Donald Trump began his second term promising a “golden age of America” and wasted no time in issuing a series of executive orders to kickstart his vision. These orders cover a wide range of issues, from immigration to energy to the federal workforce.
One of the most controversial moves Trump made was to pardon 1,500 individuals involved in the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. This decision upended years of Justice Department efforts and fulfilled a campaign promise.
On the immigration front, Trump signed multiple executive orders aimed at cracking down on illegal border crossings and immigration in general. He declared a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border and deployed armed forces to the region. Additionally, he intends to end birthright citizenship, a move that has already faced legal challenges.
In terms of energy policy, Trump is focused on increasing domestic energy production by declaring a “national energy emergency.” This move would give him the power to undo many of the clean-energy policies put in place by the Biden administration. He also announced the U.S. will withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord once again.
On the federal workforce front, Trump signed orders requiring all government employees to return to the office and implementing a hiring freeze across the executive branch. He also removed job protections for thousands of government workers in an effort to reduce what he calls “deep state” bureaucracy.
In the health sector, Trump announced plans to remove nonbinary options from federal documents and signed an order removing the U.S. from the World Health Organization. He also plans to reinstate military members who were penalized for not getting vaccinated against Covid-19.
On the trade front, Trump directed federal agencies to investigate and address trade deficits and unfair trade practices. He also plans to impose tariffs on Mexico and Canada and establish the “External Revenue Service” to collect tariffs from foreign nations.
In addition to these key actions, Trump also extended the deadline for TikTok to be divested or banned, suspended U.S. foreign assistance programs for 90 days pending review, and made symbolic gestures like renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and returning Mount Denali in Alaska to Mount McKinley.
Overall, Trump’s second term is off to a bold and controversial start, with the president taking decisive action to reshape the country’s policies and direction.
