Newly inaugurated U.S. President Donald Trump did not wait long to define his priorities for his second term, signing a series of executive orders within hours of taking office. These actions were meant to fulfill several campaign promises in the areas of immigration, energy policy, national security, and the federal workforce.
Key Executive Orders on Day One
Trump started his second term by signing eight executive orders, which included:
- Halting 78 executive actions from the Biden era.
- A regulatory freeze, prohibiting bureaucrats from issuing new regulations pending his administration gaining full control.
- A federal hiring freeze, except for military and essential services.
Further orders touched on other policy fields:
- Workplace Policies: Federal employees were compelled to return to work full-time, in-person.
- Cost of Living: Departments and agencies were ordered to tackle inflation and the cost-of-living crisis.
- Climate Policy: The United States withdrew from the Paris Climate Accord and increased activities for oil, gas, and mining.
- Speech: The President issued an executive order that reinforced free speech while eliminating censorship and controlling the “weaponization of government.”
Pardons and Immigration Reforms
The first Oval Office executive order was the full pardon to nearly 1,500 who were arrested on January 6 Capitol riot cases. Fourteen sentences were also commuted.
On immigration, Trump declared a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, deploying troops to counter what he called a “disastrous invasion”.
The other measures include:
- Ending automatic birthright citizenship for children of non-permanent residents.
- Suspending refugee resettlement for six months.
- Reinstatement of the “Remain in Mexico” policy
- Introduction of the death penalty for illegal immigrants who harm Americans.
Trade, Energy, and Health Policies
Trump ordered a review of tariffs and trade agreements with China, Mexico, and Canada, hinting at imposing tariffs of up to 25% on the latter two nations by February 1. Additionally, offshore drilling was expanded, and plans to refill the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve were announced.
Health policy actions included the withdrawal of the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO) and restoring military personnel dismissed for refusing COVID-19 vaccinations, with all back pay.
Social and Cultural Policy Definition
Trump reaffirmed the policy that there are only two sexes—male and female—recognized in federal regulations and documents. He also instructed the Department of Justice to ensure that states have all the resources they need to carry out executions, as he was for the death penalty.
TikTok and External Revenue Service
In a surprising twist, Trump granted TikTok a 75-day reprieve, further delaying a ban while national security negotiations continued. He also promised to create an “External Revenue Service” that would manage tariffs, which would bring in substantial revenue for the U.S. Treasury.
Historic Swearing-In Ceremony
Donald Trump is sworn in as the 47th President of the United States on Monday, January 20, becoming the second president to serve non-consecutive terms and the first convicted felon to occupy the office. The ceremony is moved indoors due to extreme cold to the Capitol Rotunda where it is conducted at 12:00 pm ET (10:30 pm IST).