WASHINGTON TIMES: DAVID BOSSIE: Reviewing Trump’s first 100 days

President Trump’s 100th day in office is fast approaching, so it’s a perfect time to review his job performance during the opening months of his historic second term in the White House.

To say the least, it’s refreshing to have a president who is focused on what’s truly important — putting America first — and has the fortitude to say enough is enough. After four years of darkness, pessimism and incompetence, we now have a president dedicated to making America a strong nation again.

For the past 100 days, our 45th and 47th president has been laser focused on the major structural reforms that will save our country for future generations. As a starting point, Mr. Trump has returned to basics by identifying the pillars of a vibrant country. For decades, too many career politicians on both sides of the aisle have lost sight of this critical formula, along with the commonsense notion that some problems cannot be ignored. The improvement in “right track/wrong track” polling data shows that folks are hungry for this monumental change in direction and leadership.

The decline in American leadership on the world stage during the Biden-Harris administration was unacceptable to Mr. Trump. A healthy country must have a respected leader who strongly advocates for its founding ideals and priorities. Mr. Trump is a natural leader who inspires his fellow Americans daily to love their country and what it stands for and to strive for greatness in their lives. During his first 100 days, this president has demonstrated that he fully understands the importance of projecting strength and radiating global success. With him back in the Oval Office, it’s abundantly clear that the United States has its mojo back.

A strong country must have a secure border, and Mr. Trump has prioritized this since he was inaugurated. Thanks to his leadership, the shameful situation at our open border that he inherited has taken a dramatic 180-degree turn from chaos to order in what can be described only as an extraordinary success. Mr. Trump’s master stroke in border security is also smoking out defenders of the failed status quo in the federal judiciary and Congress who prefer lawlessness and keeping illegal immigrant criminals in our country instead of deporting them to their countries of origin, where they belong.

Growing the economy is essential to making America great again.

The first step is understanding what policies can best make it happen. Mr. Trump gets it; the most efficient way to kick-start an economy is to get the government out of the way. This means cutting taxes and regulations and ensuring job creators and entrepreneurs have the certainty they need to make sound decisions, allowing their businesses to thrive. For the past three months, Mr. Trump has been making sure the Republican majorities in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate are rowing in the same direction toward the goal of making sustained economic prosperity for all Americans a reality with the passage of the most consequential budget reconciliation package in our nation’s history. Getting this bill enacted before the official kick-off of summer at the end of May will be a monumental accomplishment.

Along with making low tax rates permanent and slashing the regulatory burden, strengthening America requires taking our financial situation seriously. Mr. Trump, the successful businessman, knows that a $36 trillion national debt is unsustainable and that budget deficits are unhealthy. Unlike so many politicians before him, this president isn’t afraid to make the tough decisions necessary to get us back on the path to fiscal responsibility.

With the creation of the Department of Government Efficiency, the Trump administration has shown fantastic initiative to get federal spending under control and streamline and modernize how the government operates. This is an enormous undertaking that needs constant care and feeding, and all future administrations must adopt the Trumpian momentum that is underway. This holistic change in the mindset of how government should work is another extraordinary success story from the first 100 days of Mr. Trump’s second term.

During his first 100 days, Mr. Trump has been busy ensuring America’s national defense is the absolute best on earth.

Getting dangerous diversity, equity and inclusion policies out of the armed forces and rebuilding the warrior ethos in our military was a suitable place to start.

Mr. Trump’s and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s shared vision for reinvigorating our military with the spirit of American exceptionalism has caused a dramatic turnaround in recruitment in a time frame no one could have imagined under the failed leadership of President Biden and Lloyd Austin. Additionally, recognizing the importance of acquiring Greenland and fixing the alarming situation relating to communist China’s influence over the Panama Canal are sizable accomplishments of the first 100 days that must not be overlooked. Getting America to “think big” again is yet another thing that makes Mr. Trump a remarkable leader.

Mr. Trump knows that a strong nation is a well-educated nation. This president is unwilling to kick the can down the road on low test scores and failing public schools any longer. That’s why, in his first 100 days, Mr. Trump has already started the process of closing down the disastrous Education Department and returning our nation’s schooling decisions to state and local officials where they belong. Our children must be able to compete with anyone in the world, and, thankfully, we finally have a leader with the guts to see that it happens.

They say politics is the art of the possible. However, as Mr. Trump’s first 100 days in office make clear, nothing is impossible when it comes to the United States and President Trump. America is well on its way to being great again.

David N. Bossie is president of Citizens United. He served as deputy campaign manager for Donald J. Trump for President.