TRUMP'S BIG, BOLD PROMISES - REALITY CHECKS NOV. 2025

Review assisted by Mistral.ai



1. Build a “big, beautiful wall” on the U.S.-Mexico border and make Mexico pay for it

  • Status: Partially fulfilled, but Mexico did not pay. About 450 miles of new or replaced barriers were constructed during his first term, mostly replacing existing structures. The project remains controversial and incomplete, with ongoing legal and funding challenges [1,2].

2. Repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)

  • Status: Failed. Despite repeated attempts, the ACA remains in place. Trump’s administration supported legal challenges to dismantle it, but the Supreme Court upheld the law. No comprehensive replacement was enacted [3,4].

3. Massive tax cuts, especially for businesses and the middle class

  • Status: Highly successful (Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017). Corporate tax rates were slashed from 35% to 21%, and individual tax cuts were implemented. Critics argue the benefits skewed toward the wealthy, and some individual cuts are set to expire [5,6].

4. Bring back manufacturing jobs and create 25 million new jobs

  • Status: Mixed. Pre-pandemic, unemployment hit historic lows, but manufacturing jobs did not return to previous levels. The pandemic and subsequent economic policies have led to slower job growth and rising concerns about affordability and inflation under his second term [7,8].

5. Renegotiate or withdraw from trade deals (NAFTA, TPP, etc.)

  • Status: Partially successful. Trump replaced NAFTA with the USMCA (US-Mexico-Canada Agreement), which was ratified. He withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and imposed tariffs on China and other countries, leading to trade tensions and mixed economic results [9,6].

6. Implement a “Muslim ban” (travel restrictions from certain countries)

  • Status: Enacted, but scaled back and repeatedly challenged in court. The Supreme Court upheld a modified version, but the policy remains contentious [3,10].

7. Clear the national debt in eight years

  • Status: Failed. The national debt increased significantly during his first term, partly due to tax cuts and increased spending [11].

8. Strengthen the military and reverse defense cuts

  • Status: Successful. Military spending increased, and new defense initiatives were launched [11,12].

9. Infrastructure investment

  • Status: Stalled. Despite promises, no major infrastructure bill was passed during his first term. The issue remains unresolved [13].

10. Drain the swamp (reduce corruption and lobbyist influence in Washington)

  • Status: Mixed. While some deregulation occurred, lobbying and ethics concerns persisted, and Trump’s administration was marked by high turnover and scandals [6,14].

11. Appoint conservative judges to the Supreme Court and federal courts

  • Status: Highly successful. Trump appointed three Supreme Court justices and hundreds of federal judges, shifting the judiciary to the right [10,6].

12. Reduce prescription drug prices

  • Status: In progress. Some executive actions were taken, and recent deals with pharmaceutical companies have been announced, but broader reform has not been achieved [8].

13. End “endless wars” and reduce U.S. involvement in the Middle East

  • Status: Mixed. Troops were reduced in some areas, but new conflicts and deployments (e.g., sending troops to cities for crime control) have drawn criticism [15].

14. Economic growth and affordability

  • Status: Struggling. While the stock market performed well, inflation and cost-of-living concerns have become major vulnerabilities, especially in the 2025 elections. Voters cite economic anxiety as a top issue, and Trump’s policies (including tariffs) are blamed for contributing to inflation [7,8,16].

15. Immigration crackdown and mass deportations

  • Status: Enacted, but controversial. Policies like family separations and increased deportations were implemented, but faced legal and public backlash. Recent elections show voter pushback against aggressive immigration enforcement [17,16].

16. End the Ukraine war in one day

  • Status: Promise broken. Trump repeatedly claimed during his 2024 campaign that he could end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours, but after taking office, he admitted the statement was sarcastic or an exaggeration. His administration has since set a 100-day deadline, but as of November 2025, the war continues with no resolution in sight [18,19,20,21].

Summary Table:

Promise

Status

Build the wall, Mexico pays

Partially fulfilled, Mexico did not pay

Repeal and replace Obamacare

Failed

Massive tax cuts

Highly successful

Bring back manufacturing jobs

Mixed, economic concerns persist

Renegotiate trade deals

Partially successful

Muslim ban

Enacted, but scaled back

Clear national debt

Failed

Strengthen military

Successful

Infrastructure investment

Stalled

Drain the swamp

Mixed

Appoint conservative judges

Highly successful

Reduce drug prices

In progress

End endless wars

Mixed

Economic growth/affordability

Struggling, inflation a major concern

Immigration crackdown

Enacted, but controversial

End the Ukraine war in one day

Promise broken, war ongoing

References

[1] AP News: Trump delivered on some big 2016 promises, but others unmet (2021)
[2] Al Jazeera: Trump’s biggest campaign promises: Did he deliver? (2020)
[3] PolitiFact: Donald Trump’s top 10 campaign promises (2016)
[4] Newsweek: Donald Trump Campaign Promises: Which 2016 Pledges Were Kept and Which Broken? (2019)
[5] Have Fun With History: 10 Donald Trump Accomplishments and Achievements (2025)
[6] EconoTimes: What Are Donald Trump’s Key Achievements and Failures as President? (2024)
[7] AP News: Democrats dominate as economic woes take a toll on Trump's GOP (2025)
[8] AP News: Trump is ramping up a new effort to convince a skeptical public he can fix affordability worries (2025)
[9] Council on Foreign Relations: Donald Trump’s Costly Legacy (2021)
[10] Newsweek: Donald Trump Campaign Promises: Which 2016 Pledges Were Kept and Which Broken? (2019)
[11] BBC News: US election 2020: Has Trump delivered on his promises? (2020)
[12] Trump White House Archives: Trump Administration Accomplishments
[13] AP News: Trump delivered on some big 2016 promises, but others unmet (2021)
[14] The National Interest: Donald Trump: One Of America's Worst Presidents Ever? (2024)
[15] AFP: ‘AI president’: Trump deepfakes glorify himself, trash rivals (2025)
[16] AP News: Voters prioritize the economy above immigration and crime in Election 2025 (2025)
[17] AP News: Tuesday’s races were a quiet rebuke of Trump for many voters (2025)
[18] Euronews: Trump says his vow to end Ukraine's war in 24-hours was 'sarcastic' (2025)
[19] AP News: How Trump backed away from promising to end the Russia-Ukraine war in 24 hours (2025)
[20] NBC News: Trump calls his promise to end the Russia-Ukraine war on Day One 'an exaggeration' (2025)
[21] PolitiFact: End the Russia-Ukraine war within 24 hours: At 100 days, Trump’s administration struggles (2025)

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