Trump 2.0 set to repeat history of unpredictability
January 27, 2025
TOKYO – The second administration of Donald Trump — Trump 2.0 — officially started on Jan. 20, when he was inaugurated as the president of the United States.
The Republican Party’s historically significant victory in the November elections has given it a “triple red” majority. Its candidate reentered the White House, and the GOP now controls the Senate and House of Representatives.
To vote bills into law in the Senate, the Republicans will need to contain filibusters, attempts by the opposition party to delay or prevent a vote. In November, the GOP did not win the 60-seat threshold in the 100-seat chamber that would have ensured the passage of so-called “cloture” motions to bust the legislative filibuster. Nonetheless, a new president’s nominees for key federal government positions can be approved by a 51-seat majority in the Senate. This means that Trump can now exercise presidential power considerably as he attempts to deliver on his pet policies.
The U.S. Supreme Court has six conservative justices, inclined toward the Republican Party, versus three liberal justices, thanks to Trump’s appointment of three conservative judges during his first presidency. The top court’s tilt toward a conservative majority led it to overturn the long-standing ruling that had guaranteed the constitutional right to abortion. U.S. Supreme Court justices are appointed for life, so a majority of judges close to Trump’s way of thinking will certainly work in his favor when advancing his policies.
It is essential to read the 2024 Republican Party platform to understand what policies Trump will prioritize. The platform profoundly reflects Trump’s “Agenda 47” campaign pledges.
The GOP platform spells out a set of “20 promises that we