President Donald J. Trump has spent two weeks in office following his Inauguration on January 20th. So far Trump has implemented dozens of policies over a plethora of topics, ranging from architecture to deportation. Here are summaries of them his executive orders, that directs the executive branch of the government, and proclamation, an official announcement: 

January 20

Immigration

 Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border stating, “Our southern border is overrun by cartels, criminal gangs, known terrorists, human traffickers, smugglers, unvetted military-age males from foreign adversaries, and illicit narcotics that harm Americans, including America.” 

He then signed an executive order, commanding U.S. Armed Forces to prioritize “the protection of the sovereignty and territorial integrity” of America’s borders. The policy seals the borders, keeping any migrants from entering the country and leaving many in limbo

Trump also proclaimed cartels to be considered a terrorist organization, began raids to deport migrants without any legal status and banned children from receiving automatic “birthright” citizenship if their parents are migrants. 

Energy

Trump stated in his inauguration speech, “drill, baby drill,” following it up by declaring a national energy emergency. The declaration does not target all forms of energy, but mainly focuses on oil and gas expansion. He also signed an executive order, opening up areas for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. 

He signed an executive order called “Unleashing American Energy.” The order’s goal is to encourage energy exploration and production, to have America become the leading producer and processor of non-fuel minerals, ensure the US has an ample supply of energy ready to use at any time, eliminate the electric vehicle mandate and promote consumer choice. The policy also pauses any funds to the Inflation Reduction Act, which gives grants and loans to citizens, helping to reduce the cost of living in America.

Pardons

Trump issued a blanket pardon to 1,500 defendants charged because of their involvement in Jan. 6, claiming them to be “hostages.” The rioters who did not receive a pardon got their sentences commuted, including the leaders and 14 members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers. This reverses convictions and decisions following Jan. 6, having charges against 1,583 defendants, over 1,000 guilty pleas and over 200 convictions. 

Federal Workers

Trump completely terminated the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. The email sent to all federal employees stated, “These programs divided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars, and resulted in shameful discrimination.”

He additionally signed an executive order, implementing a hiring freeze while also banning all federal workers from working at home. This bars all federal agencies from filling any open positions for the time being, but it does not apply to the military or positions in immigration enforcement, national security or public safety. The order also calls for a plan in 90 days that will reduce the federal workforce size.

Government Policies

Trump carried out a proclamation, ordering that the American flag must be flown at full-staff on all Inauguration Days. The proclamation impacts flags at the White House, all public buildings, military posts, naval stations and all naval vessels throughout all of America and its territories. This was due to Trump being sworn in while the American flag was still being flown at half-staff for former President Jimmy Carter’s passing. 

He signed an executive order on America’s trade, commanding the Department of Treasury, Commerce, Homeland Security, Defense and the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to review and investigate trade with current American trading partners. They would look into causes of trade shortage in goods, economic and national security implications, and would recommend plans to help solve the problem. This is done to try to expose any unfair trade practices that U.S. trading partners are conducting. After the investigations and reviews, the agencies have to give a report on their recommended adjusted or modified trade policies and tariffs. 

In addition, signing an executive order called, “Promoting Beautiful Federal Civic Architecture.” The order gives the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and the federal heads of departments and agencies 60 days to submit recommendations on how to change federal public buildings to be more recognizable as civic buildings to Trump.

He also signed an order “Ending the Weaponization of the Federal Government.” The order is an attack against the Biden administration, claiming they used the government as a way to stand against political opponents. The purpose of the order is to ensure accountability and, in relation to weaponization, “correct past misconduct by the Federal Government.”

Trump renamed the United States Digital Service (USDS) Office to the United States Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Service. DOGE will be headed by Elon Musk. Each federal agency must make a DOGE team, including a leader, engineer, human resources specialist and an attorney.

He then granted interim Top Secret or Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearances for six months. This allows these individuals to enter facilities and access technology that is needed for their job. The policy is done due to Trump proclaiming a backlog of security clearances the Biden Administration caused. 

