With his swearing in on January 20, Donald Trump is officially the 47th president of the United States. The first 100 days of his administration will give us a good idea of how President Trump plans to execute his agenda over the next four years.
The president must serve the American people, not his own interests. Campaign Legal Center stands ready to hold President Trump’s administration to that requirement, and to the rule of law. Here’s what we’ll be watching for:
Presidential Overreach
President Trump has stated that he’ll be a dictator “on day one.” But the president is not a king or dictator. Not “on day one” or any other day. Our Constitution imposes many checks and balances to limit presidential power and hold presidents accountable to the people.
CLC will be carefully watching that the actions of President Trump and his administration do not overstep their power during his presidency. We will ensure that the voters can hold the president and his allies in Congress accountable for any overreach.
Our democracy is grounded in the rule of law. In Trump v. United States, the Supreme Court bizarrely ruled that presidents cannot be criminally prosecuted for “official acts.” But no one is above the law, and any officials who abuse their powers for personal gain — including the president — can and should still be held accountable through the legal process and at the ballot box.
The judicial system serves as an important check on the president’s power. If the president exceeds his lawful authority or violates the Constitution, the courts will be called on — including by CLC — to provide justice. While the Supreme Court has done great damage to our election laws in recent years, it has also maintained its position as a check to the president's power. When necessary, we will call upon the courts to fix wrongdoing by President Trump and his appointees.
Threats to the Freedom to Vote
Voters hold officials accountable through free and fair elections. But unfair voting maps and restrictions on the freedom to vote silence American voices. To ensure all voices can be heard, CLC will continue taking legal action to protect voters and strengthen our electoral system to make it more transparent, inclusive, and accessible. We will keep working to advance fair maps in the face of gerrymandering and expand voter accessibility to ensure every voter has a meaningful opportunity to elect leaders that reflect their values.
We will also stand up to any attempt to exclude Americans from the political process, including attempts to undercut federal protections for voter registration, efforts to reduce ballot access, and restrictions on restoring voting rights to Americans with past felony convictions.
We will continue our work to advance innovative solutions that give every American a real voice in the decisions made by elected officials. And, over the next four years, we will put a stop to any actions that could prevent Americans from casting a ballot and having their votes fairly counted.
Violations of Ethical Norms
Those who are in America’s top positions of power should be chosen for their experience, not for their wealth or ties to corporate interests. But President Trump is nominating one of the wealthiest administrations in history which inherently has conflicts that could prevent them from serving the American people’s interests.
As confirmation hearings continue, the Senate has a duty to explore any ethical concerns about the individuals put forward for top positions of power in the administration.
Campaign Legal Center also will continue to uncover and expose any government actions that violate the law or ethical norms. The ethics pledge submitted by President Trump’s transition team didn't include how potential conflicts of interest may impact his decisions. Voters have a right to know if President Trump is working on behalf of his own personal interests rather than Americans’ needs.
CLC will be keeping a watchful eye on ethics rules under the Trump administration. The submitted pledge is an indicator that the president may violate those rules. We’ll be here to call him and his political appointees out and hold them accountable if this happens.
Personal Enrichment
CLC will also be keeping a watchful eye on what role those who funded President Trump’s campaign will play in his administration. For example, Elon Musk spent more than a quarter billion dollars during the 2024 campaign to help Donald Trump return to the White House. Now, Musk serves as a co-leader in the newly proposed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he could make recommendations to personally benefit his bottom line.
Wealthy special interests shouldn’t be able to buy their way into positions of political power and influence. CLC will vigorously oppose the sale of high-level roles in the administration.
When Americans elect a president, they expect the president’s advisors to be chosen for their expertise, not to personally enrich themselves.
The Big Picture for Democracy
Over the next 100 days and the four years that follow, CLC will keep working to hold the Trump administration accountable, and to ensure that the voters can make their voices heard in the 2026 and 2028 elections. While we can’t say for certain what illegal tactics the administration will use, we know that we'll be watching, ready to defend the rule of law and the Constitution.
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