Donald and the No Good, Very Bad Second Term

On the campaign trail for his second term, Donald Trump made a LOT of promises.

As his popularity – and Republicans’ chances of retaining their stranglehold on Congress – dwindle, The White House has gone out of its way to tout what it believes to be Trump’s “365 Wins in 365 Days,” the majority of which are tied to the administration’s increasingly unpopular immigration enforcement tactic and efforts.

Here’s a look at just a few of the promises Trump made – and where his administration currently stands – leading up to his second term:

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Ukraine

“Before I even arrive at the Oval Office, shortly after I win the presidency, I will have the disastrous war between Russia and Ukraine settled,” he told a rally crowd in Waco, Texas, in March 2023, adding, “I will have that settlement done within 24 hours.”

Nope.

As of February 2026, the Russo-Ukrainian War that started in February of 2014 rages on, with multiple attempts by the Trump Administration to negotiate a peace falling through, primarily due to The White House choosing to either lock Ukraine out of any negotiations or pushing Russia’s hardline position as the only option.

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Immigration

Immigration was arguably Trump’s key campaign issue, with him promising to not just close the southern border, but also to implement the largest deportation program in history, focusing on “the worst of the worst,” to quote him directly.

Since March of 2022 (under Biden) and March 2025 (under Trump), border crossings have seen a nearly 96% decline, which could be interpreted as being impressive, but is more likely due more to the Trump Administration greenlighting strategies and tactics for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that can be accurately described as being both brutal and, in many cases, un-Constitutional.

On top of this, only approximately 5% of individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have convictions for violent crimes, with 70% to 73% of those in ICE custody having no criminal convictions…and nearly half with neither convictions or pending charges.

As a result, the success/fail status of this promise is mixed, at best, and Trump’s deportation numbers have been lower than both Biden’s and Obama’s during the same period of their presidencies.

It must also be noted that with the administration’s escalation of operations into primarily Democratic cities – resulting in the continuing military-like occupation of Minneapolis and the avoidable tragic murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti – is taking a major hit in public opinion polls, with only 39% of Americans approving of his handling of immigration and a significant majority (56%) disapproving.

Nearly two-thirds of Americans (60%) say that ICE has gone too far.

With those numbers, Trump’s claims of “success” are very subjective, especially as the decline in approval is partly being driven by a decrease in support among demographic groups that shifted toward him in the 2024 election, including among Latin and younger voters…which Trump is losing dramatically with his own policies.

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Affordability

“Starting the day I take the oath of office, I will rapidly drive prices down and we will make America affordable again. We’re going to make it affordable again.” – August 2024

“The word ‘affordability’ is a con job by the Democrats.” – December 2025

The issue of affordability, like immigration, was one of the top talking points Trump focused on during his campaign for his second term of office.

In January 2025, when Trump took office for his second term, the year-over-year inflation rate was 3.0%, having been steadily dropping after spiking during Biden’s term.

In September 2025, eight months after taking office, was Trump successful in lowering or even eliminating inflation for American families?

Nope.

In September 2025, the rate of inflation was still at 3.0%.

Trump’s tariffs, which he embraces as the best solution to “bringing America back,” have resulted in higher prices for consumer goods, including toys, appliances, furniture, and food items.

Recent studies (early January 2026) indicate that Trump’s tariffs have actually increased inflation by 0.7%, with imported goods rising roughly 6% in prices compared to 2024.

Even with an estimated revenue increase to the government of $287 billion generated from customs duties and fees collected, the Trump tariffs are expected to cause a net negative impact on manufacturing jobs due to higher input costs and retaliatory measures, as well as a reduction in overall GDP growth by 0.9%, with long-term impacts estimated to shrink the economy by 0.4% – 0.6% annually.

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Summing Up

While the Ukraine conflict may not impact how some Americans vote in the coming mid-terms elections, Trump’s nosediving approval rating related to immigration and affordability (which is, according to the American people, decidedly not a “fake word” or “con job”), will absolutely affect his and Republicans’ ability to retain control.

As always, no matter how hard Trump and this administration try to distract and take more un-Constitutional control over elections, the end result will not be decided by them.

Rather, it will be decided by the American people…as it always should be.

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— Sean Thompson

Member, Democratic Club of Greater Tracy