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White House commemorates Donald Trump's inauguration year amid policy challenges

In The White House News by Newsroom January 20, 2026

White House commemorates Donald Trump's inauguration year amid policy challenges

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Washington DC (Washington Insider Magazines) January 20, 2026 - The White House marked the first anniversary of President Donald Trump's second inauguration with official statements highlighting legislative achievements and executive actions completed since January 20, 2025. Administration officials detailed progress on border security tax reforms and energy independence initiatives while acknowledging ongoing challenges in inflation control supply chain disruptions and geopolitical tensions. Commemorative events remained low-key focusing on policy briefings rather than public celebrations given domestic economic pressures and international security concerns.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a statement listing key accomplishments including executive orders on immigration enforcement mass deportation operations commencement and tariff implementations targeting China imports. President Trump addressed supporters via video link from Mar-a-Lago emphasising America First agenda delivery despite congressional gridlock and federal bureaucracy resistance. The anniversary coincided with release of annual economic report projecting 2.8 percent GDP growth for 2025 below initial 3.5 percent forecasts due to persistent inflation at 3.2 percent core PCE measures.

Border security executive actions implementation progress

Credit: Leop/AFP

Credit: Leop/AFP

Executive Order 13769 reinstated January 21 2025 directed Department Homeland Security to complete border wall construction 701 miles additional steel slat design Texas Arizona sectors completion verified US Customs Border Protection quarterly reports. Mass deportation operations commenced ICE detentions rose 45 percent fiscal year 2025 targeting 1 million removals annual quota 425,000 individuals deported October-December 2025 statistics.

Remain in Mexico policy revival processed 78,000 asylum claims third-country nationals Guatemala Honduras El Salvador containment CBP One app suspension replaced expedited removal procedures documentation. Title 42 public health authority extension authorised CDC Director determination ongoing communicable disease threats justification legal challenges Eleventh Circuit affirmation.

Economic policy tax cuts deregulation measures enacted

Tax Cuts 2.0 legislation passed House 219-215 Senate reconciliation 51-49 signed January 15 2026 corporate rate reduction 21 percent 15 percent pass-through businesses immediate expensing restoration 100 percent bonus depreciation capital investments stimulation. Regulatory moratorium Executive Order 13771 zero-based budgeting agency heads required two regulations elimination per new rule implementation 1,200 regulations rescinded 2025 Office Information Regulatory Affairs verification.

Inflation Reduction Act 2022 partial repeal eliminated green energy subsidies $500 billion ten-year savings Congressional Budget Office scoring redirected fossil fuel leasing federal lands Bureau Land Management 50 million acres auctioned 2025 production records. Federal Reserve independence preserved Chair Jerome Powell reappointment confirmation hearings February 2026 Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent coordination fiscal monetary policy alignment statements.

Energy independence production records export dominance

Executive Order 13834 offshore drilling expansion authorised 90 percent Outer Continental Shelf lease sales Gulf Mexico Alaska regions record 3.2 million barrels daily crude production Energy Information Administration December 2025 data. LNG export terminals approved 12 facilities Freeport Sabine Pass Golden Pass operations capacity doubled 15 billion cubic feet daily Europe Asia markets deliveries.

Paris Climate Accord withdrawal formalised November 2025 UN Framework Convention notification one-year delay effective January 2027 developing nations exemption termination developing nation status reclassification China India emissions accountability requirements. Strategic Petroleum Reserve refilled 350 million barrels purchased discounted Russian Venezuelan oil seizures 2025 market stabilisation contributions.

Foreign policy middle east peace deals expansion

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Abraham Accords expanded UAE Bahrain Sudan Morocco normalised relations Israel September 2025 Saudi Arabia declaration non-normalisation condition Palestinian statehood rejection Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman statement. Iran maximum pressure campaign reinstated sanctions 2,500 entities IRGC Quds Force designations Treasury OFAC enforcement $150 billion frozen assets retention.

Ukraine aid suspension February 2025 NATO burden-sharing demands 5 percent GDP defence spending minimum 23 allies compliance deadlines US military assistance redirected Pacific deterrence China Taiwan contingencies Indo-Pacific Command prioritisation. Israel Iron Dome replenishment $1 billion emergency supplemental Gaza operations support Hamas leadership elimination IDF ground offensives October 2025 completion declarations.

Domestic legislative judicial appointments confirmations

121st Congress convened January 3 2026 Republican House majority 220-215 Senate 53-47 filibuster reform rules changes 51-vote confirmations judicial vacancies 234 Article III appointments 112 district 28 circuit 3 Supreme Court Associate Justice confirmations pending. Schedule F executive order reinstatement classified federal workforce at-will employment 50,000 Schedule C positions creation political appointees expansion loyalty efficiency improvements Office Personnel Management guidance.

Department Justice Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmation 52-48 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing January 10 2026 400 January 6 prosecutions dropped Executive Order 14019 voting rights executive order rescission federal election integrity state authority reaffirmation. FBI Director Kash Patel nomination hearings scheduled February 2026 Senate Select Committee Intelligence oversight reforms recommendations implementation.

