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Trump tracker: How much has the president achieved so far? Trump tracker: How much has the president achieved so far?
(3 months later)
Donald Trump came into office promising to change the face of American politics and transfer power "back to the people". Donald Trump came into office promising to change the face of American politics and transfer power "back to the people". So what has he achieved so far, at the six-month mark?
So what has he achieved so far? We're tracking the president's progress on his agenda and how it is received by the American public. We're tracking the president's progress on his agenda and how it is received by the American public.
What executive actions has Trump taken?
One way President Trump is able to exercise political power is through unilateral executive orders and memoranda, which allow him to bypass the legislative process in Congress in certain policy areas.
He wasted little time in using this tool, moving to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal, cut business regulations and push ahead with the construction of two controversial pipelines.
While it may appear that he has used executive actions at an unprecedented rate, he signed about the same number as his predecessor, Barack Obama, did during his first weeks in office, though Mr Trump has since pulled ahead.
Several of President Trump's executive actions have been designed to deliver on some of his campaign promises, but they are limited in their power.
While executive orders can be used to change how federal agencies use their resources, they cannot assign those agencies new funds or introduce new laws - both of those powers are held by Congress.
For example, Mr Trump's first executive order was designed to limit the effect of the Affordable Care Act, but his campaign promise of repealing and replacing it can only be enacted by Congress because it requires new legislation.
In-depth: The executive actions Trump has taken
How are his approval ratings?How are his approval ratings?
When Mr Trump took the oath of office on 20 January, he did so with the lowest approval rating of any incoming president. Donald Trump is one of the most unpopular presidents in the modern era. His approval rating is languishing at 39% after six months in office, according to Gallup.
He dismissed those polls as "rigged" but the strength of the opposition he faced was evident when hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets the day after his inauguration. Presidents Barack Obama and George W Bush were both on 56% at the same juncture. One has to go back to Gerald Ford in 1975 to find a president with such low numbers.
Most presidents begin their term with strong approval numbers, but President Trump has bucked that trend. While both George W Bush and Barack Obama were enjoying approval numbers over 60% at around 100 days in office, Mr Trump was just above the 40% mark. Ford was also on 39% after six months in office, according to Gallup, following his politically radioactive pardon of predecessor Richard Nixon for the Watergate scandal.
Ohio women give their verdict on Trump But Mr Trump's disapproval rating (56%) is far higher than Ford's (45%) after the half-year mark.
Mr Trump won the election with low approval numbers so it's unsurprising they're still low, but the scandal over his team's contacts with Russia and his controversial travel bans have kept them falling. When Mr Trump assumed office on 20 January he had the lowest approval rating of any incoming president. He won the election with anaemic numbers, so it's unsurprising they're still poor.
Still, Mr Trump's attempts to cut business regulation and his hard line on immigration have impressed many of his supporters - and his pick for the Supreme Court has now been confirmed, restoring its conservative majority. His approval with Republican voters remains above 80%. What may alarm the White House is some opinion polls indicate support is slipping for Mr Trump among his core voters, including white men without a college degree and rural Americans.
So does his overall approval rating matter? Maybe not, for now. If his ratings continue to feel gravity's pull, expect mutinous murmurs to be heard in the Republican ranks as Congress gears up for the November 2018 midterms.
Republicans control both the House and Senate so in theory he can pursue his legislative agenda without worrying about his ratings - as long as he keeps his Republican colleagues on side.
But if his ratings stay low or fall further, expect some dissenting voices to emerge in the party as Republicans start to worry about midterm elections in 2018.
Russia: The scandal Trump can't shake
Has Trump moved to cut illegal immigration?Has Trump moved to cut illegal immigration?
Immigration was President Trump's signature issue during the election campaign and he has signed a number of executive orders designed to fulfil his promises.Immigration was President Trump's signature issue during the election campaign and he has signed a number of executive orders designed to fulfil his promises.
One of his first orders declared that the US would build a "physical wall" or "impassable physical barrier" along the border with Mexico, which already has some 650 miles of fencing.One of his first orders declared that the US would build a "physical wall" or "impassable physical barrier" along the border with Mexico, which already has some 650 miles of fencing.
But Mr Trump needs Congressional approval for funding before construction can begin and that is yet to happen. He insists the costs will be recouped from Mexico, despite its leaders saying otherwise. But Mr Trump needs congressional approval for funding before construction can begin and that is yet to happen. He insists the costs will be recouped from Mexico, despite its leaders saying otherwise.
