Donald Trump -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia

10/4/2017 Donald Trump -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia

Donald Trump

BUSINESS CAREER AND REALITY TELEVISION TABLE OF CONTENTS

The son of a wealthy apartment-building developer in Business career and reality television New York’s Queens borough, Trump graduated from Politics the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Presidency Finance in 1968. In that year he was diagnosed with Cabinet of Pres. Donald J. Trump bone spurs in both heels, which quali�ed him for a permanent medical exemption from the military draft (he had received four earlier deferments for education). He went to work in his father’s company, the Trump Organization, and worked to expand its holdings of rental housing. In the 1970s he made a series of shrewd property purchases in Manhattan, obtaining generous tax concessions from the city, which was eager for new investment at a time of severe �scal crisis. Trump bought and renovated several aging hotel complexes and apartment towers in Manhattan and built new ones there as well. He also made a brief foray into sports, purchasing in 1983 the New Jersey Generals, which played in the short-lived U.S. Football League and lasted, like the entire league, for only two seasons. By the 1990s Trump’s business empire encompassed a number of high-rises, including the Empire State Building, hotels, condominiums, and Trump Tower (opened 1983); more than 25,000 rental and co-op apartment units in Queens and Brooklyn; and several hotel-casino complexes in the nearby gambling centre of Atlantic City, New Jersey.

In 1977 Trump married Ivana Zelnickova, a Czech model, with whom he had three children— Donald, Jr., Ivanka, and Eric—before the couple divorced in 1992. Their married life, as well as Trump’s business affairs, were a staple of the tabloid press in New York City during the 1980s. Trump married the American actress Marla Maples after she gave birth to Trump’s fourth child, Tiffany, in 1993. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1999. In 2005 Trump married the Slovene model Melania Knauss, and their child, Barron, was born the following year. Melania Trump became �rst lady of the United States upon her husband’s inauguration in 2017.

In 1989 Trump bought an East Coast air shuttle service from American Airlines. During his period of �nancial dif�culties in 1991, the airline was taken over by USAir, and Trump’s Trump Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City declared bankruptcy. Two other casinos owned by Trump, as well as his Plaza Hotel in New York City, went bankrupt in 1992. Estimates of his net worth during that period ranged from zero to $2 billion.

Trump’s fortunes rebounded with the strong economy of the 1990s. In 1996 he partnered with NBC to purchase the Miss Universe Organization, which produces the Miss America, Miss USA,

https://www.britannica.com/print/article/607230 1/13 10/4/2017 Donald Trump -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia and Miss Teen USA beauty pageants.

By the early 21st century Trump had begun developing several major hotel, residential, and resort complexes around the world, including Trump World Tower in New York City (2001), Trump International Hotel Las Vegas (2008), and the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago (2009). He purchased the sprawling Mar-a-Lago mansion in Palm Beach, Florida, in 1985 and converted it into a private club 10 years later. In 2004, however, his company Trump Hotels and Casino Resorts �led for bankruptcy after several of its properties accumulated unmanageable debt. The same company, renamed Trump Entertainment Resorts, went bankrupt again in 2009.

In addition to his real-estate ventures, in 2004 Trump premiered a reality television series, The Apprentice, which featured contestants competing in various challenges to become one of his employees. The Emmy-nominated show, in which Trump starred, popularized the phrase “You’re �red” and solidi�ed Trump’s reputation as a shrewd outspoken businessman. In 2008 the show was revamped as The Celebrity Apprentice, with newsmakers and entertainers as contestants.

Trump marketed his name as a brand in various business ventures including Trump Financial, a mortgage company, and the Trump Entrepreneur Initiative (formerly Trump University), an online education company focusing on real-estate investment and entrepreneurialism. The latter company, which was dissolved in 2010, was the target of class-action lawsuits by former students and a separate action by the attorney general of New York alleging fraud. After initially denying the allegations, Trump settled the lawsuits for $25 million in November 2016.

Trump coauthored a number of books on entrepreneurship and his business career, including Trump: The Art of the Deal (1987), Trump: The Art of the Comeback (1997), Why We Want You to Be Rich (2006), Trump 101: The Way to Success (2006), and Trump Never Give Up: How I Turned My Biggest Challenges into Success (2008).

