President-Elect Donald Trump's career in construction and development has made many believe that he will be a champion for the construction and infrastructure sectors in his second term. While we don't know the future, we can look to the past – President Trump's first term – for clues about what is to come. Consider the following:
- Executive Orders on Immigration and Border Security. On Jan. 25, 2017, President Trump signed an executive order directed at "Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements." Similar initiatives in a second Trump term, which were regularly promised during the 2024 campaign, could be a drag on construction, which relies heavily on noncitizen labor.
- Revisions to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). In July 2020, the first Trump Administration made revisions to NEPA, limiting public review of federal infrastructure projects to speed up the permitting of freeways, power plants and pipelines. All indications are to expect a similar approach from the second Trump Administration, clearing the way for additional infrastructure projects.
- Infrastructure Spending and Energy Projects. During his first term, President Trump emphasized the importance of energy projects, stating that blocking them undermines national security. During the 2024 campaign and after the election, President-Elect Trump promised more of the same, most recently saying that he will revoke the Biden Administration's offshore drilling ban on his first day in office.
Expect President-Elect Trump to be a vocal champion of construction and infrastructure in his second term and to take legislative actions to encourage ambitious projects. Though some Trump positions, most notably on immigration and trade, may present challenges that could be a counterweight, those positions are likely to be moderated.
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