**Trump's Second-Term Plans: Education Overhaul and Social Security Promises**

In a potential second term, former President Donald Trump aims to abolish the federal Department of Education while still using federal influence over American schools. A cornerstone of his plan includes leveraging federal funding to push K-12 school systems to eliminate tenure, adopt merit-based pay for teachers, and abolish diversity programs. Trump also proposes cutting off federal funds for institutions that promote Critical Race Theory, gender ideology, or other content he deems inappropriate.

For higher education, Trump has radical proposals, including taking control of the accreditation process for colleges, branding it as his "secret weapon" against what he terms "Marxist Maniacs" in control of higher education. Moreover, he intends to heavily tax and penalize private universities with large endowments that don't comply with his directives, though such actions would likely face extensive legal challenges. Trump envisions redirecting the funds collected from these endowments into an online "American Academy," which would offer tuition-free college credentials, explicitly stating it would be "strictly non-political."

Trump also touches on major federal programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, asserting that he would protect these programs without providing detailed plans on how such protections would be funded. He has suggested eliminating taxes on tips and overtime wages, though the impact on funding streams for these entitlement programs remains unclear. On Medicaid, Trump's prior administration frequently approved state-level work requirements for recipients and granted waivers of various federal rules.

In health care policy, Trump continues his longstanding call to repeal the Affordable Care Act. While he claims to have the "concepts of a plan" for a replacement, specifics have yet to be detailed. In his campaign rhetoric, Trump highlighted a potential alliance with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an outspoken critic of vaccines and pesticides, aiming to "make America healthy again" by putting Kennedy in a key healthcare role.

Trump has also articulated plans for energy and infrastructure, advocating a return to fossil fuels and opposing Biden-era incentives for electric vehicles. He promises to roll back fuel efficiency standards and halt subsidies for EV development. Additionally, Trump voices opposition to union bosses, particularly amid discussions about auto workers, criticizing them for supporting what he deems a flawed push toward electric cars.

On the global stage, Trump's policy stance appears more isolationist and protectionist than any U.S. administration since World War II, though he pledges military expansion and plans to shield Pentagon spending from cutbacks. He promises new missile defense systems and claims he can end ongoing conflicts like Russia's war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war, albeit without detailing his strategies. Throughout, Trump remains critical of NATO and U.S. military leadership, yet praises authoritarian figures such as Viktor Orban of Hungary and Vladimir Putin of Russia.