On his first day of his second presidential term, President Donald Trump signed a wide array of executive orders, most notably the withdrawal from international agreements he sees as hindering American efforts—such as exiting the Paris Climate Agreement and leaving the World Health Organization—granting pardons to some involved in the Capitol events on January 6, 2021, and implementing various immigration and border measures.
Notable Orders
The President issued a series of executive orders fulfilling his electoral promises, including the cancellation of nearly 78 executive orders enacted by former President Joe Biden. The key executive orders signed by Trump include:
Declaring a National Emergency in Energy: The President declared a national emergency in the energy sector and promised on his first day in the White House to work diligently to fill strategic oil reserves and export American energy globally. His plan aims to boost oil and gas production in the United States, including the withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, signing an executive order to enhance oil and gas development in Alaska, and ending leases for wind farms on public lands. He also revoked a Biden-era memorandum from 2023 that banned oil drilling in approximately 16 million acres of the Arctic. Trump expects these actions to help reduce inflation and protect U.S. national security.
Ending Federal Censorship on Free Speech: The President sought to secure free speech for citizens through an executive order aimed at restoring free expression and ending federal censorship. This came after accusations aimed at his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, for allegedly encouraging the suppression of free speech on digital platforms. The White House stated that “under the guise of combating misinformation and misleading information, the federal government violated Americans’ constitutionally protected rights to expression.”
Withdrawal from International Agreements: Trump endeavored to implement his campaign promises and the “America First” principle by issuing executive orders for Washington’s exit from the Paris Climate Agreement. He also sent a message to the United Nations justifying his withdrawal, stating that the U.S. “intends to exit the agreement established in 2015 aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions contributing to climate change, asserting that my administration’s policy is to prioritize the interests of the United States and the American people.” He also signed another executive order targeting exit from the World Health Organization, justifying it by claiming the organization mishandled the COVID-19 pandemic and other health crises and was operating in favor of China.
Improving American Living Standards: The President aimed to fulfill his campaign promise of reducing prices and alleviating the burdens on American workers. He issued an executive order requiring all departments and executive agencies to provide emergency relief to the American people while seeking to roll back climate regulations that raised costs for citizens and housing expenses. These measures were intended to rectify the damage caused by the Biden administration over the past four years, which had plunged Americans into unprecedented inflation.
Reducing the Size of the Federal Government: Trump sought to shrink the federal government by issuing an executive order to create an advisory group called the “Government Efficiency Office,” aimed at downsizing the U.S. government. He signed another executive order freezing federal hiring and new federal regulations, requiring federal employees to return to full in-person work. During his inauguration speech, he stated: “I will immediately enforce a freeze on new regulatory actions, which will prevent Biden’s bureaucrats from issuing regulations,” adding, “I will issue a temporary hiring freeze to ensure we only hire competent individuals loyal to the American public.” Analysts noted that this step could force many government workers to abandon remote work arrangements and reduce the civil service, making it easier for Trump to replace long-serving governmental employees with his loyalists.
Reaching a Settlement Regarding the TikTok Ban: Trump signed an executive order postponing the implementation of the Supreme Court’s decision to ban the TikTok app in the U.S. for 75 days to reach a solution. He proposed that the U.S. buy 50% of TikTok’s shares, stating during his inauguration: “I want the United States to own a 50% stake. Through this, we will save TikTok, keep it in safe hands, and allow it to remain.”
Abolishing Laws Protecting Certain Minority Groups: On his first day in the White House, Trump worked to annul previous executive orders aimed at assisting Black, Latino, Native American, Asian, and Pacific Islander communities, a move likely to complicate relations within American society.
Targeting the “Gender Engineering” Policy: Trump also canceled some executive orders that enhanced rights for the LGBTQ+ community put in place by the Biden administration, issuing an executive order targeting the elimination of a third gender and recognizing only two genders: male and female. He stated during his inauguration: “This week, I will end the government’s policy represented by the attempt at social engineering of race and gender in every aspect of public and private life.”
Attempting to Dismantle Biden’s Foreign Policy Legacy: On his first day, Trump sought to rescind over 78 executive actions taken by his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden, which he deemed destructive. This included actions related to American foreign policy, such as removing Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism—a decision made by Biden to encourage a Catholic Church initiative for the release of numerous political prisoners—alongside revoking Biden’s executive order imposing sanctions on Israeli settlers involved in violence in the West Bank.
Addressing Illegal Immigration: President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders aimed at curbing immigration, including declaring a national emergency at the southern U.S. border and seeking to eliminate birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to legal immigrants. He also issued an executive order aimed at suspending the U.S. refugee resettlement program for four months, along with another order renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
Pardoning Those Involved in the Capitol Events: Trump aimed to fulfill his campaign promise that his first actions upon assuming office would be to release some individuals involved in the Capitol riots. He signed an executive order for the release of about 1,500 accused individuals from the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, including Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the “Proud Boys,” sentenced to approximately 22 years, and Stewart Rhodes, founder of the “Oath Keepers” militia, sentenced to about 18 years. He also ordered the commutation of sentences for 14 members of the extreme right-wing groups “Proud Boys” and “Oath Keepers,” convicted of inciting violence.
Assertion of Authority
In conclusion, it can be said that the purpose behind President Donald Trump’s series of executive orders on his first day in the White House was to assert his authority, fulfill his campaign promises, reinforce the dominance of the “America First” approach in domestic and foreign policies over the next four years, and end the previous administration’s policies, which he believes caused suffering for Americans due to rising prices of goods, fuels, and housing.
