When Donald Trump first entered the White House in 2017, he had no political experience and little knowledge of the levers of federal power. His agenda was stymied by Congress and the courts, as well as senior staff members who served as guardrails.

That will not be the case when Trump returns to Washington in early 2025 – there will be far fewer checks on him as he enacts his sweeping plan to transform America.

Why will he be able to enact his vision?

Firstly, the Republicans have already claimed back the Senate and may yet also win a majority in the House, providing an easier path through Congress for his proposals.

Trump’s Republican critics in Congress have largely been defeated or retired, and the US Supreme Court, with three Trump-appointed justices, issued a ruling earlier this year affording presidents broad immunity from prosecution.

Trump has also vowed to bring with him loyalists who will enact his agenda, no questions asked, and who will arrive with hundreds of draft executive orders, legislative proposals and in-depth policy papers in hand.

His agenda includes plans to launch the largest deportation effort in the nation’s history, to use the Justice Department to punish his enemies, to dramatically expand the use of tariffs and to pursue a zero-sum approach to foreign policy that threatens to upend longstanding foreign alliances. That means the future of NATO is again in doubt.

In terms of his criminal proceedings, when he becomes president on January 20, Trump could appoint an attorney-general who would erase the federal charges against him.

With AP