What will we remember from Donald Trump’s third consecutive presidential campaign? The bullet having grazed his temple during the assassination attempt against him during a meeting in Pennsylvania on July 13? His historic criminal conviction in the Stormy Daniels trial? Or his ever more violent rhetoric against all his adversaries, whether Kamala Harris and the Democratic camp, his former allies turned enemies, or even the immigrants accused of all the country’s ills?
However, if the Republican candidate remains so popular with a large part of the American electorate, it is because his protectionist program, defending “America first”, is also convincing. Overview of Donald Trump’s five most important measures to hope to run for a second term at the head of the United States.
Against immigration, “the largest deportation program in American history”
A migratory “invasion”, with “hordes” which “poison the blood of America”. As in 2016 and 2020, Donald Trump made the fight against immigration the keystone of his entire campaign. And this, whether through ever more dehumanizing and xenophobic vocabulary than with firmer measures than ever.
The Republican candidate first wants to reintroduce measures that he had put in place during his first term, such as the “Muslim ban”, which prohibits entry into American territory to citizens coming from certain Muslim-majority countries. , or the “Remain in Mexico” program, which requires Mexican asylum seekers to stay in their country until their hearing in the United States.
But he also assures that he will launch “the largest deportation program in American history” against illegal immigrants, promising the expulsion of several million of them. “I will save every city in America that has been invaded and conquered. These cities have been conquered, and we will put these vicious, bloodthirsty criminals in prison or kick them out of our country as quickly as possible,” he said. repeated again during a meeting last week in Arizona. The tone is set.
Tariffs and economic protectionism
“America first”: on the economic side, Donald Trump still intends to implement a protectionist policy. In particular, he intends to introduce customs duties of at least 10% on all imports. A level which would rise to 60% for products coming from China, the ultimate commercial enemy. “After 75 years, other countries will finally reimburse us for everything we have been able to do for the world,” the Republican candidate assured during his debate against Kamala Harris.
A way to reduce inflation – which is contested by many economists – and to encourage companies to produce again in the United States. But also to finance large tax cuts for businesses and individuals, as he did during his first term.
The climate change “hoax”
Faced with inflation which is hitting American households hard, Donald Trump also has another promise: that of halving energy costs. To do this, he intends to invest massively in the energy sector on American soil, in particular fossil fuels such as gas and oil. “We’re going to drill like crazy,” he boasted to his supporters.
And what does it matter about the consequences on climate change, which the ex-president describes in any case as a “hoax” or a “big green scam”. Donald Trump wants to once again withdraw the United States from the Paris climate agreement, and put an end to the environmental component of the “Inflation Reduction Act” of the Biden presidency, which aimed to invest massively in the decarbonization of the American economy.
An education system that promotes “American values”
Finally, it is impossible to talk about Donald Trump’s candidacy without mentioning his conservatism on societal issues, particularly on education. The Republican candidate intends to remake schools into “safe learning environments, free from political interference”, and which promote a “love of country with authentic civic education”, accusing the left of “propaganda” in schools.
To do this, Donald Trump first wants to abolish the federal Ministry of Education, leaving jurisdiction to the States on this subject. But this project conflicts with his plan to threaten budget cuts to establishments that teach subjects such as the systemic nature of racism and discrimination or so-called “gender indoctrination”. “We will drain the education swamp, and end the misuse of taxpayer dollars to indoctrinate America’s youth with all sorts of things you don’t want them to hear,” he said. he said at a rally last September in Wisconsin.
For the war in Ukraine, kyiv’s (legitimate) concerns
If the American presidential election can have repercussions around the world, one capital will follow the results with more fear than anywhere else: kyiv. While Donald Trump has never hidden his opposition to American economic and military aid for Ukraine, the more than tense meeting between the Republican candidate and Volodymyr Zelensky on September 27 foreshadowed their possible future diplomatic relationship.
If Donald Trump assures that he will end the war in Ukraine “in twenty-four hours” when he regains possession of the Oval Office, his program only mentions his desire to “restore peace in Europe”. Enough to raise fears of a peace agreement with terms more than satisfactory for Vladimir Putin.