2020 presidential election: Where Trump and Biden stand on key issues, according to their campaigns

WASHINGTON - How do President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden stack up on key issues for Americans ahead of the 2020 election?

Here is a summary of their positions on the COVID-19 pandemic, the economy, policing, the climate and more — drawn directly from information presented on their respective campaign websites. 

FOX Television Stations reached out to both campaigns seeking candidate statements regarding their stance on each key issue ahead November. A representative from the Trump campaign directed us to his campaign website for details and information on his second term agenda. An automatic email response from the Biden team also directed us to his campaign website.

Trump on abortion

As part of his second term agenda, Trump says he will “defend American values” by protecting “unborn life through every means available.”

His campaign website states that the president “has kept the promises he made in 2016 to the pro-life community and has delivered unprecedented victories for the pro-life movement.”

This includes nominating two judges to the U.S. Supreme Court, and nearly 200 additional federal judges, as well as taking “executive action to stop taxpayer money from flowing to Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion business in the country,” according to his campaign website.

Trump “reinstated and expanded the ban on Americans' tax dollars paying for abortions in foreign countries,” and is “standing with the Catholic nuns known as the Little Sisters of the Poor, defending them from Obama-era regulations forcing them to violate their religious beliefs by providing health insurance that covers abortifacients,” his site reads.

Biden on abortion

Biden’s campaign website states that he would “be a champion for improving access to health care and the health of all by expanding access to contraception and protect the constitutional right to an abortion.”

He would “reverse the Trump Administration and states’ all-out assault on women’s right to choose,” his site reads.

“As president, Biden will work to codify Roe v. Wade, and his Justice Department will do everything in its power to stop the rash of state laws that so blatantly violate the constitutional right to an abortion, such as so-called TRAP laws, parental notification requirements, mandatory waiting periods, and ultrasound requirements,” the website states.

Biden would “restore federal funding for Planned Parenthood” and would rescind the Mexico City Policy that President Trump reinstated and expanded, his campaign site says. The rule currently bars the U.S. federal government from “supporting important global health efforts – including for malaria and HIV/AIDS – in developing countries simply because the organizations providing that aid also offer information on abortion services.”

Trump on climate change and the environment

Trump’s campaign website states that he “repealed the Clean Power Plan, a regulation estimated to increase energy costs by billions,” and instead proposed the Affordable Clean Energy Rule to “reduce greenhouse gasses, empower states, promote energy independence, and facilitate economic growth and job creation.”

Trump’s campaign site says that he also kept his campaign promise to “withdraw the U.S. from the unfair Paris Climate Agreement.” In 2017, the Trump Administration “created a Superfund task force designed to streamline the Superfund cleanup program” with 10 designated sites for “immediate, intense action,” his site says.

In Trump’s second term agenda, he will “innovate for the future” by continuing to “lead the world in access to the cleanest drinking water and cleanest air” and will “partner with other nations to clean up our planet’s oceans,” his campaign website reads.

Biden on climate change and the environment

As president, Biden would “lead the world to address the climate emergency and lead through the power of example, by ensuring the U.S. achieves a 100% clean energy economy and net-zero emissions no later than 2050,” his campaign websites states.

He would make “smart infrastructure investments” to ensure that U.S. buildings, water, transportation, and energy infrastructure “can withstand the impacts of climate change,” his site reads. 

Biden would also “rally the world to address the existential climate crisis” by rejoining the Paris Climate Accord on day one and “lead a major diplomatic push to raise the ambitions of countries’ climate targets,” his site states.

Biden would “stand up to the abuse of power by polluters who disproportionately harm communities of color and low-income communities,” the website adds.

If elected, he would “fulfill our obligation to workers and communities who powered our industrial revolution and subsequent decades of economic growth,” his campaign site states.

Trump on COVID-19

Trump is aiming to eradicate the COVID-19 pandemic by developing a vaccine by the end of 2020, according to his campaign website.

