The following is a news analysis.
Daily -- if not hourly -- for four years, the media, analysts, political figures, operatives, and ordinary folk spoke out against President Trump and what they believe President Trump he has done wrong. In the eyes of many, it is quite literally: everything.
As Trump finishes his term in office, it's easy to find negative, harsh assessments of virtually every facet of his policies and actions. The Atlantic, CNN and PBS are among those who have declared Trump to be the “worst president in history.” This side of the story has been well covered.
There are also lists of "how Trump could be prosecuted," and nearly every media outlet has its own list of "Trump lies." Click the links within this graph to read more about all of that.
As we know, roughly half of the country feels differently, but their voices are not as well-represented on the news and the Internet. Most media outlets cannot seem to bear to publish anything that is not one-sided and negative about Trump and his term. This begs for a bit of balance, even if it's dwarfed by the counter-narrative.
Built after consulting a variety of experts on the economy, national security, foreign policy and domestic issues, here is a short list that reflects “the other side” of the Trump presidency; one that is not so easy to find within today’s managed information landscape.
25 Top accomplishments of President Donald J. Trump
- Executive order enacted Jan. 1, 2021 requiring hospitals to provide medical prices to patients upfront so they can shop around.
2. Reversing the ascent of the Islamic extremist terrorist group ISIS.
3. “Most Favored Nation” executive order so that the U.S. (through Medicare) would pay no more for a drug than what’s offered to foreign countries, saving the U.S. an estimated “$85 billion in savings over seven years and $30 billion in out-of-pocket costs.”
4. Moving the U.S. embassy in Israel to the capital of Jerusalem.
5. Building more than 450 miles of new and replacement border wall.
6. Leading U.S. to a level of energy independence (exporting more oil than importing for the first time in 70 years), allowing international policy decisions to be made with less regard to how an oil nation we once relied on would respond.
7. No new wars.
8. Drastic reduction in regulations, opening the door for entrepreneurs and businesses to succeed, expand, and hire more people. According to the Trump administration, they promised to eliminate two regulations for every new one, but actually wound up eliminating 8 old regulations for every 1 new regulation adopted, equating into an extra $3,100 a year for the average American household.
9. Expanding Republican reach among African Americans and other constituents who traditionally lean Democrat.
10. Cutting taxes in an initiative that benefitted every tax bracket.
11. Doubled the child tax credit.
12. Operation Warp Speed: accelerated development of coronavirus vaccines.
13. Eliminated the Obamacare penalty.
14. A series of trade agreements and changes seen as beneficial to Americans, including replacing NAFTA with USMCA.
15. Instead of 2-for-1, we eliminated 8 old regulations for every 1 new regulation adopted.
16. Provided the average American household an extra $3,100 every year.
17. Started the Space Force.
18. Instituted “Right to Try,” allowing terminally ill patients to use potentially lifesaving, unproven treatments.
19. Prioritized and made permanent funding for historically black colleges.
20. Brokered peace deals or normalization agreements between Israel and five Muslim and Arab-Muslim countries.
21. Banned the teaching of “Critical Race Theory” in the federal government.
22. Withdrew from Iran nuclear deal.
23. Withdrew from the Paris Climate Accord.
24. Instituted a Buy American policy within federal agencies.
25. Achieved a $400 billion increase in contributions by NATO allies by 2024 with the number of members meeting their minimum obligations doubling.
Click the link below to see the White House list of Trump accomplishments:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/trump-administration-accomplishments/
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Border wall? Waste of time and taxpayers’ money. Penn and Teller showed the complete ineffectiveness of a wall.
Ted,
Sadly you are mistaken. The southern states will now be flooded with more illegals taking away jobs for those currently unemployed Americans and further flooding our understaffed health care systems trying to cope with the pandemic. Immigration is good for the country when managed with a process that protects Americans and mandates a path to full citizenship.
A concerned citizen!
Ted - Most of us love Penn & Teller, and also understand they are great entertainers, not political leaders, police, or tacticians etc. The "wall" is not 100% wall as I understand it. Every measure is subject to counter measures. When deciding if the new wall works or not, most of us would likely look at the statistics for people coming in , and getting caught. The stats say activity is way down, so that says it worked!
You forgot the most important DJT accomplishment - load up the Federal Court system as well as the 3 new Supreme Court Justices who are strict constitutionalists.
This is his 30 year legacy!
This is the top acomplichment
President Trump accomplished so much, that arguing which of his actions will be the most lasting or important is a luxury. Certainly the judges hold promise for that. But his peace efforts are huge. He essentially employed the Pres. Teddy Roosevelt doctrine of speaking softly and carrying a big stick. His Middle East deals are easily the greatest impacts of least appreciated break throughs.
