Despite being among the most controversial presidents in US history, the now 74-year-old POTUS has had some breakthroughs in his bumpy administration. Admittedly, his accomplishments might not be popular with his critics, however, Trump has enjoyed a remarkably steady approval rating due to his die-hard supporters.
Federal Judiciary Reforms
President Trump is credited with installed two Supreme Court justices and 187 judges to the federal bench all for lifetime appointments. This is such an impactful decision that even if Trump is not reelected in 2020, his presidency will continue to influence the direction of the US due to the sheer number of conservative federal judges he’s installed. This is because courts get the final say in US politics, setting models that can shape the country for years to come.
Establishment of the Space Force
In December 2019, as part of a $738 billion defence spending bill signed into approval, Trump officially established the sixth branch of the US Armed Forces; the Space Force. The Space Force is the first new military service since the US Air Force was created in 1947. Despite its name, the new branch has not been established to protect the planet from potential extraterrestrial threats but is responsible for protecting the US military’s assets in space.
Tax Cuts Reform
Trump’s signature legislative achievement is a Republican tax bill; the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. This policy made extensive changes to the tax code such that it permanently slashed the corporate tax rate to 21% from 35% while also providing temporary benefits for individuals and their families.
First Step Act
The First Step Act was signed into law by President Trump in December 2018. It marked the first legislative victory in years for advocates seeking to reform the criminal justice system. It offers relatively modest changes to the federal prison system like overhauling certain federal sentencing laws, reducing mandatory minimum sentences for drug felonies and expanding early-release programs. The bill also aims to lower relapses of crime by offering more rehabilitation and job-training opportunities. Furthermore, it includes provisions intended to treat prisoners humanely banning the shackling of pregnant inmates, halting the use of solitary confinement for most juvenile inmates, and mandating that prisoners be placed in facilities within 500 miles from their families.
Defeating ISIS’s caliphate and taking out Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
After ISIS took over a large mass of territory across Iraq and Syria and declared a caliphate in 2014, it began a five-year effort led by the US to dismantle their stronghold. Thankfully, the ISIS’s caliphate was finally defeated in March 2019. In late October 2019, a US raid led to the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi; the world’s most wanted terrorist. Trump expressed that capturing or killing him has been the top national security priority of his administration; making it an obvious success.
