Story by: Gabriella Frohman: Staff Writer
President-elect Donald Trump has been promising a “greater” America for nearly a decade now. Leading up to his official inauguration in January, Trump and his campaign have released official plans and appointments for cabinet members.
One of Trump’s major promises this election was the dismantlement of the Department of Education. In a video released November 11th, Trump laid out his ten-step plan for education reform. This plan includes dissolving the DOE, which is responsible for enforcing anti-discrimination laws such as Title IX and the Americans with Disabilities Act. The DOE was created in 1979 by President Jimmy Carter with the purpose of designating student aid recipients, and enforcing civil rights within schools.
He further continues by vowing to fire teachers performing unsatisfactorily, despite a national shortage of teachers. In a recent study conducted by Brown University, there are 55,000 vacant teacher positions in the U.S. A study conducted by Penn State University revealed that between 2008 and 2024, enrollment of college students in education programs declined by 250,000.
Possibly Trump’s most controversial policy is his plan to “reinstate” school prayer. This wording may be misleading, as prayer in a public school has never been the standard. This proposal violates the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause, which prevents the government from establishing any religion.
The teaching of the Bible already has been placed into effect in some school districts in rural areas. Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Institutions Ryan Walters posed on social media platform X, “The Bible is back in Oklahoma(‘)s classrooms. We are getting our kids back on track.” Oklahoma is ranked #49 in education nationwide.
Part of Trump’s preparation for taking office in 2025 includes appointments for his cabinet. Most cabinet appointments require ratification by either the House or Senate, but with Republicans dominate Congress, it is unlikely most will be disputed. For his Chief of Staff, Trump has chosen his campaign co-chair Susie Wiles. Wiles will be the first woman in the country’s history to be Chief of Staff.
The chosen Secretary of State is Marco Rubio, a Florida senator. Previously in the 2016 election, Rubio and Trump went head to head in Florida primary elections. Surprisingly, in 2016 Rubio made bold statements about Trump, calling him a “con artist”. Rubio has made his positions on foreign affairs quite clear and is vocally weary of countries like China, Russia, Iran, Venezuela, and Cuba.
GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz is the prospective Attorney General. Gaetz was formerly under investigation for sex trafficking, but charges were never filed. Currently, Gaetz is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for allegations of raping a 17-year-old girl. Gaetz has denied all accusations.
Trump has picked Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the leader of the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy previously has expressed anti-vaccination beliefs and has perpetuated the misbelief that they cause autism in children. Kennedy also vowed to remove fluoride from drinking water. Fluoride is a mineral that fights cavities in teeth. He has previously claimed on podcasts that; Wifi causes a “leaky brain”, chemicals in the water supply turn children transgender, and that antidepressants are the cause of school shootings.
Trump has also appointed “Fox and Friends” host Pete Hegseth as the Secretary of Defense. Hegseth previously served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo Bay.
Kristi Noem has been chosen as Secretary of Homeland Security. Noem is a former South Dakota governor, who was a potential candidate for vice president. Noem admitted in her memoir that she shot and killed her dog after failed training attempts.
President-elect Trump has stated that he has “no choice” but to carry out mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. The Pew Research Center estimates that there are around 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. right now. Removal of these workers could possibly cause labor shortages, and the cost of deportation could amount to billions. Trump has also vowed to end birthright citizenship, which is protected under the 14th Amendment. Additionally, he intends to end the DACA program (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals).
Trump has proposed a litany of tariffs on foreign imports, in an attempt to lift up U.S.-based companies. His tariffs call for a 60-100% tax on goods coming from China, and around 20% for other countries. Foreign countries presumably will not be willing to pay the tariffs, meaning the additional costs will fall on consumers. In 2023, the U.S. imported 43 million barrels of gasoline, largely from the Middle East. Tariffs will also be placed on gas imports, meaning that gas prices will most likely rise.
As the United States prepares to welcome its 47th President, it is imperative that voters are aware of not only the policies soon to be enacted, but the people enacting them.
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