Donald Trump’s Top 10 Campaign Promises

Top Curiosities and Interesting Information

• Donald Trump won the 2016 US Presidential Election with 304 electoral votes.
• He made several campaign promises that he vowed to fulfill once he became President.
• Some of his promises were controversial, while others were widely supported.
• Now, four years later, it’s time to analyze how he did in fulfilling his top 10 campaign promises.
• Here are his top 10 campaign promises, in no particular order:
1. Build a wall along the US-Mexico border.
2. Repeal and replace Obamacare.
3. Bring back manufacturing jobs to the US.
4. Renegotiate or withdraw from NAFTA.
5. Enact a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the US.
6. Eliminate the federal deficit and reduce the national debt.
7. Implement a 5-point plan to reform the US immigration system.
8. Defend the Second Amendment and expand gun rights.
9. Invest $550 billion in infrastructure spending.
10. Make America great again.

Building a Wall Along the US-Mexico Border

One of Donald Trump’s most controversial campaign promises was to build a wall along the US-Mexico border to stop illegal immigration. He said that Mexico would pay for the wall, but that didn’t happen. Instead, he diverted military funds to build the wall, which led to legal challenges.

In 2020, the Trump administration had completed about 450 miles of new wall construction, mostly replacing and upgrading existing barriers. However, the wall is still incomplete, and its effectiveness in stopping illegal immigration is debatable.

I will build a great wall — and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me –and I’ll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words.

Repealing and Replacing Obamacare

Donald Trump promised to repeal and replace Obamacare, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which he called a disaster. However, after several failed attempts to repeal the ACA, he only managed to weaken it by eliminating the individual mandate, which required all Americans to have health insurance or pay a penalty.

The ACA is still in place, and millions of Americans rely on it for healthcare coverage.

Bringing Back Manufacturing Jobs to the US

Donald Trump promised to bring back manufacturing jobs to the US by renegotiating trade deals and imposing tariffs on imports from China and other countries. He also encouraged companies to keep their factories in the US by offering tax incentives.

While some companies did bring back jobs, the overall trend of outsourcing jobs continued, and the trade war with China hurt US farmers and consumers. The COVID-19 pandemic also caused significant job losses in the manufacturing sector.

Renegotiating or Withdrawing from NAFTA

Donald Trump promised to renegotiate or withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which he called a disaster for US jobs and manufacturing. He replaced it with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which he claimed was a better deal for US workers and farmers.

The USMCA was ratified by all three countries in 2020, but its impact on jobs and trade is yet to be seen.

Implementing a Total and Complete Shutdown of Muslims Entering the US

Donald Trump promised to enact a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the US, citing national security concerns. However, the policy was struck down by several federal courts as unconstitutional and discriminatory.

Instead, he issued several travel bans that targeted predominantly Muslim countries, which also faced legal challenges. The Supreme Court eventually upheld the most recent version of the travel ban in 2018.

Eliminating the Federal Deficit and Reducing the National Debt

Donald Trump promised to eliminate the federal deficit and reduce the national debt, which he called a ticking time bomb. However, his tax cuts and increased spending led to a widening deficit and a record-high national debt of over $27 trillion.

The COVID-19 pandemic also caused a significant increase in spending and further widened the deficit.

Implementing a 5-Point Plan to Reform the US Immigration System

Donald Trump promised to implement a 5-point plan to reform the US immigration system, which included building the wall, ending chain migration, eliminating the visa lottery, implementing a merit-based immigration system, and deporting criminal aliens.

While he made progress on some of these points, such as increasing deportation of criminal aliens, his overall immigration policies faced legal challenges and public backlash. The separation of families at the US-Mexico border, in particular, was widely criticized.

Defending the Second Amendment and Expanding Gun Rights

Donald Trump promised to defend the Second Amendment and expand gun rights, which he said were under attack by Democrats. He opposed gun control measures such as universal background checks and supported the National Rifle Association (NRA).

His administration also lifted some restrictions on gun sales and ownership, which faced opposition from gun control advocates. However, his response to several mass shootings, including the Las Vegas shooting and the Parkland shooting, was criticized for not doing enough to prevent gun violence.

Investing $550 Billion in Infrastructure Spending

Donald Trump promised to invest $550 billion in infrastructure spending to improve roads, bridges, airports, and other public assets. He proposed a public-private partnership to fund the projects and create jobs.

However, his infrastructure plan faced opposition from Democrats and some Republicans over funding and priorities. The plan did not pass Congress, and most of the infrastructure spending during his administration went towards repairing existing infrastructure rather than creating new projects.

Making America Great Again

Donald Trump’s catchphrase during his campaign was Make America Great Again, which he said meant putting America first and restoring its greatness. He promised to create jobs, reduce crime, and improve national security.

However, his presidency was marked by divisive rhetoric, controversial policies, and legal challenges. His approval ratings never reached 50%, and he was impeached by the House of Representatives in 2019 for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

FAQs

Did Donald Trump fulfill his campaign promises?

Donald Trump fulfilled some of his campaign promises, such as building the wall and appointing conservative judges. However, he failed to repeal and replace Obamacare, eliminate the federal deficit, and bring back manufacturing jobs to the US, among others.

What was Donald Trump’s most controversial campaign promise?

Donald Trump’s most controversial campaign promise was to build a wall along the US-Mexico border to stop illegal immigration. The policy faced legal challenges and public backlash.

What was Donald Trump’s most successful campaign promise?

Donald Trump’s most successful campaign promise was probably to appoint conservative judges to the Supreme Court and other federal courts. He appointed three Supreme Court justices and over 200 judges to lower courts, which will have a lasting impact on the US legal system.