Barely hours after President Donald Trump took oath and delivered a blistering inaugural address in which he promised to “make America great again” with his “America first” strategy, the White House website now projects the major issues under new heads such as “America First Energy Plan”, “America First Foreign Policy”, “Bringing Back Jobs and Growth”, “Making Our Military Strong Again”, “Standing Up For Our law Enforcement Community” and “Trade Deals Working For All Americans”.
However, in a move that might not go down well with some President Donald Trump has gone ahead with his campaign push against ‘Obamacare’ by signing an executive order to minimise the economic burden pending its repeal by US Congress.
The Republican-controlled Congress for its part has already set in motion the process for the early repeal of Barack Obama’s landmark policy initiative that extended healthcare to more than 20 million uninsured Americans.
Trump, wants the party to speedily finalise an alternative to Obamacare so that its repeal and replacement take place more or less simultaneously.
Soon after Trump entered the Oval Office and signed the order, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said that pending the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act, as it is formally called, Government departments have been directed to ease the fiscal burden of this law during the transition period.
Congressional Republicans have over the past six years made countless efforts to repeal Obamacare, but to little practical avail. Their best chance is now, given that the party controls both the executive and legislative branches. Apart from Obamacare, the new Trump administration appeared to be gunning for another major Obama initiative on climate change. The web page featuring the previous administration’s Climate Action Plan had vanished from the White House website.
Instead, the website listing issues of concern to the new administration highlighted Trump’s commitment to eliminate “harmful and unnecessary policies such as the Climate Action Plan and the Waters of the US rule”. It goes on to say that “lifting these restrictions will greatly help American workers, increasing wages by more than $30 billion over the next 7 years”.
Detailing the new administration’s foreign policy thrust, the White House website says: “Peace through strength will be at the centre of that foreign policy. This principle will make possible a stable, more peaceful world with less conflict and more common ground.”
In line with Trump’s assertion in his inaugural address on eradicating radical Islamic terrorism “completely from the face of the earth”, it says the new administration will pursue “aggressive joint and coalition military operations where necessary”.
Additionally, the Trump Administration will work with international partners to cut off funding for terrorist groups, to expand intelligence sharing, and to engage in cyberwarfare to disrupt and disable propaganda and recruiting.
The new administration also speaks of its plan to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership and renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). “If our partners refuse a renegotiation that gives American workers a fair deal, then the President will give notice of the United States’ intent to withdraw from NAFTA,” it says.
The Trump administration goes on to justify its push for fair but tough trade deals, asserting this approach will help bring jobs back to America’s shores, increase wages and support US manufacturing. It goes on to say that “with a lifetime of negotiating experience, the President understands how critical it is to put American workers and businesses first when it comes to trade”.