Construction of Modern Histories: The Rise of Donald Trump (HSC SSCE Modern History): Revision Notes
Trump From 2017 to 2026
Donald Trump remained at the centre of U.S. politics from the end of his first 100 days in 2017 through to March 2026. This period covers the consolidation of his first presidency, major domestic and foreign policy controversies, two impeachments, the COVID-19 pandemic, his refusal to accept the 2020 election result, the January 6 Capitol attack, extensive legal battles, his remarkable 2024 comeback, and the early phase of his second non-consecutive presidency. As of March 2026, Trump's story continues to unfold, particularly with the United States and Israel engaged in an ongoing military conflict with Iran.
Consolidating the first presidency, 2017–2019
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
After his first 100 days in office, Trump shifted from campaign mode to longer-term governing. His most significant domestic legislative achievement during this period was the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, signed into law in December 2017. This represented the most substantial restructuring of the U.S. tax system since the 1980s.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act marked a major shift in U.S. fiscal policy, representing the largest tax code changes in over three decades. Its long-term economic and budgetary effects continue to be debated by economists and policymakers.
The Act included several major changes:
- Corporate tax rate reduced from 35% to 21%
- Individual tax cuts for many Americans
- Clear demonstration of Trump's pro-business, anti-regulation political approach
Supporters of the legislation argued it would stimulate economic growth and encourage business investment in America. Critics, however, contended that it primarily benefited large corporations and wealthy individuals whilst significantly increasing the national debt.
Reshaping institutions and defining Trumpism
Trump also transformed U.S. institutions through his appointment of conservative judges throughout the federal court system. His governing style combined traditional legislation with extensive use of executive actions and highly personalised political messaging. Social media, particularly Twitter, remained central to how he communicated with the American public and shaped political debates.
Even whilst holding the highest office in the land, Trump continued to present himself as an outsider fighting against the political establishment. This became a defining characteristic of what commentators called Trumpism, which included:
- Populist rhetoric appealing directly to ordinary Americans
- Nationalist politics prioritising America's interests
- Hostility towards elites and established institutions
- Strong anti-immigration language and policies
- Direct communication style claiming to speak for "real" Americans
Foreign policy in the first term
America First doctrine
Trump's foreign policy operated under the slogan "America First." This approach challenged traditional assumptions about U.S. global leadership and how America should engage with the world. Key features included:
- Questioning the value of long-standing military and diplomatic alliances
- Using tariffs aggressively as a foreign policy tool
- Treating international diplomacy as transactional deals rather than long-term relationships
- Prioritising American economic interests over international cooperation
The Abraham Accords
One of Trump's most significant claimed diplomatic achievements was brokering the Abraham Accords in 2020. Under these agreements, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain normalised diplomatic relations with Israel, marking a major shift in Middle Eastern politics.
The Abraham Accords represented a significant break from previous Arab foreign policy approaches, with Morocco and Sudan later joining the broader normalisation process. However, the agreements did not address the Palestinian question, which remained a central issue in Middle Eastern politics.
This represented a significant break from previous Arab foreign policy approaches. Morocco and Sudan later joined the broader normalisation process. Supporters viewed this as a historic diplomatic breakthrough. Critics pointed out that whilst important, the Accords did not address or resolve the Palestinian question, which remained a central issue in Middle Eastern politics.
Trade wars and economic nationalism
Simultaneously, Trump pursued aggressive tariff-based economic conflict with China, fundamentally reorienting U.S. foreign policy around economic nationalism. Trade wars and tax cuts emerged as the two dominant themes of his first presidency before the COVID-19 pandemic changed the political landscape in 2020.
First impeachment and the Ukraine scandal
Trump's first term was marked by significant scandal. In December 2019, the House of Representatives impeached him on two charges:
- Abuse of power – relating to his efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden
- Obstruction of Congress – relating to his refusal to cooperate with the impeachment investigation
In February 2020, the Senate voted to acquit Trump, allowing him to remain in office. The impeachment and acquittal revealed both the depth of partisan division in the United States and Trump's continuing strong hold over the Republican Party. The proceedings followed strict party lines, with Republicans largely supporting Trump and Democrats opposing him.
