Immediately following his inauguration as the 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump issued a number of executive orders. Trump’s executive orders enact important policy changes on his first day back in the White House.
These included pardons, immigration reforms, economic plans, and climate policies. Every decision had significant political and legal ramifications, and many were likely to be challenged in court.
In the Oval Office, Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border, stating it was essential to curb illegal crossings. A new order targeted the longstanding principle of birthright citizenship for children of immigrants in the country illegally.
The President also reinstated his ‘Remain in Mexico’ program, which requires asylum seekers to wait across the border for court hearings. He terminated the Biden-era sponsorship initiative, which allowed migrants from specific countries to enter the US legally.
Trump also reintroduced the death penalty for immigrant criminals convicted of capital offenses, sparking a heated debate. Furthermore, he announced sweeping reversals of Biden’s climate policies, withdrawing the US from the Paris Agreement.
He declared a national emergency to boost domestic oil drilling with Alaska central to his “drill, baby, drill” mantra. Federal agencies were directed to halt wind farm leases and reconsider funding for green initiatives.
On economic matters, Trump paused foreign aid and began reviewing trade policies focusing on unfair practices by Canada, Mexico, and China. Federal hiring freezes were enacted with an exception for the military as part of efforts to cut government costs.
Trump issued pardons for over 1600 supporters charged during the January 6th capital riots. He also commuted sentences for Oath Keepers and Proud Boys leader convicted of seditious conspiracy. Critics called these actions divisive.
In government reforms, Trump established the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) to streamline spending. He appointed Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk to lead Doge. Trump’s executive orders halted diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Another directive required federal employees to return to office-based work.
Trump reasserted his America First agenda by halting Biden-era foreign aid programs and reinstating sanctions on Cuba and Venezuela. He also signed an order renaming the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America and reverted Alaska’s Mount Denali to its original name, Mount McKinley. While these sweeping actions signal Trump’s intent to chart a sharp policy shift, their outcome remains uncertain. Legal battles and implementation challenges are expected.