On top of that, he signed an executive order, stating that government workers with security clearances cannot use the clearance to interfere with elections in the United States. In the same order, Trump withdrew security clearances from 50 individuals. The policy is done in order to guarantee that the Intelligence Community cannot interfere with partisan politics or elections. 

Trump reinstated the policy of creating Schedule F in the expected service after the policy failed to be implemented in 2020 due to being rescinded by Biden. The policy removes protections, including the right to collective bargaining, for a large number of federal employees, applying up to over 50,000. Trump also is changing the name, replacing the letter “F” with “Policy/Career.” 

He also signed an executive order that removes U.S. foreign development assistance for 90 days. He also has ordered a review of each foreign assistance program. Within these 90 days, Trump will decide if he wants to carry on with the program or modify it in some way. 

He then issued a memorandum, stating that the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Global Tax Deal has no effect in the United States and removed any commitments that the Biden Administration implemented. Trump also ordered the Secretary of the Treasury to investigate the countries that do not have a tax treaty with the U.S., do not have any tax rules or are likely to put some in place. The Secretary then has to determine if these countries are a threat to American companies and create a list of protective measures against them. 

Plus, he issued a memorandum on the structuring of the National Security Council (NSC) and its subcommittees. 

Rights

 Trump signed an executive order called “Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship.” The act prevents the government from calling a citizen’s speech misinformation or disinformation. Trump is claiming that this will save free speech.

He also signed an executive order that America will only recognize two sexes. The order states “‘Female’ means a person belonging, at conception, to the sex that produces the large reproductive cell. ‘Male’ means a person belonging, at conception, to the sex that produces the small reproductive cell.” The order claims that the sexes cannot be changed and is not a concept of gender identity. Trump has banned taxpayer money from being used to fund transition services. He additionally removed the requirements that government facilities and workplaces must use transgender peoples’ preferred pronouns as it violates freedom of speech. 

Other Policies

Trump withdrew the U.S. from the World Health Organization on his first day in office. This raises concerns that the withdrawal could leave America and other countries less safe from diseases.

He also signed an execution order that ensures that the attorney general has enough lethal injection to carry out executions for criminals on the death penalty. However, only three people remain on death row due to Biden commuting 37 out of 40 prisoners on death row.

He additionally withdrew America from the Paris Climate Agreement. The agreement is meant to keep the global average temperature 2 degrees Celsius below pre-industrial temperatures, helping to decrease climate change.

Trump released his plans to build an iron dome similar to Israel’s. This would be a missile protection system. He also signed an executive order pausing the ban of the popular app, TikTok, for 75 days. On top of that, he put Cuba on the U.S. list of state sponsored terrorism, undoing Biden’s removal of Cuba off of the list at the end of his term. 

He delivered an emergency price relief “to increase prosperity in the American worker.” He states that it will include lowering the cost of housing, expanding housing supply, eliminating unnecessary administrative expenses that increase the cost of healthcare, creating employment opportunities, eliminating counterproductive requirements that increase home appliances’ cost and eliminating harmful environmental policies that increase the cost of food and fuel. 

He also renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and Denali, a mountain in Alaska, to Mount McKinley. The mountain had originally been named by Obama in 2015 for an indigenous group in the area that had recognized it as Denali. He gave the Interior Secretary 30 days to make the official changes. He has also required the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) to include the new names as well. Google has also stated that they will include the changes on Google Maps. 

He then signed an executive order called “Putting People over Fish: Stopping Radical Environmentalism to Provide Water to Southern California.” The order works to improve California’s water supply. Trump was unable to implement a similar policy in his first term as president. The policy would have used the water from the snow melt and rainwaters in Northern California to bring an adequate water supply to other parts of California. However, the Governor of California filed a lawsuit to stop the policy from happening. In the most recent policy, Trump is looking to restart his work from before. 

Plus, he halted all offshore energy leasing in the Offshore Continental Shelf (OCS). The policy looks to address the concerns involving marine life, ocean currents, wind patterns, energy costs and fishing.