In his first term, Trump signed “four executive orders to provide coronavirus relief including $400-per-week to out-of-work Americans, student loan relief, and eviction protection for renters and homeowners,” according to his website highlighting coronavirus-related accomplishments.

His administration’s agreement with U.S.-based Pfizer “will produce 100 million doses of a coronavirus vaccine, and once developed, the government can acquire an additional 500 million doses,” according to Trump’s campaign website. 

The administration also allocated $400 million in COVID-19 funding “to enhance the VA’s emergency relief response for homeless veterans or those at risk of homelessness” during the pandemic, the website said.

According to Trump’s campaign website, the Trump administration approved “more than $545 million in payments to producers who applied for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program.”

In his second term, Trump is aiming to “return to normal in 2021” by making “all critical medicines and supplies for healthcare workers in the United States.” He would “refill stockpiles and prepare for future pandemics,” according to his campaign website.

Biden on COVID-19

Biden’s campaign website lists a seven-point plan to “beat COVID-19 and get our country back on track.”

Biden would “fix Trump’s testing-and-tracing fiasco to ensure all Americans have access to regular, reliable, and free testing,” his campaign site states. He aims to “fix personal protective equipment (PPE) problems for good” by making full use of the Defense Production Act “to ramp up production of masks, face shields, and other PPE so that the national supply exceeds demand and our stores and stockpiles... are fully replenished,” the website reads.

As president, Biden would “provide clear, consistent, evidence-based national guidance for how communities should navigate the pandemic — and the resources for schools, small businesses, and families to make it through,” his campaign site states. He would “plan for the effective, equitable distribution of treatments and vaccines because discovering isn’t enough if they get distributed like Trump’s testing and PPE fiascos,” the site adds.

Biden would also “protect older Americans and others at high risk,” and “rebuild and expand the defenses that Trump has dismantled to predict, prevent, and mitigate pandemic threats, including those coming from China,” the website states.

Lastly, if Biden is elected president he would “implement mask mandates nationwide by working with governors and mayors and by asking the American people to do what they do best: step up in a time of crisis,” according to his campaign website.

Trump on criminal justice and prison reform

“Trump and the Department of Justice are working with local law enforcement to protect American communities,” his campaign website states.

According to Trump’s campaign website, in his first term, the Trump administration “expanded Project Safe Neighborhoods to encourage U.S. Attorney’s to work with communities to develop customized crime reduction strategies.” The Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Public Safety Partnership, “a cooperative initiative with cities to reduce violent crimes,” his campaign website says.

The Department of Justice also “returned to their longstanding charging policy for federal prosecutors, trusting them once again to charge the most serious, readily provable offense,” his campaign site reads.

According to Trump’s campaign website, As a result of the FIRST STEP Act, which Trump signed into law in December 2018, more than 3,000 Americans have been released from prison and 90% of those who have had their sentences reduced are Black Americans.

The FIRST STEP Act gives prisoners “a second chance through rehabilitative programs, fair sentencing, and smart confinement,” according to an announcement from the White House. The law provides “sentencing relief for certain defendants who received mandatory minimum sentences prior to the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010,” the announcement reads.

Biden on criminal justice and prison reform

As president, Biden would “create a new $20 billion competitive grant program to spur states to shift from incarceration to prevention,” according to his campaign website.

He would “invest in educational opportunity for all,” including making pre-K available to every 3- and 4-year-old and provide triple funding for Title I — the federal program funding schools with a high percentage of students from low-income families, his website states.

Biden would “expand federal funding for mental health and substance use disorder services and research,” and “get people who should be supported with social services – instead of in our prisons – connected to the help they need,” his campaign website reads.

Biden is calling to “expand and use the power of the U.S. Justice Department to address systemic misconduct” in prosecutors’ offices, as well as police departments, according to his campaign for president website. 

