February 2025: How Trump Will Impact America in 2025

On January 20, 2025, Donald Trump stepped back into the White House for his second, nonconsecutive term after a crushing victory against former Vice President Kamala Harris. The Democratic Party was largely divided when it came down to the unified support of a presidential candidate in the final hours. Despite Harris’ brat-ified campaign burning through $1.5 billion in less than four months, she was unable to stop the former president and convicted felon Donald Trump from retaking The Oval Office once again.

Trump talked a big game throughout his campaign, threatening mass deportations—a tyrannical plan he has dubbed “Operation Aurora“—the end of birthright citizenship, wide-sweeping tariffs, and the obliteration of transgender rights and access to gender-affirming healthcare as we know it. Now, in his second term, Trump will benefit from a conservative-majority Supreme Court stocked with his own appointees and a newfound Republican control of both congressional chambers. So how will Trump impact America in 2025? Here is a look ahead at how the fabric of our country might change this year and how we can prepare for what the next four could look like.

We can expect Donald Trump to launch an all-out war on information and facts. Social media tech moguls like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg are ditching fact-checking on social media. We should all be concerned about some of the wealthiest people in the world who oversee the most powerful information distribution systems in the world working hand-in-hand with the new president.

Trump’s pick for The Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is a conspiracy theorist and notorious anti-vaxxer who will have considerable control over health and food safety. While Kennedy won’t be able to ban vaccines outright, he could make them harder and more expensive to get, for example, by changing what vaccinations are covered by insurance. Speaking of insurance, a record 24 million people have signed up for insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act this year. However, the future of the ACA faces an uncertain future under a Republican-controlled White House and Congress.

Trump has already stated that he will declare a national emergency to use the military to help carry out promised mass deportations. One of the ways the Trump administration might enforce this is through an expansion of the “expedited removal” program, combined with raids in neighborhoods and workplaces. Using expedited removal, an immigration officer may quickly deport individuals without due process if the government establishes that they entered the United States without immigration documents and have been in the country for less than two years

Trump has promised to roll out several policies targeting transgender people on his first day in office, including a new federal definition of sex as binary and assigned at birth. If Congress establishes that only two genders will be federally recognized, it’s hard to say how exactly this would play out. We may be entering a time where having a nonbinary gender marker could expose you to (more) potential harassment, discrimination, or other risks. Trump also said during his campaign that he would roll back federal policies prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as restrict transgender and nonbinary people’s ability to update documents, receive gender-affirming care, enlist in the military and play sports, among other things.

Republican lawmakers at the national level have also proposed limiting federal funding for reproductive rights and sexual health organizations, including those that focus on trans health. Trump has also said the federal dollars shouldn’t go to institutions that promote “gender ideology” or “critical race theory.” This could mean that comprehensive sexual education may not be available to kids in schools, and books on gender or sexuality may be removed from public libraries. Community organizations and individual families may have to be more diligent in providing anti-racist and LGBTQ+ education to kids in place of school curriculum.

It’s important to keep in mind that Trump’s power won’t be limitless. Republicans hold a razor-thin majority in the House, and although they have touted their alignment on a wide range of issues, it remains to be seen just how unified the GOP will be. Expect in-fighting within the Republican party writ large. One thing to remember is that as daunting as the next four years might be, we are better prepared than we were eight years ago. We can make it through anything, but we have to rely on each other. Hold your people close; take care of yourselves, and stay strong.

Things you can do prepare for the Trump administration:

Get your documents changed as soon as possible: If you are a transgender or nonbinary person, you should update your legal name and gender marker as soon as possible. This usually requires filing a petition with your local county court, obtaining a court order, and updating documents such as your driver’s license, passport, Social Security card, and birth certificate depending on what state you live in.

Get married legally: If you are your partner and considering getting married at some point in the near future, consider filing the paperwork and making it official sooner rather than later. Marriage equality is currently the law throughout the U.S., so even if the federal government were to refuse to recognize marriage equality prospectively, your already-existing marriage would remain valid. You can also bolster legal recognition of your marriages, such as additional estate planning and powers of attorney.

Protect your parentage: If you have kids, safeguarding your parental rights is one way that LGBTQ+ parents can prepare for what is to come. A birth certificate, even with your name listed as a parent, will not necessarily protect you fully. You can obtain a court order of parentage or adoption to make sure your parental rights are secured.

If you or your loved ones are undocumented, create a safety plan: Gather documents showing the length of time you have been in the United States; the most recent two years are the most important. Seek legal consultation if you are at risk. Identify your emergency contacts, and memorize their phone numbers. Tell your loved ones that if you are detained by ICE, they can try to use ICE’s online detainee locator to find you.

Educate yourself: Organizations like the News Literacy Project and Media Literacy Now offer resources that you can use to arm yourself against misinformation and build critical thinking skills when it comes to media and news consumption.

Get birth control: Depending on what state you live in, birth control might be difficult to access. Many IUDs can last as many as eight years, which make them a safe and effective long-term birth control option for people who aren’t looking to get pregnant any time soon.

Get vaccinated: Make sure that you and your family, including any children, are up to date on all your vaccines as soon as possible. Stay up to date on your preventative care and doctor’s visits in you are insured through the Affordable Care Act.

Attend self-defense classes: Try learning some basic self-defense skills that you would be able to use in case of unexpected violence or harassment. Check out some Brazilian jiu jitsu, Muay Thai, or Krav Maga classes offered near you to help you feel more empowered in case of a physical attack.

Join a local or national group: You can join a social justice organizations and direct action initiatives on a local or national level. Joining an organization like Working Families Party, Showing Up For Racial Justice (SURJ), Welcoming America, or Denver Justice Program is a great way to build skills and get involved in your own community.

This piece was originally published in our February issue as an overview of what to expect from the new administration.