
When he came down the golden escalator in June of 2015 to announce his bid for the presidency, a once beloved (believe it or not) New York City real-estate giant was put under a harsh and revealing spotlight.
In the 1980s, President Trump began appearing on notable networks such as Larry King Live, ABC’s 20/20, and even the View, where he was referred to as, “our friend, Donald Trump.”
This year, once again, our friend takes the White House in an election victory he refers to as a “mandate” to reshape policy in the United States after a four-year Biden presidency.
The first hundred days of his previous administration were riddled with controversy, departures from tradition, and consistent pushback from both the left and members of his own inner circle. A new presidential term with a new set of priorities and new actors in the political arena naturally begs the question: What will the first hundred days look like this time around?
This series of articles aims to follow Donald Trump’s administration and track policy decisions and consequential moves made by officials acting under the seal of the President of the United States. More importantly, it is meant to highlight the major events that are bound to substantially impact our lives as University of Virginia students and community members.
I want to recognize the poetic significance of publishing this series in The Jefferson Independent. The publication’s commitment to free speech, especially during a time when inquiry, thought, and expression are increasingly constrained, exemplifies the values it upholds as a publisher.
In the current college environment in America, plenty of students have never challenged or disagreed with a professor. College is meant to expose students to ideas beyond their upbringings, encouraging them to engage with arguments supported by evidence and reason. It is not a place for “liberal brainwashing,” despite the sentiment from some conservative critics, nor is it a place to silence views from all across the political spectrum. TJI understands the purpose of a liberal arts degree, and I look forward to working with them in the next hundred days. That being said, I want to be clear that the ideas published in this column are my own and unaffiliated with The Jefferson Independent or the University. Donald Trump campaigned for what felt like Biden’s entire presidency. He made lots of promises over those four years. Let’s take a look at some of the more notable promises made on the campaign trail:
Secure the US—Mexico Border
Donald Trump’s biggest promise is to secure the border–in his words, “seal the border and stop the migrant invasion.” Any promises made on the campaign trail are speculative until they actually happen. Given Trump’s campaign rhetoric during the past election cycle, however, it is clear that there will be some sort of large-scale immigration reform.
At the start of Trump’s first administration, his office enacted Executive Order 13769 which temporarily halted travelers from Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen from entering the United States for 90 days. Many referred to this action as the “muslim ban.” Such a shock prompted the International Studies Office at UVA to host a town hall meeting to discuss the travel ban’s legal basis and implications.
If history truly tends to repeat itself (spoiler…it does), then we can expect another four years of shocking moves by the executive branch and GOP. We can also expect the University and its affiliates such as the International Studies Office or the Blue Ridge Center to do their part in helping students thrive in unprecedented times.
Improve the Economy
On Donald Trump’s campaign site, you can go to “Platform” and see a list titled “Agenda 47,” which shows twenty “core promises” that a Trump administration plans to accomplish in his second term. The first two relate to immigration. The next four pertain to the economy and economic conditions he plans to reform.
One promise made during his campaign was to “stop outsourcing, and turn the United States into a manufacturing superpower.” In order to bring jobs back to the United States, Trump has threatened to enact tariffs to many countries once economically cooperative with the United States.
A tariff is a tax on foreign imports. When college bars order Guinness from a beer distributor, the beer distributor orders beer where the Guinness is made: Dublin, Ireland. Beer imports to the United States are taxed and the rate varies by state.
In Virginia, the tax rate for beer is $0.26 per gallon. This addition to the price of the beer itself is reflected in the price distributors sell to bars as well as in the price bars sell to students (who are of age, of course). If a 25% tariff was mandated by the US government, then it would cost 25% more for Guinness to get their beer to the USWho ends up paying for the 25% increase in the price of beer? The students! The 25% tariff will cause Guinness to charge distributors an extra 25% which would require bars like Trin and Boylan to charge an extra–you guessed it–25%.
Why would Trump enact these kinds of policies after promising to improve the economy? The Trump administration believes that introducing tariffs will create more jobs domestically as well as raise money for the federal government.
Tariffs would also alleviate US dependence on foreign economies such as China for products that could be made domestically. The goals of “fairness” and “fair trade” were common themes throughout Trump’s first term and latest campaign. Tariffs are one of many vessels through which the Trump administration has considered achieving such goals.
I can hear the voices of professors from my past whispering “inefficiencies” and “deadweight loss” in a disapproving manner (@Professor Coppock in the Economics Department).
Drain the Swamp
During his first administration, Donald Trump issued a hiring freeze of federal civilian employees. The purpose of which was to fill bureaucratic positions, large and small, with loyalists and/or employees he and his office deemed to be acceptable and qualified to occupy such a position. In 2024, he made it clear that one purpose of the hiring freeze is to eliminate DEI positions in the federal government that are “wasteful.” This order mimics actions taken towards the end of his first term with executive orders such as 13950 which sought to “combat offensive and anti-American race and sex stereotyping.”
Another pledge involved revamping the college accreditation system. A significant concern for universities like UVA is the potential reduction in federal funding if DEI positions are financed using university funds. For instance, Kevin McDonald, the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Community Partnerships, earns over $400,000 annually, and Tracy Downs, a professor of Urology and Chief Diversity and Community Engagement Officer, earns over $300,000 per year.
A Trump presidency raises questions about the future of public university officials and their salaries if institutions are forced to choose between retaining these positions and maintaining access to federal funding. The majority of colleges and universities, public and private, receive some sort of funding from the federal government. If President Trump signals potential cuts because of DEI positions, then the majority of colleges and universities will be impacted.
It is clear that a Trump presidency will be active and complicated. I hope you find this series of publications helpful in deciphering executive action and applying these events to your life on Grounds.
Don’t blink. You might miss something.
The opinions expressed within this piece represent the views of the author alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Jefferson Independent.
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