First-term headline legislation

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, signed on December 22, 2017, was the signature legislative achievement of Trump's first term and the largest tax overhaul since the 1986 Tax Reform Act [1, 2]. Major provisions included:

Reducing the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent.

Lowering individual income tax rates across most brackets.

Doubling the standard deduction.

Limiting the SALT (state and local tax) deduction to $10,000.

Many individual provisions are originally set to expire in 2025.

The bill passed with no Democratic support in either chamber [1]. Supporters argued it would supercharge growth; critics, including the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, argued benefits were skewed toward high-income earners and that the cuts did not "pay for themselves" through growth [2].

The First Step Act, signed on December 21, 2018, has been described as the most significant federal criminal justice reform in decades [3, 14]. The bipartisan-backed law allowed thousands of federal prisoners to earn earlier release and adjusted sentencing rules. It was supported by Senators Cory Booker (D), Mike Lee (R), and others, with Trump signing the bill after a public-affairs push that included Kim Kardashian [3].

The Sentencing Project subsequently reported recidivism rates for First Step Act beneficiaries to be "considerably lower" than for other federal prisoners released in the same period [14]. The Vera Institute described the bill as "one of the most important" criminal justice reforms in modern federal history, while noting that implementation challenges have hindered its full reach [3].

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), signed on January 29, 2020, replaced the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and was the most significant trade legislation of Trump's first term [4].

First-term volume

Per CNN's analysis, Trump signed 117 bills into law in his first year [4]. CRS data has Trump signing approximately 328 bills into law across his full first term, including the four named above, plus many smaller bills, Congressional Review Act resolutions rolling back Obama-era regulations, and routine appropriations.

Second-term headline legislation

The Laken Riley Act, signed January 29, 2025, was the first major bill of Trump's second term, mandating detention of immigrants charged with or convicted of certain crimes, including theft-related offenses [5]. The bill was named for a Georgia nursing student killed in February 2024.

The Take It Down Act, signed in May 2025, criminalized the publication of nonconsensual sexually explicit images and videos, including AI-generated deepfakes [6]. The bill passed the House overwhelmingly and was signed into law in spring 2025.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed in 2025, was the signature legislative achievement of Trump's second term to date. Passed via budget reconciliation with a 51-50 Senate vote (VP Vance breaking the tie) and 218-214 House vote, the law:

Made permanent the lower individual income tax rates from TCJA [7].

Made permanent the 20 percent pass-through deduction.

Created new short-term deductions for tips, overtime pay, and U.S.-made car loan interest (set to expire after 2028).

Raised the SALT cap to $40,000 for five years before reverting to $10,000.

Reduced federal Medicaid spending by approximately $1 trillion over ten years per CBO projections [7].

Made permanent business tax breaks for research and development, property depreciation, and interest expenses.

Trump's defenders described OBBBA as locking in pro-growth tax policy and delivering on campaign promises; critics, including most Democrats and some healthcare advocacy groups, argued the Medicaid cuts and rollback of premium tax credit enhancements would strip coverage from millions [7].

Executive orders: scale and approach

Where Trump's second term has differed most sharply from his first is in the scale of executive action. As of March 31, 2026, Trump had signed 253 executive orders, 59 memoranda, and 135 proclamations in his second term [8]. He signed 26 executive orders on his first day alone, more than any president in recent history [9].

By comparison, Trump signed approximately 220 executive orders across his full four-year first term [10]. The second-term pace, roughly 200-plus executive orders in his first year, is unprecedented in modern presidential history.

Major second-term executive orders by topic include:

DOGE creation and federal workforce reductions, including February 11, 2025's EO 14210 mandating significant agency staffing cuts [11].

Immigration enforcement, including ending birthright citizenship (blocked by federal courts), declaring a southern border emergency, ending humanitarian parole, and designating cartels as terrorist organizations [5].

Tariff and trade actions under IEEPA emergency authority, struck down 6-3 by the Supreme Court in February 2026 [7].

DEI and gender policy orders, including the "two sexes" recognition, restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors, and the prohibition on transgender participation in women's sports at federally funded institutions [9].

Energy actions, including the National Energy Emergency declaration and rescission of Biden-era climate regulations [11].

Pardons and clemency for nearly 1,500 January 6 defendants [9].

Critics, including legal scholars at the American Presidency Project, have noted that several of Trump's second-term executive orders direct action against specific law firms, former officials, and individuals associated with prior investigations or prosecutions of Trump, with at least 17 such orders catalogued in his first 100 days [9]. Supporters frame these as legitimate exercises of executive authority; critics frame them as violations of due process and the Trump inaugural pledge that "never again will the immense power of the state be weaponized to persecute political opponents" [9].

Trump's voting record before the presidency

As noted in the policy positions piece, Trump did not hold elected office before becoming president in January 2017. He has no congressional, state legislative, or local government voting record.

His political contributions across the decades before his political career began went to candidates of both parties: he donated to Democratic candidates, including the Clintons and Charles Schumer in the 1990s and 2000s, and to Republican candidates afterward [10]. His party registration shifted multiple times, settling as Republican by 2012 and continuing since [10].

Framing the record

The contrast between Trump's two terms in terms of legislative method is striking. His first term passed two pieces of legislation that became durable policy achievements (TCJA and First Step Act), worked within a normal legislative framework on most matters, and produced a moderate volume of additional laws.

His second term has been characterized by executive-order-driven governance at unprecedented scale, paired with one major reconciliation-passed legislative package (OBBBA) and several smaller bills. Supporters frame this as decisive action in the face of congressional gridlock; critics, including several federal courts that have blocked or modified specific executive actions, argue the approach has exceeded constitutional bounds [5, 12].

The full picture of Trump's legislative legacy will not be clear until the rest of his second term plays out and the longer-term effects of OBBBA and the executive orders work their way through the courts and the economy.