POLITICS

Trump was active in politics. From the 1980s he periodically mused in public about running for president, but those moments were widely downplayed in the press as publicity stunts. In 1999 he switched his voter registration from Republican to the Reform Party and established a presidential exploratory committee. Though he ultimately declined to run in 2000, he set forth his socially liberal and economically conservative political views in The America We Deserve (2000). Trump later rejoined the Republican Party, and he maintained a high public pro�le during the 2012 presidential election. Though he did not run for of�ce at that time, he gained much attention for repeatedly questioning whether Pres. Barack Obama was a natural-born U.S. citizen.

https://www.britannica.com/print/article/607230 2/13 10/4/2017 Donald Trump -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia 10/4/2017 Donald Trump -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia and Miss Teen USA beauty pageants. In June 2015 Trump announced that he would be a candidate in the U.S. presidential election of 2016. Pledging to “make America great again,” he promised to create millions of new jobs, to By the early 21st century Trump had begun developing several major hotel, residential, and punish American companies that exported jobs overseas, to repeal the Affordable Care Act resort complexes around the world, including Trump World Tower in New York City (2001), (ACA), to revive the U.S. coal industry, to “drain the swamp” in Washington, D.C., by reducing the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas (2008), and the Trump International Hotel and Tower in in�uence of lobbyists, to withdraw the United States from the 2015 Paris Agreement on Chicago (2009). He purchased the sprawling Mar-a-Lago mansion in Palm Beach, Florida, in climate change, to construct a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border to prevent illegal immigration 1985 and converted it into a private club 10 years later. In 2004, however, his company Trump from Latin America, and to ban immigration by Muslims. Trump wrote about those and other Hotels and Casino Resorts �led for bankruptcy after several of its properties accumulated issues in Crippled America: How to Make America Great Again (2015). unmanageable debt. The same company, renamed Trump Entertainment Resorts, went bankrupt again in 2009. On the campaign trail, Trump quickly established himself as a political outsider, a stance that proved popular with In addition to his real-estate ventures, in 2004 Trump premiered a reality television series, The many voters—especially those in the Tea Party movement Apprentice, which featured contestants competing in various challenges to become one of his —and he frequently topped opinion polls, besting employees. The Emmy-nominated show, in which Trump starred, popularized the phrase established Republican politicians. However, his “You’re �red” and solidi�ed Trump’s reputation as a shrewd outspoken businessman. In 2008 campaign was frequently mired in controversy, much of it the show was revamped as The Celebrity Apprentice, with newsmakers and entertainers as of his own making. In speeches and via Twitter, a social contestants. Donald Trump at a campaign rally in medium he used frequently, Trump often made Trump marketed his name as a brand in various business ventures including Trump Financial, a Fountain Hills, Arizona, March 2016. in�ammatory remarks, some of which were deemed mortgage company, and the Trump Entrepreneur Initiative (formerly Trump University), an Gage Skidmore offensive, especially to Mexicans, Muslims, and women. online education company focusing on real-estate investment and entrepreneurialism. The Trump’s initial refusal to condemn the Ku Klux Klan after latter company, which was dissolved in 2010, was the target of class-action lawsuits by former a former Klansman endorsed him also drew sharp students and a separate action by the attorney general of New York alleging fraud. After criticism, as did his failure to repudiate racist elements initially denying the allegations, Trump settled the lawsuits for $25 million in November 2016. among his supporters in the “alt-right” (a loose association Trump coauthored a number of books on entrepreneurship and his business career, including of self-described white nationalists, far-right libertarians, Trump: The Art of the Deal (1987), Trump: The Art of the Comeback (1997), Why We Want You to and neo-Nazis). While Trump’s comments worried the Be Rich (2006), Trump 101: The Way to Success (2006), and Trump Never Give Up: How I Turned Republican establishment, supporters seemed to be My Biggest Challenges into Success (2008). pleased by his combativeness, his provocative language, Donald Trump, 2016. and his outsider status. After a loss in the Iowa caucuses to © Gino Santa Maria/Shutterstock.com POLITICS open up the primary season in February 2016, Trump

Trump was active in politics. From the 1980s he periodically mused in public about running for rebounded by winning the next three contests, and he president, but those moments were widely downplayed in the press as publicity stunts. In 1999 extended his lead with a strong showing on Super Tuesday—when primaries and caucuses he switched his voter registration from Republican to the Reform Party and established a were held in 11 states—in early March. After a landslide victory in the Indiana primary in May, presidential exploratory committee. Though he ultimately declined to run in 2000, he set forth Trump became the presumptive Republican nominee as his last two opponents, Ted Cruz and his socially liberal and economically conservative political views in The America We Deserve John Kasich, dropped out of the race. (2000). Trump later rejoined the Republican Party, and he maintained a high public pro�le In July 2016 Trump announced that Indiana Gov. Mike Pence would be his vice presidential during the 2012 presidential election. Though he did not run for of�ce at that time, he gained running mate. At the Republican National Convention the following week, Trump was of�cially much attention for repeatedly questioning whether Pres. Barack Obama was a natural-born named the party’s nominee. There he and other speakers harshly criticized the presumptive U.S. citizen. Democratic nominee, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, blaming her for the 2012 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, and for allegedly having mishandled classi�ed State https://www.britannica.com/print/article/607230 2/13 https://www.britannica.com/print/article/607230 3/13 10/4/2017 Donald Trump -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia Department e-mails (an FBI investigation determined earlier in July that her actions had been “extremely careless” but not criminal). Trump continued that theme in the ensuing weeks, routinely referring to Clinton as “crooked Hillary” and repeatedly vowing to put her in jail if he were elected.

