White House declassified the whistleblower's complaint, so Schiff released the complaint to the public.<ref name="wapotut" /> The non-verbatim transcript corroborated the main allegations of the whistleblower's report about the Trump–Zelensky call.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first1=Hope |last1=Yen |first2=Calvin |last2=Woodward |url=https://apnews.com/article/ap-fact-check-donald-trump-ca-state-wire-politics-impeachments-817c0c285bc9485d88608635e0fef3e3|title=AP Fact Check: Trump's flawed 'read the transcript' defense|date=November 11, 2019|website=[[Associated Press]]|access-date=December 30, 2019}}</ref> The non-verbatim transcript stated that after Zelensky discussed the possibility of buying American anti-tank missiles to defend Ukraine, Trump instead asked for a favor, suggesting an investigation of the company Crowdstrike, while later in the call he also called for an investigation of the Bidens and cooperation with Giuliani and Barr.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Bump|first=Philip|title=Trump wanted Russia's main geopolitical adversary to help undermine the Russian interference story|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/09/25/trump-wanted-russias-main-geopolitical-adversary-help-him-undermine-russian-interference-story/|access-date=October 1, 2019|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=September 25, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Santucci|first1=John|last2=Mallin|first2=Alexander|last3=Thomas|first3=Pierre|last4=Faulders|first4=Katherine|title=Trump urged Ukraine to work with Barr and Giuliani to probe Biden: Call transcript|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/transcript-trump-call-ukraine-includes-talk-giuliani-barr/story?id=65848768|access-date=October 1, 2019|work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]|date=September 25, 2019}}</ref> On September 27, the White House confirmed the whistleblower's allegation that the Trump administration had stored the Trump–Zelensky transcript in a highly classified system.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Brown|first=Pamela|title=White House says lawyers directed moving Ukraine transcript to highly secure system|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2019/09/27/politics/donald-trump-ukraine-transcript-white-house/index.html|access-date=October 1, 2019|work=CNN|date=September 27, 2019}}</ref>

Trump often sought to use the office of the presidency for his own interest. Under his leadership, the Justice Department, which is traditionally independent from the president, became highly partisan and acted in Trump's interest.<ref>{{cite magazine |title = If Trump Is Allowed to Turn the Justice Department Into a Political Weapon, No One Is Safe |access-date = November 7, 2021 |url = https://time.com/5783007/donald-trump-doj-resignations/ |magazine = [[Time (magazine)|Time]] |first = Joyce White |last = Vance |date = February 12, 2020 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201221160526/https://time.com/5783007/donald-trump-doj-resignations/ |archive-date = December 21, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Chong|first=Jane|title=The Justice Department Has Had to Twist Itself in Knots to Defend Trump on Emoluments|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/05/dojs-about-face-emoluments/612004/|work=[[The Atlantic]]|date=May 26, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201209183624/https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/05/dojs-about-face-emoluments/612004/ |access-date=November 7, 2021 |archive-date=December 9, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Mazzetti|first1=Mark|last2=Benner|first2=Katie|title=Trump Pressed Australian Leader to Help Barr Investigate Mueller Inquiry's Origins|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/30/us/politics/trump-australia-barr-mueller.html |access-date=November 7, 2021 |work=The New York Times|date=September 30, 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210107224640/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/30/us/politics/trump-australia-barr-mueller.html|archive-date=January 7, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Rohde|first=David|title=William Barr, Trump's Sword and Shield|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/01/20/william-barr-trumps-sword-and-shield|magazine=[[The New Yorker]]|date=January 13, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201219020714/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/01/20/william-barr-trumps-sword-and-shield |access-date=November 7, 2021 |archive-date=December 19, 2020}}</ref>

Trump fired, demoted, or withdrew nominations of numerous government officials in retaliation for actions that projected negatively on his public image or harmed his personal or political interests, including Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director [[Dismissal of James Comey|James Comey]],<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=James Comey's Attacks on Trump May Hurt a Carefully Cultivated Image |access-date=November 7, 2021 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/16/us/politics/james-comey-trump-book.html |first1=Julie Hirschfeld |last1=Davis |first2=Jonathan |last2=Martin |work=The New York Times|date=April 16, 2018}}</ref> Deputy FBI Director [[Andrew McCabe]], U.S. Attorney General [[Jeff Sessions]],<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Baker|first1=Peter|last2=Benner|first2=Katie|last3=Shear|first3=Michael D.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/07/us/politics/sessions-resigns.html|title=Jeff Sessions Is Forced Out as Attorney General as Trump Installs Loyalist|date=November 7, 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 25, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> and Director of National Intelligence [[Joseph Maguire]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||author=Editorial Board |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/this-is-trumps-vilest-act-of-retribution-yet/2020/04/06/c685cb0a-781f-11ea-b6ff-597f170df8f8_story.html|title=This is Trump's vilest act of retribution yet|date=April 7, 2020|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=April 25, 2020}}</ref>

