Trump encounters significant obstacles in fulfilling his commitment to a ‘Golden Age’

President Donald Trump is confronted with a significant challenge in fulfilling his Inauguration Day commitment to usher in a “Golden Age of America,” particularly given the divided Congress, anticipated legal battles, and resistant global leaders.

Upon taking the oath of office, Trump presented a series of ambitious executive orders, marking the initial steps toward a comprehensive agenda aimed at expanding U.S. territory, restricting immigration, increasing fossil fuel production, and reversing environmental protections.

For months, Trump’s allies and advisors have been preparing executive orders and agency regulations. They assert, both privately and publicly, that they are in a stronger position to implement their vision compared to Trump’s previous term from 2017 to 2021, which was marred by internal Republican conflicts and unforeseen challenges that resulted in legal and legislative setbacks.

This time, Trump is poised to benefit from a conservative Supreme Court that has previously ruled in his favor during the campaign. Notably, a third of the justices are his appointees.

However, having already completed one term, he will exit office in four years, and many of his proposals are so unprecedented that they are likely to provoke extensive legal challenges that will test constitutional limits. Advocacy organizations, ranging from the Sierra Club to the American Civil Liberties Union, are strategizing to counter these initiatives. Representatives for Trump did not provide a response to requests for comment.

IMMIGRATION

The area of immigration is expected to encounter significant resistance from Democrats and civil rights groups. On Monday, Trump’s administration announced its intention to challenge birthright citizenship, a longstanding constitutional principle that grants automatic citizenship to most individuals born in the United States. Legal experts predict that those denied citizenship benefits will pursue lawsuits, resulting in a lengthy legal battle. Many scholars assert that birthright citizenship is protected under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which they argue empowers Congress to regulate citizenship.

No previous president has sought to alter citizenship regulations through executive orders. Additionally, another aspect of Trump’s proposed immigration strategy involves invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which is likely to face legal challenges. This rarely utilized act permits the deportation of specific foreigners during wartime and has been enacted only three times in history.

George Fishman, a former official at Homeland Security during Trump’s tenure, indicated to Reuters last year that the administration would need to demonstrate that the immigrants were dispatched by a foreign government. “I have concerns about setting expectations too high,” Fishman remarked. Furthermore, Trump stated in his inaugural address that his administration would remove “millions and millions of criminal aliens,” but such a large-scale deportation initiative could incur costs in the tens of billions and take several years to implement.

UKRAINE, PANAMA, MARS

During the 2024 election campaign, Trump frequently asserted his intention to resolve the conflict in Ukraine before assuming office. However, he did not meet that timeline, and his advisors now acknowledge that achieving a peace agreement will require several months.

In his inaugural address, Trump reiterated his goal of reclaiming the Panama Canal, despite it being the sovereign territory of an ally, leaving the feasibility of such an action in question.

The president also announced plans to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.” While he has the authority to instruct the U.S. Geological Survey to implement this change, it is unlikely to gain international recognition.

Additionally, he committed to sending an astronaut to Mars during his presidency, which concludes in January 2029. This ambitious goal presents significant challenges, as the moon is approximately 239,000 miles from Earth, while Mars averages about 140 million miles away. NASA recently reported further delays in returning U.S. astronauts to the moon.

‘DRILL, BABY, DRILL’

On Monday, Trump declared his intention to announce a national energy emergency to boost domestic fossil fuel production. Although legal experts indicate that presidents possess considerable authority to declare national emergencies, Biden has implemented certain restrictions that could hinder Trump’s proposed actions.

For example, earlier this month, Biden invoked the Outer Continental Shelf Land Act to prohibit oil and gas drilling in all federal waters along the East and West coasts, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, and parts of the Bering Sea in Alaska. Trump has expressed his intention to lift this ban, but legal experts question whether presidents have the authority to do so.

During his first term, Trump attempted to reverse a federal ban on drilling near Alaska through an executive order, but a federal judge ruled that his order was unlawful.

Federal law does grant Trump the power to declare an energy emergency, which could enable him to temporarily suspend emissions regulations for power plants and bypass environmental reviews for energy projects.