Despite having pledged in 2015 that he would release his Donald Trump at a rally in Akron, Ohio, tax returns, as every presidential nominee of a major party August 2016. had done since the 1970s, Trump later changed his mind, Amy Harris—Rex Features/Shutterstock/AP explaining that he was under routine audit by the Internal Images Revenue Service (IRS)—though there was no legal bar to releasing his returns under audit.

In late July, on the eve of the Democratic National Convention, thousands of internal e-mails of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) were publicly released by the Web site WikiLeaks in an apparent effort to damage the Clinton campaign. Reacting to widespread suspicions that the e-mails had been stolen by Russian hackers, Trump publicly encouraged the Russians to hack Clinton’s private e-mail server to �nd thousands of e-mails that he claimed had been illegally deleted.

Following the Democratic convention, Trump continued to make controversial and apparently impromptu comments via Twitter and in other forums that embarrassed the Republican establishment and seriously disrupted his campaign. He drew particular criticism for a series of negative comments about women, and in October 2016 a hot-mic video from 2005 surfaced in which he told an entertainment reporter that he had tried to seduce a married woman and that “when you’re a star…you can do anything,” including grabbing women by the genitals. Although Trump dismissed the conversation as “locker room talk,” a series of women subsequently claimed that Trump had sexually assaulted them in the past. He denied the allegations and noted that Bill Clinton had previously been accused of sexual assault and harassment. However, Trump’s support among women voters—already low—continued to wane, and some Republicans began to withdraw their endorsements.

Approximately one hour after the release of the Trump video, WikiLeaks published a trove of e-mails that had been stolen from the account of John Podesta, Clinton’s campaign manager. On the same day, the U.S. intelligence community publicly announced its assessment that the Russian government had directed efforts by hackers to steal and release sensitive Results of the U.S. presidential election, Democratic Party e-mails and other information in order 2016. https://www.britannica.com/print/article/607230 4/13 10/4/2017 Donald Trump -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia 10/4/2017 Donald Trump -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia Department e-mails (an FBI investigation determined Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. to bolster the Trump campaign and weaken public earlier in July that her actions had been “extremely con�dence in U.S. electoral institutions. In response, careless” but not criminal). Trump continued that theme Trump questioned the competence and motives of U.S. intelligence agencies and insisted that in the ensuing weeks, routinely referring to Clinton as no one really knew who might have been behind the hacking. A secret CIA report to Congress “crooked Hillary” and repeatedly vowing to put her in jail if in December and a separate report ordered by Obama and released in January 2017 also he were elected. concluded that the Russians had interfered in the election.

