President-elect Donald Trump made many sweeping promises on his way to victory on Election Day. After he is sworn in on Jan. 20, here are four of the most difficult and four of the easiest promises to keep:
Prevent shift of U.S. jobs out of the country
Companies move to other countries to pursue higher profits, and Trump cannot force them to stay. The question is whether he can make it profitable to stay here; labor is cheaper in other countries. He has promised tax cuts and regulatory relief, but those are minor expenses. He has threatened new taxes on imports, but he can't target particular companies.
Revive U.S. steel making and coal mining
The productivity of the U.S. coal industry has increased tenfold since the end of World War II. Work that once required 10 miners now requires one. Steel making has had a similar transformation. Most of those jobs are never coming back. And Trump can't reverse the fact that demand for coal has fallen thanks to a revolution in natural gas production.
Invest in infrastructure to create jobs
Trump will find bipartisan support in Congress for creating jobs and stimulating the economy by building and repairing highways, bridges and water systems. But Republicans may balk at spending that adds to the deficit. Democrats will resist tax breaks to companies in return for investments and efforts to waive environmental rules or wage protections.
Build a wall on the border with Mexico
Trump vowed to build a "great, great wall on our southern border" and have Mexico pay for it. Fulfilling this pledge would be difficult though not impossible if he stretches the definition of "wall." Fences already exist along hundreds of miles of the border. Congress might support more border security and fencing, but a wall would meet resistance from both parties.
Withdraw from the Pacific trade pact
Trump pledged that on his first day in office he would give notice that the U.S. intends to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which the Obama administration negotiated with other Pacific Rim nations. Trump has the authority to do it, but Japan and Australia hope he'll reconsider. If not, they may pursue regional trade deals that exclude the U.S.
Allow Keystone XL pipeline to proceed
Pipelines between the U.S. and Canada must obtain presidential approval. In 2015, President Obama refused to allow the Keystone XL pipeline, which would carry oil from Canada to Nebraska. Trump has urged TransCanada to submit a new application once he takes office. He also suggested that TransCanada should share profits with taxpayers.
Nominate a Supreme Court justice
Trump said that in his first 100 days, he will begin the process of selecting a replacement for Justice Antonin Scalia from his list of 21 judges "who will uphold and defend the U.S. Constitution." This promise will be easy to keep. Just winnowing the names of court candidates could qualify as beginning the process of replacing Scalia, who died in February.
Reduce business and personal taxes
Trump has promised to reduce federal taxation of businesses and households. Congressional Republicans have expressed support for a broadly similar approach. The details have derailed past efforts to overhaul the tax code, but Republican control of both Congress and the White House increases the chances that Trump will succeed.
