$TRUMP 1. Economic Policies & Market Impact**
- **Tariffs & Trade Wars**: Trump has imposed aggressive tariffs (e.g., 10% baseline on all imports, 245% on China) to address trade deficits, sparking market volatility and recession fears. The S&P 500 dropped ~14% from its February peak amid investor concerns .
- **Critical Minerals & National Security**: An April 2025 executive order launched a Section 232 investigation into reliance on imported critical minerals, aiming to bolster domestic supply chains for defense and tech sectors .
- **Reciprocal Trade Agenda**: The "America First" policy includes renegotiating trade deals, but lawsuits from 12 states challenge the legality of his tariffs .
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### **2. Public Sentiment & Polling**
- **Approval Ratings**: Trump’s economic approval fell to **37%** (Reuters/Ipsos), with 75% of Americans fearing a recession due to tariff-driven inflation .
- **Partisan Divide**: 81% of Republicans support his economic policies, but only 5% of Democrats do. Confidence in his handling of the economy dropped 14 points since November 2024 .
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### **3. Project 2025 & Governance**
- **Executive Power Expansion**: The Heritage Foundation’s **Project 2025** aims to replace federal civil servants with Trump loyalists, dismantle agencies (e.g., Education, EPA), and enact conservative policies (e.g., anti-LGBTQ+, anti-abortion measures) .
- **Controversies**: Critics label it "authoritarian," while Trump initially distanced himself—though 65% of his early 2025 executive actions aligned with its proposals .
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### **4. Geopolitical Moves**
- **Ukraine & Russia**: Trump hinted at recognizing Russia’s annexation of Crimea for a peace deal, diverging from NATO allies .
- **China Relations**: Mixed signals—softening tariff rhetoric (e.g., suggesting rates "won’t be 145%") but maintaining pressure via tech/trade restrictions