The impeachment proceedings highlighted the extreme partisan polarisation in American politics. Trump's acquittal demonstrated his strong control over the Republican Party, a pattern that would continue throughout his post-presidency and influence the party's direction for years to come.
COVID-19 and the end of the first term
The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally transformed Trump's presidency in 2020. His earlier record on tax cuts and trade policy was overshadowed by the global health crisis and his administration's response to it.
Criticism and controversy
Trump faced heavy criticism from opponents for several aspects of his pandemic response:
- Downplaying the danger of the virus in its early stages
- Providing inconsistent public health messages
- Turning health policy into a culture-war issue rather than a scientific one
- Undermining public health experts and institutions
Defence and Operation Warp Speed
Trump's supporters argued he was unfairly blamed for a global crisis beyond any one leader's control. They particularly pointed to Operation Warp Speed, the government programme that facilitated rapid vaccine development, as a major achievement of his administration.
The pandemic intensified existing political divisions in America and became a central issue in the 2020 presidential election campaign.
The 2020 election, false fraud claims and January 6
Electoral defeat and refusal to concede
Trump lost the 2020 presidential election to Democratic candidate Joe Biden. The official Electoral College result was:
- Biden: 306 electoral votes
- Trump: 232 electoral votes
Despite this clear result, Trump refused to concede defeat. He repeatedly made false claims that the election had been "stolen" through widespread voter fraud. These baseless allegations became one of the most significant developments in modern U.S. political history because they:
- Undermined public trust in the electoral system
- Strengthened conspiracy theories about American democracy
- Created a narrative that would shape Republican politics for years to come
Trump's refusal to accept the 2020 election results and his persistent false claims of voter fraud represented a fundamental break from democratic norms. These baseless allegations would have lasting effects on American politics, eroding public confidence in electoral integrity and creating a narrative that continues to influence Republican politics.
The January 6 Capitol attack
On 6 January 2021, whilst Congress was meeting to formally certify Biden's electoral victory, Trump supporters violently attacked the U.S. Capitol building. The attack shocked observers around the world and raised serious questions about the stability of American democracy.
Key aspects of January 6:
- Violent mob breached the Capitol building
- Members of Congress forced to evacuate or shelter in place
- Multiple deaths and injuries
- Disruption of the constitutional process of certifying election results
Second impeachment
Following the attack, the House of Representatives impeached Trump for a second time, charging him with incitement of insurrection. This made Trump the first U.S. president in history to be impeached twice. The Senate later acquitted him again, but the January 6 attack permanently shaped historical interpretations of his presidency. For many historians and political commentators, January 6 represented the clearest example of the danger Trump posed to democratic norms and institutions.
Out of office but still dominant, 2021–2024
Even after leaving office in January 2021, Trump remained the most powerful and influential figure in the Republican Party. His post-presidential activities included:
- Endorsing candidates in Republican primary elections
- Dominating conservative media coverage and attention
- Turning legal investigations against him into part of his political message
- Building support through a narrative of persecution by a politicised state
Paradoxically, legal pressure against Trump often strengthened his support amongst followers who believed he was being unfairly targeted. This persecution narrative became central to his political comeback strategy and the 2024 campaign.
Paradoxically, legal pressure against Trump often strengthened his support amongst followers who believed he was being unfairly targeted. This persecution narrative became central to his political comeback strategy and the 2024 campaign.
Legal battles and the reshaping of presidential power
Criminal conviction
Trump's post-presidency was heavily shaped by multiple court cases. In May 2024, he was convicted on 34 felony counts in the New York hush-money case, becoming the first former U.S. president ever convicted of a crime.
The case concerned:
- Falsified business records
- Payments intended to suppress politically damaging stories
- Events relating to the 2016 presidential campaign
Supreme Court immunity ruling
In July 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling that presidents have broad immunity from prosecution for official acts carried out whilst in office. This was the first time the Court had recognised such presidential immunity.
