Trump promised a 'Golden Age'. What has he delivered at home?

Donald Trump promised Americans a “Golden Age” when he returned to the White House in January 2025. Since then, his administration has slashed government spending through DOGE, ramped up mass deportations, expanded ICE operations and pursued an aggressive crackdown on DEI programmes and transgender rights. But how much has he actually achieved, and at what cost? Vedika Bahl examines Trump's domestic agenda since returning to office. When Donald Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, he promised Americans a “Golden Age”, pledging to restore safety, sovereignty and law and order. Since then, his administration has pursued a sweeping domestic agenda, targeting government spending, immigration, diversity programmes and transgender rights. DOGE: A chainsaw through the federal government On his first day back in office, Trump signed a series of executive orders, including withdrawing the United States from the Paris climate agreement and reversing nearly 80 Biden-era policies. One of his biggest promises was to slash government spending. To lead the effort, he appointed billionaire Elon Musk to head the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which initially...