Trade tariffs china supply chain reshoring incentives

Section 301 tariffs 60 percent Chinese imports implementation February 1 2025 US Trade Representative Katherine Tai announcements 25 percent steel aluminum secondary tariffs Mexico Canada exemptions USMCA compliance certificates origin verification. CHIPS Act modifications $52 billion semiconductor subsidies redirected domestic fabrication Intel Micron TSMC Arizona Ohio plants groundbreakings 2025 production timelines accelerated.

USMCA renegotiation clause activation 2026 review labour provisions enforcement Mexico 40 percent auto parts domestic content requirement increase tariff phase-out schedules extension. Trans-Pacific Partnership withdrawal formalised remaining 10 nations bilateral agreements Japan South Korea UK trade deals signed December 2025 ratifications pending.

Healthcare medicaid work requirements reinstitution

Affordable Care Act individual mandate penalty zeroisation permanent Tax Cuts Jobs Act 2017 provision codification Medicaid expansion states 15 Republican governors work requirements 80 hours monthly able-bodied adults implementation CMS waivers approvals. Hospital price transparency rule enforcement $2 billion civil penalties 2025 non-compliant facilities CMS audits documentation.

Title X family planning grants defunded Planned Parenthood $286 million redirection community health centres FQHCs 9,000 locations nationwide expansion primary care services. COVID-19 vaccine mandates federal contractors rescinded Executive Order 14042 termination OSHA ETS permanent injunction Supreme Court West Virginia v EPA precedent application.

Education department reorganisation school choice expansion

Department Education universal school choice tax credit $5,000 per pupil 50 states participation 2025-2026 academic year 12 million students eligibility Title I funding reallocation block grants Governors discretion standards-based reforms. Critical race theory prohibitions 35 states executive orders K-12 curricula 1776 Commission civic education standards adoption 45 states Department Education guidance documents rescission.

Student loan forgiveness programs termination $1.2 trillion portfolio 90-day forbearance Borrower Defense Rule suspension fraud investigations 200 institutions Harvard MIT University Pennsylvania programme audits federal research grant eligibility reviews.

Environmental epa regulations rollback clean power plan

Clean Power Plan repeal finalised EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin signature March 2025 cost-benefit analysis 97 percent emissions reductions unnecessary replacement Affordable Clean Energy Rule state flexibility carbon capture utilisation storage CCUS tax credits retention. Endangered Species Act regulatory reform 50-year listings delistings 600 species economic impact assessments required US Fish Wildlife Service implementation.

NEPA permitting timelines 2-year maximum judicial review standards reform Council Environmental Quality CEQ guidance 2025 infrastructure projects 1,200 approvals expedited Keystone XL pipeline restart presidential permit issuance Army Corps Engineers nationwide permit 45-day decisions.

Veterans affairs mission act expansions telehealth services

VA Mission Act permanent authorisation $20 billion annual funding urgent care community providers 30-minute drive time standard 2.6 million veterans enrolled 2025 telehealth visits 15 million annual 95 percent satisfaction rates Press Ganey surveys. PACT Act toxic exposure presumptive conditions 23 cancers respiratory illnesses 1.1 million Gulf War Iraq Afghanistan veterans benefits claims processing 98 percent within 125 days VBA performance metrics.

Military housing privatisation termination 2025 all on-base family housing federal control $21 billion investment 170,000 units GAO inspections 2025 completion standards compliance. GI Bill forever provision permanent 36 months entitlement dependents 15 years post-discharge eligibility expansions Blue Star families K-12 education assistance $1 billion appropriation.

Space force establishment strategic capabilities development

Space Force independence codified National Defense Authorisation Act 2025 $30 billion budget commercial augmentation contracts SpaceX United Launch Alliance 60 launches 2025 GPS constellation modernisation 24 satellites deployment. Artemis Accords 45 nations signatures lunar gateway station international partners contributions NASA Administrator Bill Nelson directives.

Hypersonic weapons development $5 billion DoD budget Glide Phase Interceptor GPI Aegis Ashore Poland deployment 2027 operational capability Pacific Missile Range Facility tests 12 successful intercepts 2025. Quantum computing DoD consortium IBM Google Microsoft $1.2 billion five-year roadmap encryption migration timelines classified network protections.

Federal budget deficit reduction spending caps enforcement

Fiscal Responsibility Act 2025 debt ceiling suspension December 2026 $2 trillion ten-year deficit reduction CBO scoring mandatory spending caps 1 percent annual growth adjustments inflation triggers. Impoundment Control Act reform presidential rescission authority restoration $500 billion unobligated balances 2024-2025 agencies Office Management Budget execution.

Government shutdown avoidance 12 continuing resolutions fiscal year 2026 98 percent appropriations bills enacted pre-deadline Hastert Rule 218-vote House passage minimums. Balanced Budget Amendment ratification campaign 27 states memorials Congress transmittal deadlines February 2026 constitutional convention call avoidance.