January 21 

Before the two plane crashes in D.C. and Pennsylvania, Trump ordered the Secretary of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration to return to merit based hiring along with non-discriminatory practices. Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives will be revoked. In the order, it stated that DEI be removed because it will be, “treating employees on the basis of individual capability, competence, achievement, and dedication.”

He also signed an executive order, revoking President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Executive Order 11246, which ensured equal employment opportunities for everyone. The order also instructs federal agencies to remove programs, policies, or mandates that are similar to or have been created by DEI.

January 22

Trump pardoned police lieutenant Andrew Zabavsky and officer Terence Sutton. The two were originally convicted for the cover-up of the death of Karon Hylton-Brown. He also declared Ansar Allah, or Houthis, a terrorist organization from Yemen.

January 23

Trump declared his new plans for the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). The organization will counsel Trump on affairs in science, technology, education and innovation, while also giving him science and technical information. 

He then signed an executive order to enhance America’s artificial intelligence (AI) dominance. The order will achieve this by removing any previous policies that prevent American AI from expanding, but doesn’t specify exact policies. The order also calls for an AI action plan to be developed within 180 days by a group of White House technology and science officials.

He signed a memorandum for the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina as Native American. This has the possibility of giving the tribe of over 55,000 members, federal benefits and legitimacy. 

He also signed an executive order to release thousands of files on the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. The files will not be released until a later date though after plans are made for the release of the documents. 

Trump signed an executive order to increase the advancement of cryptocurrencies in America and develop a possible national digital asset stockpile. The order also mainly focuses on protecting citizens using blockchain networks and banking services while also protecting them from the risks of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs). 

January 24

Trump established the Federal Emergency Management Agency Review Council (Council) to analyze the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its ability to address disasters. The agency will then report back to Trump and inform him of recommended changes to FEMA. 

He then issued an executive order, ordering the Secretary of Defense, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to take measures to increase the amount of water resources in Southern California. Trump aims to maximize water deliveries, produce additional hydropower and increase water storage in order to help California fight fires. In the order, he also expedited action to any exemption under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. 

He revoked Executive Order 14076 and 14079 which were issued by Biden. Both focused on protecting and expanding abortion care and other reproductive services, as well as providing more education on these services. The removal takes away federal funds covering abortions. Trump claimed to have done this in order to remove federal taxpayer dollars from funding and promoting abortions. 

Plus, he revoked the memorandum Biden implemented called Protecting Women’s Health at Home and Abroad and reinstated the memorandum called The Mexico City Policy. Biden’s memorandum revoked Trump’s and looked to ensure more women had access to healthcare. But, The Mexico City policy blocks the federal government from funding organizations that give money towards abortions in foreign countries. Similar to the revoked executive orders, Trump did this to ensure that U.S. taxpayer dollars do not fund or promote abortions or involuntary sterilization.

January 27

Trump proclaimed January 27, 2025 as the National Day of Remembrance of the 80th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz.

Trump then signed an executive order, declaring that members of the military must use their assigned gender at birth in sleeping, changing and bathing facilities. Trump implemented this in order to ensure that America’s troops have “high standards for troop readiness, lethality, cohesion, honesty, humility, uniformity, and integrity.”

He attempted to halt federal funding. The change would have affected aid and loans for nonprofits, universities, small businesses and government grants. But, Judge Loren L. AliKhan for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the next day temporarily paused Trump’s attempt just minutes before it was officially taking effect. 

He signed another executive order, declaring that the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security will remove every DEI office in the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security. This includes any DEI programs, elements or initiatives. Trump also banned the Department of Defense and the Armed Forces from promoting divisive concepts, suggesting that America’s founding documents are racist or sexist and teaching gender ideology. Additionally, instructors of the United States Service Academies are required to teach that America’s founding documents “remain the most powerful force for good in human history.” 

