State of emergency at the border with Mexico and “millions and millions” of promised expulsions, exit from the Paris climate agreement, resumption of the Panama Canal… Donald Trump listed on Monday a shower of shock announcements during of his inauguration speech.
If they subsequently come to fruition, these measures would undoubtedly promise strong challenges in court. Some of them even appear to violate the US Constitution.
Offensive anti-immigration
Promised during his electoral campaign, Donald Trump’s vast anti-immigration offensive took shape in his midday inauguration speech.
“I will declare a state of emergency at our southern border” with Mexico, announced the Republican president, barely invested. “All illegal entries will be stopped immediately and we will begin sending millions and millions of criminal aliens back to where they came from,” he added, before hammering out: “I will send troops to the southern border to repel the disastrous invasion of our country”.
According to an official of his future administration, Donald Trump also wants to put an end to the right to asylum and land rights, and to resume construction of the border wall with Mexico.
First concrete effect on Monday: the asylum request platform launched by the Biden administration stopped working. “Existing appointments have been canceled”indicates the service on its website.
New exit from the Paris climate agreement
For the second time, the United States, a global polluter behind China, will withdraw from the Paris climate agreement, according to the new administration. A decision that jeopardizes global efforts to combat climate change.
The United States had already left the international agreement during the first mandate of the American billionaire, before Joe Biden made their return.
In his inauguration speech, Donald Trump also announced that he would declare a state of“energy emergency” to boost hydrocarbon production in the United States, already the world’s leading producer, and reduce energy costs.
“We are going to drill at all costs”, he repeated, a formula that became one of his campaign slogans (“We will Drill, baby, Drill”).
“Retake” the Panama Canal
“We will resume” the Panama Canal, launched the new president.
-Built by the United States and inaugurated in 1914, its control was transferred to Panama in 1999, after an agreement made in 1977 by the then American president, Jimmy Carter. “A senseless gift that should never have been given,” blasted Donald Trump.
“The purpose of our agreement and the spirit of our treaty have been totally violated,” he said. According to him, “American ships are severely overtaxed and not treated fairly (…) And most importantly, China operates the Panama Canal, and we did not give it to China. And we’re going to take it back.”.
“The canal belongs and continues to belong to Panama,” replied Panamanian President José Raul Mulino.
Customs duties
“We will impose customs duties and taxes on foreign countries to enrich our citizens,” a encore promis Donald Trump.
The 47th President of the United States has pledged to begin “immediately overhaul our trade system to protect American families and workers.”
Donald Trump did not specify his intentions in his inauguration speech but during his electoral campaign, he affirmed that he would introduce customs duties of 25% on imports from neighboring Mexico and Canada. He had also threatened to significantly raise taxes on Chinese products.
Gender issues
“End the transgender delusion” was another of his campaign commitments.
“From today on, it will be the official policy of the United States Government that there are only two sexes, male and female.” defined at birth, said Donald Trump on Monday, whose team has promised several decrees to stop federal aid for transgender people.
One of the concrete consequences of this policy will be to eliminate gender “X”, neither masculine nor feminine, for people who identify as non-binary, “on official government documents”, according to a source within the presidential team. This choice was established during the mandate of Joe Biden.
Federal aid to programs supporting diversity in the administration is also targeted.
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