Donald Trump entered into office as the 47th U.S. president on January 20, 2025, an unprecedented occasion since the second stay in the presidency came unanimously. Within hours of assuming office, Trump issued a series of executive orders, establishing the agenda of the administration. These sweeping, controversial moves were in line with his campaign pledges.
The newly installed President was inaugurated by signing executive orders on the first day relating to immigration, energy, national security, and government reform. The signing ceremony covered eight executive Donald Trump’s day 1 orders that seek to reverse some of Biden-era “stopping actions” and broadly reshape their federal operations.
Key Executive Donald Trump’s Day 1 Orders Signed So Far
Pardons for January 6 Defendants
On his first day in office, Trump released the full pardon of about 1,500 people accused of being involved in the January 6th storming of the Capitol. Additionally, he commuted the sentences of 14 others. This controversial measure was framed as a measure to reunite the country as well as to receive very fierce opposition from the political opposition.
Immigration Crackdown
Trump declared a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, instructing the deployment of military personnel in reprisal for what he called a “deadly invasion,”. He signed an executive order to abolish automatic birthright citizenship for children of illegal aliens, but this is blocked by some legal challenges.
The President reimposed the “Remain in Mexico” policy and paused refugee resettling for 6 months. He ordered the Department of Justice to charge illegal aliens with crimes in the death penalty as legally required.
Economic Actions
In response to the cost-of-living crisis, Trump charged the federal agencies to act against inflation by focusing on housing, health care pricing, and energy production. He also withdrew the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement and took steps to increase offshore oil drilling, restore the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and increase mining activities.
Free Speech and Censorship
Trump signed an executive order to “save the right to speak freely and “unleash the evil power of government. This includes measures against censorship on social media platforms, a key campaign promise.
Controversial Policy Highlights
Withdrawal from WHO
Among the most contentious of Donald Trump’s Day 1 orders, the President withdrew the U.S. from the World Health Organization (WHO), a move echoing his first term. He stated dissatisfaction with the reaction of the organization to the pandemic and also with accusations of bias.
Death Penalty Expansion
The President ordered the Attorney General to make lethal injection drugs available to the states and signaled a commitment to the death penalty.
Two Sexes Policy
Trump implemented a federal policy whereby male and female are the only identifiers for an individual’s sex on federal forms and materials. Critics have called this a rollback of LGBTQ+ rights.
Reversing Biden-Era Policies
Trump’s executive order nullified 78 Obama-era executive actions, showing the start of a deconstruction process by Trump over his predecessor’s agenda. The President also imposed a federal hiring freeze, prohibiting immigration enforcement and national security jobs. Federal employees were mandated to resume on-site, full-time work, thereby ending off-line work policies.
International Relations and Trade
Trump instructed a review of tariffs and trade with China, Mexico, and Canada, alluding to the possibility of 25% Mexican/Canadian tariffs by February 1. Meanwhile, TikTok received a 75-day reprieve, delaying a ban while negotiations continue.
A Divisive Start
While Trump’s supporters have praised this decisive one, critical opponents argue that this is leading to amplifying political polarization. Donald Trump’s Day 1 orders have been driven by something that marked his campaign, be it border security, or energy independence. As these executive orders now move, they will undoubtedly be set upon litigation and public scrutiny.
Also, see: Donald Trump all set for his second term: What you need to know about oath-taking ceremony?