Trump officially announced his [[Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign|reelection campaign]] for the [[2020 Republican Party presidential primaries|Republican nomination]] in the [[2020 United States presidential election|2020 presidential election]] on June 18, 2019.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||title=Donald Trump formally launches 2020 re-election bid|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-48681573|last=Staff|work=[[BBC News]] |date=June 19, 2019|access-date=August 10, 2020}}</ref> Trump did not face any significant rivals for the 2020 Republican nomination, with some state Republican parties cancelling the presidential primaries in the states.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.politico.com/story/2019/09/06/republicans-cancel-primaries-trump-challengers-1483126 |access-date=November 7, 2021 |title=Republicans to scrap primaries and caucuses as Trump challengers cry foul |date=September 6, 2019 |first=Alex |last=Isenstadt |work=[[Politico]]}}</ref> Trump's Democratic opponent in the general election was former vice president [[Joe Biden]] of Delaware. The election on November 3 was not called for either candidate for several days. On November 7, the Associated Press along with mainstream media called the race for Joe Biden.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/07/business/media/presidential-election-tv-networks-call.html|title=Tension, Then Some Tears, as TV News Narrates a Moment for History|last1=Koblin|first1=John|last2=Grynbaum|first2=Michael M.|last3=Hsu|first3=Tiffany|date=November 7, 2020|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 27, 2021}}</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>

On January 12, the House voted in favor of requesting that the vice president remove Trump from office per the [[Twenty-fifth Amendment]]; hours earlier, Pence had indicated that he opposed such a measure.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Gambino|first=Lauren|date=January 13, 2021|title=Stage set for impeachment after Pence dismisses House call to invoke 25th amendment|work=[[The Guardian]]|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/12/house-vote-resolution-pence-invoke-25th-amendment-remove-trump|access-date=January 13, 2021|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> The next day, the House voted 232–197 to [[Second impeachment of Donald Trump|impeach Trump]] on a charge of "incitement of insurrection". Ten Republican representatives joined all Democratic representatives in voting to impeach Trump. Trump is the first and only president to be impeached twice.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last1=Wagner|first1=Meg|last2=Macaya|first2=Melissa|last3=Hayes|first3=Mike|display-authors=etal|date=January 13, 2021|title=House votes on Trump impeachment|url=https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/house-trump-impeachment-vote-01-13-21/|access-date=January 13, 2021|website=CNN}}</ref> On February 13, the Senate voted 57–43 to [[Second impeachment trial of Donald Trump|convict Trump]] on a charge of inciting insurrection, ten votes short of the required two-thirds majority, and he was acquitted. Seven Republican senators joined all Democratic and independent senators in voting to convict Trump.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last1=Fandos|first1=Nicholas|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/13/us/politics/trump-impeachment.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/13/us/politics/trump-impeachment.html |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url-access=limited |access-date=November 7, 2021 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=February 13, 2021|title=Trump Acquitted of Inciting Insurrection, Even as Bipartisan Majority Votes 'Guilty'}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-us-canada-56054136|title=Donald Trump impeachment trial: Ex-president acquitted of inciting insurrection|website=[[BBC News]] |access-date=February 14, 2021|archive-date=February 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214225754/https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-us-canada-56054136|url-status=live}}</ref>

