Just hours after taking the oath of office, President Trump wasted no time signing a flurry of executive orders that span a wide range of issues—from immigration to trade and even map changes. Here’s a breakdown of some of his key moves and what they mean.
Immigration: Sticking to a major campaign promise, Trump declared a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border. This is part of a larger set of 10 executive orders on immigration, including efforts to curb illegal immigration and ramp up deportations. Some key actions include plans to end birthright citizenship, reinstate the “Remain in Mexico” policy, and designate drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. These moves come despite border crossings hitting a near 4-year low.
Energy and Climate: In a major reversal, Trump has re-pulled the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement, a pact aimed at fighting global warming that almost 200 countries signed back in 2015. He’s also pushing for more fossil fuel use and less government support for renewable energy. This echoes his first term, during which the U.S. was the only country to exit the agreement, before Biden rejoined it in 2021.
Trade: While Trump didn’t issue new tariffs right away, he did call for a comprehensive review of U.S. trade practices, especially with China, Canada, and Mexico. The prospect of new tariffs on these countries has markets nervous, as it could trigger a trade war and push inflation higher. While no new tariffs hit on Day 1, Trump has set a February 1st deadline to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico.
DOGE: Yes, you read that right—Trump signed an executive order creating the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which will focus on identifying and eliminating waste within the government. But there’s drama already: co-leader Vivek Ramaswamy, who was supposed to head up the task force with Elon Musk, has announced plans to leave his position to run for governor of Ohio. The department is also facing lawsuits challenging its constitutionality.
DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion): Trump is ending all federal diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. This includes scrapping programs like environmental justice and equity-related grants across government agencies.
Renaming Landforms: Trump also wants to change the name of America’s tallest mountain back to Mount McKinley. In 2015, President Obama renamed it Denali to honor Native Alaskans’ long-standing name for the peak. Trump is also pushing to rename the Gulf of Mexico as “Gulf of America,” which would require updates to U.S. federal maps but wouldn’t affect how other countries refer to it.
These moves signal that Trump is diving right into his presidency, with bold actions that are likely to stir up plenty of debate and legal challenges.