The Supreme Court's immunity ruling had enormous historical importance. It strengthened legal protections for presidential actions, complicated several ongoing cases against Trump, raised fundamental questions about presidential accountability, and set a precedent that will affect all future presidents. This decision fundamentally reshaped the balance between presidential power and legal accountability.
The decision had enormous historical importance because it:
- Strengthened legal protections for presidential actions
- Complicated several ongoing cases against Trump
- Raised questions about presidential accountability
- Set a precedent that will affect future presidents
The 2024 comeback
Trump defeated Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. The official Electoral College result was:
- Trump: 312 electoral votes
- Harris: 226 electoral votes
This comeback was historically remarkable. Trump returned to power after:
- Electoral defeat in 2020
- Being impeached twice
- Criminal conviction on 34 felony counts
- Years of intensive legal scrutiny and multiple court cases
For supporters, this proved his resilience and enduring popular appeal amongst American voters. For critics, it demonstrated the weakness of democratic safeguards and the power of grievance politics in contemporary America.
Return to office in 2025
Trump was inaugurated on 20 January 2025, becoming only the second U.S. president after Grover Cleveland in the 19th century to serve non-consecutive terms.
Immediate executive actions
Within hours of taking office, Trump signed sweeping executive orders on:
- Immigration policy and enforcement
- Climate change regulations
- Diversity programmes in government
- Refugee admission policies
January 6 pardons
One of his most controversial early actions was pardoning approximately 1,500 people charged in connection with the January 6 Capitol attack. This decision was deeply divisive:
- Supporters viewed it as justice for political prisoners who were unfairly prosecuted
- Critics saw it as normalising anti-democratic violence and undermining the rule of law
The pardoning of approximately 1,500 January 6 defendants represented one of Trump's most controversial early actions in his second term. Critics argued this decision normalised political violence and undermined the rule of law, whilst supporters viewed it as correcting what they saw as politically motivated prosecutions. The pardons raised fundamental questions about accountability for attacks on democratic institutions.
Immigration crackdown, ICE controversies and the politics of force
Expanded enforcement agenda
One of the defining features of Trump's second term has been a dramatically expanded immigration crackdown. His administration's agenda led to:
- Major surge in federal court immigration cases
- Intensified use of detention facilities
- Rapid deportation procedures
- Aggressive enforcement tactics by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
Fast deportations to third countries
A federal appeals court recently allowed the administration to continue a controversial policy permitting fast deportations to third countries with very limited advance notice. Civil liberties advocates argued this violated due-process rights by denying migrants adequate opportunity to present their cases.
Controversial enforcement operations
Recent ICE operations have generated significant controversy:
Los Angeles raids (2025)
Masked ICE agents conducted immigration raids using balaclavas and limited identification. This approach sparked accusations of intimidation and triggered political outrage from civil liberties groups who argued the tactics created an atmosphere of fear in immigrant communities.
Operation Metro Surge, Minnesota (early 2026)
This operation became nationally controversial after fatal shootings of protesters by immigration officers. The raid sparked mass demonstrations and school walkouts across Minnesota. Children were detained during the operation, including a five-year-old. A judge later ended the asylum claim of an Ecuadorean boy detained in the raid.
Deaths in ICE custody
Trump's second term has seen alarming statistics regarding ICE detention:
- At least 11 immigrants died in ICE custody between January and early March 2026
- 31 deaths in 2025 – a two-decade high
- Death of an Afghan asylum seeker less than 24 hours after arrest
- Growing scrutiny of detention conditions and medical care
The sharp increase in deaths in ICE custody represents a major humanitarian concern. The 31 deaths in 2025 marked a two-decade high, and the rate continued into 2026 with at least 11 deaths in the first two months. These statistics have intensified scrutiny of detention conditions, medical care practices, and the overall approach to immigration enforcement.