Despite having pledged in 2015 that he would release his Despite his ongoing efforts to portray Clinton as “crooked” and an “insider,” Trump trailed her in Donald Trump at a rally in Akron, Ohio, tax returns, as every presidential nominee of a major party almost all polls. As election day neared, he repeatedly claimed that the election was “rigged” August 2016. had done since the 1970s, Trump later changed his mind, and that the press was treating him unfairly by reporting “fake news.” He received no Amy Harris—Rex Features/Shutterstock/AP explaining that he was under routine audit by the Internal endorsements from major newspapers. During the third and �nal presidential debate, in Images Revenue Service (IRS)—though there was no legal bar to October, he made headlines when he refused to say that he would accept the election results. releasing his returns under audit. Eight days after that debate, the Trump campaign received a boost when FBI director James In late July, on the eve of the Democratic National Convention, thousands of internal e-mails of Comey noti�ed Congress that the bureau was reviewing a trove of e-mails from an unrelated the Democratic National Committee (DNC) were publicly released by the Web site WikiLeaks in case that appeared to be relevant to its earlier investigation of Clinton. Trump seized on the an apparent effort to damage the Clinton campaign. Reacting to widespread suspicions that announcement as vindication of his charge that Clinton was crooked. Six days later, Comey the e-mails had been stolen by Russian hackers, Trump publicly encouraged the Russians to announced that the new e-mails contained no evidence of criminal activity. Notwithstanding hack Clinton’s private e-mail server to �nd thousands of e-mails that he claimed had been the damage that Comey’s revelation had done to her campaign, Clinton retained a slim lead illegally deleted. over Trump in the polls of battleground states on the eve of election day, and most pundits and political analysts remained con�dent that she would win. When voting proceeded on Following the Democratic convention, Trump continued to make controversial and apparently November 8, 2016, however, Trump bested Clinton in a chain of critical Rust Belt states, and he impromptu comments via Twitter and in other forums that embarrassed the Republican was elected president. Although Trump won the electoral college vote by 304 to 227, and establishment and seriously disrupted his campaign. He drew particular criticism for a series of thereby the presidency, he lost the nationwide popular vote by more than 2.8 million. (After negative comments about women, and in October 2016 a hot-mic video from 2005 surfaced in the election, Trump claimed without evidence that 3 to 5 million people had voted for Clinton which he told an entertainment reporter that he had tried to seduce a married woman and illegally.) Trump took the oath of of�ce on January 20, 2017. that “when you’re a star…you can do anything,” including grabbing women by the genitals. Although Trump dismissed the conversation as “locker room talk,” a series of women Trump’s unexpected victory prompted much discussion in the press regarding the reliability of subsequently claimed that Trump had sexually assaulted them in the past. He denied the polls and the strategic mistakes of the Clinton campaign. Most analysts agreed that Clinton allegations and noted that Bill Clinton had previously been accused of sexual assault and had taken for granted some of her core constituencies (such as women and minorities) and harassment. However, Trump’s support among women voters—already low—continued to wane, that Trump had effectively capitalized upon the economic anxieties and resentment of and some Republicans began to withdraw their endorsements. working-class whites, particularly men.

Approximately one hour after the release of the Trump PRESIDENCY video, WikiLeaks published a trove of e-mails that had been stolen from the account of John Podesta, Clinton’s Almost immediately upon taking of�ce, Trump began issuing a series of executive orders campaign manager. On the same day, the U.S. designed to ful�ll some of his campaign promises and to project an image of swift, decisive intelligence community publicly announced its action. His �rst order, signed on his �rst day as president, directed that all “unwarranted assessment that the Russian government had directed economic and regulatory burdens” imposed by the ACA should be minimized pending the efforts by hackers to steal and release sensitive “prompt repeal” of that law. Five days later he directed the secretary of the Department of Results of the U.S. presidential election, Democratic Party e-mails and other information in order Homeland Security to begin planning for the construction of a wall along the country’s 2016. https://www.britannica.com/print/article/607230 4/13 https://www.britannica.com/print/article/607230 5/13 10/4/2017 Donald Trump -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia southern border. An executive order on ethics imposed a �ve-year ban on “lobbying activities” by former executive branch employees but weakened or removed some lobbying restrictions imposed by the Obama administration.

IMMIGRATION

One of Trump’s most controversial early executive orders, Pres. Barack Obama (right) and President- elect Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the issued on January 27, implemented his promised “Muslim White House, … ban,” which temporarily suspended immigration to the

Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Images United States from seven Muslim-majority countries in the interest of national security. The travel ban, as it came to be known, was immediately challenged in court on due-process and establishment-of-religion grounds and provoked spontaneous demonstrations at major airports in the United States in support of persons with valid visas who were prevented from boarding �ights to the U.S. or who were detained upon arrival and forced to return to their originating countries. In February a district court in Washington state issued a nationwide temporary restraining order enjoining enforcement of the travel ban, which the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals declined to stay. Foreseeing eventual defeat in the courts, Trump in March issued a second executive order, designed to avoid the constitutional pitfalls of the �rst, which it superseded. The second order also dropped Iraq from the list of targeted countries and narrowed the categories of persons whose travel would be affected. Nevertheless, district courts in Hawaii and Maryland issued injunctions blocking enforcement of the revised travel ban, which were largely upheld in May and June by the Fourth and Ninth Circuit Courts of Appeal, respectively. After agreeing in June to hear the consolidated cases during its October 2017 term, the U.S. Supreme Court lifted the injunctions for “foreign nationals who lack any bona �de relationship with a person or entity in the United States.”

