Making an Immediate Impact

UNITED STATES PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S RETURN TO THE WHITE HOUSE HAS SENT WAVES ACROSS THE GLOBE. WITH HIM MAKING AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT ON HIS FIRST DAY IN OFFICE, WHAT CAN WE EXPECT IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS?

From this day forward, our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world. We will be the envy of every nation, and we will not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of any longer. During every single day of the Trump administration, I will, very simply, put America first.” Thus did Donald John Trump start his inaugural address as the 47th president of the United States of America. His speech, marked by references to American history, the challenges that the country is facing, and his plans to make sure that “[The American dream will soon be back and thriving like never before,” set the tone for the next four years in the history of the United States (US).

THE ROAD BACK TO THE WHITE HOUSE

In November 2024, Trump further cemented his place in US history by becoming only the second US president to be reelected to a non-consecutive term. Aptly describing his victory as historic, the then-president-elect thanked “the American people for the extraordinary honor of being elected your 47th and your 45th president.”

Trump had previously served as president from 2017-2021, after defeating former First Lady Hillary Clinton in the 2016 elections. His reelection bid fell short, as he was beaten by Joe Biden, who served until January 20, 2025. Trump’s rare political comeback had only previously been achieved more than a century ago by President Grover Cleveland, who was president from 1885-1889 and then from 1893-1897.

Trump had a clear victory in the November 2024 polls. He garnered 312 electoral college votes—42 more than the 270 he needed to win—against rival and then-Vice President Kamala Harris’ 226. He also emerged as the clear winner in terms of popular votes, winning 77,284,118 votes, or 49.8 percent of the votes cast. Harris mustered 74,999166 votes, equivalent to 48.3 percent of the votes cast.

The 2024 electoral contest was nothing but historic. New York-based think tank and publisher Council on Foreign Relations reports that the election had the second highest voter turnout in US history, as 156,302,318 voters trooped to the polls. It was also just the second time that more than 140 million voters cast their votes in a presidential derby. Trump’s 2024 vote total is now the second highest in US history, behind Biden’s 2020 total of 81,283,666 votes.

IN ATTENDANCE

In accordance with tradition, Trump’s inauguration had originally been planned to take place at the US Capitol Grounds, but freezing weather caused it to be moved to the Capitol Rotunda. The change of venue greatly affected the number of dignitaries and supporters who were able to witness the swearing in live and in person. Other guests had to be moved to the Capitol’s Emancipation Hall, where other activities were also held. The swearing in ceremony and related events were attended by a veritable who’s who in the US and beyond. It also marked the first time that heads of state were invited to attend.

Leading the attendees were members of Trump’s family, namely First Lady Melania Trump and their son Baron; as well as Trump’s son Donald Jr. and daughter Ivanka. Former US presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush, together with former first ladies Jill Biden, Hillary Clinton, and Laura Bush, were present at the momentous event. They were joined by former vice presidents Kamala Harris, Mike Pence (who served with Trump during his first term), and Dan Quayle.

In a break from tradition, a number of sitting heads of state and heads of government were invited to attend the event marking the formal transfer of power. Argentinian President Javier Milei, Ecuadorian President Danile Noboa, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloi were at the Capitol Rotunda. So was Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, who represented President Xi Jinping. Meanwhile, Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili was among those at the Emancipation Hall.

Historically, leaders from any country, including staunch US allies, are not invited to the US president’s inauguration. Different countries’ ambassadors to the US are the ones that usually attend the ceremony.

Big names in technology also made their appearance. Among these were chief executive officers Marck Zuckerberg of Meta, Tim Cook of Apple, Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Sundar Pichai of Google, and Elon Musk of Tesla and SpaceX.

Billionaires also made an appearance. Louis Vuitton-MoëtHennessy founder Bernard Arnault arrived together with his wife. Indian businessman and Asia’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani was present, as was casino billionaire Miriam Adelson.

Other foreign dignitaries, including former heads of state, as well as foreign affairs ministers from various countries, also went to the swearing-in. Incumbent US senators and congressmen, Trump Cabinet appointees, and military officials were also in attendance.

FILIPINO LEADERS DOING THEIR PART

Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez was invited to the ceremony as part of the diplomatic corps. In addition to him, four Filipino lawmakers, including Deputy Speaker Antonio Albano and Deputy Speaker Raymond Democrito Mendoza, were also invited by the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Philippine Ambassador-at-Large Jose Eduardo Antonio, together with his spouse Hilda Antonio and son Robbie Antonio, also witnessed the inauguration. The younger Antonio, who laid the foundations of the two families’ business and personal relationships, described their presence at the ceremony and related events as “both a personal honor and a reflection of the strong ties” between the Antonios and Trumps.

On January 18, 2025, meanwhile, Romualdez led the Philippine Emabassy in Washngton in holding a reception in honor of Trump and to celebrate Philippine-US relations. The event brought together embassy officials, representatives of the then-incoming members of the US Congress, Trump campaign and transition team, and media personnel. “I and our Embassy team look forward to working with President Trump and his administration, from the House to Congress, with faces old and new, for the next four years in order to bring PH-US relations to even greater heights,” Romualdez wrote on social media platform X.