Sharyl messed up on editing two items; #15 & #16 are duplicates, and she left out the judges, and she left out two of the other biggest things Pres. Trump did; he spoke about the sanctity of life like no other President ever, and he actually said he loves America and he loves US. It would all be considered lies to his haters, but I think he has a lot of good in him.
Yeah that worked well for him didn't it?
Sharyl, thanks for presenting balance.
# 15 and 16 are covered already in #8. Please add two more items in their place. How about: "Revealed the viciousness and duplicity of the national press rebranding them as Fake News," and "Revealed the corruption and dishonesty of the GOP establishment." Or perhaps "Promoted pride in/love of/duty to country, exposing extent of Marxist opposition to everything the country stands for."
Tom - Thanks! This list could be much longer, possibly doubled.
If not for President Trump's choice of communications styles (he used a few different styles; SOTU speech, Press Conferences, award ceremonies, campaign rallies) he would have created far fewer haters, and earned many more converts. Whether what we say was just Trump being Trump or poor management and advice by those in his family and administration, we may never know, but I'm sure that he would have won over many more people with the "kill them with kindness" approach if he were capable of using it. I am Mr. Nobody, but I see that as his only tragic failing.
Since 15 and 16 are a restatement of 8, I get 24. You could add Middle East Peace Treaties.
I guess number 20 covers that. Surely there must be on more.
Doubled up on several accomplishments.
Other than that, a great reminder of what our President Trump made happen in America.
Truly speaking, I find many of these so called accomplishments are very questionable to say the very least! The integrity and supplication of the aforementioned hypocrisies lack basic truths that need to be taken into account.
Well Doug - Your opinion is what other good and great Americans fought and died for you to have the right to express. However, that never guarantees any of us knows what we are talking about.
Don't forget, 75 billion establishing Opportunity Zones to benefit investment in economically depressed and minority areas.
Thank you for giving this President the credit he is due and what has been ignored by the Dems for the past four years. Some of these accomplishments are not even known by the public since mainstream media chose not to report ALL of the news for the past 4 yrs!
Thank you Pres. Trump!!
Trump Administration pages removed from whitehouse.gov site promptly at noon. Have not been moved to National Archives yet.
George - Chances are that not even President Biden will be allowed to cancel out his predecessor. IMO President Joe "I never took $1" Biden is the swamp creature - a professional liar and con man. Yes he can be nice, and we've also seen his bad temper. If he never broke any laws, then we have some really bad laws!
sadly with Biden's swearing in that link no longer works as that page has now been archived by NARA. just need to find out the new url
Now they're showing up in National Archives. Everything but the coronavirus 2019 response site is accessible.
https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/trump-administration-accomplishments/
You left out the great strides made at the Veterans Administration!
The link at the bottom of the list now only goes to a 404 error page.
That's because the White House site has now been taken down/changed over... I will try to link to the archive when I have a moment to find it. Thanks
https://web.archive.org/web/20210120134037/www.whitehouse.gov/trump-administration-accomplishments/
I forgot to add in my previous comment that most of these so called achievements are the typical, grandiose claims Trump constantly made for himself. I have refuted most of these claims so many times I marvel at his supporters' inability to understand facts and recognize truth. They seem to think the truth is whatever they say it is. Please understand that the dictatorship you want to beat me into submission with is the same dictatorship that will enslave you as well. See where your demand for "free speech" gets you then. This is an original statement, not previously published. Are you attacking my freedom of speech?
Sharyl, you're really grasping at straws here. I've always been basically conservative, and regarded Trump as the lesser of two evils in 2020, as I did in 2016. And I would certainly agree that he was ruthlessly and unfairly attacked by his many enemies for four years. But that doesn't change the fact that he was a terrible president. Nearly all the accomplishments you list have no substance, and the few that do are quite feeble, if in fact they are not regurgitations of his many empty boasts. Moving the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem? A hell of a lot of good that did, other than to endear him to Zionist fanatics. Withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal? Great. Thanks, Trump, for ramping up hostility against a country that hasn't launched a war against another country in a thousand years. (I'm a world traveler and visited Iran in 2016. Nowhere have I felt so welcome as an American.) Worst of all, in my opinion, you credit him for initiating Operation Warp Speed, which has caused many thousands of serious vaccine reactions and scores of deaths that you yourself have reported on. That's what Orwell called doublethink. From an early age, when his father instilled in him all the sleaziness required in the cutthroat world of New York City real estate profiteering, Trump has been a despicable human being. He told his many supporters what they wanted to hear, and that's about it. I have no use for the guy. He will rightfully go down in history as a sad and tragic clown. I admire your courage and tenacity, Sharyl, but you're way off on this one.
You're entitled to your opinion! That's just what it is: one man's opinion. Millions disagree; and there may be millions who agree. I support the Internet carrying all kinds of information, not only that with which you or I may agree with.
