As of today, the fifth anniversary of that brouhaha that went down at the Capitol, Donald Trump’s second term has nearly completed its first full year, which has been marked by aggressive executive actions, a major legislative package, and the usual bit of controversy.

Trump began by issuing a slew of executive orders, bypassing a divided Congress described as “historically unproductive.” His administration focused on America First priorities soon after, achieving notable successes in border security and energy production, thus delivering on several campaign promises through unilateral actions and a major reconciliation bill that reshaped policy in immigration, energy, and trade.

Efforts to secure the southern border were a standout success. Illegal crossings plummeted by at least 93% thanks to policies like reinstating “Remain in Mexico,” ending catch-and-release, and deploying military support led to over 600,000 deportations and a reported 1.9 million self-deportations. Additionally, cartels were designated as terrorists and funding for sanctuary cities was cut, consequently reducing crime and restoring national security.

The GDP expanded by a robust 4.3% in Q3, driven by consumer spending, government investment, and pledges for trillions in domestic projects, such as $500 billion in AI infrastructure. Tariffs (literally his favorite word) also generated at least $90 billion in revenue, contributing to a rare Treasury surplus.

The “One Big Beautiful Bill” (a silly name if we’re being honest) extended 2017 tax cuts, eliminated taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security, and boosted funding for defense and the border. Energy production also surged with rollbacks on renewables, reviving pipelines and drilling.

Inflation dipped to its lowest level in nearly five years (2.7%), down from Biden-era peaks with drops in food, gas, and housing costs. Wage gains outpaced inflation for much of the year, thanks largely to deregulation in supply-side policies. By extension, over 670,000 new jobs were created and stock markets reached record highs.

Cutting through the red tape was a welcome change. Trump fired thousands of bureaucrats thanks to tag team partner Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which shuttered agencies and slashed increasingly unpopular DEI programs.

Gridlock abounded, but court victories upheld tariffs and deportations. He navigated a 43-day government shutdown, and issued pardons for 1,500 Jan. 6 defendants and anti-abortion protesters — seen by supporters as triumphs over weaponized justice.

In addition, the president brokered peace deals and ceasefires throughout Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa; he oversaw the release of hostages, pressured NATO allies to increase spending, defunded those baby killers at Planned Parenthood (via Medicare), ended “woke” education and military policies, and revived symbols like the National Garden of American Heroes.

Despite the successes, the Epstein files debacle is a major flub. The DOJ missed the December 19 deadline to release all files, providing only partial, heavily redacted documents.

Dismissive attempts to deflect from the matter were not a good look. In fact survivors and lawmakers accused the administration of hiding long sought-after information, and Trump himself faced some backlash for insulting supporters who demanded transparency. In the end, distrust was only fueled and questions about Epstein’s ties to elites remain unresolved.

The Donald is anything but boring. It was never going to be perfect, but like tens of millions I am thankful that he is the current occupant in the Oval Office.

It could’ve been so much worse…