Trump Issues Sweeping Executive Orders on Day One

The Executive Order Blitz

On January 20, 2025, just hours after being sworn in, President Trump signed a wave of executive orders in the Oval Office in what his team described as the most aggressive first day of executive action in presidential history. The orders spanned immigration enforcement, energy policy, federal workforce management, and foreign policy, reflecting months of planning by Trump’s transition team and allied conservative policy organizations.

Immigration and Border Actions

Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border, directing the military to assist in border enforcement. He signed orders to resume construction of the border wall, end the Biden-era policy of releasing asylum seekers into the country while their cases were processed, and reinstate the “Remain in Mexico” policy. He also signed an executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants, a move that immediately faced legal challenges given the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of citizenship to all persons born in the United States.

Dismantling DEI and Climate Policy

Trump signed orders directing federal agencies to eliminate all diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and offices. Federal employees working in DEI roles were placed on immediate leave. He withdrew the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement for the second time and signed an order declaring a national energy emergency aimed at maximizing fossil fuel production. He also withdrew the U.S. from the World Health Organization, a move he had initiated during his first term before Biden reversed it.

The Scope and Legal Challenges

Legal experts noted that many of the executive orders would face court challenges, particularly the birthright citizenship order and certain immigration directives. Civil liberties organizations filed lawsuits within days. But the sheer volume and ambition of the Day One actions signaled that Trump’s second term would move at a pace that far exceeded his first, backed by a more experienced team and a clearer ideological agenda. The executive order blitz set the tone for an administration determined to remake the federal government as rapidly as possible.