STRENGTHENING TIES

The inauguration served as an avenue for world leaders to strengthen ties with the US. For instance, Antonio took the opportunity to further pave the way for more investments coming into the Philippines and to strengthen bilateral trade relations. He underscored the potential for US-Philippine trade relations to flourish as we enter “a pivotal era in global trade.” According to him, with the US as a leader in the new technological age and the Philippines having a “vibrant innovation community and a young, tech-savvy workforce,” stronger economic ties “will create new opportunities for the Filipino people in the global marketplace.”

Meanwhile, the Taiwanese delegation met with American leaders to try to strengthen US-Taiwan ties in the wake of concerns about the possible effects of the Trump presidency on their security and economy. The Taiwanese officials went to Washington with high hopes, based in part on strong US-Taiwan relations during Trump’s first term.

Unperturbed by the change in venue, Speaker Han Kuo-yu of the Taiwanese Legislative Yuan and his eight-man team of leaders from different political parties strove to smoothen some feathers that had been ruffled in recent months. During the campaign, Trump stated that the self-governing island should spend more for military protection from its neighbour China, which considers Taiwan as its province. He likened the US to an insurance firm that needed to be paid in order to provide security. This stance differed from Biden’s official stand that the US would send troops to defend Taiwan against a Chinese invasion. Reacting to Trump’s statement, Premier Cho Jung-tai had said earlier that Taiwan is ready to assume more responsibility for its security and would defend its territory should China try to invade it.

Trump also criticized Taiwan for “stealing” the semiconductor industry from the US decades ago. He had earlier described Taiwan as being an immensely wealthy territory to which the US should not be giving “billions of dollars to build chips.” Over the years, Taiwan has become a major player in the global semiconductor industry, and the US has seen a growing reliance on imported semiconductors from Taiwan. Although Trump did not announce any significant changes in US-Taiwan cooperation in the semiconductor industry, he did call for a 60 percent tariff on Chinese goods. With the Taiwanese semiconductor industry playing a major role in the success of Chinese businesses, such a policy will have a domino effect on Taiwanese chip manufacturers.

DAY ONE EXECUTIVE ORDERS

On day one of his new term as president, Trump signed a total of 26 executive orders (EO) dealing with a wide range of topics, from gender to government efficiency to terrorism and birthright citizenship. EOs are legally binding orders to the federal government. These do not require congressional approval and can only be repealed by a sitting president. Among the most controversial of the inaugural day EOs are EO 14148, EO 14160, EO 14158, and EO 14169. EO 14148 revoked dozens of previous EOs deemed harmful to the government and the US citizenry. Among these are those that introduced or strengthened “diversity, equity and inclusion,” reforming the incarceration system, protecting the workforce, and tackling the climate crisis. Such revocations, the EO states, are meant to “restore common sense to the Federal Government and to unleash the potential of the American citizen.”

EO 14160 revokes birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants and considers such individuals as “not subject to the jurisdiction” of the US. The order covers not only children whose mother was not lawfully present in the US and whose father was neither a US citizen nor lawful resident at the time of the person’s birth. It also applies to those whose mother was lawfully but temporarily present in the US, but whose father was neither a US citizen nor lawful resident at the time of the person’s birth.

EO 14158 renames the US Digital Service as the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), with the body being tasked with implementing Trump’s DOGE Agenda. It shall, among other things, undertake the modernization of “Federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity.”

Meanwhile, EO 14169 pauses all US foreign development assistance pending a review of “programmatic efficiency and consistency with United States foreign policy.” This was followed by the issuance by Secretary of State Marco Rubio of a review of relevant data and a pause in the processing of aid requests under the State Department and the United States Agency for International Development.

While the abovementioned EOs appear to be beneficial to the US, these have far-ranging implications with regard to immigrants’ rights, inclusivity, personal data security, and job security, among others. Realizing the implications of the EOs, a number of affected state governments, nongovernment groups, and individuals have filed cases to block their implementation. The complainants have had some measure of success as various courts have issued orders stopping the implementation in part or in full of some of the EOs being questioned.

FIRST PIECE OF LEGISLATION

On his ninth day in office, Trump signed the Laken Riley Act, the first law of his administration. The law is named after a Georgia nursing student who was killed by an illegal immigrant in February 2024. The perpetrator, Venezuelan Jose Antonio Ibarra, had earlier been arrested in 2022 for illegal entry into the US, but was subsequently released on parole even as he pleaded his status at immigration court. Trump supporters contend that had Ibarra not been released, he would not have had the chance to kill Riley.

The new law requires federal officials to detain illegal immigrants arrested or accused of burglary, theft, assaulting a police officer, and any crime that leads to serious bodily injury or death. It also gives state attorneys general the power to sue the federal government for harm resulting from failure to act or for decisions that prove injurious to individuals or the state. Although the measure received bipartisan support in Congress, a number of lawmakers and federal leaders have expressed major concerns about the newly signed law. While some leaders hailed it as a step toward preventing crime, especially those perpetrated by illegal immigrants, others have pointed to the lack of correlation between the rising number of Latino immigrants and criminality.

