In an effort to swiftly carry out his agenda, Donald Trump signed a number of executive orders after taking the oath of office on Monday. These orders included ending diversity programs in federal agencies, establishing a national emergency along the U.S.-Mexico border, and directing the resumption of construction on his border wall.
Trump signed several immigration-related orders at the White House, including one to terminate birthright citizenship, following a joyous gathering in downtown Washington.
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The U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment, which declares that “all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States,” has been interpreted to require birthright citizenship.
Any attempt by Trump to eliminate birthright citizenship will be challenged in court by Democrats and certain legal organizations.
“We shall start the revolution of common sense and the full restoration of America with these steps. In his inaugural speech, Trump stated, “It’s all about common sense.”
Additionally, he fulfilled his pledge to sign an order giving TikTok, a Chinese-owned social media site, extra time to sell to a U.S.-based business.
About 80 executive orders that former President Joe Biden signed were canceled in the first order that Trump signed in front of a crowd at the Capital One Arena. He also ordered a hiring freeze for government employees and a ban on new regulations. Additionally, Trump pulled out of the Paris Climate Accord once more.
After finishing, he tossed a few of the pens he had used into the throng.
As he looks to get his second term in the White House off to a swift start, the orders are part of a larger strategy that is anticipated to involve around 50 things in total.
Immigration overhaul
Trump’s other immigration-related executive orders reinstate his first administration’s “Remain in Mexico” policy for individuals trying to enter the country through Mexico, while another designates migrant gangs and cartels, particularly MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, as foreign terrorist organizations.
The implementation of Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy may be hampered because it was made unilaterally and without the consent of Mexico, the country’s Foreign Affairs Ministry informed NBC News.
When asked in the Oval Office whether the designation of gang terrorism allowed for the deployment of U.S. special forces into Mexico, Trump responded, “Stranger things have happened.”
The Defense Department would be able to send the National Guard and soldiers to the border if Trump declared a national emergency there. Trump transition officials said that the Defense Department will decide the rules of engagement for the troops stationed at the border.
Regarding his immigration policies, Trump stated, “We have to set our country on the proper course.”Sunday during a fan rally. The invasion of our borders will have stopped by tomorrow evening, and all of the illegal border trespassers will be returning home in one form or another.
Reversing diversity initiatives
The executive actions do not all deal with immigration and border issues. Others focused on federal government programs related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
During his inaugural speech, Trump declared, “We will create a society that is merit-based and colorblind.”
According to another decree, the United States recognizes both males and females on all official documents, including passports and visas.
The Biden administration made it possible for American citizens to choose the gender-neutral X as a marking on their passport booklets in 2022.
Additionally, the ruling will prohibit the use of taxpayer dollars for health services related to gender transformation.
Reforms and cuts
for government workers
Trump formally established the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with the goal of reducing government spending, as was anticipated.
Trump declared in November that Vivek Ramaswamy and billionaire Elon Musk will co-lead DOGE. However, people with knowledge of his plans informed NBC News on Monday that Ramaswamy would not participate in order to concentrate on his bid to become governor of Ohio.
Three lawsuits promptly disputed that directive, claiming that the unofficial government agency circumvents laws and transparency regulations.
Reimplementing “Schedule F,” an executive order that deprives nonpolitical career officials in policy posts across the federal bureaucracy of job protections, was another item on Trump’s agenda. A president can fire them far more easily as a result of the move. Thousands of workers may be impacted by the directive.
More federal employees must report back to work in person, per another order.
Extra energy
In order to boost American energy production, which is already at a record level, Trump also signed executive measures. While one order will allow increased oil production in Alaska, another will proclaim a “national energy emergency” to cut down on red tape and permit more drilling.
Name changes
Additionally, he was signing an order to rename Alaska’s Denali, the highest mountain in North America, Mount McKinley. At the request of Native Alaskan tribes and lawmakers, President Barack Obama renamed the mountain in 2015, which infuriated Ohio, the home state of President William McKinley.
Although it’s unclear if a U.S. president has the power to rename an area that is regarded as international waters, another order would rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
Securing
and revoking
security clearances
With reference to a “backlog” in the “processing of security clearances of individuals hired to work in the Executive Office of the President,” Trump signed an order enabling the White House counsel’s office to generate a list of employees who will receive top secret security clearances right away rather than undergoing the standard protocol.
Along with the clearance for his former national security adviser, John Bolton, he also signed an order rescinding the security clearances of former intelligence officials who signed a letter warning that the story of Hunter Biden’s laptop during the 2020 election had all the traditional hallmarks of a Russian information operation.
Bolton’s book about working for Trump caused him to be singled out. According to the order, the intensely critical book on Trump “was rife with sensitive information drawn from his time in government.”
Record number of orders
Trump signed a single executive order targeting the Affordable Care Act on his first day in office in 2017, but the scope and quantity of his directives greatly outstripped that.
Furthermore, it goes beyond the figure Biden signed on his first day of work. In addition to overturning Trump’s immigration and deregulation policies, Biden signed nine executive orders covering everything from ethics pledges for executive branch employees to fighting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
On that same day in 2021, Biden also approved seven other executive measures, including orders to reverse Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Accord and to stop funding his border wall.
Along with his measures on gender identity discrimination and ethics pledges, Trump signed an order on Monday reversing Biden’s repudiation of the climate deal. Prior to Biden reversing the decision and Trump reversing Biden again, he started the process of withdrawing from the World Health Organization during his previous administration. Additionally, he overturned some of Biden’s last executive orders, such as the one that removed Cuba’s position as a state supporter of terrorism.
Trump stated he intended to sign a lot of executive actions on his first day in a phone interview with Kristen Welker, moderator of NBC News Meet the Press, on Saturday.
“Immediately following this [inauguration] speech, I will be signing a record number of documents,” he stated.