One year into his return to the Oval Office, Donald Trump has delivered what supporters long argued was missing from Washington: decisive action, unapologetic priorities, and measurable outcomes.
While critics continue to dispute Trump’s style, the record of the past year points to a presidency focused on sovereignty, safety, economic confidence and a rollback of policies a majority of voting Americans believed were dividing the country.
The U.S. southern border is unrecognizable today from just a year ago. After years of record crossings, the administration moved swiftly to restore enforcement. Illegal border traffic fell sharply as deterrence returned. The message was simple and overdue: the United States is a nation of laws. Legal immigration remains welcome; illegal entry is not. Enforcement is now no longer questionable.
Equally striking has been the economic signal sent to the world. In just one year, the administration announced roughly $10 trillion in combined U.S. investment commitments, spanning domestic manufacturing, energy, technology, infrastructure, and foreign direct investment. Whether through reshoring incentives, regulatory clarity or tough trade negotiations, capital began moving back toward American soil. The result has been renewed confidence that the U.S. intends to compete and win industrially in future decades.
Trump emphasized deterrence and deal-making over endless intervention in foreign policy. Conflicts that had stagnated for years were pushed toward resolution or de-escalation through pressure, leverage, and diplomacy. While global peace is never absolute, Americans saw a shift away from open-ended military commitments and toward outcomes that prioritize U.S. interests and service membersí lives. To date, nine wars have ceased or deescalated in Trumpís first year.
Common sense executive orders drew clear lines where the Biden Administration had blurred them. The ban on biological males competing in womenís sports reaffirmed fairness and safety for female athletes. Prohibitions on irreversible sex-change procedures for minors reflected a growing consensus that children deserve protection from experimental medical interventions they cannot fully understand. The administration also acted to end discrimination against Christians and other faith-based families in foster care and adoption systemsóensuring that deeply held beliefs are not grounds for exclusion from serving children in need.
Another major shift came with the rollback of federally imposed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs that institutionalized racial and ideological favoritism over competence and ability. The administrationís position has been clear: equal opportunity under the law must not be replaced with enforced outcomes or political litmus tests. Merit, not ideology, is again the standard. Its shockwaves are still reverberating through federal employment.
Finally, the administration has made aggressive fraud detection a priority. High-profile cases – including massive Medicaid fraud uncovered in Minnesota – highlighted just how vulnerable federal programs had become. By tightening oversight and pursuing prosecutions, the government signaled that taxpayer dollars are not an all-you-can-eat buffet for criminal networks.
A fair debate will continue to revolve around the distractions created byTrump’s excessive and even childish style, but there is no debate about the results of his intriguing composite of personality, ability, and vision of greatness for America. Year two, here we come.
Dane Hicks is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and the United States Marine Corps Officer Candidate School at Quantico, VA. He is the author of novels "The Skinning Tree" and "A Whisper For Help." As publisher of the Anderson County Review in Garnett, KS., he is a recipient of the Kansas Press Association's Boyd Community Service Award as well as more than 60 awards for excellence in news, editorial and photography.