PROSPECTS AND CONCERNS FOR THE PHILIPPINES

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. joined the chorus of world leaders that congratulated Trump. In his message on the latter’s inauguration posted on X, Marcos said:  “Congratulations to POTUS @realdonaldtrump and to the American people on another peaceful transfer of power in their Nation’s nearly 250-year history. I look forward to working closely with you and your Administration.

“The strong and lasting PH-US alliance will continue to uphold our shared vision of prosperity and security in the region.” Marcos had earlier called thenpresident-elect Trump to personally congratulate him on his victory. “The call, described by the President as very friendly and productive, underscored the positive momentum and trajectory in our bilateral relations with the United States. It also highlighted the positive role of Filipino Americans in US society, including in the recent successful and peaceful conduct of US elections,” the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a November 20, 2024 statement.

The statement added: “The United States remains an important ally, partner, and friend to the Philippines. We look forward to working with the Trump Administration in ensuring that PH-US relations remain robust and benefits from continuing positive momentum in security and defense cooperation, economic partnership, as well as broader and deeper engagement across other areas of mutual interest.”

 Not all Philippine leaders, however, have a very rosy view of the implications of a second Trump presidency on the Philippines. Barely a week after Trump’s election victory, Senate President Francis Escudero said that the Philippine government needed to look into Trump’s policy pronouncements. The Philippines, he said, “must be one step ahead” of policy shifts that Trump had vowed to implement once he returns to power. The government must look at possible scenarios and draw up possible responses to such, he stressed.

The Senate president likened Trump to “a major macroeconomic assumption,” or a premise used to set economic forecasts, particularly economic performance. Trump’s plans regarding a wide range of topics, “[F]rom trade to economics to immigration… would certainly impact us,” he said. He expressed concern over Trump’s plan to “carry out the largest domestic deportation operation in American history,” which would mean a direct threat to Filipinos in the US.

 Romualdez echoed Esudero’s concern two days into Trump’s term, and urged Filipinos staying illegally in the US to get in touch with the embassy. He identified as a major concern undocumented Filipinos who have been staying in the US for a long period and have families and are gainfully employed. The embassy, he said, will help them “proceed on taking a legal path” in dealing with deportation concerns. He stressed that they are in contact with the Filipino-American community and will give them good advice, adding that those who have been in the US for at least a decade have a good chance of acquiring permanent residency status. Meanwhile, those who have criminal records as well as those who have made no effort to legalize their stay may be among the first Filipino casualties of the crackdown.

US Immigration records show that as of 2022, there are more than four million Filipino-Americans in the US. They form the biggest Asian group in six states: Hawaii, Nevada, Alaska, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Wyoming. The largest concentration, however, is in California, which is home to almost 1.4 million Fillipino-Americans. Data from the US Department of Homeland Security, meanwhile, shows that there are around 350,000 undocumented immigrants from the Philippines. Immigrants from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras top the list.

Escudero also cautioned about the possible effects of Trump’s plans to impose higher tariffs on foreign goods. A stronger dollar, he said, would negatively impact our export earnings and foreign debt position. “How will his plan to erect higher tariff walls affect our economy given the fact that almost USD1 in every USD7 of our export earnings come from out trade with the United States?” he asked. Furthermore, the Senate president expressed concern about possible changes in the US position vis-àvis China. “Will a second Trump administration be hawkish or dovish against China?” he asked, underscoring the need for the country to be ready for any significant changes in the military alliance between the Philippines and the US. The Biden administration had worked closely with the Duterte and Marcos administrations to strengthen security cooperation. Analysts had been one in saying that a Harris victory would have reinforced not only military but also diplomatic ties between the two countries.

THE NEXT FOUR YEARS

For decades, whatever happens in Washington has had global ramifications. Analysts agree that this fact couldn’t be any truer after what they have called “the most important election of our lifetimes.” They are one is saying that whatever decisions and actions Trump makes in the next four years will definitely impact the lives of people all over the world. Trump’s unconventional leadership and unconventional views on many issues could work both ways, leaving the world grappling with important questions. Will Trump’s goal of making America great again mean a continuation—at least in general terms—of diplomatic and security policies with respect, for example to the West Philippine Sea and China-Taiwan issues? Or will there be major adjustments, notwithstanding possible effects on the US’s Pacific defense strategy? Will his decision to impose higher tariffs on Chinese products mean better trade opportunities for other Asian countries? Or will succeeding actions focus mainly on strengthening US-based production?

Whatever policies and pronouncements Trump makes in the coming days and years, these will have important immediate and long-term effects at the local and global fronts. In all 50 states, these will mean changes in the US population’s everyday lives, busy days for cause-oriented groups trying to block what they perceive to be unjust policies, and interesting times for analysts trying to study the repercussions of Trumps’ actions. Across the globe, the next four years will be a period of major adjustments in many fronts, and an opportune time to look at the importance of sound microeconomic policies and strong bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the face of a superpower’s unpredictable behavior.