Trump gave a [[Donald Trump's first farewell address|first farewell address]] the day prior to the [[inauguration of Joe Biden]]. In it he stressed his economic and foreign policy record, and said the country can never tolerate "[[political violence]]".<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/01/19/trump-stresses-economy-foreign-policy-farewell-address-nation/4217614001/|title=Farewell address: Trump stresses record, condemns Capitol riot, does not name Biden|last1=Jackson|first1=David|last2=Collins|first2=Michael|date=January 19, 2021|work=[[USA Today]]|access-date=March 29, 2021}}</ref> Trump did not attend Biden's inauguration, becoming the first departing president in 152 years to refuse to attend his elected successor's inauguration,<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/19/us/politics/presidents-who-skipped-inaugurations.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/19/us/politics/presidents-who-skipped-inaugurations.html |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url-access=limited |access-date=November 7, 2021 |title=Trump Is Not the First President to Snub an Inauguration|newspaper=The New York Times|date=January 20, 2021|first=Jacey|last=Fortin}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first=Joey|last=Garrison|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2021/01/08/trump-first-outgoing-president-skip-inauguration-152-years/6596286002/ |access-date=November 7, 2021 |title=A president hasn't refused to attend the inauguration of his successor in 152 years. Donald Trump will change that|newspaper=[[USA Today]]|date=January 8, 2021}}</ref> but he did honor another tradition by leaving Biden a letter on the [[Resolute desk|''Resolute'' desk]] in the White House.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||access-date=November 7, 2021 |url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-farewell-address-nation/ |date=January 19, 2021 |title=Remarks by President Trump In Farewell Address to the Nation |website=trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last1=Jackson|first1=David|last2=Fritze|first2=John|date=January 20, 2021|title=Donald Trump leaves letter for Joe Biden ahead of inauguration|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/01/20/donald-trump-leaves-letter-joe-biden-inauguration-day/4228139001/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120152944/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/01/20/donald-trump-leaves-letter-joe-biden-inauguration-day/4228139001/|archive-date=January 20, 2021|access-date=January 20, 2021|website=[[USA Today]]}}</ref>

At the time of the 2016 election, polls by [[Gallup (company)|Gallup]] found Trump had a favorable rating around 35 percent and an unfavorable rating around 60 percent, while Clinton held a favorable rating of 40 percent and an unfavorable rating of 57 percent.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||title=Presidential Election 2016: Key Indicators|date=March 6, 2016|url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/189299/presidential-election-2016-key-indicators.aspx |work=Gallup|access-date=November 15, 2016}}</ref> 2016 was the first election cycle in modern presidential polling in which both major-party candidates were viewed so unfavorably.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/06/03/us/elections/trump-and-clinton-favorability.html |first=Karen |last=Yourish |title=Clinton and Trump Have Terrible Approval Ratings. Does It Matter? |access-date=November 13, 2021 |date=June 3, 2016|website=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/americans-distaste-for-both-trump-and-clinton-is-record-breaking/ |access-date=November 13, 2021 |first=Harry |last=Enten |title=Americans' Distaste For Both Trump And Clinton Is Record-Breaking|date=May 5, 2016|work=FiveThirtyEight}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||first=Aaron|last=Blake|date=August 31, 2016|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/08/31/a-record-number-of-americans-now-dislike-hillary-clinton/ |access-date=November 13, 2021 |title=A record number of Americans now dislike Hillary Clinton |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.monmouth.edu/polling-institute/reports/MonmouthPoll_US_082916/ |date=August 29, 2016 |title=Clinton Holds Lead Amid Record High Dislike of Both Nominees |access-date=November 7, 2021 |work=Monmouth University}}</ref> By January 20, 2017, [[United States presidential inauguration|Inauguration Day]], Trump's approval rating average was 42 percent, the lowest rating average for an incoming president in the history of modern polling;<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/17/us/politics/donald-trump-obama-approval-rating.html|title=Trump Entering White House Unbent and Unpopular|last=Baker|first=Peter|author-link=Peter Baker (author)|date=January 17, 2017|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=January 20, 2017}}</ref> during his term it was an "incredibly stable (and also historically low)" 36 percent to 40 percent.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/president_trump_job_approval-6179.html |title=President Trump Job Approval |work=[[RealClearPolitics|Real Clear Politics]]|access-date=May 6, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/21/politics/family-separation-midterms-analysis/index.html |access-date=November 8, 2021 |title=Separated immigrant children move people's hearts, but will it move their votes?|last=Enten|first=Harry|date=June 21, 2018|website=CNN}}</ref> According to Gallup, Trump's approval rating peaked at 49 percent in several polls in early 2020; this makes him the only president to never reach a 50 percent approval rating in the Gallup poll dating to 1938.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||first=Jeffrey M.|last=Jones|title=Last Trump Job Approval 34%; Average Is Record-Low 41%|url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/328637/last-trump-job-approval-average-record-low.aspx|work=[[Gallup (company)|Gallup]]|date=January 18, 2021|access-date=October 3, 2021}}</ref>