Washington, DC —

As President Donald Trump dey mark one year since him return White House, US don change well well from how e be when e inherit am last year.

No be like him first term presidency. Dis time Trump dey govern with sharper focus, e dey use Republican-controlled Congress plus him trusted allies push through big-big changes.

Wetin critics dey call erosion of norms for US, supporters dey hail as restoration of American strength.

Below na five ways im administration don already change the country's course.

Tightening the borders

The improvisational border measures wey dem do for 2017 don comot. Dis time Trump act methodically — for Day 1 e sign executive orders to expand deportation operations and bring back parts of Remain in Mexico–style policies.

With increased funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the administration dey report say formal removals don pass 600,000, and DHS dey claim say more than 2.5 million "illegal aliens" don leave if you include self-deportations wey incentives like the CBP Home app encourage.

Independent analyses from the New York Times, the Migration Policy Institute, and TRAC put confirmed deportations lower, at about 230,000 to 540,000, including border returns. Customs and Border Protection data show border crossings don fall to lows wey dem never see in decades, but humanitarian groups dey warn about family separations, overstretched asylum systems, and record detention levels.

Tariffs and tax overhauls

Trump economic playbook don become more calibrated: tariffs on Chinese imports start for 10% and shift through negotiations to effective rates around 10–30% on many goods after truces and pauses (including one fentanyl-related category wey dem reduce to 10%).

Together with extensions of his 2017 tax cuts (now more tilted toward corporations and high earners through major legislation), these moves don spur some manufacturing gains for Rust Belt states, though job creation don mix because some sectors face higher costs.

Inflation don tick up small for areas wey trade changes affect, but stock markets don show resilience and reward investors.

Critics point to higher consumer prices and supply chain disruptions, yet the president's belief in "America First" trade don reshape global supply chains, bring some production back home and challenge free-trade orthodoxies.

Resetting foreign policy

The impulsive summits of old don give way to more strategic manoeuvring.

Trump don press for a Ukraine ceasefire, dey criticise Zelenskyy say e no too ready for deal like Putin, and e dey push US-led proposals wey include security guarantees and monitoring mechanisms. But no formal agreement don materialise, and the war still dey go as Russia dey demand territorial concessions.

For the Middle East, the administration don secure a ceasefire in Gaza, though violations by Israel still happen.

This realignment don further isolate some adversaries, put new pressure on Iran (heightened geopolitical tensions) and Venezuela (abduction of Maduro), and at the same time strain trans-Atlantic ties.

Trump don aggressively revive him push to acquire Greenland from Denmark, saying na for critical national security needs in the Arctic to counter Russian and Chinese influence and to bolster defences like him proposed "Golden Dome" system.

E don threaten escalating tariffs (starting at 10% on February 1 and rising to 25% on June 1) on imports from eight NATO allies (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland) unless dem agree to a deal wey give U.S. control of the island, and e no even rule out force.

This approach don provoke sharp backlash from European leaders and EU don start prepare retaliatory measures.

Dismantling administrative state

One of the most systemic shifts na Trump war against the "deep state." For Day 1, e reinstate Schedule F (wey dem rename Policy/Career) by executive order, reclassifying thousands of federal employees wey dey influence policy to make dem easier to fire and replace with appointees.

Agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency and the Justice Department don see career officials comot, dem replace with people wey align with the president's agenda.

This move don accelerate deregulation, rolling back dozens of prior-era rules on climate and labour.

Even though efficiency don improve for some areas, like faster energy permitting, watchdogs dey warn about politicised governance.

Domestic production and culture wars

Trump energy independence push dem carry out with precision, approving pipelines and offshore drilling permits sharply and quickly.

Under Trump 2.0, US oil and gas output don reach new highs, which don lower some energy costs but also clash with global climate goals. Washington withdraw from the Paris Agreement again on Day 1 of Trump’s second term, and the formal exit happen after the required one-year period in early 2026.

For culture matter, the administration don embed conservative priorities into education and media, dem dey defund programmes dem call "woke" and dem dey promote school choice vouchers.

These measures don energise him base and reshape public discourse and institutional priorities, even as dem don sharpen national divisions.