WASHINGTON: A sweeping deportation program, ending “transgender lunacy,” “drill, baby, drill,” and peace for Ukraine: President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to move big and quickly when he returns to the White House on January 20.Here is a look at his often sensational but so-far vague promises:Immigration===============Trump has made no secret that he will take a hardline stance against an estimated 11 million undocumented migrants in the United States.”When I am reelected, we will begin… the largest deportation operation in American history,” the Republican billionaire said on the campaign trail.He also vowed to end birthright citizenship, calling it “ridiculous.”To achieve those goals, Trump is weighing declaring a national emergency, which would allow him to unlock Pentagon resources.Analysts also expect him to issue executive orders on other aspects of immigration policy, including possibly to terminate an app used by migrants hoping to petition for asylum, which he says is facilitating illegal entry into the country.But his power has limits. Birthright citizenship is guaranteed by the US Constitution, and any deportation program will face legal challenges as well as potential refusals by some countries to accept deportees.Trade wars?===============Trump has vowed to slap a 25 percent tariff on goods imported from Mexico and Canada as punishment for what he says is their failure to stem the flow of drugs and undocumented migrants into the United States.But is Trump really ready to unleash a trade war with US neighbors, which currently have a free trade agreement with Washington, or is this just another negotiating ploy similar to his provocative statements on annexing Canada?Beijing should also buckle up.Trump has threatened to impose a 10 percent tariff on Chinese products, in addition to existing tariffs that date back to his first term, accusing China of allowing the chemical components used to make fentanyl flow into Mexico.January 6 pardons?=======================The president-elect has hinted he might pardon some or all of the people involved in the January 6, 2021 riot at the US Capitol — an attempt to prevent Congress from certifying his loss to Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 election.Trump has described them as “hostages” and “political prisoners” and said that he will be “making major pardons” in connection with the incident, but it remains unclear how he might differentiate cases involving violence against police officers.More than 1,500 people have been charged with federal crimes in the deadly assault, and more than 1,100 of them have been sentenced.Wars and diplomacy======================Trump has warned that “all hell will break out in the Middle East” if Hamas does not release Israeli hostages before his inauguration. He has also promised staunch support for Israel in its war with Palestinian militants.But he has yet to offer any details.Trump also says he intends to quickly end Russia’s war against Ukraine, though it is unclear when or how he plans to do that.After promising over the summer to end the nearly three-year conflict “in 24 hours,” Trump more recently suggested a timeline of several months.Climate===========Climate skeptic Trump has promised to “drill, baby, drill” for oil and gas.He plans to repeal some of Biden’s key climate policies, such as tax credits for electric vehicles, which are meant to encourage a transition to a green economy.Trump also wants to boost offshore drilling, though he might need to secure congressional support to do that.Transgender rights and critical race theory===============================================”With the stroke of my pen on day one, we’re going to stop the transgender lunacy,” Trump said in December, vowing to “end child sexual mutilation, get transgender out of the military and out of our elementary schools and middle schools and high schools.”He also said the US government would recognize only two genders, male and female.Also among his plans is cutting federal funding to schools that have adopted “critical race theory,” an approach that looks at US history through the lens of racism.
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