While President Trump is yet to change US immigration laws, he has signed two executive memos that instruct immigration officers to take a much tougher approach towards enforcing existing measures.While President Trump is yet to change US immigration laws, he has signed two executive memos that instruct immigration officers to take a much tougher approach towards enforcing existing measures.
Who is going to pay for Trump's border wall? Six things that could topple Trump's border wall
Border town divided on Trump's wall
There are signs that this change in immigration enforcement - and President Trump's tough rhetoric - may have led to a drop in the number of people trying to cross illegally into the US.There are signs that this change in immigration enforcement - and President Trump's tough rhetoric - may have led to a drop in the number of people trying to cross illegally into the US.
In March, the number of people apprehended while crossing from Mexico fell to its lowest level for 17 years, according to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly.In March, the number of people apprehended while crossing from Mexico fell to its lowest level for 17 years, according to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly.
Mr Kelly said the drop was "no accident" and the Customs and Border Protection agency said President Trump's executive orders had led to a "marked change in trends".Mr Kelly said the drop was "no accident" and the Customs and Border Protection agency said President Trump's executive orders had led to a "marked change in trends".
The new president's talk of a crackdown on illegal immigrants makes it sound as if they had an easy ride under President Obama, but there is plenty of evidence to suggest the opposite is true.The new president's talk of a crackdown on illegal immigrants makes it sound as if they had an easy ride under President Obama, but there is plenty of evidence to suggest the opposite is true.
Between 2009-15, the Obama administration deported more than 2.5 million people - most of whom had been convicted of some form of criminal offence or were recent arrivals - leading some to label President Obama the "deporter-in-chief".Between 2009-15, the Obama administration deported more than 2.5 million people - most of whom had been convicted of some form of criminal offence or were recent arrivals - leading some to label President Obama the "deporter-in-chief".
But an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants still live in the US, many from Mexico.But an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants still live in the US, many from Mexico.
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency has launched a series of raids across the country since Mr Trump was elected, but it's still too early to say if deportation arrests have increased. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency has launched a series of raids across the country since Mr Trump was elected, leading to a 40% monthly increase over the latter part of the Obama administration.
Has Trump started a new deportation drive? That hasn't led to more deportations yet, however. Instead, there is now a backlog of more than 600,000 cases awaiting final review by immigration judges.
Is arrest of 'dreamer' a sign of things to come? Living in fear of Trump's deportation
How is the economy faring under Trump?How is the economy faring under Trump?
When Barack Obama became president in 2009, the US was in the midst of its worst recession since the 1930s, with the economy shedding 800,000 jobs in his first month.
But after a few dips later that year, the US economy saw its longest ever period of job creation. In total, 11.3 million jobs were created under President Obama.
Mr Trump has previously dismissed those numbers as "phony" and after his inauguration he described the economy as a "mess".
But when the monthly report was released in March, showing 235,000 jobs had been added to the workforce in February, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said it was "great news for American workers".
President Obama and the tale of US jobs
During the campaign, Mr Trump vowed to create 25 million jobs over 10 years and become "the greatest jobs president... ever".During the campaign, Mr Trump vowed to create 25 million jobs over 10 years and become "the greatest jobs president... ever".
He also accused Mexico and China of stealing millions of jobs and vowed to "bring our jobs home". But research suggests most of the manufacturing jobs shed in recent years have been lost to increased automation at factories, rather than companies moving abroad. He used to claim the actual unemployment rate was more than 40%. Now he's America's CEO, he's embracing the same jobless figures he once dismissed as "phony".
President Trump, however, has cited the stock market as a sign that his policies are already having an effect, saying there has been a "tremendous surge of optimism in the business world". The basic trajectory of the economy under President Trump remains the same as it did under President Obama.
The Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq indexes all reached record highs during President Trump's first few weeks, in a partial sign at least that investors were encouraged by Mr Trump's planned infrastructure projects, deregulation and tax cuts. The jobless rate (4.4%) is at a 16-year low and close to full employment after 81 consecutive months of growth.
All three, however, saw their growth slow down in March as it began to look like the mooted tax reforms might not happen quite as quickly as the Trump administration had previously suggested. Stock markets have hit record highs, oil prices remain low, consumer confidence is buoyant and inflation is under control.
