U.S. President-elect Donald Trump pledged on Sunday to prioritize policies reversing transgender rights and combating drug cartels on his first day in office, speaking at the AmericaFest conference in Phoenix.
“I will sign executive orders to end child sexual mutilation, get transgender out of the military, and out of our elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools,” Trump said in an AFP report. He further promised to uphold what he called “the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female.”
Addressing other contentious issues, Trump vowed to designate drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, framing his stance as a direct response to crime linked to migrants. “This criminal network operating on American soil will be dismantled, deported, and destroyed,” he declared, referencing plans for what he described as the “largest deportation operation in American history.”
Trump also revisited his critique of the Panama Canal’s operation, calling current fees “ridiculous” and suggesting a potential U.S. reclamation of the canal if treaty terms are not followed. “We will demand that it be returned to the United States in full, quickly and without question,” he warned.
The president-elect hinted at sweeping foreign policy changes, including an end to the Ukraine war and a renewed focus on the Middle East, although he did not elaborate on specific strategies.
Trump’s statements come as debates over transgender rights, migrant policies, and foreign relations continue to polarize the nation. His speech served as both a preview of his administration’s priorities and a critique of President Joe Biden’s tenure. “On January 20, the United States will turn the page forever on four long, horrible years of failure,” Trump said, painting his upcoming presidency as the dawn of a “golden age of America.”