EMOLUMENTS CLAUSE

During the presidential election campaign, some of Trump’s critics had warned that his presidency could create a unique and immediate constitutional crisis because of his possible violation of the foreign emoluments clause of the U.S. Constitution, which generally prohibits federal of�ceholders from accepting gifts, payments, or other items of value from foreign states or rulers without congressional permission. (A related constitutional provision, known as the domestic emoluments clause, speci�cally prohibits the president from receiving any emolument from the federal government or the states beyond his of�cial compensation.) Trump’s vast, complex, and largely secret international business interests, it was argued, could create exactly the kind of con�ict of interest that the foreign emoluments clause was intended https://www.britannica.com/print/article/607230 6/13 10/4/2017 Donald Trump -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia 10/4/2017 Donald Trump -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia southern border. An executive order on ethics imposed a to prevent—unless Trump were to sell his assets or place them in a blind trust. Although federal �ve-year ban on “lobbying activities” by former executive con�ict-of-interest laws do not apply to the president and vice president, several of Trump’s branch employees but weakened or removed some immediate predecessors in of�ce had used blind trusts or other means to avoid the lobbying restrictions imposed by the Obama appearance of con�ict of interest. administration. To address such concerns, in January Trump announced that he would surrender control—but not ownership—of his company, the Trump Organization, to two of his sons; that the company IMMIGRATION would undertake no new business deals with foreign states or the U.S. government; and that One of Trump’s most controversial early executive orders, the company would donate to the U.S. Treasury any pro�ts derived from patronage of Trump Pres. Barack Obama (right) and President- elect Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the issued on January 27, implemented his promised “Muslim properties by foreign governments—an arrangement that failed to satisfy some specialists in White House, … ban,” which temporarily suspended immigration to the government ethics. In late January a public interest group, Citizens for Responsibility and

Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Images United States from seven Muslim-majority countries in the Ethics in Washington, later joined by other plaintiffs, �led suit in federal district court in interest of national security. The travel ban, as it came to Manhattan, alleging that Trump was in violation of the foreign emoluments clause. In June the be known, was immediately challenged in court on due-process and establishment-of-religion attorneys general of Maryland and the District of Columbia sued Trump for allegedly having grounds and provoked spontaneous demonstrations at major airports in the United States in violated both the foreign and domestic emoluments clauses, and soon afterward nearly 200 support of persons with valid visas who were prevented from boarding �ights to the U.S. or Democratic members of Congress �led a separate suit alleging that, by continuing to accept who were detained upon arrival and forced to return to their originating countries. In February emoluments from foreign states without consulting Congress, Trump had denied them the a district court in Washington state issued a nationwide temporary restraining order enjoining opportunity to give or withhold their “Consent” as required under the foreign emoluments enforcement of the travel ban, which the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals declined to stay. clause. Foreseeing eventual defeat in the courts, Trump in March issued a second executive order, designed to avoid the constitutional pitfalls of the �rst, which it superseded. The second order SUPREME COURT also dropped Iraq from the list of targeted countries and narrowed the categories of persons Also in January, Trump made good on his promise to place conservative justices on the whose travel would be affected. Nevertheless, district courts in Hawaii and Maryland issued Supreme Court by nominating Neil Gorsuch to �ll the seat that had become vacant with the injunctions blocking enforcement of the revised travel ban, which were largely upheld in May death in February 2016 of Antonin Scalia. Although Obama had put forward Merrick Garland, a and June by the Fourth and Ninth Circuit Courts of Appeal, respectively. After agreeing in June judicial moderate, as Scalia’s replacement, the Republican-controlled Senate refused to to hear the consolidated cases during its October 2017 term, the U.S. Supreme Court lifted the schedule a vote or even to hold hearings on Garland’s nomination, preferring to gamble that a injunctions for “foreign nationals who lack any bona �de relationship with a person or entity in Republican would win the election and nominate a more conservative justice. Gorsuch was the United States.” con�rmed by the Senate in April after Senate Republicans overcame a Democratic �libuster by removing the traditional 60-vote minimum needed to end debate and proceed to a vote. EMOLUMENTS CLAUSE