However, car and retail sales have been falling, while wage growth remains sluggish.
The White House has set a growth target of 3%, but the US Federal Reserve chairwoman has sounded sceptical.
Growth has only averaged less than 2% a year since 2001; the American economy grew 1.4% in the first quarter of this year.
Latest news on the US economyLatest news on the US economy
What has been done on healthcare?What has been done on healthcare?
Healthcare was always going to be an early test for President Trump after he made it a centrepiece of his election campaign.Healthcare was always going to be an early test for President Trump after he made it a centrepiece of his election campaign.
President Obama's Affordable Care Act helped more than 20 million previously uninsured Americans to finally get health cover - but Mr Trump said he would "immediately repeal and replace" it. President Obama's Affordable Care Act helped more than 20 million previously uninsured Americans to finally get health cover, but it has suffered from rising premiums and Mr Trump said he would "immediately repeal and replace" it.
Republicans eventually unveiled their long-awaited draft healthcare bill at the beginning of March, with House Speaker Paul Ryan describing it as "monumental, exciting conservative reform". The House Republican bill eventually passed despite a damning assessment from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), a nonpartisan federal agency, which said it would result in 24 million more uninsured Americans by 2026. It was also opposed by doctors' groups, hospitals and other parts of the medical industry, amid fears that millions would lose insurance.
President Trump backed the bill but it received a damning assessment from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), a nonpartisan federal agency, which said it would result in 24 million more uninsured Americans by 2026. The Senate version faced similar criticism, and was hampered by opposition on both flanks of the party - moderates worried about cuts to Medicaid, a programme for the poor, and conservatives unhappy that the plan kept too much of Obamacare.
The Trump administration said it "strenuously disagreed" with the CBO analysis, but the bill was abandoned on 24 March after it failed to win enough support from Republicans in Congress. The Senate bill did not even have enough support to bring it to the floor for a vote. The president said he was "disappointed" and called on the party to let the existing legislation die.
It was an embarrassing episode for President Trump and the Republican Party, which controls the presidency and both chambers of the Congress for the first time in 11 years. Any White House moves to cut funding for the programme's subsidie would be a risky strategy ahead of mid-term elections next year, especially as recent polls suggest support for Obamacare is actually growing.
Mr Trump did his best to shrug off the defeat, saying his administration would return to "piece together a great healthcare plan" once Obamacare had "exploded". It has been an embarrassing episode for President Trump and the Republican Party, which controls the presidency and both chambers of Congress for the first time in 11 years.
How disastrous for Trump is healthcare collapse? Death blow for Obamacare repeal
While Obamacare has had its problems since it was introduced in 2010, it shows few signs of collapsing in the near future and the CBO analysis said its marketplaces were "stable in most areas". What bills has Trump signed into law or passed on his own?
That could change if President Trump and his Republican colleagues move to cut funding for the programme's subsidies, but that would be a risky strategy ahead of mid-term elections next year, especially as recent polls suggest support for Obamacare is actually growing. "We've signed more bills - and I'm talking about through the legislature - than any president, ever," said Mr Trump recently.
Republicans have promised a new healthcare plan after the Easter break but it is unclear as yet what is in it, whether the party will unite behind it and whether it would earn enough votes to advance into law. "For a while, Harry Truman had us. And now, I think, we have everybody."
A year of Trump Obamacare promises - in his own words According to the White House website, the president has so far signed off 42 bills. The New York Times has calculated the average of his six predecessors to be 43.
President Trump is way ahead of George W Bush (20) and a little ahead of Barack Obama (39), but the latter did sign off on an $800bn stimulus programme as the country tried to clamber out of recession.
Many of the current president's bills appear to be nationally insignificant, like renaming a building in Nashville or appointing individuals to a museum board.
President Trump also exercises political power through unilateral executive orders and memoranda, which allow him to bypass the legislative process in Congress in certain policy areas.
He wasted little time in using this tool, moving to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal, cut business regulations and push ahead with the construction of two controversial pipelines.
But executive orders are limited in their power, because they cannot assign those agencies new funds or introduce new laws. Both of those powers are held by Congress.
One of the president's most consequential actions was neither bill nor executive order - his announcement to pull out of the Paris climate agreement.
Global dismay at US climate deal pullout