Reality Check: Trump's 1st Year In Office
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- This week marks the end of the turbulent first year in office for President Donald Trump.
There is sharp debate over how much his controversial presidency has actually accomplished. That big tax cut bill last week is his only major legislative accomplishment. But the president took action on a near record number of far-reaching -- and less visible -- programs as well.
It's a year of controversy and political turbulence. Yet President Trump in 2017 made substantial progress on what he promised, including a tax cut bill.
"I can think of no better Christmas present for the American people than giving you a massive tax cut," Trump said.
A conservative Supreme Court Justice.
"And I got it done in the first 100 days, that's even nice," Trump said.
The president upending scores of federal government programs. Cutting regulations. Not so much doing as undoing actions of his predecessor.
"We will make American great again," Trump said.
Just a few of the hundreds of presidential actions include:
- Opening the Arctic Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling.
- Repealing Net Neutrality.
- Withdrawing from Paris Climate Accords.
- Canceling the Asian Pacific Treaty.
- Reversing National Park designations.
- Approving the Keystone and Dakota Access Pipelines.
- Confirming a record number of federal judges.
- Restrictions on immigration.
Many of the president's accomplishments coming in the form of executive orders.
Ironic for a candidate who frequently criticized his predecessors for exactly the same thing.
"[Obama] just wants to sign executive orders all the time. No good. It's no good. It's no good, it's no fair," Trump said.
In fact, President Trump has signed more directives than any president in the last 50 years.
- 52 Executive Orders.
- 35 Presidential Memoranda.
- 22 Presidential Notices.
- 11 Presidential Determinations.
That's Reality Check.