FROM THE OUTSIDE | Trump: The Time to Deliver

Amid all the fears and expectations surrounding President Donald Trump’s promises during his inauguration speech, one reality often gets overlooked: promises are difficult to fulfill, especially for a president with an inconsistent track record.

Eight years ago, Trump pledged to eliminate crime, seal the border, launch infrastructure projects, restore domestic manufacturing, and protect American jobs. “The United States will start winning again,” he declared.

Although Trump now claims to have a clear mandate from the American people, citing his popular vote and Electoral College victories, the numbers tell a different story. Eight years ago, he entered the presidency with an eight-seat majority in the Senate and a 47-seat majority in the House of Representatives. Today, he holds a six-seat advantage in the Senate and a slim five-seat majority in the House. Regarding the popular vote, he secured only 49.1% of the electorate.

According to George Condon, a journalist who has covered the White House for over 20 years, the advantage this time is that the Republican Party is now more unified within Trump’s movement. The Speaker of the House, Michael Johnson, is fully aligned with Trump, and the Republican majority in the Senate neither can nor wants to distance itself from its party leader.

This time, Trump announced days in advance that his administration would kick off with an overwhelming wave of executive orders signed on his very first day in office.

In fact, it was announced that more than 50 executive orders would be issued by Monday afternoon, some of which would be signed publicly to underscore his commitment and determination to fulfill his promises, particularly on immigration matters.

According to Trump and his allies, these actions will include restarting the construction of a border wall with Mexico and dismantling diversity and equity programs within the federal government, which has historically been a major employer for ethnic minorities.

But it’s not that simple.

During his first term, Trump’s record of delivering on his promises was mixed and, at worst, harmful. He blamed poor advice from his aides and resistance from the bureaucracy.

Trump has ensured that his advisors align with his views and priorities this time, focusing less on legality and process and more on reinforcing his perceptions and intentions.

Indeed, some measures being considered are what Trump’s aides describe as “aspirational,” such as eliminating birthright citizenship—a constitutional right that would require a potentially lengthy amendment process.

In any case, Trump made over 30 “major” promises, including forcibly deporting undocumented immigrants from the United States, reforming the federal government, and imposing significant tariffs that could drive up prices.

Now, the time has come to deliver.