Civil liberties groups and human rights organisations have stated that Trump's immigration enforcement includes:
- Fatal ICE shootings
- Controversial family detentions
- Masked raids creating climate of fear
- Deportation practices violating due process and human rights
International criticism
The deportation system has drawn criticism beyond U.S. borders. Human Rights Watch accused El Salvador of arbitrarily detaining and forcibly disappearing some of its own nationals after deportation from the United States. U.S. courts have been considering legal challenges to third-country deportations carried out with minimal notice.
These developments matter historically because they demonstrate how immigration policy under Trump has become a central battleground for conflicts over:
- Executive power and its limits
- Civil liberties and human rights
- The rule of law and due process
Trump and the expanding Middle East war, 2026
Outbreak of conflict
As of March 2026, the single most important current development is the ongoing war involving the United States, Israel and Iran. The conflict began on 28 February 2026 with joint U.S.-Israeli military strikes on Iran.
Since then, the war has escalated dramatically:
- Thousands killed across Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Iraq and the Gulf region
- Widespread destruction of infrastructure
- Regional instability spreading
Strike on South Pars gas field
On 18-19 March 2026, Israel struck Iran's crucial South Pars gas field, a vital energy installation. Iran retaliated by attacking regional energy infrastructure, including targets in Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
The escalation has led to:
- Major increases in global oil prices
- Sharp rises in gas prices
- Broader regional economic crisis
- Threats to global energy security
Trump's response
Trump rejected ceasefire efforts from regional mediators and warned of "massive retaliation" if Iran attacked Qatar again. The U.S. role in the conflict remains somewhat unclear:
- Israeli officials stated the United States knew about the strike on South Pars
- Trump publicly claimed Israel acted without U.S. or Qatari involvement
- This contradiction raises questions about coordination and decision-making
The ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran represents a major escalation of Middle Eastern conflict with potentially severe global consequences. The contradiction between Israeli and U.S. statements about coordination, combined with Trump's rejection of ceasefire efforts, raises serious questions about decision-making processes and the trajectory of the conflict. The war's impact on global energy prices and regional stability continues to unfold.
Historical significance
This places Trump not only at the centre of U.S. domestic political polarisation but also at the centre of a major international war with potentially severe global economic consequences. The conflict's outcome remains uncertain as of March 2026.
Why this period matters historically
Trump's significance from 2017 to 2026 extends far beyond individual events. He became the clearest symbol of several profound historical trends in modern American politics:
Institutional challenges
- Populism challenging traditional political establishments
- Distrust of institutions including media, courts and government agencies
- Extreme partisan polarisation dividing American society
- Personalisation of politics focused on individual leaders rather than parties or platforms
Identity and belonging
- Conflict over immigration and who counts as "American"
- Debates about national identity in an increasingly diverse society
- Disputes over presidential power and constitutional limits
Democratic norms
- January 6 raised fundamental questions about the survival of democratic norms
- Legal cases and the Supreme Court immunity ruling questioned whether presidents are truly accountable to law
- His return to office demonstrated the depth and durability of his political base
Use of state power
- Second term intensified arguments over the use of state power against migrants
- Controversies over use of force against protesters
- Questions about civil liberties and human rights
International implications
- The current war with Iran makes Trump a central figure in a dangerous new phase of international conflict
- Questions about America's role in the world continue to evolve
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
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Trump's later first term was shaped by tax cuts (corporate rate reduced from 35% to 21%), trade conflict with China, diplomatic achievements like the Abraham Accords, impeachment over the Ukraine scandal, and the COVID-19 pandemic
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He lost the 2020 election (306-232 electoral votes), refused to accept the result, made false fraud claims, and helped create conditions leading to the January 6 Capitol attack
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Despite major legal cases including conviction on 34 felony counts and the Supreme Court immunity ruling, Trump remained dominant in the Republican Party whilst out of office from 2021-2024
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He won the 2024 election (312-226 electoral votes), returned to office in January 2025, and began a second term marked by sweeping executive actions, pardons for January 6 defendants, and intensified immigration crackdown
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By March 2026, the most important developments were controversial ICE raids and detention practices (with at least 11 deaths in custody early in 2026) and the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, which has escalated into a major regional crisis with global economic consequences