2/9/25

By Aditi Jha

The president issues executive orders to direct certain federal operations or establish initiatives without needing to go through Congress. They are legally binding and their purpose is to direct federal agencies on how to carry out enforcement. They can be used for security measures or disaster response. Famous examples include desegregation of the military (Truman), Japanese-American internment (FDR), and the establishment of the Peace Corps (JFK). Executive orders can be overturned by the Supreme Court if found unconstitutional. They also can be revoked by following presidents. Since being sworn in on January 20th, Trump has passed a multitude of executive orders and policy reversals. Here are some of the most important ones. Regarding equality, Trump declared that the U.S. will only recognize two sexes: male and female. Official recognition changes things like passports and visas. This order has been particularly controversial not only because of the implications for nonbinary people, but also due to the complex biological classification of intersex people, who are born with several sex characteristics (e.g. could have genitals that don't match reproductive organs, or have both/neither male and female anatomy). Trump also banned transgender people from enlisting in the military, restricted access to gender-affirming medical care for minors, and shut down all Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) programs and offices in the federal government. In terms of climate, he pulled out of the Paris climate agreement (for the second time), declared a “national energy emergency”, ordered an increase of fossil fuel drilling in Alaska, and ended the Green New Deal (which limited pollution, had regulations on fossil fuels, created jobs in renewable sectors, etc.). He had multiple executive orders on immigration, including declaring it an official national emergency (this order also tries to restart border wall construction with unspecified funding), ordering no citizenship for the children of people who migrated illegally (which is facing legal challenges), designating drug cartels as terrorist organizations, pausing Biden's refugee resettlement program, and taking down some initiatives that Biden had established, such as one sponsoring the travel of immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela to the U.S. In terms of other decisions since taking office, he has pardoned January 6th insurrectionists and anti-abortion activists, withdrawn from the World Health Organization (for the second time), revoked a mandate that federal workers must be vaccinated for COVID, made a new department/task force led by Elon Musk focused on cutting government costs (named the Department of Government Efficiency), paused all federal hiring, banned the work-from-home option for federal workers (they must all be in person), paused foreign aid, attempted to pause all federal aid (this got stopped by a federal judge), is trying to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, ordered a missile defense shield to be made called the Iron Dome, and postponed a law that would ban TikTok. 

That's the news for today! Stay safe!