Trump Two: The First 100 Days

Yahoo

04-05-2025

Wednesday, April 30 marked President Donald Trump's 100th day in office of his second term.While it is a 'made-up occasion,' the first 100 days of a presidency are generally considered the first impression of any administration. This benchmark has taken on significance as a marker to measure a new president's achievements.While the first 100 days don't determine the entirety of a president's term, it could provide insight into priorities, achievements and potential problems to come. Here's L.A. Magazine's look at Trump's first 100 days.
Sparing no time, Trump hit the ground running with executive orders. In his first week in office alone, the president signed 37 executive orders. His 100th order was signed in late March. This surpassed former President Franklin D. Roosevelt's record of 99 orders signed in 100 days.According to the American Presidency Project, the orders were 'sweeping and often vague.' Some have viewed an extensive use of the executive order as an 'abuse of power,' but research has suggested that some presidents may favor them due to their increased visibility.Most of his orders concern shrinking of the federal government, immigration, energy and topics relating to freedoms, religion and 'American values.'Several orders, such as those that affect foreign aid and banning transgender troops from the military, are temporarily blocked by courts.
Trump signed five bills into law, a major contrast from his executive action. His first was the Laken Riley Act, which Congress passed just before he took office.Of the five, the Laken Riley Act is only one of two bills enacted. The remaining three are joint resolutions, which are often used in the same manner as a bill and enacted as law if signed by the president.This is a stark contrast to his 29 signed laws within his first 100 days of his first term in 2016.According to political scientists, one should focus on legislation not in the numbers, but in the significance of the bills signed. The first 100 days for legislation have become far more unproductive for modern presidents since Roosevelt's 76 laws in 100 days.
With 100 days in office down, Trump has an approval rating of 41%. This is the lowest for any newly elected president at the 100-day benchmark and lower than his rating in 2016, which was 42% according to a Gallup poll.Only 22% say they 'strongly approve' of Trump's presidency so far and 45% say they 'strongly disapprove.' Notable drops in approval come from women and Hispanic Americans, with 36% among women and 28% among Hispanics.In contrast, Biden's approval rating within his first 100 days was 53%, which was his highest during his term. But, support was entirely partisan. 93% of Democrats approved of his performance, while only 12% of Republicans approved.
Immigration efforts were also a key factor in Trump's first 100 days. His 'crackdown' on immigration led to a ramp-up in border enforcement as well as mass deportations. U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded only 7,180 southwest border crossings. This is the lowest number in history and far lower than the monthly average of 155,000 across the previous four years.During the campaign, Trump vowed to carry out the 'largest deportation program in U.S. history.' During the first 100 days, his administration has deported and detained immigrants with and without legal status.So far, this has caused pushback, coming from as high up as the Supreme Court.
The Trump administration has enacted a baseline of 10% tariffs on all imported goods and 25% tariffs on steel, aluminum, cars and car parts. These tariffs, those enacted and those delayed, both jolted the global markets and sparked fears of recession.He has also put tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico, with percentages ranging based on the country. The administration has until early July to negotiate 'reciprocal' tariffs with a handful of other countries.According to the Yale Budget Lab, U.S. consumers face an average effective tariff rate of 28%, which is the highest since 1901.