Biden would also “establish an independent task force on prosecutorial discretion,” “invest in public defenders’ offices to ensure defendants’ access to quality counsel,” and “eliminate mandatory minimums,” his campaign website reads.

Related to drug convictions, Biden as president would “decriminalize the use of cannabis and automatically expunge all prior cannabis use convictions,” and “end all incarceration for drug use alone and instead divert individuals to drug courts and treatment,” his website states.

Biden would also seek to “eliminate the death penalty” and “use the president’s clemency power to secure the release of individuals facing unduly long sentences for certain non-violent and drug crimes,” the site reads.

Trump on economy and jobs

In his first term, Congress passed “historic tax cuts and relief for hard-working Americans” under Trump’s leadership, his campaign website states. This was “the first major tax reform signed in 30 years” and “provided tax relief for 82% of middle-class families,” according to Trump’s campaign website.

“U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth has soared under President Trump, topping 3% in 4 quarters under his administration,” the campaign website states. 

Trump also signed an executive order “that expanded federally funded apprenticeship programs and on-the-job training, to provide an alternative for those looking to gain in demand skills that lack the resources to attend four year universities,” the site reads.

Trump’s administration has “prioritized the economic empowerment of women at home and across the globe” by launching the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) Initiative, which is “focused on advancing women’s full and free participation in the global economy” and has $50 million allocated for the fund, according to his campaign website.

In Trump’s second term agenda, he is aiming to “create 10 million new jobs in 10 months,” “create 1 million new small businesses,” “cut taxes to boost take-home pay and keep jobs in America,” and enact “fair trade deals that protect American jobs,” his campaign website reads. Trump is also seeking “Made in America” tax credits for businesses, according to his website.

If reelected, Trump would seek to end the United States’ “reliance on China” by bringing back “one million manufacturing jobs” from the country, create tax credits “for companies that bring back jobs from China,” and “allow 100% expensing deductions for essential industries like pharmaceuticals and robotics who bring back their manufacturing to the United States,” his website reads. 

Trump is also calling for “no federal contracts for companies who outsource to China,” his announcement detailing his second term agenda reads. 

Biden on economy and jobs

Biden’s campaign website lists four “bold, national efforts to address four great national challenges.”

As president, Biden would “mobilize American manufacturing and innovation to ensure that the future is made in America,” as part of his manufacturing and technology strategy, his campaign website states. This strategy “will marshall the resources of the federal government in ways that we have not seen since World War II,” the site adds.

Biden would also “mobilize American ingenuity to build a modern infrastructure and an equitable, clean energy future,” his website reads.

Biden would rally American talent “to build a 21st century caregiving and education workforce which will help ease the burden of care for working parents, especially women,” his campaign website states.

He would also work to “advance racial equity in America,” including the pursuit of “a dedicated agenda to close the racial wealth gap, to expand affordable housing, to invest in Black, Latino, and Native American entrepreneurs and communities,” his campaign website reads. 

Biden’s campaign site adds, “We’ve seen millions of American workers put their lives and health on the line to keep our country going. As Biden has said, let’s not just praise them, let’s pay them — a decent wage, at least $15 per hour, and ending the tipped minimum wage and sub-minimum wage for people with disabilities, and strong benefits so they can live a middle class life and provide opportunity for their kids.”

Trump on education

Trump’s proposed budgets “have made school choice a priority,” according to his campaign website.

In his first term, his administration "successfully implemented the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to empower states with the flexibility they need to educate their students," the website states. Thirty-five states and the District of Columbia have had their ESSA plans approved and the Department of Education "is reviewing the plans for the remaining states," the site adds.

The Trump Administration also “implemented the year-round distribution of Pell grants, instead of limiting these grants to the spring and fall semesters,” his campaign website reads. In doing so, this will give low-income students “access to these funds over summer and winter breaks, so they can earn their degrees faster with fewer loans,” his site explains.

Related to student loans, his administration “reformed the student loan servicing process to improve customer experience and lower costs,” as well as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) “to make the program more accessible to students,” the website reads. It also brought in financial experts “to modernize the way FSA offers and services student loans.”

