What would a second term for Donald Trump entail? To explore this question, Newsweek consulted two leading AI chatbots—OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Elon Musk‘s Grok.
Newsweek asked both generative AI chatbots for their insights over six key areas: domestic policy, foreign policy, first actions, democratic institutions, and social and cultural impact.
This is the prompt we used for both: “What could a second term of Donald Trump look like in terms of policy (domestic and foreign), first actions, democratic institutions within the U.S., and potential social/cultural impact?”
ChatGPT and Grok overlapped on several areas, predicting increased polarization and social tensions, particularly around issues of gender, immigration and cultural values. They also highlighted Trump’s potential efforts to reshape federal bureaucracy with loyalists and his stricter immigration policies including border wall completion, as well as imposing tariffs, particularly targeting imports and China.
Where they mostly differed was in terms of scope and specificity. While ChatGPT generally provided more detailed predictions with specific policy examples (such as using the 1798 Alien Enemies Act and specific tariff percentages), Grok tended to give broader, more cautious assessments with less specific details.
Newsweek reached out to Donald Trump via email for comment.
Domestic Policy
ChatGPT
“A second term for Donald Trump would likely intensify his ‘America First’ approach both domestically and abroad, with significant shifts in policy, government structure and societal norms,” said ChatGPT of the Republican nominee’s overall impact.
In terms of domestic policy, ChatGPT said “Trump has indicated a strong desire to reshape federal governance by appointing loyalists across the bureaucracy and centralizing executive power, aiming to reduce what he calls the ‘deep state’.”
“His proposed ‘Schedule F’ reform would reclassify thousands of federal employees, making it easier to replace them with ideologically aligned individuals, a move many see as an effort to secure a more compliant administration,” it added, explaining that Trump has previously pledged to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across federal agencies and restrict federal funding for NPR, public broadcasting and other entities he views as politically adversarial.
Meanwhile, in education, the generative AI chatbot predicts that Trump would support expanded school choice (options outside of the traditional public school system), reduced vaccine mandates and increased school prayer, although notes that “his influence here would be limited by state-level controls.”
Grok
Grok addressed healthcare, saying that, “although specifics for a second term are less clear, Trump’s past interest in repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act suggests a continued focus on altering healthcare policy, potentially towards more market-driven solutions.”
In terms of regulation and government, Grok suggested that there is “an indication of reducing the regulatory power and independence of federal agencies, with plans to possibly restructure or limit their authority, aligning with his previous deregulation efforts.”
Within domestic policy, both generative AI chatbots came up with some overlapping subcategories: social issues, immigration and crime, and economic policy.
Social Issues
ChatGPT
On social issues, ChatGPT thinks that “Trump plans to further limit transgender rights by legally defining gender strictly by birth, banning transgender athletes from women’s sports and prohibiting gender-affirming care for minors.”
Grok
Grok also tackled social issues, saying that Trump “has expressed intentions to limit federal programs related to DEI and to sign legislation recognizing only two genders. This could significantly impact social policy and cultural perceptions around gender identity.”
Immigration and Crime
ChatGPT
“Immigration policy would return to strict enforcement, with plans for mass deportations and the construction of a border wall,” said ChatGPT.
“He has also vowed to implement stricter asylum measures, including potentially using the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to expel certain immigrant groups. Additionally, he aims to crack down on homelessness through ‘tent cities’ and policies against urban camping, and has pledged to pardon January 6 defendants, signaling a commitment to his most ardent supporters.”
Grok
“Trump has historically promised stricter immigration policies, including finishing the border wall, and policies aimed at ending birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants. This would involve significant legislative and possibly constitutional changes.”
Economic Policy
ChatGPT
“Economically, Trump’s trade policies would likely shift back toward tariffs, including a proposed universal tariff on all imports and specific restrictions on goods from China,” predicted ChatGPT.
“This strategy is framed as protecting U.S. industries and reducing reliance on foreign nations, though it may result in higher consumer costs. He has also promised further tax cuts across income brackets, but without detailing how they would be offset, raising concerns about budget deficits.”
Grok
Grok was short and to the point, “He has discussed imposing tariffs, such as a 10 percent universal baseline tariff on imports to protect American industries, and has mentioned removing income taxes on tips for workers in the service industry, which would be a direct appeal to certain voter bases.”