During the presidential election campaign, some of Trump’s critics had warned that his CABINET APPOINTMENTS presidency could create a unique and immediate constitutional crisis because of his possible Trump took an unusually long time to assemble his cabinet, in part because many of his violation of the foreign emoluments clause of the U.S. Constitution, which generally prohibits nominations to positions requiring Senate con�rmation were �libustered by Democrats. His federal of�ceholders from accepting gifts, payments, or other items of value from foreign states cabinet was also unusual in that it was the least diverse in decades and by far the richest in U.S. or rulers without congressional permission. (A related constitutional provision, known as the history. Some of Trump’s cabinet-level appointments were closely associated with the �rms or domestic emoluments clause, speci�cally prohibits the president from receiving any industries that their agencies were charged with overseeing or were well known for having emolument from the federal government or the states beyond his of�cial compensation.) opposed their agencies’ basic missions in the past. Particularly controversial were Trump’s Trump’s vast, complex, and largely secret international business interests, it was argued, could choice for head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Scott Pruitt, who as Oklahoma create exactly the kind of con�ict of interest that the foreign emoluments clause was intended attorney general had spent much of his career suing the EPA on behalf of the oil and gas https://www.britannica.com/print/article/607230 6/13 https://www.britannica.com/print/article/607230 7/13 10/4/2017 Donald Trump -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia industry, and Trump’s choice for secretary of education, Betsy DeVos, who had frequently expressed contempt for public education while promoting and �nancially supporting school voucher legislation and charter and private schools. He also appointed Steve Bannon, the former head of Breitbart News, an alt-right publishing platform, as chief strategist. Trump gave his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and his daughter Ivanka Trump prominent (though unpaid) roles as senior adviser to the president and assistant to the president, respectively.

RUSSIA INVESTIGATION

In February Trump’s new national security adviser, Michael Flynn, was forced to resign after press reports disclosed that Flynn had continued to serve in the White House despite a warning from the Justice Department that he was vulnerable to Russian blackmail for having lied to Vice President Pence about the substance of a telephone conversation between Flynn and the Russian ambassador Donald Trump speaking at a rally in to the United States in December 2016. Flynn’s contacts Hershey, Pennsylvania, a month after with the ambassador, both before and after the election, winning the 2016 U.S. … had been monitored by the FBI as part of its routine Evan Vucci/AP Images surveillance of the ambassador’s communications and in connection with a then-secret investigation since July 2016 of possible collusion between Russian of�cials and prominent members of the Trump campaign. Speculation in the press regarding the existence of such an investigation had been repeatedly dismissed by Trump as “fake news” but was con�rmed by Comey in testimony before Congress in March, during which he also contradicted Trump’s claim that Obama had spied on the Trump campaign by tapping Trump’s telephones. Democratic members of Congress, meanwhile, expressed dismay that Comey had chosen to report the discovery of additional Clinton e-mails in October but had waited until after the election to reveal the Russia investigation.