In Trump’s first term, the Department of Education also “provided $359.8 million in federal assistance to 20 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands to assist with the cost of educating students displaced by Hurricane Harvey, Irma, Maria, or the 2017 California wildfires,” his campaign website states.

Biden on education

As president, Biden would “support our educators by giving them the pay and dignity they deserve” via competitive wage and benefits, according to his campaign website.

He would “invest in resources for our schools so students grow into physically and emotionally healthy adults,” such as “doubling the number of psychologists, guidance counselors, nurses, social workers, and other health professionals” in schools, his website adds.

Biden would “ensure that no child’s future is determined by their zip code, parents’ income, race, or disability,” his campaign website reads. He would triple Title I funding, which goes to schools serving a high number of children from low-income families, and “improve teacher diversity,” his website states.

Biden would “provide every middle and high school student a path to a successful career” and “start investing in our children at birth” with “high-quality, universal pre-kindergarten for all three- and four-year-olds,” his campaign website states.

Trump on foreign policy

Since being elected, “Trump has gone around the globe working to... restore America’s prominence in global diplomacy,” his campaign website states.

South Korea and Japan pledged to build closer defense collaboration with the U.S., and Trump “underscored the commitment of the United States to providing advanced military equipment,” the website says.

According to Trump’s campaign website, cooperation was boosted between the U.S., Japan, India and Australia on the sidelines of ASEAN in Manila. Trump also “reaffirmed the commitment of the United States to promote prosperity and security in the region by modernizing America’s development finance institutions and increasing their coordination with Japanese counterparts,” the website states. 

Trump traveled to the Middle East and Europe during his first term “to solidify relations with our allies in both regions and to push for greater commitments and cooperation,” the website reads, including in Saudi Arabia, where Trump “pushed for a coalition of nations to confront Iran and attended the opening of the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology,” the website adds.

According to Trump’s campaign website, the president visited Poland and a meeting of the G-20, where he “pushed for closer cooperation and American First policies.”

The president “followed through on his promise and recognized Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel and directed the relocation of the U.S. Embassy,” Trump’s campaign website reads. Trump’s campaign website says that under his leadership, the U.S. has also “worked tirelessly to combat extremism and stick up for religious minorities.”

In Trump’s second term agenda, he is seeking to “stop endless wars and bring our troops home,” “maintain and expand America’s unrivaled military strength,” “wipe out global terrorists who threaten to harm Americans,” and “build a great cybersecurity defense system and missile defense system,” the announcement reads.

Biden on foreign policy

As president, Biden would “defend our vital interests” and would “never hesitate to protect the American people, including when necessary, by using force,” according to his campaign website.

Biden would “end forever wars” in Afghanistan and the Middle East, “which have cost us untold blood and treasure,” his site reads.

He would “elevate diplomacy” by rebuilding “a modern, agile U.S. Department of State—investing in and re-empowering the finest diplomatic corps in the world and leveraging the full talent and richness of America’s diversity,” his campaign website states. Biden would also work “cooperatively” with other nations to make the U.S. “more secure and more successful,” according to his online platform.

Biden would “restore and reimagine partnerships” by “keeping NATO’s military capabilities sharp, while also expanding our capacity to take on new, non-traditional threats like weaponized corruption, cyber theft, and new challenges in space and on the high seas,” his website reads. Biden would call on all NATO countries “to recommit to their responsibilities as members of a democratic alliance” and strengthen cooperation “with democratic partners beyond North America and Europe by reaching out to our partners in Asia to fortify our collective capabilities and integrating our friends in Latin America and Africa,” his website states.

When the U.S. hosts the next Summit of the Americas in 2021, Biden would “harness this opportunity to rebuild strong hemispheric ties based on respect for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law,” his campaign website details. As president, Biden would also “strengthen our alliances with Japan, South Korea, Australia and other Asian democracies, while sustaining an ironclad commitment to Israel’s security,” his campaign website reads. 

