[2025] 10 Most Controversial Trump Policies That Still Impact Us Today

Trump’s ambitious mass deportation program could force about 11 million undocumented migrants to leave the country if it becomes reality. His presidency ended in 2021, but his decisions continue to alter American life deeply.

These controversial policies reach way beyond the reach and influence of immigration alone. His decisions to implement a 25% tariff on Mexican and Canadian imports and lower corporate tax rates from 21% to 15% have altered the map of international trade and domestic economics. The changes affected environmental regulations, healthcare coverage for millions of Americans, and drone technology restrictions that targeted Chinese manufacturers.

Our analysis covers the most influential policy changes that affect our daily lives in 2025. We break down their complex implications and current status to show how these decisions shape our economy, environment, and society today.

Trump’s Immigration Crackdown: Mass Deportation Policy

_{Image Source: Missouri Independent}

The Trump administration made 472 changes to immigration policy that transformed the U.S. immigration system. These policies continue to shape immigration today, with 58 modifications partially active and 670 fully in effect as of 2025.

Mass Deportation Program Impact on Communities

The deportation program has created havoc in mixed-status families across the country. About 5.1 million children who are U.S. citizens live with undocumented family members and face possible family separation. These families would lose nearly two-thirds of their yearly income – a staggering drop of USD 51,200 per year.

Economic Consequences of Immigration Policies

Mass deportation would severely hurt the U.S. economy:

• U.S. GDP would drop by 4.2% to 6.8%, costing between USD 1.1 trillion to USD 1.7 trillion
• Federal tax revenue would fall by USD 46.8 billion, while state and local taxes would lose USD 29.3 billion
• Social Security would take a major hit, risking USD 22.6 billion in yearly contributions

Legal Challenges and Current Status

These policies now face many legal hurdles. Many local jurisdictions have created sanctuary policies that limit their work with federal immigration enforcement. Business owners can legally deny ICE agents entry without proper judicial warrants. Money remains a huge obstacle too – it would cost USD 88 billion yearly just to process one million deportations.

Environmental Regulation Rollbacks

_{Image Source: The New York Times}

Trump’s presidency saw the dismantling of over 125 environmental regulations that protected air, water, and land resources. His leadership brought unprecedented changes to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), with 40 more rollbacks started before his term ended.

Changes to EPA Regulations

The administration rolled back several key environmental protections:

• Power plants faced looser caps on carbon pollution
• Federal control over water contamination decreased
• Mercury emission restrictions disappeared
• Product efficiency standards weakened

Impact on Climate Change Efforts

These policy shifts altered climate initiatives by a lot. The administration stopped stricter federal gas-mileage standards and took away California’s right to set its own air-quality standards. The administration’s changes to the National Environmental Policy Act also reduced environmental risk assessments for major infrastructure projects.

Current Environmental Policy Landscape

These changes could raise greenhouse gas emissions by 4 billion tons through 2030. Air pollution might cause USD 900 million in climate-related damage worldwide. Environmental groups and states have fought these rollbacks in court and won 40% of lawsuits over major EPA rules. Reversing these changes takes substantial time and resources, especially with oil and gas leases.

Trade War with China

_{Image Source: Council on Foreign Relations}

Trump’s proposed policies have created unprecedented tension in the US-China trade relationship. His original plan includes a 10% tariff on all U.S. imports and duties of 60% or higher on Chinese goods.

Tariff Implementation and Effects

Trump’s first wave of tariffs on USD 370 billion of Chinese imports successfully reduced the U.S. trade deficit with China from USD 418 billion in 2018 to USD 279 billion in 2023. This change created several unexpected winners:

• Mexico and Vietnam became alternative manufacturing hubs
• Brazil and Argentina captured China’s soybean market share
• Southeast Asian nations attracted manufacturing investments

Effect on US-China Relations

China adapted its strategy by broadening trade relationships and learning about new markets. The Chinese government might allow the yuan to weaken in 2025 to counter increased U.S. tariffs. Beijing continues to maintain strong economic ties with both U.S. allies and Global South nations.

Long-term Economic Consequences

Economic implications reach beyond bilateral trade. U.S. businesses depend heavily on Chinese technology imports, particularly smartphones and computers. Research shows Trump’s proposed tariffs could reduce Chinese growth by 1.5%. Oxford Economics estimates these policies ended up decreasing U.S.-China trade by 70%. Chinese manufacturers will likely relocate to third-country markets instead of moving production to America, which could expand China’s global influence further.

