At a Phoenix event for young conservatives, President-elect Donald Trump outlined his agenda, pledging to take decisive action on transgender policies, immigration, and foreign relations. He announced plans to sign executive orders to end gender-affirming care for minors, exclude transgender individuals from the military, and restrict transgender discussions in schools.
Trump also vowed to maintain “women’s sports for women” and declared that the U.S. government would recognize only two genders, male and female.
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Addressing the AmericaFest conference in Arizona, a state he won in the November election, Trump promised immediate action against migrant-related crimes and proposed designating drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. He also reaffirmed his commitment to restore U.S. control over the Panama Canal.
Transgender issues remain a divisive topic in U.S. politics, with states enacting conflicting policies on medical care and literature on the subject. The recent U.S. Congress defense budget included provisions to limit funding for gender-affirming care for children of service members, reflecting the polarized debate.
Trump’s speech included broader promises for his second term, criticizing the Biden administration’s handling of the past four years. He pledged to end the war in Ukraine, stabilize the Middle East, and prevent World War III, though specifics on these plans were not provided. Declaring the onset of a “golden age of America,” he described his upcoming swearing-in as a turning point for the nation.
On immigration, Trump renewed his vow to launch the “largest deportation operation in American history” and reaffirmed his intent to dismantle drug cartels operating in the U.S., labeling them as terrorist organizations. He stated, “This criminal network will be dismantled, deported, and destroyed.”
Trump’s strong stance on cartels echoed his earlier commitment during his first term, following the killing of nine American citizens in Mexico in 2019, to consider labeling Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations.