John, I read your thoughts on Trump and thought what would John write about Hillary Clinton who Trump beat, and Joe Biden/Senator/VP/Pres? I'd love to read your opinion of them.. Thank you
Irony, John. Look it up. There's zero substance to your screed. It's the same 5-year old recycled leftist Dem narrative attacking a man you hate. Nothing more, nothing less. Opinions are like assholes, John, though you seem to relish exposing yours for the world to see, embarrassing as that is.
Dear Joe Ironic - Very well said indeed! Thanks.
Sharyl, you're really grasping at straws here. No she's not. Those are not straws,
those are logs.
I've always been basically conservative, (we hear this a lot from people who seem to have their own special definition of the term.)
and regarded Trump as the lesser of two evils in 2020, as I did in 2016.
Regardless of why you voted for him, you voted for him!
And I would certainly agree that he was ruthlessly and unfairly attacked by his many enemies for four years. 75M agree with this comment.
But that doesn't change the fact that he was a terrible president. You are making up your own facts now. Well educated people tend to avoid doing that, as it doesn't hold up well under scrutiny.
Nearly all the accomplishments you list have no substance, and the few that do are quite feeble, More of your RINO or phony conservative nonsense.
if in fact they are not regurgitations of his many empty boasts. Moving the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem? A hell of a lot of good that did, other than to endear him to Zionist fanatics. Most Jews are not actually Zionist fanatics, but then you say that as if its a particularly bad thing.
Withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal? Great. Yes it was!
Thanks, Trump, for ramping up hostility against a country that hasn't launched a war against another country in a thousand years. A blatantly false or inaccurate statement; Iran/Iraq wars. Iran as the number one state sponsor of terrorism worldwide, and Iran instigating war in Yeman. You must think Iran is still suffering due to CIA interference with their government from 1950?
(I'm a world traveler and visited Iran in 2016. Nowhere have I felt so welcome as an American.). Any chance you could be on the Iranian payroll? Are the Iranian people warm friendly, and brilliant? Yes they are those things when they want to be. And they are also the oppressors, killers, keepers of political prisoners, kidnapers, bomb makers, terrorist trainers, haters of freedom and USA government, evil decapitators. While we want peace with Iran, as we do with every other country, your willingness to ignore the Iranian reality is extremely telling.
Worst of all, in my opinion, you credit him for initiating Operation Warp Speed, which has caused many thousands of serious vaccine reactions and scores of deaths that you yourself have reported on. Yes you got that one right - Orwellian double speak is apparently your stock and trade. Operation Warp Speed is just what it was presented to be; not perfect, just really great. As a matter of fact the single greatest achievement since the the polio vaccine. Your criticisms are hollow and mean. President Trump is known to exaggerate way too much, but the accomplishments coming out of Operation Warp Speed will eventually prove more impactful than the US space program in terms of how much has been discovered in such a short time, and how many lives will be saved long term because of it.
That's what Orwell called doublethink. From an early age, when his father instilled in him all the sleaziness required in the cutthroat world of New York City real estate profiteering, Trump has been a despicable human being. He told his many supporters what they wanted to hear, and that's about it. Maybe its time for you to re-read George Orwell? Trump told people what they wanted to hear? What a shocker - name a politician who doesn't do that?
I have no use for the guy. He probably has no use for you either.
He will rightfully go down in history as a sad and tragic clown. In the world of political cartoons and Macy's Parade balloons, baby trump and big orange are quite funny creations, but not what really matters, just distractions for the weak minded.
I admire your courage and tenacity, Sharyl, but you're way off on this one. I also admire Sharyl's willingness to stand up in the face of what is our times revisiting of the McCarthy era. Only this time its the communists and socialist infiltrators as wolves in sheep's clothing working to destroy real conservatives, or anyone else who has the nerve to call them out for the frauds they are.
Your comments cannot be seriously considered. The insane growth in the economy and drastic reduction in unemployment, across the board, alone makes President Trump the most valuable President since President Reagan. Add to that the regeneration of American patriotism and respect for our nation and President Trump's performance far exceeds and recent President.
I do not like Trump's outward personality/attitude and maybe some of the listed accomplishments are debatable as accomplishments but you can't possibly believe that being the first Pres. in decades to not START A WAR is NOT an accomplishments. Plus, I guess you think America's energy independence is a bad thing as well as the economic benefits. Just this handful of things in addition to NOT doing some of the shady-ass deals of the last few Presidents ranks Trump higher than the WORST ever in my book.
A good reminder of Trump policy achievements. Great to have a handy list to remind the naysayers that like him or not, Trump’s policies were good and that is what voting people support. At least, they used to. Thank you!
