MILWAUKEE — One year into President Donald Trump's second term, political leaders in Wisconsin are offering starkly different assessments of his performance on key campaign promises.
Trump, who began his second presidency on January 20, 2025, campaigned extensively on addressing affordability issues, deporting undocumented immigrants, and ending wars. As the one-year mark passes, supporters and critics are evaluating his progress on these commitments.
Hilario DeLeon, Milwaukee County GOP Chairman, describes Trump's first year with one word: "Committed."
"He's committed to the American people and ensuring that the United States is the best that it can be," DeLeon said.
DeLeon, who voted for Trump in 2020, praised the president's immigration enforcement efforts, particularly the surge of federal agents in Minnesota and border security measures.
Watch: We asked two Wisconsin voters with opposing views about Trump's first year back in office
"American people can't say that they didn't know what was going to happen because we had the RNC here in Milwaukee, in July 2024. People held up signs, mass deportations, and so if you look at the majority of the Republican Party, those who voted for the president are very happy with what's going on," DeLeon said.
However, the Gen Z Republican acknowledged ongoing challenges with housing affordability, an issue that affects him personally.
"I can't afford a house yet. I hope to one day have that opportunity, but it's going to take some time, and I think the president and his team are working on it," DeLeon said.
Nick Truong, chair of the Black Caucus for Wisconsin Democrats, offers a contrasting perspective. Truong, who worked to get Vice President Kamala Harris elected in 2024, describes Trump's first year as "absolute chaos."
While the Biden Administration faced widespread criticism for border security issues, Truong expressed alarm about ICE enforcement operations.
"I think there's a lot of voters out there who didn't think he was going to target their neighbors who are law-abiding citizens in this country, going to their check-ins, trying to be U.S. citizens, but that's not. They're the ones being targeted by these crazy ICE raids. American citizens are getting targeted by these ICE raids," Truong said.
The Trump administration maintains that the vast majority of arrests target criminals who are in the country illegally, though U.S. citizens have been swept up in Minnesota operations.
Truong also criticized other aspects of Trump's agenda.
"I wish that he would stop his war on diversity, equity, and inclusion," Truong said.
As Trump approaches the midterm elections, these contrasting views reflect the polarized political landscape surrounding his second-term agenda.
This story was reported on-air by Charles Benson and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
