Former President Donald Trump recently announced a series of significant economic initiatives, including the nomination of Stephen Miran to serve as a Federal Reserve governor and plans for a new U.S. Census. These events continue to fuel conversations around national immigration policy and higher education admissions practices. At the same time, the Trump administration is trying to strengthen U.S. manufacturing, in part by raising tariffs.
During a press gaggle in the Rose Garden at the White House, Trump touted what he claimed were “new numbers.” He claimed these numbers showed the Bureau of Labor Statistics “faked” job creation success during President Biden’s first two years in office. This claim is part of a larger pattern of Trump’s alleging, without evidence, that all economic data coming out from the Biden administration is falsified.
Ties Trump’s recent announcement about the new U.S. Census excluding undocumented immigrants from the count. The former president ordered the Commerce Department to make this change. He contends that it’s critical to ensure fair representation and the distribution of public dollars. This directive has provided fuel for an ongoing firestorm of discussion among politicians and analysts alike about what it might mean for federal funding and representation.
In a related move, Trump is set to sign an executive order requiring universities to provide data on their admissions processes. It calls on these institutions to demonstrate that they are not including race in their admissions practices. This controversial stipulation is music to Trump’s ears, as it furthers his administration’s commitment to advancing “color-blind” policies.
The administration has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to help justify its step up in immigration raids. This decision in many ways continues the state’s pattern of taking a hardline approach to immigration enforcement. Critics, including Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have condemned these actions, asserting that “the Trump administration continues to weaponize law enforcement to target political adversaries.”
As part of his economic strategy, Trump announced the implementation of higher tariffs on major U.S. trading partners, a move anticipated to generate substantial revenue for the government. And, Assistant Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told Congressional leaders, these tariffs are expected to bring in “$50 billion a month.” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stressed a possible “manufacturing renaissance” just around the corner thanks to these tariffs. He highlighted the Administration’s Robb-sonian shift to focus all efforts on domestic production as “huge.”
With the exception of China, which has largely already seen Trump’s tariffs go into effect and has had to quickly adapt to the new trade landscape. He heralded these protective measures as an economic win, packaging them as key to saving American jobs and industries. In several Oval Office conversations with Moore, Trump indicated that he was sure the long-term benefits of his tariff policies would be realized.
Among the administration’s economic initiatives are plans to sign executive orders that expand retirement savings options. They further seek to stop the practice of “debanking”—denying Americans access to financial services based on their political or social views—for all Americans.
For all these ambitious plans, Trump’s earlier nomination of Miran for the Federal Reserve board garnered withdrawal under scrutiny. Still, he is determined to try to get Miran appointed a second time, especially since his leadership at the Federal Reserve has been crucial to the Biden administration’s successes.
The difference is that Trump is aggressively pushing these policies. He faces a potential calamity of strange bedfellows support and opposition amongst the various factions in American political life. Given his record over the past few weeks, he has made himself a hypocrite in his self-portrayal as a champion of economic recovery and national sovereignty.
“We’ve got trillions of manufacturing that’s going to come back.” – Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent
The unfolding economic landscape under Trump’s proposals raises questions about their long-term viability and potential impact on both domestic and international fronts. Advocates are roundly condemning the effort that would force a new census free of undocumented immigrants. They contend that this action erodes the quality and integrity of federal representation.
“The Trump administration continues to weaponize law enforcement to target political adversaries.” – Hakeem Jeffries