It is nice to see someone who has the courage to present another side of things during a time when those who speak out with any kind of support at all for President Trump face harsh criticism. One of the biggest fears of mine is the power of a one sided press in what is supposed to be a democratic society. I met the President during his visit to our hospital in Dayton after a mass shooting in 2019. The Donald Trump I met was nothing like the person I thought he would be, based on the overwhelming oh negative impressions that the media presented. It is hard to form an honest impression of someone when coverage is so one sided. It used to be easier to form an opinion based on facts. Now that opinion has already been predetermined by the media, Thank you for being one of the very few people in the media who still have my respect.
Thank you Sharyl for the list and for all of your reporting. You make an honest effort at journalism, which is rare today. Unfortunately, some people will not recognize anything good a leader does if they hate that leader. This explains the main stream media's coverage of the Trump Presidency. Were there things that Trump should have been criticized for or his administration? Yes. But when a coverage of a president and his administration is 90% negative, something is seriously wrong. This is especially true when you consider the way the main stream media covered Obama. It is also apparent with the way they have covered Biden as well. When people hate a particular leader and are overly emotional about it, it is hard to disguise. Lastly, Trump did a lot for religious freedom and for the Pro-Life movement as well. I consider these very important accomplishments as well as the ones you have listed. Keep up the good work. It has never been more important to have journalists who try to report objectively as opposed to media activists pushing half-truths and outright lies. Also, I just ordered your new book and look for to reading it. God Bless YOU, Mark
His ability to bring down the numbers for minority unemployment (pre- Covid19] and give us such a booming economy was a huge win for our country and citizens.Also, getting tough on China instead of letting them play us was such a relief.
I’m afraid all that hate for Trump will now be directed at Trump supporters (i.e. our fellow Americans) instead. That scares me.
I would add that he signed into federal law the PACT act (Prevention of Animal Cruelty and Torture).
Hi Sharyl,
Thank you for posting this!
I'm reading, "The Smear" and wondering do you plan on writing a part 2 / 2nd ed... that would touch on the 2020 election cycle.
I'm imagine that such a work would take a good amount of time, but just curious.
Again, thanks for putting this together, and I've enjoyed what I've read in, "The Smear".
"No new wars."
Top accomplishment IMO
I agree - NO NEW WARS - Cannot and should not be underestimated! Definitely the greatest single achievement during the Trump administration. This was my criteria for judging the presidency upon Trump’s election and remains my main reason for supporting him today. As an Australian and friend of Americans. Our government has blindly followed yours into conflicts our peoples should have both avoided. De-escalation of conflict involving allied forces in several war zones, the neutralization of real threats in Isis, Kim Jong-un, Iran and a more peaceful Middle East should never be taken for granted. Trump negotiated (sued for) peace!!! A victory for patriots and citizens of the world over! A true leader of the free world in my reckoning.
Sad that we are demonizing a person for trying to open our eyes to the larger dangerous problems facing our country, mainly the China threat and secondly the autocratic bunch who purport to be our leaders and representatives in Washington of "we the people"! All they represent is themselves, their cronies an self interests! Hollywood has been telling us for years, in the form of "entertainment" just how corrupt the Washington insiders are, only to be viewed by "we the people" as just another interesting episode of "good vs evil" and our current media is just as complicit! Wake up America before it is to late to stop this rot, for the sake of us, our children and those yet unborn!! There is nothing wrong in expressing an opinion, on the right or the left, as long as we come to a civil, beneficial (for the USA) logical conclusion that benefits "we the people" to be able to prosper and keep this fantastic Republic that our founding fathers founded, intact! We are not perfect, only human, but what made America great was its humanity, accepting of all peoples, religions and offering that shinning light on the hill in an ever darkening world! "We, (all) the people" on both sides, young and old, need to do our part to keep that light burning bright, because right now it is begging to dim!!! Demonizing anybody is counter productive, devisive and will only lead to our ultimate demise!!! We all need to put our differences aside, pull together and right the ship in these stormy waters to make sure we, and our Republic, all survive! The alternative is "too ghastly" to contemplate and as Benjamin Franklin said to a question about what form the new country would take: "A Republic, if we can keep it, Madame"!!!
Penn and Teller? Why not Santa Claus and his elves? If you ask any rancher whose property borders the US/Mex wall, they are thrilled. Walls work. Ask the border partrol. Ask those ranchers. Ask the Israelis. Just because Trump did it doesn't require you to bleat out leftist nonsense.
Some of these "accomplishments" can be held to be so only if you are a climate sceptic and Iran-hater.
I'd say his biggest accomplishment was being able to kill over 400,000 Americans without starting a single war.
The Disabled Citizen(s) and Poor Elderly have been left behind ..... like the long-awaited SSI SAVERS (RESTORATION) ACT & ABLE AGE ADJUSTMENT ACT - the former allowing more assets and less of a punishing program for unfortunate very ill Americans while the latter present some flexibility for families of disabled children to place extra resources in a fund fir current and future needs - a BIG disappointment with several prior Presidents and Congresses ..... wake up, please!!!!!!STAY WELL! 'Peace'