If elected, his administration would work to “renew our commitment to arms control for a new era,” his website says. If Tehran returns to compliance with the Iran nuclear deal, Biden would “re-enter the agreement, using hard-nosed diplomacy and support from our allies to strengthen and extend it, while more effectively pushing back against Iran’s other destabilizing activities,” his campaign website states.

According to his campaign website, Biden would also rally countries across the globe to address "the existential climate crisis” by rejoining the Paris Climate Accord "on day one."

Trump on guns

Trump's campaign website states, "The Second Amendment to our Constitution is clear. The right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed upon. Period."

It states the need to "get serious" about prosecuting violent criminals, "because they're the ones who anti-gun politicians and the media blame when criminals misuse guns." Trump's platform calls for fixing "our broken mental health system" by expanding treatment programs for those who need it. 

Trump’s campaign website also says gun and magazine bans are “a total failure.”

“Law-abiding people should be allowed to own the firearm of their choice. The government has no business dictating what types of firearms good, honest people are allowed to own,” Trump’s campaign website states.

Regarding background checks, “too many states are failing to put criminal and mental health records into the system – and it should go without saying that a system’s only going to be as effective as the records that are put into it,” Trump’s campaign website says. According to Trump’s campaign website, the country needs to “fix the system we have and make it work as intended.”

Trump’s platform also calls for a national right to carry, according to his campaign website.

“The right of self-defense doesn’t stop at the end of your driveway. That’s why I have a concealed carry permit and why tens of millions of Americans do too. That permit should be valid in all 50 states,” Trump’s campaign website says. “A driver’s license works in every state, so it’s common sense that a concealed carry permit should work in every state. If we can do that for driving – which is a privilege, not a right – then surely we can do that for concealed carry, which is a right, not a privilege.”

Biden on guns

"As president, Biden will pursue constitutional, common-sense gun safety policies," Biden’s campaign website states.

Biden will “hold gun manufacturers accountable,” his website reads, by prioritizing a repeal of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which protects gun manufacturers from being held civilly liable for their products.

In the White House, he would work to “ban the manufacture and sale of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines,” his campaign website states.

Biden says he will also “regulate possession of existing assault weapons under the National Firearms Act,” “buy back the assault weapons and high-capacity magazines already in communities,” and “reduce the stockpiling of weapons” by supporting legislation restricting the number of firearms an individual may purchase per month to one, according to his campaign website.

He also supports requiring a background check “for all gun sales with very limited exceptions, such as gifts between close family members,” and closing other loopholes in the federal background check system, according to his campaign website. Biden says he would prioritize an “adequately funded” background check system, according to his website.

Biden’s website also states he would “enact legislation to prohibit all online sales of firearms, ammunition, kits, and gun parts” and “give states incentives to set up gun licensing programs.”

As president, Biden would “establish a new Task Force on Online Harassment and Abuse to focus on the connection between mass shootings, online harassment, extremism, and violence against women.” He would also “put America on the path to ensuring that 100% of firearms sold in America are smart guns,” such as technology requiring a fingerprint match before use, according to his website.

Biden would prioritize the prosecution of “straw purchasers,” or those buy a firearm on behalf of an individual who cannot pass a background check, his campaign website states. He would also “tackle urban gun violence with targeted, evidence-based community interventions,” and “dedicate the brightest scientific minds to solving the gun violence public health epidemic,” his website reads.

As president, Biden’s campaign website says he would support survivors of violence by making federal programs more “trauma-informed,” “create a network of trauma care centers,” and “train health care and other service providers in trauma-centered care.”

Trump on health care and mental health

Trump’s campaign website lists a number of accomplishments related to health care in his first term, including an executive order “expanding access to telehealth services in order to ensure rural Americans access to healthcare.”

