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June 14, an important date in American history, stands out for two reasons. Not only does it mark the historical date that the design of the American flag was approved, but it is also the birthday of President Donald J. Trump. In honor of the president’s birthday, here is a look back on some of his greatest achievements in office.
Economic reform
When President Trump first entered office, the United States had yet to fully recover from the devastating effects of the 2008 market crash. In fact, in 2016, the economic outlook was grim, with many economists warning of another potential recession.
But thanks to historic tax cuts and regulation reform, employment for minorities and women reached record highs, and prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, so did U.S. consumer confidence. Additionally, the president negotiated the historic United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), helping to prevent the outsourcing of jobs.
Supreme Court
Regarded by many as one of Trump’s most important accomplishments, the president had the rare opportunity to appoint three conservative justices to the Supreme Court during his term: Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett. The confirmation of Barrett just before the 2020 election marked a historic shift in the balance of the court to a 5-4 conservative majority.
Now, with an impending announcement regarding the potential overturning of Roe v. Wade, the importance of this accomplishment has become even more evident.
Foreign policy
President Trump’s foreign policy achievements spanned a wide range. While overseeing the rebuilding of the United States military and the creation of the Space Force, he also managed to calm tensions between the U.S. and North Korea. Further, not only did he spearhead the fall of the ISIS caliphate, but he was also able to negotiate an increase in foreign funding for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Trump bolstered relations with Israel by relocating the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, getting Arab nations to recognize the Jewish state, and brokering multiple peace deals.
Border security
Finally, no list of the 45th president’s accomplishments would be complete without mentioning ‘The Wall.’ According to the Department of Homeland Security, the construction of Trump’s new wall along the U.S.-Mexico border led to significant reductions in illegal border crossings and both drug and human smuggling activities.
Further, in addition to strictly enforcing immigration laws already on the books, the Trump administration also ended the controversial “catch and release” policy that allowed illegal immigrants to be released into the United States following their apprehension.
While these are just a few of the president’s many accomplishments in office, with 2024 just around the corner, it could be that even more are on the horizon. With rumors of a potential presidential campaign announcement buzzing, only time will tell.