After flip-flops and missteps, how will Trump deal with his next 100 days?

‘Trump is going to be judged on three things: did he keep his promises to voters; did he revive this economy; and did he get out of this low growth rut’

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Donald Trump on Day 1 of his presidency: at his inauguration at the US Capitol in Washington. Photo: AP

Published: 1:01pm, 1 May 2017Updated: 8:05pm, 1 May 2017

After 100 days full of fits and starts, US President Donald Trump is barrelling into the second phase of his presidency focused on attempting to secure big victories that have eluded him on the economic pillars of his agenda.

With an eye toward keeping his core promise of creating jobs and ramping up economic growth, Trump has fixated on tax reform as the next undertaking of his administration - an opportunity for him to land a first major legislative victory after repeated failures to pass a health-care package.

Sweeping tax reform has been a front-of-mind issue for President Trump, who has taken an interest in the minute details of proposals under consideration by his administration. Aides are also being pressured to front-load the effort with the goal - already delayed - of having a bill approved before the end of this year.

The prospect that he could do something not accomplished since President Ronald Reagan passed a comprehensive tax reform package in 1986 is especially appealing to Trump. The effort took Reagan some 500 days at one of the high points of his power - the beginning of his second term. Trump, White House aides and outside advisers said, is buoyed by the prospect of accomplishing it in the first year of his first term.

SCMP GRAPHIC: What Trump did in his first 100 days

Humbled by their failure on health care, White House aides say they have taken a lesson from the experience and plan to take the lead on the tax-reform effort - including a Trump-led push to build public and stakeholder support for a plan. The bill will be guided by the principles laid out Wednesday in a single-page document that outlined the president’s plan to slash rates and consolidate tax brackets for most taxpayers, aides said.