Trump policies: Seven things he says he will do as president....Read Full Article>>

Donald Trump is set to return to the White House, having promised action on issues including immigration, the economy and the war in Ukraine.

He looks likely to enjoy plenty of support for his political agenda in Congress after his Republican Party regained control of the Senate.

In his victory speech, Trump vowed he would “govern by a simple motto: Promises made, promises kept. We’re going to keep our promises.”

But in some cases, he has given little detail of how he might achieve his aims.

Asked in 2023 by Fox News whether he would abuse his power or target political opponents, he replied he would not, “except for day one”.

“No, no, no, other than day one. We’re closing the border, and we’re drilling, drilling, drilling. After that, I’m not a dictator.”

1) Deport undocumented migrants

While campaigning, Trump promised the biggest mass deportations of undocumented migrants in US history.

He also pledged to complete the building of a wall at the border with Mexico that was started during his first presidency.

The number of crossings at the US southern border hit record levels at the end of last year during the Biden-Harris administration, before falling in 2024.

Experts have told the BBC that deportations on the scale promised by Trump would face huge legal and logistical challenges – and could slow economic growth.

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2) Moves on economy, tax and tariffs

Exit poll data has suggested the economy was a key issue for voters. Trump has promised to “end inflation” – which rose to high levels under President Joe Biden before falling again. But a president’s power to directly influence prices is limited.

He has also promised sweeping tax cuts, extending his overhaul from 2017. He has proposed making tips tax-free, abolishing tax on social security payments and shaving corporation tax.

He has proposed new tariffs of at least 10% on most foreign goods, to cut the trade deficit. Imports from China could bear an additional 60% tariff, he has said. Some economists have warned that such moves could push up prices for ordinary people.

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3) Cut climate regulations

During his first presidency, Trump rolled back hundreds of environmental protections and made America the first nation to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement.

This time, he has again vowed to cut regulations, particularly as a way to help the American car industry. He has constantly attacked electric vehicles, promising to overturn Biden’s targets encouraging the switch to cleaner cars.

He has pledged to increase production of US fossil fuels – vowing to “drill, drill, drill” on day one in favour of renewable energy sources such as wind power.

He wants to open areas such as the Arctic wilderness to oil drilling, which he argues would lower energy costs – though analysts are sceptical.

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4) End Ukraine war

Trump has criticised the tens of billions of dollars spent by the US on supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia – and has pledged to end the conflict “within 24 hours” through a negotiated deal.

He has not said what he thinks either side should give up. Democrats say the move would embolden President Vladimir Putin.

Trump wants the US to disentangle itself from foreign conflicts generally. Regarding the war in Gaza – Trump has positioned himself as a staunch supporter of Israel, but has urged the American ally to end its operation.

He has also pledged to end the related violence in Lebanon, but gave no detail on how.

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5) No abortion ban

Against the wishes of some of his supporters, Trump said during the presidential debate with Kamala Harris that he would not sign into law a national abortion ban.

In 2022, the nationwide constitutional right to abortion was overturned by the Supreme Court, which had a majority of conservative judges following Trump’s first presidency.

Reproductive rights became a key campaigning topic for Harris, and several states approved measures to protect or expand abortion rights on polling day.

Trump himself has regularly said states should be free to decide their own laws on abortion, but struggled to find a consistent message of his own.

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6) Pardon some Jan 6 rioters

Trump has said he will “free” some of those convicted of offences during the riot in Washington DC on 6 January 2021, when his supporters stormed the Capitol building in an effort to thwart the 2020 election victory of Joe Biden.

Several deaths were blamed on the violence, which Trump was accused of inciting.

He has worked to downplay the riot’s significance and recast the hundreds of supporters who were convicted as political prisoners.

He continues to say many of them are “wrongfully imprisoned”, though has acknowledged that “a couple of them, probably they got out of control”.

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7) Sack Special Counsel Jack Smith

Trump has vowed to sack “within two seconds” of taking office the veteran prosecutor leading two criminal investigations against him.

Special Counsel Jack Smith has indicted Trump over alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and over his alleged mishandling of classified documents.

Trump denies any wrongdoing, and managed to prevent either case coming to trial before the election. He says Mr Smith has subjected him to a “political witch hunt”.

Trump will return to the White House as the first ever president with a criminal conviction, having been found guilty in New York of falsifying business records.

