There have been some terrifying days recently. On Jan. 6, 2017, Donald Trump tried to overthrow our constitutional republic by mob violence. On Jan. 20, 2025, Trump’s Inaugural Address laid out an agenda that includes policies I find morally repugnant.

Even worse is his pardon of the Jan. 6 insurrectionists. My dread fear is that Trump will try to destroy our democracy by obtaining overwhelming executive power and using organized mob violence to subvert the 2028 presidential election. That said, Trump may do some good things during the next four years. This column will take a look at some of those policies.

Controlling federal spending

President Trump has established an advisory commission, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to recommend ways to reduce federal government expenditures and increase efficiency. One possibility is examining the Pentagon budget, which is rife with waste and questionable contracts. For example, a government contractor lost 2 million spare parts for the F-35 fighter jet, according to a Government Accountability Office report. The Pentagon followed up on only 20,000 of them.

Some civilian expenditures just don’t produce much and need to be examined. For example, the $7.5 billion allocated for EV charging stations has resulted in only 44 stations being built nationwide so far.

Foreign affairs

For years our country has pressed our NATO allies to spend a greater share of their GDP on military preparedness. The goal is to make our allies take on more of the financial and military burden that has been borne disproportionately by the U.S. Under President Joe Biden, many NATO countries did increase their defense expenditures but not yet to a sufficient level, especially in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Trump is credible when he says that those allies who don’t carry their share of the military burden don’t deserve an American guarantee to come to their defense. Because of the possibility of U.S. withdrawal from its commitments to NATO, European countries now seem more willing to increase their defense preparedness. For example, Britain and Ukraine recently signed a 100-year partnership agreement that includes a defense commitment.

Iran, an enemy of the United States, has been developing nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them for years. Some restrictions were placed on Iran’s nuclear program by the JCPOA agreement of 2015 signed by Iran, the US and several other world powers. In exchange, Iran received sanctions relief. However, the agreement was deficient in what it covered and in its enforcement.

Trump withdrew the U.S. from the JCPOA in 2018 . Iran began ignoring whatever limitations the accord called for and Trump imposed significant economic sanctions. Several factors make a new, comprehensive and enforced agreement possible.

Iran is in serious economic trouble and its strategic position has been weakened by the loss of its allies Syria and Hezbollah. A public offer of economic sanctions relief coupled with an implied threat to use military force if necessary may convince Iran to put its nuclear weapons program under comprehensive restrictions and safeguards that are enforced.

Pressure from Trump was instrumental in achieving an Israel-Hamas ceasefire. Also, pursuing a Israel-Saudi Arabia normalization agreement is on Trump’s agenda. The new secretary of state, Marco Rubio, has already met with representatives of Australia, India and Japan who together with our country constitute the Quad, designed to be a counter to China’s expanding military power in the Pacific.

Trump has said that he will pursue “peace through strength.” That is something I can support.

Illegal migration

Trump has laid the groundwork to invoke the Alien Enemies Act by executive order. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, “The Act may be invoked in times of ‘declared war’ or when a foreign government threatens or undertakes an ‘invasion’ or ‘predatory incursion’ against U.S. territory. … Invoking this Act in peacetime to bypass conventional immigration law is a staggering abuse of power.”

However , some policies would legitimately stem the tide of illegal migration into our country.

The recently elected Republican-majority Congress passed the Laken Riley Act with some support from Democrats. The law is named for a 22-year-old nursing student who was murdered last year. The murderer had been arrested in 2022 for entering the U.S. illegally.

The murderer had been “paroled and released for further processing,” according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The new law will require ICE to issue detainers and take into custody undocumented migrants who are charged with committing any crimes.

The second Trump administration will pursue some horrific policies. I believe that it is his intention to subvert and destroy our constitutional republic. However, Trump’s agenda may also include some policies beneficial to our country. Let’s not reject policies that are good for America simply because they are on Trump’s agenda.

Richard Fein, of Northampton, holds a master of arts degree in political science and an MBA in economics.