What is Agenda 47? Trump distances himself from 'Project 2025' but there's a catch
PALM BEACH, FLORIDA: Former President Donald Trump's Agenda47 - a comprehensive set of priorities for a potential second term - is an ambitious plan that covers a wide range of areas, from education and immigration to climate regulations and the creation of new "freedom cities."
It is important to note that Agenda47 is distinct from Project 2025, a policy framework developed by the Heritage Foundation and other groups. Although Trump has sought to distance himself from Project 2025, the two share several similarities.
Education policies
Donald Trump's Agenda47 includes several proposals aimed at reforming the K-12 education system. One interesting proposal is to have parents elect school principals, giving them more control over school administration. Another controversial plan is to cut federal funding to any school teaching “critical race theory.”
Trump also proposes ending teacher tenure and establishing a new credentialing body to certify teachers who embrace patriotic values. Other measures include encouraging prayer in schools, expelling "out-of-control troublemakers," supporting school districts that allow teachers to carry concealed firearms, and advocating for school choice policies.
For universities and colleges, Trump’s proposals are equally transformative. He plans to dismantle existing accreditation bodies and establish new ones that impose conservative values on educational institutions.
Additionally, Trump proposes significant fines for colleges and universities that he believes discriminate against students, with the revenue from these fines used to create a free online “American Academy” covering a broad range of subjects.
Climate change and energy policies
Donald Trump’s climate change agenda includes withdrawing the US from the Paris Climate Accord once again. He also proposes to eliminate President Joe Biden’s policies aimed at reducing emissions and increasing the number of electric vehicles.
Instead, Trump plans to massively scale up oil and gas production, signaling a major shift away from current environmental policies.
Justice department reforms
Regarding justice reforms, Trump has pledged to appoint 100 US attorneys who align with his policies. He also plans to establish a Department of Justice task force to protect the right to self-defense and combat what he perceives as anti-conservative bias in law schools and law firms.
Crime and policing
Donald Trump's crime-fighting proposals include investing in hiring and retaining police officers, increasing their protections from legal liability, and implementing policies such as "stop and frisk."
He also aims to direct the DOJ to dismantle gangs and drug networks, deploy federal troops to restore law and order when local authorities fail to act, and impose the death penalty for drug dealers, drug cartels, and human traffickers.
Immigration policies
Donald Trump’s immigration agenda is one of the most stringent in Agenda47. He plans to prohibit undocumented immigrants from receiving benefits, end birthright citizenship for their children, reinstate a travel ban from certain countries, and pause refugee admissions.
Additionally, he proposes extreme vetting of foreign nationals, blocking federal grants to sanctuary cities, ending the “catch-and-release” practice, closing the southern border to asylum seekers, and suspending visa programs, including the visa lottery and family visas.
Economic policies
Donald Trump's economic strategy involves cutting taxes and slashing federal regulations. He also proposes implementing baseline tariffs on foreign goods to boost American manufacturing. These tariffs would increase for countries with “unfair trade practices,” aiming to protect and invigorate the domestic economy.
Healthcare reforms
In the healthcare sector, Trump proposes that federal agencies only purchase medicines and medical devices manufactured in the US. He also plans to issue an executive order requiring the government to pay pharmaceutical companies the best price they offer to foreign nations.
These measures are intended to prioritize American-made products and reduce healthcare costs.
Foreign policy and defense
Trump’s foreign policy emphasizes a hardline stance on several issues. He wants European allies to repay the US for depleting military stockpiles by sending weapons to Ukraine.
He also proposes new restrictions on Chinese-owned infrastructure in the US and aims to build a missile defense shield, reflecting his focus on strengthening national security and addressing global threats.
Social Security and Medicare
Departing from some previous GOP positions, Donald Trump has stated that there should be no cuts to Social Security or Medicare under any circumstances. This commitment aims to protect these essential programs for American seniors.
Addressing homelessness
Trump’s plan to address homelessness involves working with states to ban public camping by homeless individuals. Instead, they would be given the choice of receiving treatment or facing arrest. He also proposes creating large “tent cities” equipped with doctors and social workers, and expanding mental institutions to provide more comprehensive care.
Stance on transgender rights
Donald Trump’s stance on transgender rights is notably stringent. He calls for terminating any healthcare provider offering gender-affirming care for youth from Medicare and Medicaid.
He also proposes stripping federal funding from any school where an official or teacher suggests a child could be “trapped in the wrong body,” and encourages Congress to pass legislation recognizing only male and female genders assigned at birth.
Regulation of big tech
Donald Trump's proposals for regulating big tech include an executive order preventing federal departments from working with other entities to censor Americans and prohibiting the use of federal funds to combat misinformation. He also aims to alter Section 230 to make social media platforms more legally liable, reflecting ongoing conservative concerns about bias and censorship.
Additional policy proposals
Since the last Agenda47 video was released in December 2023, Trump has announced additional policy proposals not covered under the Agenda47 banner. These include his stance on abortion, which he believes should be left to the states. However, many advocates still fear he would restrict abortion if elected.
He has also pushed for mass deportations of undocumented immigrants and proposed eliminating the federal income tax on tips for service workers.
What's next
Agenda47 outlines a bold and comprehensive vision for a potential Trump presidency. However, it remains to be seen how these proposals will be received by the general electorate as Election Day approaches. The Trump campaign has not yet responded to inquiries about whether there have been any updates or changes to the agenda since its last release.
Moreover, alongside Agenda47 and Project 2025, the Republican National Committee has also released its own policy platform, which echoes many of Trump's priorities but often in less detail, Forbes reported.
