In the 2024 Presidential Election, Donald Trump was elected president, winning both the electoral and popular votes. Trump ran against Vice President Kamala Harris. 

On Jan. 20, 2025, Trump will be inaugurated and officially be president for a second term–the same day as Martin Luther King Day.

To be elected, a candidate only needs 270 electoral votes. According to the Associated Press, Trump received 312 electoral votes, while Harris received 226. 

Typically, presidents who choose to serve another term will continue to serve the four years following their first term. However, after his 2017-2020 presidency, Trump lost the 2020 election, making him the second president to serve two non-consecutive terms, after Grover Cleveland.

This term will be the final term Trump will serve as president, although numerous sources, such as CBS, have reported jokes he made at an event in July 2024.

“You know what? It’ll be fixed. It’ll be fine. You won’t have to vote anymore…”

This, however, would be highly unlikely. It goes against the 22nd Amendment, which states, “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.”

BBC News has listed the issues Trump hopes to focus on as president.

• Economy
  • “End inflation and make America affordable again.”
  • “Reduce housing costs by getting rid of mortgages for some undocumented immigrants and deporting others.”
  • Start a “home building program on federal land.”
• Taxes
  • Renew and reinforce tax cuts made in 2017.
  • “Shave a further percentage point off corporation tax.”
  • Suggest a “tipped income tax fee,” a tax applying to all income from whichever source it’s derived from.
  • “Abolish the tax on Social Security payments.”
    • Could lead to an increase in poverty and a decrease in consumer spending. 
    • Could cause a drop in demand for goods and services and lead to the loss of jobs.
    • Could affect affordable housing and family support for the elderly.
• Trade
  • Proposes “new 10-20% tariffs on foreign goods.”
    • China imports would be hit hardest with a 60% tariff.
    • It is expected that these tariffs will be a priority, being taken care of within the first 100 days of Trump’s presidency.
  • This is all an attempt to “promote homegrown manufacturers and stop outsourcing.”
  • These tariffs could be very costly to US consumers.
    • Trump’s trade policies, according to CEPR, could negatively affect “productivity, growth, and citizen’s welfare” and have a lasting, negative impact on the United States economy.
• Immigration
  • According to NBC News, there is a chance that legal immigration will become more difficult, similar to what happened in Trump’s first term.
    • “Trump’s technical changes to legal immigration were not the sort to grab headlines, but they did affect people who had “followed the rules” to legally work and live in the U.S.”
    • “What we saw last time, we would see again, but likely on steroids.”
  • According to the Center for Migration Studies, illegal immigration population has “increased to around 11.7 million” as of July 2023.
  • Trump wants to finish “building the wall.”
    • The wall is currently around 452 miles.
  • “Vowed to seal the border by completing the wall and increasing enforcement.”
  • “Promised the biggest mass deportations of undocumented migrants in US history.”
  • “Children of undocumented residents would no longer be eligible for citizenship.” This, however, is untrue if the child is born in the US, as children born in the US are automatically US citizens under the 14th Amendment.
• Abortion
  • Believes states should decide abortion laws individually.
  • Claims he would not sign a national abortion ban into law as a response during a debate with Harris.
• Ukraine and Nato
  • “Pledged to end the war in Ukraine ‘within 24 hours’ through a negotiated settlement with Russia.”
• Israel-Gaza War
  • Takes a supportive stance towards Israel, but ridicules Israel for how war strategies have been executed.
  • Claims his presidency would have prevented the war, provided no details on how to end it.
• Healthcare
  • “Promises not to cut Medicare [federally provided health insurance for older people.]”
  • Criticizes former President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act.
• Crime
  • “Has pledged to demolish drug cartels, crush gang violence, and rebuild Democratic-run cities that he says are overrun with crime.”
  • Wants to bring safety to neighborhoods by “replenishing police departments and protecting officers from ‘frivolous lawsuits.”
• Climate
  • Vows to cut emission regulations, particularly as a way to help the American car industry.
  • Strongly dislikes electric, no-gas vehicles, and wants to turn back to “cleaner cars.”
  • “Long railed against offshore wind farms, promising to halt this source of renewable energy as soon as he is elected.”

News sources identify other issues that Trump hopes to focus on, including LGBTQ+ issues and the elimination of FAFSA, the Department of Education and freedom of the press protections.

Trump faced and was found guilty of 34 criminal charges in the hush money trial on Jan. 10. According to CNN, Trump will face no penalties for the charges, but he will remain a convicted felon.

This will be the first time a convicted felon will be seated in the White House.