Donald Trump is approaching the 100-day marker which has been used to judge presidents' effectiveness for generations. Ever since Franklin Roosevelt unleashed a whirlwind of legislation in his first 100 days in office in 1933, incumbents have been assessed on or around the 100-day point. Donald J Trump took office on January 20. What has he done so far?
The Supreme Court
Filling the empty Supreme Court seat was one of the reasons evangelical voters gave for sticking with Trump despite all his indiscretions. That 81 per cent of white evangelicals voted for him is thought in part to be down to his promise to appoint a conservative justice. Now, three quarters think he's doing a good job, which may well be down to the appointment of Neil Gorsuch.
After a filibuster, the conservative justice was appointed, confirmed 54-45 by the Senate.
The reason conservative Christians were so keen for an appointment they approved of was because of the influence the court is likely to have on abortion law in the coming years. In addition, religious liberty is seen as being under threat – another reason the Supreme Court was seen as vital to Trump's endoresement by senior evangelical figures such as theologian Wayne Grudem and author Eric Metaxas.
Abortion
The so-called Mexico City policy was reinstated by Trump on his first day in office. This policy, also known as the global gag rule, means that US foreign aid won't be given to organisations which offer abortions. It has been the subject of attempts at repeal and reinstatement before.
Foreign affairs
Trump's approach to foreign policy was an almost complete unknown as he entered office. With the carnage in Syria showing no sign of abating, the first few weeks of his presidency were dogged by allegations of inappropriate links between the administration and Russia. When National Security Advisor Michael Flynn was forced to step back, it was a major blow to Trump as Flynn had been one of his most trusted advisors.
As the allegations of links with Russia continued, Trump surprised many with a retaliatory airstrike on a Syrian air base, in retaliation for the Assad regime's use of chemical weapons, including on children. This actually dismayed many of Trump's isolationist supporters but drew support from beyond his usual base.
His ongoing confrontation with North Korea has been a source of febrile speculation. The erratic North Korean regime promises it will continue nuclear tests. Trump dispatched his Vice President Mike Pence to engage in diplomacy, but there has been no resolution to the crisis yet.
Immigration
Immigration is the ultimate hot-button issue for Trump supporters and detractors. His first attempt at a travel ban for people from various Muslim majority countries caused chaos at airports with reports that staff were unprepared. Once courts had struck down part of the ban, it was removed and an altered version later imposed. That too was resisted by judges and the administration is now appealing.
The true implications aren't yet clear – will a temporary ban be made permanent? What affect will it have on terrorism, and on relations with countries whose citizens have been prevented from entering the US? President Trump has promised to prioritise Christian refugees from Syria.
His plans to build a wall along the US-Mexico border have also hit problems and Trump's difficulties here may be insurmountable.
Obamacare
President Trump repeatedly promised while on the campaign trail that he would repeal Obamacare, the comprehensive insurance scheme which was seen as one of President Obama's domestic achievements.
Trump offered little detail about what it would be replaced with. When the issue arose during his first 100 days, it became clear Trump and Congressional Republicans had work to do. Obamacare has not yet been repealed.
Church and State
Trump promised on the campaign trail that he would repeal the Johnson amendment which prevents pastors from making political pronouncements from the pulpit.
Trump made a promise to 'totally destroy' the Johnson amendment while he was speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast. However, no such change has yet been announced.
Meanwhile Republicans in Congress are pushing President Trump to sign an executive order on religious freedom. Fifty-one members of the House wrote to the President to ask him to reverse protections for LGBT people which were enacted by President Obama. Trump is yet to act on the issue and is thought to be considering trying to find a midpoint between the competing demands of conservative Christians and LGBT activists.
Death Penalty
The death penalty isn't an issue which was discussed much during the campaign. Unlike abortion, it doesn't galvanize large groups of voters in one direction or another. Even so, the issue has been rising up the news agenda in recent days with a controversial series of executions taking place in the South.
Arkansas has already executed several men – including its first double execution in a generation. Georgia is also in the spotlight.
Although the death penalty is, in the first instance, an issue for the states to decide, a number of Christian campaigners, both evangelical and Catholic, are determined to put it on the national agenda. So far Trump hasn't made any major intervention.
