Trump Outlines Aggressive Agenda: Tariffs, Deportations, and Potential NATO Withdrawal.
In his first major television interview since the 2024 election, President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to usher in a sweeping set of policy changes immediately after taking office on January 20, 2025. From trade tariffs and mass deportations to the possibility of withdrawing from NATO, the incoming administration’s agenda is shaping up to be one of the most consequential in recent history.
During the interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press with Kristen Welker,” Trump stressed that his campaign promises of imposing hefty tariffs on key US trading partners, including Canada, Mexico, and China, will be enacted.
The President-elect’s hardline stance on immigration was also on full display, as he doubled down on his pledge to carry out mass deportations of undocumented immigrants living in the United States. “First will be convicted criminals,” he said, leaving open the possibility of targeting a broader group of individuals.
Trump even suggested that US citizens with family members in the country illegally could face deportation, stating, “The only way you don’t break up the family is you keep them together and you have to send them all back.”
While offering a small olive branch to the so-called “Dreamers” – immigrants who entered the country illegally as children – Trump said he would “work with the Democrats” on a plan to address their situation, praising their contributions to the US economy.
Controversially, the incoming President also signaled that the United States may scale back its support for Ukraine, saying he will “probably” cut the aid helping Kyiv repel Russia’s invasion. This stance stands in stark contrast to the Biden administration’s unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s defense.
On the domestic front, Trump vowed to pardon his supporters who were jailed for their roles in the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol, arguing that they have endured “overly harsh treatment in prison.” He also refused to admit that he lost the 2020 election, stating, “Why would I do that?”
The President-elect’s threats extended to his political opponents, as he suggested that members of Congress who investigated him over the Capitol insurrection “should go to jail.”
While he said he would not personally order law enforcement to prosecute his critics, he left the door open for his appointees to do so, stating, “If they think that somebody was dishonest or crooked or a corrupt politician, I think he probably must do it.”
The coming years are shaping up to be a tumultuous period, as the new administration seeks to implement its far-reaching vision for the United States.