According to his campaign website, the president also signed four executive orders “to ensure that Americans are receiving the lowest price possible for their prescription drugs.”

In his second term agenda, Trump states he would “cut prescription drug prices,” “put patients and doctors back in charge of our healthcare system,” and “lower healthcare insurance premiums.”

Trump would also “end surprise billing, cover all pre-existing conditions, protect social security and medicare and protect our veterans and provide world-class healthcare and services,” his website reads.

According to Trump’s campaign website, regarding mental health, the Trump Administration in 2019 “secured a record $8.6 billion in funding for mental health services with the goal of ending the tragedy of veteran suicide.”

The Department of Health and Human Services also announced “an expedited process to release emergency grants for treatment of substance use disorders and mental illnesses during the COVID-19 crisis,” Trump’s campaign website says.

Biden on health care and mental health

Biden’s campaign website states that he would protect the Affordable Care Act, which was signed into law while he served as vice president, from “continued attacks.”

“(Biden) opposes every effort to get rid of this historic law – including efforts by Republicans, and efforts by Democrats. Instead of starting from scratch and getting rid of private insurance, he has a plan to build on the Affordable Care Act by giving Americans more choice, reducing health care costs, and making our health care system less complex to navigate,” his website states.

As president, Biden would aim to “give every American access to affordable health insurance,” “stand up to abuse of power by prescription drug corporations” and “ensure health care is a right for all, not a privilege for just a few,” his campaign website reads.

Biden’s campaign website states that he would work to achieve “mental health parity” and expand access to mental health care as president. During his time as vice president, “Biden was a champion for efforts to implement the federal mental health parity law, improve access to mental health care, and eliminate the stigma around mental health,” the website states.

Biden would “redouble these efforts to ensure enforcement of mental health parity laws and expand funding for mental health services,” his campaign website reads.

Trump on immigration

Trump’s campaign website lists immigration-related actions in his first term, including the signing of the “Buy American, Hire American” executive order and the removal of “2,798 criminal gang members” by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

In Trump’s second term agenda, he aims to “block illegal immigrants from becoming eligible for taxpayer-funded welfare, health care, and free college tuition,” enact “mandatory deportation for non-citizen gang members,” and “dismantle human trafficking networks,” the site reads.

He also aims to focus on ending sanctuary cities “to restore our neighborhoods and protect our families,” “prohibit American companies from replacing U.S. citizens with lower-cost foreign workers,” and “require new immigrants to be able to support themselves financially,” the website says.

Biden on immigration

Biden's campaign website states that in the first 100 days his administration would “immediately reverse the Trump Administration’s cruel and senseless policies that separate parents from their children at our border, end Trump’s detrimental asylum policies, and end the mismanagement of the asylum system, which fuels violence and chaos at the border.”

He would also “surge humanitarian resources to the border and foster public-private initiatives,” “end prolonged detention and reinvest in a case management program,” and “reverse Trump’s public charge rule, which runs counter to our values as Americans and the history of our nation,” Biden’s campaign website reads.

Biden would “protect Dreamers and their families,” “end the so-called National Emergency that siphons federal dollars from the Department of Defense to build a wall,” “rescind the un-American travel and refugee bans,” and “order an immediate review of Temporary Protected Status for vulnerable populations who cannot find safety in their countries ripped apart by violence or disaster,” his website states.

Trump on the opioid crisis

Trump and his administration are “fighting back against drug addiction and opioid abuse,” his campaign website states.

In his first term, Trump declared a Nationwide Public Health Emergency to address the opioid crisis, according to his website. His administration “provided nearly $500 million to states to prevent and treat opioid abuse” and “another $500 million was requested in the 2018 FY Budget,” the website states.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) laid out “a comprehensive five-point strategy to combat the opioid abuse crisis” during Trump’s first term, and the Department of Justice “announced that fentanyl substances are a drug class under the Controlled Substances Act,” his campaign website reads. This means anyone who possesses, imports, distributes or manufactures illicit fentanyl-related substances “would be subject to criminal prosecution similar to other controlled substances,” Trump’s campaign website says.