Healthcare Policy Changes

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Major changes await America’s healthcare system as improved Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies will expire in late 2025.

Affordable Care Act Modifications

The Congressional Budget Office expects ACA Marketplace enrollment to fall from 22.8 million in 2025 to 18.9 million in 2026. The drop comes from Biden-era improved subsidies expiring, which could make premium payments 79% more expensive. These changes may reduce enrollment to 15.4 million by 2030.

Healthcare Cost Impact

Healthcare providers and patients will face substantial financial changes. Hospitals could see federal funding cuts, especially in Medicaid spending and state directed payments. The most important effects include:

• Hospitals will see rising uncompensated care costs
• Medical supplies will cost more due to higher tariffs
• Community health programs will receive less investment

Current Healthcare Landscape

Nonprofit hospitals could feel the strongest effects when subsidies disappear, which would lead to more uninsured or self-pay patients. The administration’s proposed changes could hurt hospitals’ bottom lines through Medicaid funding cuts. States with expanded Medicaid under the ACA would feel stronger effects from these changes. The healthcare sector expects major changes in federal funding patterns, and Medicaid could become the main target for spending cuts.

Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act represents the biggest tax overhaul in recent U.S. history.

Corporate Tax Changes

This legislation slashed the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%, aligning it with other developed nations. The change reduced corporate tax revenues by USD 100-150 billion each year through 2027. America’s largest profitable corporations watched their effective tax rates drop from 22% to 12.8% after the law took effect.

Individual Tax Impact

The benefits of this tax law varied significantly among income groups:

• The top 1% received tax cuts averaging USD 61,090
• The middle 20% saw modest gains of USD 930
• The bottom 60% got less than USD 500

Economic Effects Through 2025

The promised economic benefits fell short of expectations. Workers making less than USD 114,000 saw no earnings increase while executive salaries soared. The law’s price tag through 2025 reaches USD 1.9 trillion. Making these tax cuts permanent would add USD 3.9 trillion to the deficit between 2026 and 2035.

Corporate provisions stay permanent, but individual tax cuts will expire in 2025. This creates uncertainty for millions of American households. Families earning between USD 60,000 and USD 100,000 yearly would lose about USD 1,000 when these cuts expire. The Congressional Budget Office warns these changes could drive federal debt above 200% of GDP in the next three decades.

Social Media and Tech Regulation

Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act faces the most important changes under Trump’s tech policy agenda. The administration wants to limit liability protections for social media platforms. This could force them to choose between content moderation and legal immunity.

Section 230 Changes

The Federal Communications Commission suggests broader oversight of Section 230. Commissioner Brendan Carr supports legislative changes that would stop platforms from censoring protected speech. Lawmakers now talk about repealing these protections to hold platforms responsible for their shared content.

Impact on Tech Companies

These policy changes affect social media platforms differently:

• Meta steps back from political content moderation
• X (formerly Twitter) sees potential advertiser reassessment
• TikTok faces uncertainty despite Trump’s pledge to prevent its ban

Tech companies must direct their way through competing policy objectives between federal regulations and state-level requirements. Platforms might need to show their algorithms and content moderation practices.

Current Digital Policy Framework

The new framework reduces barriers to innovation while increasing scrutiny of political bias. The administration’s position lines up with Republican priorities to reform Section 230. This focuses on transparency and free speech. Project 2025 recommends using antidiscrimination provisions to protect political views. It targets dominant platforms specifically while leaving out specialized platforms and newspaper comment sections.

Foreign Policy Shifts

_{Image Source: Council on Foreign Relations}

U.S. foreign policy has changed significantly as Trump wants NATO defense spending to increase to 5% of GDP, which is more than double the current 2% target.

NATO Alliance Changes

Trump’s NATO strategy focuses on sharing the burden. European allies are working hard to meet new defense requirements. While 23 out of 32 NATO members meet the 2% threshold, the administration’s requirements could put pressure on alliance relationships. European nations face challenges as they try to expand their military capabilities faster. The German coalition government struggles to balance defense spending with domestic priorities.

