WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Monday announced plans to issue a series of executive orders and directives aimed at quickly shaping his administration’s agenda, focusing on key issues from energy policy to immigration.
Two sources familiar with the matter said more than 200 such orders and directives could be issued in what is known internally as a “shock and awe” effort.
Here’s what we know so far about the executive orders:
Immigration
In an inaugural address shortly after being sworn in for a second term in the White House, Trump said he would declare illegal immigration a national emergency, send troops to the U.S.-Mexico border and reinstate his “stay at home” policy. Mexico.”
He also said he would seek to end all illegal entries and arrest all migrants caught crossing illegally as part of a broad immigration crackdown that is expected to include deportations.
Trump will issue a sweeping proclamation aimed at blocking access to all asylum seekers at the Mexican border, a new Trump administration official said. He will also issue an order to end birthright citizenship for children born in the United States whose parents do not have legal immigration status, the official said.
Citing the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the official said during a press briefing: “The federal government will not automatically recognize birthright citizenship for children of illegal aliens born in the United States.” We will also improve the monitoring and control of illegal aliens. “
The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides for the granting of citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States.” Any move by Trump to end birthright citizenship would face a legal challenge.
Energy
Trump said he would immediately declare a national energy emergency, promising to fill strategic oil reserves and export American energy around the world.
“We will become a wealthy nation again, and it is the liquid gold under our feet that will help us get there,” he said.
Trump, who pledged during his campaign to “drill, baby, drill,” will also sign an executive order focused on Alaska, a new administration official said, adding that the state is essential to U.S. national security and could allow exports of liquefied petroleum. natural gas to other regions of the United States and its allies.
The United States will also withdraw from the Paris climate agreement, according to a White House document. Additionally, Trump said he would revoke what he called the electric vehicle mandate.
Members of his team recommend sweeping changes to remove support for electric vehicles and charging stations and strengthen measures blocking the importation of cars, components and battery materials from China, according to a document seen by Reuters.
They also recommended imposing tariffs on all battery materials globally, aiming to boost U.S. production, and then negotiating individual exemptions with allies, according to the document.
Trump’s executive orders will likely also seek to roll back the Biden administration’s climate regulations on power plants, end the pause on LNG gas exports and revoke waivers allowing California and other states to have stricter rules on pollution.
Prices
Trump said Monday he would impose tariffs and taxes on countries to enrich Americans, promised an overhaul of the trade system and said the United States would establish a “Foreign Revenue Service.”
“We are creating the Foreign Revenue Service to collect all customs duties, taxes and revenues. Massive sums of money will flow into our treasury from foreign sources,” he said.
Trump will issue a broad trade memo on Monday that stops short of imposing new tariffs on his first day in office, but instead will order federal agencies to assess U.S. trade relations with China, Canada and Mexico, a new Trump administration official said.
The Republican president has promised customs duties of 10% on global imports, 60% on Chinese products and an import surcharge of 25% on Canadian and Mexican products, duties that could disrupt trade flows, increase costs and lead to retaliation.
The official, confirming a Wall Street Journal report, said Trump would direct agencies to investigate and address persistent trade deficits and address other countries’ unfair trade and monetary policies.
The memo will target China, Canada and Mexico, but will not announce new tariffs, the official said. It will ask agencies to assess Beijing’s compliance with its 2020 trade deal with the United States, as well as the status of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, the official said.
Trump believes the tariffs would help boost U.S. economic growth, although his opponents warn the costs would likely be passed on to consumers.
Transgender Rights
Trump said it would be his administration’s policy that there be only two genders, male and female. The president has pledged to sign an executive order ending transgender rights in the U.S. military and U.S. schools.
As for transgender athletes, he told a rally Sunday that he would act on day one to end transgender athletes’ participation in women’s sports.
Diversity programs
Trump will also issue an executive order ending “radical and unnecessary” diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the federal government, a new White House official said Monday.
During his first term, Trump signed an executive order aimed at limiting efforts to address racial disparities in the workplace, through programs that included diversity training within companies.
Biden rescinded this executive order on his first day in office in January 2021, and Trump is likely to reinstate his original order at the start of his second term, and perhaps as early as his first day in office.
Trump also criticized “diversity, equity and inclusion” policies within universities.
Pardon
Trump also said he would take action immediately after taking office to issue pardons to some of the hundreds of people convicted or charged in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters.
Gender-affirming care
Trump said in a 2023 campaign video that on his first day in office he would revoke Biden administration policies that provide information and resources to those seeking medical care so they can bring their bodies into line with the gender they identify with. This care may include hormone therapy and surgery.
Drug cartels
Trump said Monday he would also invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to eliminate foreign gangs and designate cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, fulfilling a promise he made on the campaign trail to crack down on the sources of fentanyl , a deadly opioid.
Demand that federal workers return to the office
Trump railed against work-from-home arrangements for tens of thousands of federal employees, which were dramatically increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, and he vowed to end them.
In December, Trump said that if federal employees refused to return to the office, “they would be fired.”
By forcing civil servants back into the office, Trump and his allies hope it could trigger large-scale resignations, which would help them achieve their goal of reducing the size of the federal bureaucracy.
