Trump outpacing GOP-led Congress in enacting Republican agenda

President Donald Trump is outpacing the GOP-led Congress in enacting a series of campaign promises that were outlined in the Republican Party’s 2024 platform that led the party to sweep the White House, House of Representatives and Senate.

Border security is a major focus of the 2024 GOP platform, which calls for sealing the border and stopping the "migrant invasion."

Trump has issued multiple executive orders related to border security and immigration law enforcement, which have contributed to a record drop in border encounters with illegal immigrants. 

Congress hasn't yet sent a border security or immigration-related bill to Trump to sign.

The "Big Beautiful Bill Act" includes some border provisions but the bill is still tied up in the Senate as Republicans debate changes to make to the House-passed version.

GOP leaders are still shooting for a July 4 deadline to pass the bill.

"ICE officers are facing down some of the worst criminals in our country every day, and they are facing a 412% increase in assaults. Just the other week, an ICE officer was injured while arresting a criminal alien. ICE needs backup, and it needed it yesterday," wrote Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, in a recent op-ed.

According to the White House, the so-called "megabill" would finish Trump’s border wall as well as boost Border Patrol and ICE agents on the "frontlines with the largest border security investment in history."

Trump has also cracked down on sanctuary cities through executive actions by deporting illegal immigrants with criminal records in cities that do not cooperate with ifederal immigration authorities. Despite the introduction of several bills related to ending sanctuary cities, Congress hasn't been able to send a bill to Trump's desk.

Keeping biological men out of women's sports is part of the party's platform. Trump has issued an executive order on the matter but the GOP-led Senate was not able to pass the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act.

The bill, which would ban men from competing in women's sports nationally, failed to bypass the 60-vote threshold in the Senate in March.

Trump has issued several executive orders related to tackling inflation and bringing down costs related to prescription drugs and energy in the absence of related legislation. Ending inflation is part of the GOP's 2024 party platform.

GOP leaders in Congress like House Speaker Mike Johnson have emphasized that reducing spending will help curb inflation. The "Big Beautiful Bill Act" that passed the House recently includes roughly $1.5 trillion in spending reductions over a 10-year period. 

Conservative Republicans in the Senate like Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., are opposed to the House bill, arguing it doesn't cut the deficit enough. Johnson wants the bill to return the government to pre-pandemic levels of federal spending. 

"I can't accept this is the new normal," Johnson said in an interview. "It's just unacceptable."

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., agrees with Johnson that the House-passed version needs major changes.

"I promise you that whatever the House sent here is not going to pass muster," he said on the Just the News, No Noise TV program. "When it comes to the Senate, there's going to be a lot of things changed, and when it changes, we'll try to change it for the best. Now, at the end of the day, we've got to do it to where we can get it passed back in the House, and that's going to be a big concern."

Meanwhile, House GOP members have been warning the Senate not to make too many changes because it could further slow down passage.

"I don't want perfect to be the enemy of the good, and I think if they tweak too many policy positions, it's going to be harder to get that passed when it comes back to the House," said Rep. Troy Downing, R-Mont., on the Just the News, No Noise TV program. "So I'm hoping that we can continue moving forward on passing something that is, you know, this great bill has these historic tax cuts, historic spending cuts. And I think really will unleash the American economy."

Johnson noted the GOP has a slim majority in the House so he needs nearly all Republicans on board to pass legislation. 

In March, Trump took executive action related to election integrity and securing elections. 

"The Secretary of Homeland Security shall, consistent with applicable law, ensure that State and local officials have, without the requirement of the payment of a fee, access to appropriate systems for verifying the citizenship or immigration status of individuals registering to vote or who are already registered," read the executive order.

Congress has not yet sent legislation related to these issues to Trump's desk. The House passed the SAVE Act, which would require U.S. citizenship to "register an individual to vote" in federal elections but it hasn't passed in the Senate.

A cental part of the party platform is making the 2017 Trump tax cuts permanent. Trump also made a host of tax cut promises on the campaign trail, including eliminating taxes on tips and overtime pay.

Those provisions are included in the megabill, which is still pending in Congress. The Senate recently passed a "no tax on tips" bill but the House hasn't acted on it, given that the House passed the megabill with that policy included.

The White House this week requested that Congress codify nearly $10 billion in spending cuts identified by Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has not happened yet.

Trump currently has a 50% approval rating, according to the Economist's poll tracking. Gallup has Trump's approval rating at 43%.

Gallup polling shows the approval of Congress at 25%.