Middle East Policy Impact

The administration builds stronger ties with Israel and Gulf states while keeping pressure on Iran. The Abraham Accords, which normalize relations between Israel and Arab nations, are the life-blood of regional policy. Trump’s position on Iran points to a return to “maximum pressure,” which could affect regional stability. The administration’s backing of Saudi leadership, despite controversies, shows its focus on strategic collaborations.

Current International Relations

U.S. foreign policy has moved toward a more give-and-take approach that puts national sovereignty ahead of international consensus. Major changes include:

• Less focus on human rights in diplomatic relations
• Preference for bilateral deals over multilateral agreements
• Economic interests take priority in alliance decisions

This policy direction shows a fundamental change in America’s global role that affects long-standing international partnerships. Allies will likely need to adapt to U.S. support that comes with more conditions, especially regarding defense commitments and trade relationships.

Banking Deregulation

_{Image Source: Global Finance Magazine}

Trump’s administration wants to reshape financial oversight, bringing major changes to banking regulations. The Federal Reserve has modified its stress test process to give banks more clarity about their testing models.

Financial Industry Changes

Banks are pushing hard to revise capital rules, especially the Basel III requirements. The proposed capital increases fell from 19% to 9%, and banks want even lower numbers. Financial institutions also want changes to the Global Systemically Important Banks (GSIB) surcharge that requires USD 230 billion in capital reserves.

Consumer Protection Impact

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) operations are about to change radically. These changes create uncertainty for recent rules, including:

• Restrictions on overdraft fees
• Medical debt reporting limitations
• Digital payment oversight expansion

The CFPB’s medical debt action would remove USD 49 billion from 15 million credit reports. Some consumer protections might remain intact, especially those that govern digital payment apps like Apple Pay and Venmo.

Current Banking Landscape

The banking sector expects more mergers ahead. With over 4,000 banks in the industry, smaller institutions are looking for ways to consolidate. The Department of Justice’s approach to merger reviews might change drastically. A recent Supreme Court ruling has limited how agencies interpret ambiguous laws. This decision reshapes regulatory oversight of financial institutions and could lead to policies that favor the industry more.

Energy Independence Push

Trump’s policies have drastically changed America’s energy sector by focusing on domestic production. U.S. crude oil output hit a record 12.9 million barrels per day in 2023. This number beat the previous record of 12.3 million barrels from 2019.

Fossil Fuel Policy Changes

The Trump administration wants to boost domestic fossil fuel production through several steps:

• Quick approval of federal drilling permits
• More federal lands available for oil exploitation
• Fewer environmental restrictions on production
• Resuming liquefied natural gas export authorizations

Renewable Energy Effect

Renewable energy growth continues despite policy changes. The numbers show solar capacity could drop by more than half. Wind installations might decrease by 37-44%. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act brought one of the biggest boosts in federal energy research and development spending. The U.S. now stands at 19th place among OECD countries for energy innovation investment.

Current Energy Policy Status

The energy sector shows mixed outcomes. The U.S. managed to keep its spot as the world’s top oil producer for six straight years. These new policies could boost domestic fossil fuel use and might cut net exports by 9-20%. Crude oil imports could rise by 0.5-1.1 million barrels daily. This change could affect America’s goals for energy independence.

Education Policy Reforms

_{Image Source: Maine Morning Star}

Major changes to America’s education system are on the horizon as Trump’s policies target student loan programs and school choice initiatives. The administration plans to end the SAVE income-driven repayment plan. This decision will affect millions of borrowers who now benefit from its 5% discretionary income cap.

Student Loan Policy Changes

The administration wants to combine multiple income-driven repayment plans into one program. The new cap would be 12.5% of discretionary income. Graduate borrowers would need to wait 30 years for loan forgiveness, while undergraduate loans would be forgiven after 15 years. The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program might be eliminated for new applicants.

School Choice Impact

School choice has become the life-blood policy through several initiatives:

• Tax credit scholarships worth USD 5 billion annually
• Expanded use of 529 savings plans for private education
• Creation of the American Academy, a free online education alternative

Current Education Landscape

The Department of Education might be dismantled, and its responsibilities would move to other federal agencies. States would take control of most education matters. Twelve states now have universal private school choice programs. This shows a trend toward local education governance. The administration’s proposed changes could affect USD 13 billion in federal education funding, which would end up altering how schools receive financial support.

