My predictions for 2025
16 January 2025
Based on Donald J. Trump’s past actions and recent statements, these are my predictions of major changes that he may produce in the next year. Contact me at NatPernick@gmail.com or below if you disagree.
Note: I will update this post with information supporting or disagreeing with these predictions as it becomes available.
Abortion rights: Abortion (surgical or chemical) may be prohibited throughout the United States and those seeking or performing abortions may be prosecuted.
Abortions to save the lives of women or girls may be relatively unobtainable as few physicians or other healthcare personnel will risk performing them for fear of felony prosecution. This is already the case in some antiabortion states.
It may be a felony to travel to other countries to obtain an abortion or to assist anyone, in any way, with getting information about abortions.
Over time, the use of hormonal birth control for any purpose, IUDs and in vitro fertilization (IVF) may become illegal or increasingly difficult to obtain.
Climate change: Trump will cease U.S. government efforts and oppose private sector efforts to reverse climate change; instead, he will seek to invigorate the oil and gas industry.
Corruption: The Trump administration will likely engage in more corrupt behavior with little punishment. I would not be surprised if Trump diverted government funds directly into his personal or business accounts because the Supreme Court has given him immunity and nobody will investigate him.
Democracy: Trump may declare any election in which his followers lose to be fraudulent. In addition, corrupt election totals may alter election results without fear of prosecution.
Freedom of speech: Trump may instruct the Department of Justice to prosecute his political enemies, anyone who criticizes him or who he deems a threat to his power.
Government data: Trump may censor or prohibit statistics he dislikes regarding economics, health care or crime.
Healthcare: There will be increasing shortages of physicians and other healthcare personnel due to deportation and reduced immigration. In addition, many Americans will avoid healthcare and other institutions due to fear of possible criminal prosecution (e.g. for miscarriages) or deportation. Medicare and the Affordable Care Act will be targeted for reductions. The National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will be politicized.
Life expectancy: U.S. life expectancy will continue to decline as health care deteriorates.
Middle class programs: There may be major cuts or threats of cuts in popular programs, including Social Security and student loan relief.
National debt: This will increase due to tax cuts for the wealthy.
Population loss: The U.S. population will decline or grow more slowly due to deportations, reduction of immigration and lowering of the birth rate.
Protection of civil rights: This will be markedly diminished for immigrants, non-Whites, women and LGTBQ individuals.
Recession or depression: This is likely in the U.S. and worldwide due to tariffs, deportations and loss of confidence in the Trump administration and its economic team.
War: U.S. military effectiveness may decline due to the incompetence of its senior leaders, selected primarily based on loyalty to Trump. We should anticipate that China, Russia, Iran and North Korea will act more aggressively but that the U.S. will be neutral, at least at first.
To avoid this future, we must be more politically involved than in the past. We can’t do everything but we can do a little more.
The index to my prior essays (mostly post 5 November 2024) is here.
I have another blog on Cancer and Medicine.
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