Birthright citizenship and DEI are out. ‘Drill, baby, drill’ and five day in-office work weeks are in. Here are Trump’s most contentious executive orders from his first day in office.
President Donald Trump spent the hours after inauguration making good on his promises to begin the overhaul the country’s immigration system, boost the economy and roll back diversity programs in the federal government through a slew of executive orders, memoranda and proclamations.
A handful of executive actions were signed from a desk placed on the stage at Capitol One Arena in downtown Washington, where Trump addressed supporters after he was sworn in. Behind him were members of his and Vice President JD Vance’s families.
The rest were signed in the Oval Office following the event.
Trump had promised in the weeks leading up to Inauguration Day that he would sign a hefty number of actions, with senators given previews of what they were told would be 100 orders.
The promise was a stark reversal from his last term, where he signed just one order on his first day that targeted an aspect of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Biden on the other hand signed 17 executive orders, proclamations and memoranda on his first day in office.
Reactions to the orders ran from excitement to outrage and dismay. Pope Francis blasted Trump’s immigration plans as a “disgrace” and the ACLU is planning to sue over proposed edits to the birthright citizenship clause. Several are likely to be challenged in court.
Here is a running list of the major executive actions Trump authorized on his first day in office:
Overhauling the Immigration System
During his 2024 campaign, Trump made immigration a central part of his pitch, vowing to crack down on illegal immigration, shore up protection at the southern border and rewrite citizenship rules.
Ahead of the orders, Trump’s administration abruptly shut down the CBP One app created by the Biden administration to allow migrants to schedule an appointment for entry into the country through legal entry points.
His executive actions:
- Declare a national emergency at the border: This action will allow the armed forces to finish the border wall Trump attempted to build during his first term. It will also allow the incoming defense secretary to deploy troops and the National Guard to the border.
- End the “catch and release” program and reinstate “Remain in Mexico” program.
- Designate cartels as terrorists: This action will make it easier to remove members of cartel groups like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua.
- Suspend refugee resettlements for four months and ramp up the removal process for those seeking asylum but don’t meet the requirements
- End birthright citizenship: Some argue this clause of the Constitution doesn’t recognize automatic citizenship for children born in the country to parents without legal status.
Pardons for Jan. 6 Defendants
After declining to pardon people convicted for their roles in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol during his last term, Trump has promised to do so quickly this time around.
An estimated 1,500 people were pardoned and 14 commutations were issued. He noted that a handful of cases won’t be given full pardons at the moment pending review.
Included in the pardons was Enrique Tarrio, the former national leader of the far-right Proud Boys. Tarrio was convicted by a jury in Washington, D.C., of seditious conspiracy. A social media post before the pardon issued by Tarrio’s mother confirmed the report.
More than 1,580 people have been charged and more than 1,270 were convicted stemming from the insurrection. More than 700 people who were convicted either received no prison time or they have already completed their sentences.
Sweeping Economic Overhauls
Trump also made economic improvements a central part of his campaign, repeatedly blaming Biden for destroying the economy.
Part of his promised changes to drastically improve the economy were rolling back Biden’s order aiming for half of new cars and trucks sold in 2030 to be zero-emission and increased tariffs on imported goods from Mexico and Canada. Those tariffs were not part of the Day One actions, but Trump said Monday at the White House that he is looking to impose them on Feb. 1. Other promises included his frequent rallying cry to increase oil drilling and return the auto industry to America.
His executive actions:
- Prevent additional regulations pending review by his administration.
- Freeze federal hiring.
- Rescind 78 of Biden’s executive actions.
- Require federal workers to come back to the office five days a week.
- Declare a national energy emergency to drive up oil and gas output and drive down energy prices.
- Cancel the electric vehicle mandate.
- Reopen drilling in parts of Alaska after Biden limited both oil and gas drilling and mining.
- Officially create the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Delaying the TikTok Ban
Another Trump order will delay the enforcement of a law banning the popular social media platform by at least 75 days. It will block the ban by instructing the attorney general not to take any action to enforce it until his administration has “an opportunity to determine the appropriate course forward.”
Speaking with reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said if he signs the deal allowing the app to operate in the U.S. again, then the “U.S. should be entitled to get half of TikTok.” He added that without the U.S. approving the deal, the app would be worthless.
Preventing Weaponization of Government, Protecting Free Speech
Making good on his promise of political retribution, Trump during his rally blasted former special counsel Jack Smith and asked if he was pardoned. He then took aim at Biden and his Justice Department and his last-minute pardons.
His executive actions:
- Preserve records related to investigations and make “abuses” public.
- Prevent “government censorship of free speech.”
- Establish a directive against the “weaponization of government.”
Pulling Out of the Paris Climate Accord
Trump signed an order withdrawing the U.S. from the landmark Paris climate agreement. First signed in 2016 under former President Barack Obama, the pact is voluntary and allows member countries to establish targets to cut their own greenhouse gas emissions. Trump initially pulled the U.S. out in 2017, but Biden rejoined when he took office in 2021.
Pulling Out of the World Health Organization
Trump signed an order withdrawing the U.S. from the World Health Organization, a United Nations specialized agency that handles global public health issues. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency came under fire for its mask and vaccine guidance.
Changing Federal Gender Identity Policies, Rolling Back DEI Measures
His executive actions:
- Direct the federal government to recognize only two sexes: This action will require federal agencies to use the definitions on documents like passports, visas and employee records. Taxpayer funds will not be allowed to be used for “transition services” and the word gender will be replaced by sex.
- End diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the federal government.
Controversial Name Changes
Trump signed an order renaming the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America and Denali, the highest mountain, will revert back to Mount McKinley. The mountain was renamed under former President Barack Obama. Both changes will be to honor “American greatness,” according to the text of the order.