He additionally issued an executive order, allowing service members of the military who refused to get the COVID-19 vaccine and were dismissed to be reinstated with full back pay and benefits. Additionally, any members who left the military due to these circumstances and can bring forth a written or sworn attestation, will receive the same benefits as those dismissed. All of these members will return back to their original position and will obtain full back pay. 

January 28

Trump signed an executive order called “Protecting Children From Chemical And Surgical Mutilation.” Under the section “Ending Reliance on Junk Science,” Trump orders that agencies must revoke or change all policies that include the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) guidance. In 90 days the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) will issue the best practices for promoting the health of children who have gender dysmorphia. The order also states that the government will not fund, promote or assist in the transitioning to a different gender. The policy restricts federal funding for covering puberty blockers, hormone therapy and gender-affirming surgery for citizens under the age of 19. 

The Trump administration also announced that they are offering buyouts. These would go to all federal employees who leave their job by next week, receiving eight months worth of their salary. The buyouts are done in an attempt to shrink the U.S. government. 

January 29

Trump signed an executive order with the goal of reducing antisemitism, hostility towards people of Jewish faith. Trump claims that he will cancel the visas of foreign students who sympathize with Hamas, which the U.S. government considers a terrorist group, and deport “pro-jihadist” protesters. The order aims to “prosecute, remove, or otherwise hold to account the perpetrators of unlawful anti-Semitic harassment and violence,” giving all U.S. departments and agencies 60 days to develop a plan to prevent antisemitism. It also labels certain student protests as forms of terrorism and encourages colleges to watch over their foreign students for signs of supporting these movements. 

He additionally established a policy in aims of allowing parents to help choose and guide their children’s education. In 60 days, the Secretary of Education will report how to use federal funds to support K-12 choices. In 90 days, the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Education, The Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Defense will each submit a plan to expand educational freedom using discretionary grant programs, funds from the Department of Defense, block grants and federal funds to open up more education choices for K-12 students.

He signed an executive order that orders the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to formulate a plan to present to Trump. The plan will include eliminating federal funding to K-12 schools that supports or teaches gender and Critical Race Theory. It will also file actions against teachers or school officials that sexually exploit minors, practice medicine illegally by giving out diagnoses and treatments and facilitating the social transition of a student. 

He then signed an executive order, establishing the White House Task Force (Task Force 250) and putting it in charge of celebrating America’s 250th birthday on July 4, 2026. The Department of Defense will fund the large, elaborate event. The Task Force will end on December 31, 2026. In the same policy, Trump reinstated Executive Order 13934, which will bring the number of American heroes in the National Garden of American Heroes up to 250, and Executive Order 13933 which will prevent vandalism on monuments. 

Trump signed a memorandum to order the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security to expand the Migrant Operations Center at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay to full capacity and establish additional detention spaces for migrants. Trump stated that this is done “in order to halt the border invasion, dismantle criminal cartels, and restore national sovereignty.” 

He also signed into law the Laken Riley Act. The bill is named after the nursing student who was killed in Georgia. It orders the Secretary of Homeland Security to take custody of migrants who have been charged with crimes, such as theft in the United States. 

January 30

Trump signed a memorandum, commanding the Secretary of Transportation and the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to evaluate all hires and changes on safety protocols in the last 4 years. They are then instructed to make changes to the safety protocols and fire any workers who do not meet qualifications. 

January 31

Trump signed an executive order to require agencies to repeal 10 existing rules, regulations or guidance documents when they create a new rule or policy. Trump did this in order to “unleash prosperity through deregulation.” 

He also signed a proclamation, stating that February of 2025 is National Black History Month, which is an action presidents do every year. 

Then, he signed a policy, stating that no department or agency can make collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) of employment in 30 days prior to Presidential administrators that creates contracts, makes large changes in agreements or extends an agreement. Trump ordered this because he believed Biden harmed his administration by finalizing CBAs with federal employees. 

February 1

Trump implemented an additional 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico and an additional 10% on China. But, China will have a 10% lower tariff on energy imports. This is also done in order to stop the flow of illegal drugs from these countries into the United States.