After Comey testi�ed again in May about Russian interference in the election, Trump abruptly �red him, ostensibly on the recommendation of the Justice Department, which in memos solicited by Trump criticized Comey for his public disclosures regarding Clinton’s e-mails. One day later Trump told Russian of�cials in a meeting at the White House that his �ring of Comey had relieved “great pressure” on him and that Comey was “a real nut job.” Trump soon acknowledged that he had intended to �re Comey regardless of the Justice Department’s recommendation and that “this Russia thing” was a factor in his decision. Later that month the press obtained a copy of a memo written by Comey that summarized a conversation between Comey and Trump at a dinner at the White House in January. The memo stated that Trump had asked Comey to pledge “loyalty” to him and that Trump had indirectly requested that https://www.britannica.com/print/article/607230 8/13 10/4/2017 Donald Trump -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia 10/4/2017 Donald Trump -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia industry, and Trump’s choice for secretary of education, Betsy DeVos, who had frequently Comey drop the FBI’s investigation of Flynn. The memo immediately raised concerns, even expressed contempt for public education while promoting and �nancially supporting school among some Republicans, that Trump’s actions may have constituted obstruction of justice. voucher legislation and charter and private schools. He also appointed Steve Bannon, the The Justice Department then announced the appointment of former FBI director Robert former head of Breitbart News, an alt-right publishing platform, as chief strategist. Trump gave Mueller as special counsel to oversee the FBI’s investigation of Russian interference in the his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and his daughter Ivanka Trump prominent (though unpaid) roles election and possible collusion between Russian of�cials and the Trump campaign. as senior adviser to the president and assistant to the president, respectively. Comey’s testimony in June before the Senate Intelligence Committee, which, like the House Intelligence Committee, was conducting its own investigation of Russia, was broadcast live on RUSSIA INVESTIGATION television, radio, and the Internet. Many Americans watched from bars and restaurants, which In February Trump’s new national security adviser, Michael opened early in some parts of the country to provide venues for viewing the much-anticipated Flynn, was forced to resign after press reports disclosed event. Comey accused Trump and other administration of�cials of lying about Comey’s that Flynn had continued to serve in the White House effectiveness as director of the FBI, and he attributed his being �red to Trump’s alleged desire despite a warning from the Justice Department that he to shut down the Russia investigation. Comey also revealed that, after being �red, he indirectly was vulnerable to Russian blackmail for having lied to leaked the memo that recounted his dinner conversation with Trump in the hope of triggering Vice President Pence about the substance of a telephone the appointment of a special counsel who would continue the Russia investigation. conversation between Flynn and the Russian ambassador Donald Trump speaking at a rally in to the United States in December 2016. Flynn’s contacts HEALTH CARE Hershey, Pennsylvania, a month after with the ambassador, both before and after the election, winning the 2016 U.S. … An early goal of the Trump administration, as re�ected in Trump’s �rst executive order, was the had been monitored by the FBI as part of its routine repeal of Obamacare, which Trump had long derided—even before announcing his presidential Evan Vucci/AP Images surveillance of the ambassador’s communications and in bid—as an expensive failure. Trump pledged during his campaign that he would replace the connection with a then-secret investigation since July ACA with a bill that would provide better coverage at lower premiums, and he promised that 2016 of possible collusion between Russian of�cials and prominent members of the Trump no one would lose health insurance under his plan. However, the details of the bill, called in the campaign. Speculation in the press regarding the existence of such an investigation had been House of Representatives the American Health Care Act (AHCA), proved contentious, even repeatedly dismissed by Trump as “fake news” but was con�rmed by Comey in testimony within his own party. Because Trump had not worked out a speci�c plan of his own, he was before Congress in March, during which he also contradicted Trump’s claim that Obama had forced to rely on Republicans in the House to draft a substantive bill that would reduce spied on the Trump campaign by tapping Trump’s telephones. Democratic members of government involvement in the health insurance market without depriving millions of Congress, meanwhile, expressed dismay that Comey had chosen to report the discovery of Americans of the coverage they had acquired under the ACA. The Republicans did not have a additional Clinton e-mails in October but had waited until after the election to reveal the detailed alternative in hand, however, resulting in a delay in Trump’s promised repeal of the Russia investigation. law. After Comey testi�ed again in May about Russian interference in the election, Trump abruptly In early March House Republicans introduced their plan, which featured elimination of the �red him, ostensibly on the recommendation of the Justice Department, which in memos ACA’s “individual mandate” (the requirement that most Americans obtain health insurance or solicited by Trump criticized Comey for his public disclosures regarding Clinton’s e-mails. One pay a penalty), a reduction in individual tax credits for the purchase of insurance, cuts in day later Trump told Russian of�cials in a meeting at the White House that his �ring of Comey federal Medicaid funding, and nearly $1 trillion in tax cuts over a 10-year period, including $274 had relieved “great pressure” on him and that Comey was “a real nut job.” Trump soon billion in cuts for persons earning at least $200,000 a year. The Congressional Budget Of�ce acknowledged that he had intended to �re Comey regardless of the Justice Department’s (CBO) initially estimated that the plan would reduce the federal de�cit by $337 billion over 10 recommendation and that “this Russia thing” was a factor in his decision. Later that month the years but would also increase the number of uninsured people by 24 million over the same press obtained a copy of a memo written by Comey that summarized a conversation between period. The bill immediately faced objections from both moderate and conservative Comey and Trump at a dinner at the White House in January. The memo stated that Trump Republicans. The former worried that too many people would lose affordable coverage, while had asked Comey to pledge “loyalty” to him and that Trump had indirectly requested that the latter complained that the plan left too many burdensome provisions of the ACA in place. https://www.britannica.com/print/article/607230 8/13 https://www.britannica.com/print/article/607230 9/13 10/4/2017 Donald Trump -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia The anxieties of moderates in particular were ampli�ed by the angry feedback they received at town hall meetings throughout the country from constituents who feared the loss of their health insurance. Unable to bridge the differences between the two factions, in late March the House leadership withdrew the bill without a vote—a major defeat for Trump, who had made repeal and replacement of the ACA a centrepiece of his campaign.

Six weeks later the House narrowly passed a revised version of the AHCA over the unanimous opposition of Democrats. A subsequent CBO analysis projected that the new version would reduce the de�cit by $119 billion over 10 years but increase the number of uninsured by 23 million.

