Seven things he will do as president

Donald Trump is expected to return to the White House after promising action on issues including immigration, the economy and war in Ukraine.

Now that his Republican Party has regained control of the Senate, he is likely to enjoy ample support for his policy agenda in Congress.

In his victory speech, Trump promised: “I will govern by one simple motto: promises made, promises kept. We will keep our promises.”

In some cases, however, he has provided little detail about how he might achieve his goals.

When asked by Fox News in 2023 whether he would abuse his power or target political opponents, he replied that he would not do so “except on day one.”

“No, no, no, except for the first day. We close the border and we drill, drill, drill. After that, I will no longer be a dictator.”

During his election campaign, Trump promised the largest mass deportation of illegal migrants in US history.

He also promised to complete construction of a wall on the border with Mexico that began during his first presidency.

The number of crossings at the U.S. southern border reached record levels late last year during the Biden-Harris administration before declining in 2024.

Experts told the BBC that deportations on the scale promised by Trump would pose enormous legal and logistical challenges – and could slow economic growth.

Election Day polling data suggests that the economy was a key issue for voters. Trump has vowed to “end inflation,” which rose to historic levels under President Joe Biden before falling again. However, a president's power to directly influence prices is limited.

He has also promised far-reaching tax cuts and extended his reform from 2017. He has proposed making tips tax-free, eliminating the tax on Social Security payments and reducing corporate taxes.

He has proposed new tariffs of at least 10% on most foreign goods to reduce the trade deficit. Additional tariffs of 60% could be imposed on imports from China, he said. Some economists have warned that such moves could drive up prices for consumers.

Trump has said he will “release” some of the people convicted of crimes during the riots in Washington DC on January 6, 2021, when his supporters stormed the Capitol in an attempt to overturn Joe Biden's 2020 election victory.

Several deaths have been attributed to the violence that Trump is said to have incited.

He has worked to downplay the significance of the uprising and recast the hundreds of supporters who were sentenced as political prisoners.

He went on to say that many of them were “wrongfully imprisoned,” but acknowledged that “some of them are probably out of control.”

Trump has vowed to fire the veteran prosecutor leading two criminal investigations against him “within two seconds” of taking office.

Special Counsel Jack Smith has indicted Mr. Trump over his alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election and his alleged misuse of classified documents.

Trump denies any wrongdoing and has managed to prevent both cases from going to trial before the election. He says Mr Smith subjected him to a “political witch hunt”.

Trump will become the first president ever to return to the White House with a criminal conviction after being convicted in New York of falsifying business records.

Trump has criticized the tens of billions of dollars the US has spent supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia – and has promised to end the conflict “within 24 hours” through a negotiated deal.

He didn't say what he thought both sides should give up. Democrats say the move would embolden President Vladimir Putin.

Trump wants the USA to generally distance itself from foreign conflicts. As for the war in Gaza, Trump has positioned himself as a staunch supporter of Israel, but has called on the American ally to end its operation. He has also promised to end related violence in Lebanon, without giving further details.

Against the wishes of some of his supporters, Trump said during the presidential debate with Kamala Harris that he would not sign a nationwide abortion ban into law.

In 2022, the nation's constitutional right to abortion was overturned by the Supreme Court, which had a majority of conservative justices after Trump's first presidency.

Reproductive rights became a key campaign issue for Harris and sSeveral states approved measures to protect or expand abortion rights on Election Day.

Trump himself has regularly said that states should be free to decide their own abortion laws, but has struggled to find a consistent message.

During his first presidency, Trump rolled back hundreds of environmental protections and made America the first country to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement.

Once again, the company has promised to cut regulations, particularly to help the American auto industry. He has constantly attacked electric vehicles and promised to defeat Biden's goals and encourage a shift to cleaner cars.

He has pledged to increase fossil fuel production in the U.S. and “drill, drill, drill” from day one in favor of renewable energy sources like wind power.

He wants to open areas such as the Arctic wilderness to oil drilling, which he says would reduce energy costs – although analysts are skeptical.

North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher breaks down the race for the White House in his twice-weekly newsletter, US Election Unspun. Readers in the UK can Register here. People outside the UK can do this Register here.