A new day is coming—and trust me, it’s not the kind we’ve been hoping for.

Donald Trump will return to the White House on January 20, 2025, reclaiming the presidency and Republicans will gain control over the House and Senate. Despite his deplorable record, marked by hateful identity politics and divisive rhetoric, voters across key battleground states propelled him to victory. Vice President Kamala Harris' appeals to the middle class, detailed policy proposals, and dire warnings about democracy were not enough. Trump–who was selling “Swiss-made” watches for $100,000 and is now hawking cologne–will, once again, be in power. The result is not just a shift in party leadership — it’s a regime change. Trump’s America is poised to unravel decades of progress. Here are just five critical areas at risk.

Overtime Pay

Who doesn’t like overtime pay, especially when you are being underpaid? Well, those days could be over. In November 2024, a federal judge, appointed by Trump in 2019, struck down a Biden-era rule that expanded overtime pay protections, reverting the salary threshold to $35,558—nearly $20,000 less than planned for 2025. This rollback disproportionately impacts millions of workers, especially those in industries like healthcare, where Black women are overrepresented.

Trump’s history offers little hope for reinstating these protections. He once boasted about dodging overtime costs in the private sector, saying, “I used to hate to pay overtime... I’d go out and get other people to work regular time.” With the Department of Labor now under Republican control, employers may gain free rein to suppress wages under the guise of cost-cutting, further widening the racial wealth gap. Project 2025 also outlined a plan to cut access to overtime pay. Trump has denied supporting Project 2025 but people who have ties to the right-wing agenda are in his administration, according to the New York Times.

Veterans' Benefits

Trump has selected loyalist Doug Collins as the secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), signaling a shift toward privatization. Collins has championed “streamlining” regulations and expanding private-sector care masquerading as “choice.” Critics warn this approach threatens to dismantle the VA’s ability to serve millions of veterans.

For Black veterans who have long faced systemic inequities in healthcare access and benefits, the privatization push could exacerbate disparities. Trump’s first term was marked by firings and weakened protections for VA employees, moves likely to return under Collins’ leadership. The focus appears to be less on reform and more on fulfilling conservative goals of shrinking government responsibility, even for heroes who served their country. 

Federal Workers

The federal workforce faces unprecedented threats, particularly its Black employees, who make up nearly 19% of the government workforce. Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk, selected to lead the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), are pushing for a strict return-to-office policy—five days a week, 8am to 6pm Their goal? To “thin out” the federal bureaucracy by at least 25%.

Trump’s return also revives his controversial “Schedule F” executive order, which makes it easier to fire federal employees and Project 2025 called for the termination of over 50,000 workers. 

Healthcare

Trump and a Republican-controlled Congress are poised to dismantle key provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Subsidies that help millions afford health insurance are set to expire in 2025, with little chance of renewal under this administration. The Congressional Budget Office warns that nearly 4 million Americans could lose coverage by 2026, with steep premium increases for those who remain insured.

Black Americans disproportionately rely on ACA subsidies and Medicaid expansion. Without these lifelines, millions could face unaffordable health care costs or go uninsured altogether. According to ABC, nine states are likely to face Medicaid funding cuts: Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Utah, and Virginia. That could only be the beginning.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

Perhaps the most blatant attack on progress comes from Trump’s vow to ban diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which began in the 1960s, in workplaces and schools. Stephen Miller, selected as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, has called for transforming the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission into an enforcer against so-called “anti-white discrimination.” 

Trump’s attack on DEI is not about fairness—it’s about erasing decades of progress under the guise of neutrality. By labeling DEI as “reverse discrimination,” the intent is clear: to delegitimize the achievements of Black professionals and other minorities by framing them as unearned. Walmart has already scaled back its DEI initiatives after threats from conservative legal groups. Expect other major organizations, like Southwest Airlines, which was sued and lost, to take similar actions. For Black Americans, the dismantling of DEI is not just a rollback of policy—it is an existential challenge to decades of struggle for inclusion and fairness.

The Stakes for Black America

Trump’s return to power represents a shift in America’s priorities, one that risks unraveling critical protections for Black and other communities. From economic security to healthcare access, the policies of this new regime could worsen inequalities while cloaking systemic racism in the language of neutrality. The fight ahead will require vigilance, advocacy, and unity. That said, remember this–elections have consequences.