Trump has won the election. What happens to his legal cases?....Read Full Article>>

Donald Trump looking to the right of the camera. He wears a navy suit jacket, white shirt and red tie.

Trump is the first person with a felony conviction to serve as president

Donald Trump will be the first president to take office while several criminal cases against him are still pending.

His ascent to the highest office in the US while facing dozens of criminal charges has plunged the country into uncharted territory.

Many of his legal problems will now go away when he steps foot in the White House, as he will be able to dismiss some of the cases as a sitting president.

Here’s a look at what could happen with each of the four legal challenges he faces.

New York hush-money conviction

Follow live election day updates as Donald Trump wins

Donald Trump has already been convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the state of New York.

In May, a jury of New Yorkers found him guilty of the counts in relation to a hush-money payment made to an adult film star.

New York Judge Juan Merchan pushed back Trump’s sentencing from September to 26 November, after the election.

Judge Merchan could still go forward with the sentencing as planned despite Trump’s win, said former Brooklyn prosecutor Julie Rendelman.

Legal experts say it is unlikely that Trump would be sentenced to time behind bars as an older first-time offender.

But if he were, his lawyers would appeal the sentence immediately, arguing that jail time would prevent him from conducing his official duties and that he should remain free pending the appeal, Ms Rendelman said.

“The appellate process in that scenario could go on for years,” she said.

January 6 case

Special counsel Jack Smith filed criminal charges against Trump last year over his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden.

Trump has pleaded not guilty.

The case has been in legal limbo since the Supreme Court ruled this summer that Trump was partially immune from criminal prosecution over official acts committed while in office.

Smith has since refiled his case, arguing Trump’s attempts to overturn the election were not related to his official duties.

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Since Trump has won, his criminal problems from the case now “go away”, according to former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani.

“It’s well established that a sitting president can’t be prosecuted, so the election fraud case in DC District Court will be dismissed,” he said.

Mr Rahmani said that if Smith refuses to dismiss the case, Trump can simply get rid of him, as he has pledged to do already.

“I would fire him within two seconds,” Trump said during a radio interview in October.

Classified documents case

Smith is also leading a case against Trump over his alleged mishandling of classified documents after he left the White House, charges Trump denies.

He is accused of storing sensitive documents in his Mar-a-Lago home and obstructing Justice Department efforts to retrieve the files.

The judge assigned to the case, Trump-appointee Aileen Cannon, dismissed the charges in July, arguing Smith was improperly appointed by the Justice Department to lead the case.

Smith has appealed the ruling.

But with Trump set to take office, the classified documents case now faces the same fate as the election case, Mr Rahmani said.

“The DOJ will abandon its Eleventh Circuit appeal of the dismissal of the classified documents case,” he said.

Georgia election case

Trump is also facing criminal charges in Georgia over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election in the state.

That case has faced a number of hurdles, including efforts to disqualify District Attorney Fani Willis over her relationship with an attorney she hired to work on the case.

An appeals court is in the process of weighing whether Willis should be allowed to stay on the case.

But now that Trump is the next president, the case could face even more delays, or possibly dismissal.

The case is expected to be paused during Trump’s time in office, according to legal experts.

Trump’s attorney Steve Sadow said as much when asked by the judge if Trump could still stand trial if elected.

“The answer to that is I believe that under the supremacy clause and his duties as president of the United States, this trial would not take place at all until after he left his term in office,” he said.

US Election: Atiku reveals lessons for Nigeria as Trump returns to White House....Read Full Article>>

The former vice president of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar has revealed lessons Nigeria ought to learn from the just concluded US election.

DAILY POST reports that former President, Donald Trump of the Republican party is currently the US President-elect after defeating his opponent in the Democratic Party, Kamala Harris.

Reacting, Atiku, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP presidential candidate in 2023 said in a statement that Nigeria has lessons to learn ahead of future elections.

According to him, “the lesson for us in Nigeria is the integrity of the process that ensures a credible outcome”.

He said it is the expectation of every Nigerian that the Trump administration would “stand resolute in ensuring free and fair elections in Nigeria and other places in the world”.

Atiku also extended his “warm congratulations to the people of the United States, whose unwavering faith in the power of democracy and the sanctity of the ballot has once again shown the world the true might of the people’s voice”.