Foreign Policy
ChatGPT
“A second Trump term would likely see a more isolationist and unilateral foreign policy approach. He has suggested reassessing the U.S. relationship with NATO, particularly whether America should remain committed to the mutual defense clause. Trump’s stance on China would intensify, with potential sanctions on Chinese companies and measures to cut off China economically.”
ChatGPT went on to say that Trump has voiced skepticism over continuing U.S. military aid to Ukraine and has hinted at the possibility of diplomatic shifts with Russia and North Korea, “perhaps even formally recognizing North Korea’s nuclear power status in exchange for a freeze on further development.”
It added, “Such positions mark a stark departure from traditional U.S. foreign policy, which could lead to a decline in trust among allies and a potential reconfiguration of global alliances.”
Newsweek asked ChatGPT and Grok what another Trump term could look like.
Photo-illustration by Newsweek/Getty
Grok
Grok broke foreign policy into four distinct areas: NATO, trade, climate change and the Middle East.
“Trump has hinted at reevaluating NATO’s purpose, suggesting a less committed stance unless member countries increase their defense spending, potentially weakening the alliance’s cohesion,” said Grok.
On trade, it predicted that “continuing his ‘America First’ policy, further tariffs might be applied, particularly aimed at countries like China and Mexico, to protect American industries.”
In terms of climate change, “Trump has indicated he would withdraw from the Paris Agreement again and repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, signaling a retreat from international climate commitments.”
On the Middle East, Grok said that “his administration might seek to expand on the Abraham Accords, aiming for more normalization agreements in the region.” It added that Trump “has claimed he could resolve conflicts like those in Ukraine and the Middle East quickly, though specifics on how remain unclear.”
First Actions
ChatGPT
ChatGPT said, “If Donald Trump secures a second term, his initial actions would likely focus on reshaping government control, trade and foreign policy. He may use the Alien Enemies Act to expedite deportations, initiate a federal purge to remove non-loyalists and implement a 10 percent import tariff to curb Chinese economic influence.”
“In foreign policy, Trump would push a ‘maximum pressure’ stance on Iran, adjust NATO support to increase European defense spending and possibly reduce U.S. involvement in Ukraine, signaling a robust nationalist shift in both domestic and international policy.”
Grok
Grok predicted that, if elected for a second term, Trump might prioritize actions like “immediate executive orders to reverse Biden administration policies, especially in areas like immigration and energy (e.g., promoting oil and gas drilling), and attempting to implement policies on voting, like ‘one-day voting’, which could face significant legal and public pushback.”
Democratic Institutions
ChatGPT
“Critics suggest that a second Trump administration could weaken democratic norms by expanding the politicization of institutions like the Department of Justice and the judiciary,” said ChatGPT.
“Trump has hinted at deploying federal powers to punish political adversaries, using the Justice Department to shield allies and investigate opponents. His administration might also appoint judges aligned with conservative ideologies, affecting decisions on issues like abortion, civil rights and other social policies. This shift could lead to long-term changes in judicial precedent and further polarization of the judiciary.”
Grok
“There’s been concern among some observers that Trump might seek to use the Justice Department against political adversaries, potentially undermining the perceived neutrality of these institutions,” said Grok, adding that there is also a concern he might attempt to “overhaul the federal bureaucracy to install loyalists, which could affect the independence of government operations.”
Social and Cultural Impact
ChatGPT
Trump’s policies “could deepen political polarization within the United States,” said ChatGPT.
“Actions such as pardoning January 6 participants, targeting perceived political adversaries in media and tech, and enforcing restrictive immigration policies may heighten societal divides.”
“His approach to gender, diversity and education would likely mobilize opposition among progressive groups, potentially fueling further cultural conflicts. Internationally, Trump’s policies could contribute to a broader global shift away from multilateralism and democracy promotion, with many allies already wary of an inward-focused, unilateral U.S. stance.”
“Overall, a second Trump administration would likely bring more aggressive measures to reshape U.S. governance, international relations and cultural norms, signaling a marked turn from past bipartisan and institutional traditions,” the chatbot predicted.
Grok
Elon Musk’s Grok predicted that Trump’s policies and rhetoric “could further polarize the cultural and political landscape in the U.S., potentially leading to increased social tension around issues like gender, race and immigration”, and “a cultural shift towards more traditional or conservative values, as suggested by his legislative proposals on gender and social issues.”
