President-elect Donald Trump attends a campaign event, in Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S., October 29, 2024. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo
Trump Plans Over 25 Executive Actions on First Day of Presidency
Aggressive Use of Executive Power
President-elect Donald Trump is preparing to issue more than 25 executive orders and directives on his first day in office, January 20, aiming to reshape U.S. policy across areas including immigration, energy, and education. This planned flurry of orders represents an effort to assert executive authority on a larger scale than his first term, sources close to the Trump transition team told Reuters.
Trump has instructed his team to ensure these actions create a “big splash,” signaling his intent to move swiftly on campaign promises. While executive orders can bypass Congress, they may face legal challenges and require coordination across federal agencies, potentially limiting the number of actions implemented immediately.
Focus Areas for Day One Orders
The initial wave of orders is expected to target what Trump has criticized as permissive border policies under President Joe Biden. Key measures include:
- Immigration: Expanding powers for immigration officers to arrest individuals without criminal records, deploying more troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, and restarting construction of the border wall.
- Energy Policy: Promoting increased domestic energy production, including initiatives to expand drilling and fracking.
- Birthright Citizenship: Signing an executive action to end birthright citizenship, a move likely to face significant court challenges.
Cultural and Educational Directives
Trump has also vowed to address cultural and educational issues through executive action, including:
- Stripping federal funding from schools teaching critical race theory.
- Rolling back anti-discrimination protections for transgender students implemented by the Biden administration.
- Restricting federal contractors from conducting certain diversity training programs.
Additionally, Trump advisers are drafting an order to scrutinize hiring practices at the State Department to ensure decisions are based on merit rather than race or gender considerations.
Coordination and Implementation Challenges
The development of these orders is being spearheaded by Stephen Miller, a senior Trump adviser, with input from conservative organizations such as the America First Policy Institute, the Conservative Partnership Institute, and the Heritage Foundation.
While the orders reflect Trump’s policy priorities, insiders acknowledge the complexity of implementing them. Coordination across government agencies and potential legal hurdles could slow progress. Some draft orders are being prepared at Trump’s base in Palm Beach, Florida, while others are being refined at think tanks in Washington, D.C.
Comparisons to Previous Administrations
Trump’s approach contrasts sharply with his first term, when he signed only a few executive orders on his first day. It also exceeds the pace set by President Joe Biden, who issued 17 executive orders on his first day in office in 2021.
Broader Implications
These executive actions align with Trump’s campaign promises to prioritize immigration enforcement, expand energy independence, and push back against what he views as progressive cultural policies. However, the scope and scale of the planned orders indicate a potentially contentious start to his presidency, with legal and political challenges likely to dominate the early weeks of his second term.
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