According to Trump’s campaign website, in Trump’s first term, the DOJ “charged more than 400 people, including doctors and medical facilities, for prescribing unnecessary opioids, fueling the drug crisis.”

The Drug Enforcement Administration also collected “a record-breaking 912,305 pounds – 456 tons – of potentially dangerous expired, unused, or unwanted prescription drugs at more than 5,300 collection sites” as part of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, according to Trump’s campaign website.

Biden on the opioid crisis

If elected, Biden would pursue “a comprehensive, public health approach to deal with opioid and other substance use disorders,” his campaign website states.

Biden would hold “big pharmaceutical companies, executives, and others responsible for their role in triggering the opioid crisis.” This would include holding some “criminally liable,” where appropriate, his website states.

According to Biden’s campaign website, he would create “effective prevention, treatment, and recovery services available to all, including through a $125 billion federal investment.” Biden would “build on the Affordable Care Act and achieve universal coverage” and “redouble efforts to ensure insurance companies stop discriminating against people with behavioral health conditions,” according to his campaign website.

Biden would also “stop overprescribing while improving access to effective and needed pain management” and “reform the criminal justice system so that no one is incarcerated for drug use alone,” his campaign website states.

Biden would also seek to “stem the flow of illicit drugs, like fentanyl and heroin, into the United States – especially from China and Mexico,” his campaign website says.

Trump on policing

Trump will “defend our police” in his second term as president, his campaign website states. He would “fully fund and hire more police and law enforcement officers.”

During his first term, the Department of Justice announced “more than $98 million in grant funding through the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services COPS Hiring Program to allow 802 additional full-time law enforcement officers,” his campaign website reads.

According to Trump’s campaign website, Trump signed an executive order in June, which sets the “highest professional standards” for law enforcement, while promoting “peace and dignity and equality for all Americans.” Trump’s campaign website says that the order “bans chokeholds except in situations where the use of deadly force is allowed by law, creates a national database of police misconduct, and provides supplemental funding for police departments which meet prescribed criteria.”

According to Trump’s campaign website, he also signed an executive order “to restore state and local law enforcement’s access to surplus equipment from the Defense Department, such as armored vehicles.” Trump’s campaign website says that a new National Public Safety Partnership was also created, “a cooperative initiative with cities to reduce violent crimes.”

As part of his second-term agenda, Trump would increase “criminal penalties for assaults on law enforcement officers,” “end cashless bail and keep dangerous criminals locked up until trial,” his campaign website states.

Biden on policing

As president, Biden would “expand and use the power of the U.S. Justice Department to address systemic misconduct in police departments and prosecutors’ offices,” according to his campaign website.

“Using authority in legislation spearheaded by Biden as senator, the Obama-Biden Justice Department used pattern-or-practice investigations and consent decrees to address circumstances of ‘systemic police misconduct’ and to ‘restore trust between police and communities’ in cities such as Ferguson. Yet, the Trump Administration’s Justice Department has limited the use of this tool,” his campaign site reads. “Under the Biden Administration, the Justice Department will again use its authority to root out unconstitutional or unlawful policing.”

According to his campaign website, Biden would “reinvigorate community-oriented policing,” in which officers are “out of their cruisers and walking the streets, engaging with and getting to know members of their communities.”

In an effort to “hire a sufficient number of officers,” Biden would provide a $300 million investment to the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program, which authorized funding both for the hiring of additional police officers and for training on how to undertake a community policing approach, according to Biden’s website. The program was never funded “to fulfill the original vision for community policing,” the website reads.

As a condition of the grant, the hiring of police “must mirror the racial diversity of the community they serve,” his website states. “Additionally, as president, Biden will establish a panel to scrutinize what equipment is used by law enforcement in our communities.”

This story was reported from Cincinnati.