It is mid-January 2026, and if you feel like the last twelve months have been a decade-long fever dream, you aren't alone. Seriously. The pace of change coming out of Washington since the second inauguration of Donald Trump has been, for lack of a better word, relentless.
Most people are still trying to figure out what actually happened versus what they just saw in a 10-second TikTok clip. Honestly, keeping up with what Donald Trump has done so far is like trying to drink from a firehose that's also shooting out executive orders and tariff schedules. We’ve seen a massive shift in how the federal government operates, from the birth of "DOGE" to a complete overhaul of the southern border.
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The DOGE Effect and the War on Bureaucracy
You've probably heard about the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. It’s not just a meme anymore. Led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, this "department"—which technically acts as an advisory powerhouse—has been the sledgehammer Trump used to crack the federal bedrock.
Basically, the goal was to slash $2 trillion from federal spending. Have they hit that? Not quite, but the impact is real. By early 2025, Trump signed Executive Order 14158, which officially set the gears in motion. Since then, we’ve seen a total hiring freeze across almost all federal agencies, except for what the White House deems "essential" roles (mostly law enforcement and military).
One of the wildest moves was the elimination of the Federal Executive Institute and a massive push to reclassify thousands of civil servants as "Schedule F" employees. This essentially means they can be fired much more easily. Critics call it a "purge"; the administration calls it "restoring merit." Regardless of what you call it, the vibe in D.C. has shifted from "job for life" to "keep your bags packed."
The Border and the "Absolute Resolve"
If there’s one area where the "Trump 2.0" era has been most aggressive, it’s the border. He didn't wait. On day one, he signed Executive Order 14165, which effectively ended "catch and release" and jump-started the construction of the wall with funds redirected from various agency budgets.
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But the real story is the "Mass Deportation" plan. By the end of 2025, ICE detention capacity had nearly doubled. We're talking about roughly 66,000 people being held on any given day—the highest in U.S. history. In July 2025, Congress passed the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," which dumped $45 billion into ICE detention and border security through 2029.
Foreign Policy: Not Just Words Anymore
The most shocking moment of the last year—kinda the whole decade, really—happened just a few weeks ago. On January 3, 2026, the world woke up to news of Operation Absolute Resolve.
U.S. Special Forces actually entered Caracas, extracted Nicolás Maduro, and flew him to New York to face narcoterrorism charges. It was a "peace through strength" move that nobody saw coming in that specific way. It wasn't just about regime change; at a press conference right after, Trump was pretty blunt about wanting to stabilize Venezuela's oil industry for American benefit.
Tariffs, Trade, and the "Kuala Lumpur Joint Arrangement"
Trade has been a rollercoaster. Remember when everyone thought we were heading into a permanent trade war with China? Well, it's more like a "trade skirmish" with weirdly specific peace treaties.
In early 2025, Trump hit China with a 10% tariff. Then he threatened 25% on Mexico and Canada. But by November 2025, things took a turn. The "Kuala Lumpur Joint Arrangement" was announced. Essentially, the U.S. cut some tariffs on Chinese goods back down to 10% because China agreed to stop the flow of fentanyl chemicals and—this is the big one—lift export controls on rare earth minerals.
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- Rare Earth Elements: Critical for EVs and tech.
- Fentanyl: Labeled a "Weapon of Mass Destruction" by executive order in December 2025.
- Reciprocal Trade: The "Fair and Reciprocal" plan is now the standard operating procedure for any country wanting to sell to the U.S.
The "MAHA" Movement: Health and the Environment
RFK Jr.’s influence is all over the "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) initiatives. Trump signed the Working Families Tax Cuts Act in July 2025, which included a massive $50 billion investment into rural healthcare.
But it’s not all just spending. There’s been a huge regulatory rollback on things like "Waters of the United States" (WOTUS), basically giving farmers and developers more freedom to use their land without EPA oversight. And yes, he did it—he officially began the withdrawal process from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in early 2026.
The administration’s stance is basically: if it costs American jobs or sovereignty, we're out.
Energy Dominance and "Beautiful Clean Coal"
Trump declared a "National Energy Emergency" (EO 14156) almost immediately. This wasn't because of a shortage, but to bypass environmental regulations for pipeline construction and "clean coal" initiatives. He also ended leasing for offshore wind farms, claiming they were "landscape killers" and inefficient.
Instead, the focus shifted to:
- Liquid Natural Gas (LNG): Massive export increases.
- Nuclear Energy: Targeted for long-term "energy security."
- The Grid: Executive orders in April 2025 focused on protecting the electric grid from cyberattacks and state-level overreach.
A New Social Reality
There’s also been a massive shift in how the government handles social issues. Executive Order 14168, titled "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism," basically mandated that federal agencies use biological sex (male/female) as the only reality for record-keeping.
While this has been tied up in the courts—like the Illinois National Guard dispute—the administration has been aggressive in withholding federal funds from schools or organizations that don't comply.
Actionable Insights: Navigating the New Landscape
So, what does this actually mean for you? If you’re a business owner, a traveler, or just someone trying to plan for 2026, here is the bottom line:
- Watch the Tariffs: The "Kuala Lumpur" deal shows that trade policy is now transactional. If you import, stay flexible. Deals can change with a single Truth Social post.
- Healthcare Shifts: If you’re in a rural area, keep an eye on the new CMS funding awards. There’s a legitimate influx of cash for rural clinics and tech.
- Immigration Compliance: Worksite raids have increased. If you run a business, ensure your I-9 audits are bulletproof.
- Energy Costs: Expect a push for lower domestic prices through deregulation, but keep in mind that international markets still influence what you pay at the pump.
The first year of Trump's second term wasn't just about rhetoric. It was a systematic deconstruction of the previous administration's rules and a very loud re-assertion of "America First" on the world stage. Whether you love it or hate it, the data shows a government that is moving faster—and more disruptively—than perhaps any time in modern history.