Comparison Table

Policy Area	Main Policy Change	Key Statistical Impact	Economic Implications	Current Status/Outlook (2025)
Immigration Crackdown	472 administrative updates to immigration system	5.1M American children affected with undocumented family members	62.7% drop in household earnings; USD 1.1-1.7T GDP reduction	58 updates partly active, 670 fully implemented
Environmental Rollbacks	Removed 125+ environmental safeguards	4B ton rise in greenhouse gasses through 2030	USD 900M in worldwide climate damage	Courts blocked 40% of major EPA rules
Trade War with China	10% tax on U.S. imports, 60%+ on Chinese goods	Trade gap down from USD 418B (2018) to USD 279B (2023)	U.S.-China trade could fall by 70%	Chinese producers moving to other markets
Healthcare Policy	ACA support ends	Numbers expected to fall from 22.8M to 18.9M (2026)	Premium costs up by 79%	Enrollment likely down to 15.4M by 2030
Tax Cuts	Business tax dropped from 35% to 21%	Top 1% got USD 61,090 average reduction	Total cost USD 1.9T through 2025	Personal tax cuts end in 2025
Social Media Regulation	Section 230 protection updates	Not mentioned	Not mentioned	Platforms must choose between content control and legal protection
Foreign Policy	NATO defense budget target up to 5% GDP	23 of 32 NATO members meet current 2% goal	Not mentioned	U.S. support becomes more conditional
Banking Deregulation	New stress test methods	Capital needs down from 19% to 9%	USD 230B in GSIB reserves affected	More mergers likely
Energy Independence	More domestic oil output	12.9M barrels daily in 2023	Exports down 9-20%	U.S. leads global oil production
Education Reform	SAVE program ends	Payments limited to 12.5% of spare income	USD 13B federal education money affected	12 states offer universal private school choice

Conclusion

Trump’s policies from 2017-2021 continue to transform American society, economy, and international relations through 2025. These decisions affect millions of lives across the nation. Middle-class households prepare for tax cut expirations while undocumented families face deportation risks.

Many policies face legal challenges and administrative hurdles, yet their effects remain strong. The environmental rollbacks could add 4 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions through 2030. Healthcare modifications might strip millions of their insurance as ACA subsidies expire. U.S.-China relations have changed permanently due to trade policies, and banking deregulation has created a new financial oversight landscape.

These policies represent permanent structural changes rather than temporary adjustments. Corporate tax cuts stay permanent, but individual benefits will expire. NATO’s allies grapple with higher defense spending requirements. The energy sector’s focus remains on domestic production despite growing renewable energy adoption.

Citizens and businesses must understand these policy effects to prepare for future changes. Every aspect of American life feels the impact – from rising education costs to reduced environmental protection, changing immigration rules to evolving trade relationships.

The long-term consequences of these policies will shape America’s domestic and international standing far beyond 2025.

FAQs

Q1. What are some of the most significant Trump policies still affecting the US in 2025? Some of the most impactful Trump policies still affecting the US in 2025 include immigration crackdowns, environmental regulation rollbacks, trade policies with China, healthcare changes, and tax cuts. These policies continue to shape various aspects of American life, from the economy to international relations.

Q2. How have Trump’s immigration policies impacted communities? Trump’s immigration policies have had substantial effects on communities, particularly mixed-status families. About 5.1 million U.S. citizen children live with undocumented family members, facing potential family separations. These households could experience a dramatic 62.7% reduction in annual income if deportations occur.

Q3. What changes were made to environmental regulations under Trump’s administration? The Trump administration dismantled over 125 environmental regulations aimed at protecting air, water, and land resources. This included loosening caps on carbon pollution from power plants, reducing federal authority over water contamination control, and eliminating restrictions on mercury emissions.

Q4. How did the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act affect different income groups? The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act had uneven effects across income groups. The top 1% received average cuts of $61,090, while the middle 20% gained only $930, and the bottom 60% averaged less than $500. Corporate tax rates were permanently reduced from 35% to 21%, while individual tax cuts are set to expire in 2025.

Q5. What changes were proposed for student loan policies? The administration proposed terminating the SAVE income-driven repayment plan and consolidating multiple income-driven repayment plans into a single program with payments capped at 12.5% of discretionary income. Loan forgiveness timelines would extend to 30 years for graduate borrowers while shortening to 15 years for undergraduate loans.