Soon after the AHCA was passed, Republicans in the Senate, working largely in secret and without input from Democrats, began crafting their own replacement for the ACA, initially called the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA). Like the AHCA, the BCRA, in numerous versions under various names, would have decreased the de�cit but signi�cantly increased the number of uninsured, and it would have increased insurance premiums in the �rst year after its passage, according to analyses released by the CBO in late June. The BCRA thus faced the same criticisms that had beset the House measure, revealing deep divisions between Senate Republicans who wished to limit the loss of health insurance in their states and those who aimed to dismantle as much of the current law as possible. Eventually, within a single week in late July, the Senate voted on three bills: a repeal of major provisions of the ACA without immediate replacement; a relatively comprehensive repeal and replacement of the ACA; and a more modest “skinny” repeal and replacement. Despite considerable political pressure on Senate Republicans from the Trump administration, all three measures failed.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

One of the areas in which the Trump administration was able to move quickly to implement its policies was the environment, in part because many of the changes it sought could be accomplished through executive action by Trump or his appointees. Other changes were undertaken through legislation adopted by Congress, whose Republican majority generally shared Trump’s environmental views. In January, for example, Trump signed memoranda to hasten approval and completion of the Dakota Access and Keystone XL oil pipelines, both of which had been blocked by the Obama administration on environmental grounds. In February Trump signed legislation to block an Interior Department rule that would have restricted the dumping of toxic mining waste into streams and other waterways. In March Trump signed an executive order that rescinded various Obama-era policies and programs related to climate change, including a 2016 freeze on new coal leases on federal lands. In the same month, EPA administrator Pruitt withdrew an EPA request that oil and natural gas companies report methane emissions from their facilities and rejected a total ban on the pesticide chlorpyrifos, against the advice of the EPA’s own scientists. https://www.britannica.com/print/article/607230 10/13 10/4/2017 Donald Trump -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia 10/4/2017 Donald Trump -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia The anxieties of moderates in particular were ampli�ed by the angry feedback they received at Undoubtedly the most momentous environmental decision of the new Trump administration town hall meetings throughout the country from constituents who feared the loss of their was Trump’s announcement in June that the United States would withdraw from the Paris health insurance. Unable to bridge the differences between the two factions, in late March the Agreement on climate change, under which the United States and 194 other countries had House leadership withdrew the bill without a vote—a major defeat for Trump, who had made agreed to a broad range of measures intended to limit potentially catastrophic increases in repeal and replacement of the ACA a centrepiece of his campaign. global average temperatures during the 21st century and to mitigate the economic consequences of global warming. Trump contended that the agreement would harm the Six weeks later the House narrowly passed a revised version of the AHCA over the unanimous American economy (through government-mandated reductions in the country’s greenhouse opposition of Democrats. A subsequent CBO analysis projected that the new version would gas emissions) and was in other respects unfair and even demeaning to the United States— reduce the de�cit by $119 billion over 10 years but increase the number of uninsured by 23 historically the largest emitter of greenhouse gases and in the early 21st century the second million. largest emitter after China. Trump’s decision was condemned by government and political Soon after the AHCA was passed, Republicans in the Senate, working largely in secret and leaders, scientists, business executives, and activists throughout the world but praised by without input from Democrats, began crafting their own replacement for the ACA, initially Republicans in Congress, who viewed it as a reassertion of American independence in world called the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA). Like the AHCA, the BCRA, in numerous affairs and a repudiation of the environmental policies of the Obama administration. Like versions under various names, would have decreased the de�cit but signi�cantly increased the Trump, many Republican lawmakers doubted that climate change was real, while others number of uninsured, and it would have increased insurance premiums in the �rst year after its questioned the human origins of global warming. passage, according to analyses released by the CBO in late June. The BCRA thus faced the same criticisms that had beset the House measure, revealing deep divisions between Senate CABINET OF PRES. DONALD J. TRUMP Republicans who wished to limit the loss of health insurance in their states and those who Cabinet of�cials in the administration of Donald J. Trump are provided in the table. aimed to dismantle as much of the current law as possible. Eventually, within a single week in late July, the Senate voted on three bills: a repeal of major provisions of the ACA without immediate replacement; a relatively comprehensive repeal and replacement of the ACA; and a more modest “skinny” repeal and replacement. Despite considerable political pressure on Senate Republicans from the Trump administration, all three measures failed.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

Cabinet of President Donald Trump

January 20, 2017–

Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson

Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin

Secretary of Defense James Mattis

Attorney General Jeff Sessions

Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke

Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue

Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross

Secretary of Labor R. Alexander Acosta

Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price (to September 29, 2017)

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson

Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao

Secretary of Energy Rick Perry

Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos

Secretary of Veterans Affairs David J. Shulkin

Secretary of Homeland Security John F. Kelly (to July 31, 2017)

Courtesy:

"Donald Trump". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2017. Web. 04 Oct. 2017 .

https://www.britannica.com/print/article/607230 12/13 10/4/2017 Donald Trump -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia 10/4/2017 Donald Trump -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia