Only days into his second term, The White House reported that President Donald Trump made history by signing a record breaking 42 executive orders on his first day in office.
As Trump’s administration continues to roll out additional orders, the nation remains sharply divided. These executive actions have set the tone for what could be a contentious and polarizing term for those impacted by his agenda.
On Jan. 20, Trump was sworn in for his second term during an indoor ceremony at the Capitol Rotunda. His inaugural address emphasized “restoring America’s greatness through strength, unity and unyielding resolve.” These ideals have driven a flurry of executive orders.
Immigration: A Hardline Approach
Immigration policies have taken a turn under the Trump administration. Executive actions aim to “repel, repatriate or remove any alien engaging in the invasion.” Military personnel, including the National Guard and Ready Reserve, are authorized to act as border enforcement officers.
Additionally, Trump has suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and redefined birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment—a decision likely to face legal challenges.
The administration has also prohibited “catch-and-release” programs, requiring immigration detainees to remain in custody during court proceedings. DNA samples and fingerprints are now mandatory for detainees under the DNA Fingerprint Act of 2005. Sanctuary cities face funding cuts as Trump pursues a zero-tolerance policy on immigration.
Climate and Energy: Fossil Fuels First
Trump has revoked several Joe Biden-era policies aimed at addressing climate change and promoting renewable energy. Key actions include repealing regulations supporting electric vehicle development and reinstating fossil fuel extraction in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The Outer Continental Shelf has been declared ineligible for wind energy leases, signaling a prioritization of fossil fuels over renewable energy sectors.
The administration has also withdrawn the United States from the Paris Agreement, after 2024 ranked as the hottest year on record. The executive order—Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements—claimed that the Paris Agreement does not reflect America’s values or America’s contributions to the pursuit of economic and environmental objectives.
Trump has instructed the Army Corps of Engineers to expedite energy projects, bypassing environmental reviews under the Endangered Species Act.
DEI & Civil Rights-era Policy Rollbacks
Before taking office, Trump made his opposition to DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) programs clear. Since taking office, the Trump administration has labeled DEI programs as “radical” and “wasteful.”
Trump’s executive order dismantles DEI policies across federal agencies, citing them as “illegal and immoral” practices that prioritize identity over merit. The directive requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to immediately suspend DEI officers and mandates that federal employment evaluations exclude DEI-related goals.
“The injection of ‘Diversity, Equity and Inclusion’ into our institutions has corrupted them,” the order said.
The executive order—Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing—criticizes the Biden administration’s implementation of DEI programs within the federal government, with the executive order characterizing Biden’s initiatives as discriminatory and immoral.
The Trump administration’s opposition to Biden’s DEI orders is illustrated in the order— “The injection of ‘Diversity, Equity and Inclusion’ (DEI) into our institutions has corrupted them by replacing hard work, merit and equality, with a divisive and dangerous preferential hierarchy.”
Trump’s anti-DEI orders implement actions that prohibit DEI programs across the federal government. This means federal employment practices, including federal employee performance reviews, are prohibited from considering DEI factors, goals, mandates or requirements.
Other civil rights policies have also come under scrutiny. Trump repealed the historic Equal Employment Opportunity Act, which had been in place since 1965.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, The Equal Employment Opportunity Act prohibits federal contractors from discriminating based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin.
Another set of the Trump administration’s civil rights rollbacks addresses gender. In this new executive order, the Trump administration dissolved the White House Gender Policy Council and mandated the recognition of only two genders—male and female—in all federal documents, passports and visas.
With this, federal funding is now prohibited from being used to “promote gender ideology.” The executive order describes gender ideology as a vast spectrum of genders that is disconnected from one’s sex. The administration has also rescinded Biden’s directives on LGBTQ+ rights.
Return to In-Person Work
One of Trump’s reforms focuses on federal agencies and in-person work. The executive order requires heads of all departments and agencies in the executive branch of government to terminate remote work arrangements.
With this, employees are required to return to work in person at their respective duty stations on a full-time basis.
In defense of the law, Elon Musk posted on X—“This is about fairness: It’s not fair that most people have to come to work to build products or provide services while federal employees get to stay home.”
Broader Implications
“The previous administration has embedded deeply unpopular, inflationary, illegal and radical practices,” Trump said during his address, justifying his aggressive reversal of Biden-era policies. While his base celebrates these moves as a return to “traditional American values,” others worry about the long-term implications of this abrupt policy shift.
Copy edited by Aniyah Genama
