Written by Eliza Dorton Edited by Akshar Patel and Annika Lilja
When President Donald Trump came into office on January 20th, many of his voters awaited the announcements of what his first executive orders in office would look like. Would he fulfill his campaign trail promises and immediately lower the price of eggs? Would he end the Russia-Ukraine war within 24 hours of taking office? While those specific promises were not kept, others were.
To no surprise, Trump withdrew the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement (a binding treaty on climate change by members of the United Nations) with the goal of prioritizing economic growth and reducing global climate commitments. The official executive order, according to The White House, stated that the U.S., “must grow its economy and maintain jobs for its citizens while playing a leadership role in global efforts to protect the environment.”
Second, Trump also signed an executive order supporting the revocation of birthright citizenship, entitled, “Protecting The Meaning and Value of American Citizenship.” The order ends automatic citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants born in the U.S. and challenges the interpretation of the 14th Amendment. However, a Federal District Court judge temporarily blocked this order due to its unconstitutionality. Trump stated he would appeal the block.
Furthermore, he signed an executive order redefining sex in federal policies. The order limits federal recognition of gender to binary definitions based on biological sex at birth, excluding transgender and nonbinary identities, entitled “Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to The Federal Government.”
Trump continued in the inclusion sector by getting rid of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs in federal agencies. DEI practices are enacted in workplaces and schools with the goal of fair treatment and participation of all people. They are aimed at preventing inequality, especially for groups of people who have been underrepresented in the past. According to AP News, web pages that were once used for resources for “underrepresented Americans” have been shut down. These web pages had information detailing agency policies, including to “recruit diverse workforces and foster a sense of belonging for employees and students,” (AP News).
He also signed an order entitled “Declaring a National Energy Emergency,” which minimized environmental protections under the Endangered Species Act to prioritize fossil fuel development. The goal of the executive order is to protect the country from energy crises that could impact everyday life to maintain national security and public welfare.
The last key executive order was centered around border security enhancements. It resumes the construction of the border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and directs federal funds toward increased border surveillance and patrol. The executive order also includes measures to strengthen asylum policies and quicken deportations. Immigration officers are making more arrests now and deportation flights have been highly publicized. Some actions will take longer to go into effect.
Overall, Trump had an efficient first week in office signing executive orders, including some of those he promised on the campaign trail.
Sources:
https://www.politifact.com/article/2025/jan/27/trump-campaign-promises-week-1-second-term/
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/putting-america-first-in-international-environmental-agreements/
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/protecting-the-meaning-and-value-of-american-citizenship/
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/defending-women-from-gender-ideology-extremism-and-restoring-biological-truth-to-the-federal-government/
https://apnews.com/article/trump-dei-education-diversity-equity-inclusion-20cf8a2941f4f35e0b5b0e07c6347ebb
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/declaring-a-national-energy-emergency/
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/securing-our-borders/
https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-deportations-border-immigration-bcd2737e6f9b482ec500238c6caa4f35