(NewsNation) — The Republican Party’s proposed 2024 platform fully shifts the party to align with former President Donald Trump’s platform and style, a contrast to the platforms used in 2016 and 2020.
A notable difference is a change in style, a shift from a more in-depth look at positions and policy actions to social media-sized bites of text, often introducing grand goals without any indication of how they might practically be achieved.
In the style of Trump, the 2024 platform also includes the signature random capitalization and liberal use of exclamation points in a platform that echoes the talking points Trump has repeatedly made during rallies and other public appearances.
Abortion and marriage equality
A big shift is the move away from a strong position on abortion. In the 2016/2020 platform, Republicans called for a national 20-week ban on abortion, while the 2024 platform focuses on returning the issue to the states, with no mention of a federal ban.
Also absent is any specific reference to same-sex marriage, though the document does call for respecting the “sanctity of marriage.” The previous platform specifically called for a reversal of the Supreme Court decision that granted national recognition for marriage between same-sex partners.
Immigration
Trump’s hardline views on immigration are prominent in this year’s platform, including plans to defund sanctuary cities and return to the immigration policies he put in place during his first term. It also includes a proposal for mass deportation, something not mentioned in the previous platform.
Other new language on immigration includes a proposal to ban “Communists, Marxists and Socialists” from entering the U.S. Also of note, Trump’s border wall, which got significant space in the previous version of the party platform, only gets a brief mention in 2024.
Economy
At the top of the platform is a goal to reduce inflation, which comes as the economy is an issue of increasing importance to voters. However, pledges to reduce inflation, as well as reducing costs for education and health care, do not include any details about what policies or powers might be used to accomplish these goals.
When it comes to the economy, the 2024 platform promises to extend more tax cuts and enact tariffs, which experts say would raise inflation rather than lower it. Amidst plans for tax cuts, the platform fails to make any mention of the increasing national debt, while previous Republican platforms have traditionally included plans to reduce the national deficit and balance the nation’s budget.
Education
There are also notable additions to education. In one area, the platform does echo earlier versions with calls to increase school choice, decrease federal spending in education and push for allowing prayer in schools.
In terms of new policy, it adds calls to eliminate critical race theory and “gender indoctrination” in schools and keep transgender women from participating in women’s sports. Both issues have been aggressively pursued in some conservative states that have attempted to restrict what teachers may teach in schools.
Foreign policy
On foreign policy, the 2024 platform is also uniquely brief. There is a reference to alliances but no specific details about traditional allies, like Israel, or regions of interest, like the South China Sea, both of which received significant space in the previous version. It also removes references to defending democracy abroad, historically an explicitly stated goal in foreign policy platforms.
The brief mention comes as there is increasing worldwide tension, with Trump having specifically suggested reducing support for Ukraine and pulling back on NATO, though the previous platform included support for Ukraine’s fight against Russian invasion and support for the long-standing NATO alliance.