The President Donald Trump He rescinded 78 Biden-era executive actions, executive orders and presidential memoranda on the first night of his second presidency, among more than 200 executive actions.
There were 42 executive orders and 115 personnel actions during Trump’s “historic first day,” White House officials said.
Trump started it Canceling almost 80 actions of the Biden era following remarks during the opening celebration at Capital One Arena in Washington on Monday evening.
He then signed a regulatory freeze to prevent the issuance of any more federal regulations pending review and to freeze all federal government hiring.
Trump signed an executive order requiring all federal workers to return to work in person, as well as a directive to all federal government departments and agencies to address the cost-of-living crisis.
He then signed a letter to the United Nations, announcing the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris climate accord.
He then signed an executive order to restore “free speech” to federal employees and end what he called “federal censorship.”
President Donald Trump signs executive orders after his inauguration parade at Capital One Arena on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
He also signed an executive order to end what he called “Government weaponry” against political opponents of the previous administration. As multiple sources described to ABC News early Monday, the order would not specifically target any criminal investigation, but would direct the incoming attorney general and the heads of all departments and agencies to review law enforcement activities and actions taken by the intelligence community. The trajectory of Joe Biden’s presidency – a sign that Trump would seek to “investigate the investigators”, as he previously stated.
Trump went to the White House, where he signed additional executive actions, among others a wide range of apologies For the defendants charged in the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol — commuting the sentences of 14 individuals and offering “a full, complete and unconditional pardon to all remaining individuals” — approximately 1,500 individuals — “accused. In connection with events that occurred in or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021 related crimes”.
The commonality of those who attacked the police goes beyond what many of his allies predicted he would be willing to extend to the January 6 defendants.
The 14 individuals Trump identified as being commuted are those convicted or otherwise charged with participating in the seditious conspiracy by Proud Boys and Oath Keepers leaders to disrupt the lawful transfer of power on Jan. 6, 2021 — among the most serious and high-profile charges brought in connection with the Jan. 6 attack.
Trump also signed an executive order delaying the ban on TikTok for 75 days, as well as an executive order to withdraw the US from the World Health Organization and put Cuba back on the list of sponsors of terrorism, less than a week later. After the Biden administration removed Cuba from the list.
Among his other executive actions, the newly sworn-in president was expected to order a “national energy emergency” and issue a “presidential memorandum on inflation” as part of his executive actions on his first day in office, White House officials told reporters. Monday morning
The actions officials described included orders related to immigration and transgender Americans, as well as actions aimed at eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs at federal agencies.
Trump’s top advisers, including his DOJ leadership, are preparing for a storm of legal challenges to some of his most controversial actions, a senior adviser told ABC News.
“We’re going to be sued for all of these things,” the adviser said, adding that the volume of litigation is expected to be a full-time job for Trump’s Justice Department.
During Trump’s first administration, he faced about 400 lawsuits challenging his actions. His advisers predict more than that this time.
There will be a team within the DOJ dedicated to defending Trump’s actions in court, the sources said.
Immigration actions
Among the executive orders Trump rescinded during the Biden era was the creation of a task force during his first term that helped reunite families separated by Trump’s Zero Tolerance policy, which led to the intentional separation of thousands of children from their parents at the southern border.
At the White House, Trump signed an executive order declaring a national emergency at the southern border and declaring an end to birthright citizenship, stating that the US would not grant US citizenship to a child if the parents were not citizens or permanent residents. In the US — although protected by the 14th Amendment.
In a call with reporters Monday morning, White House officials previewed other orders and actions from the new Trump administration related to the border and immigration.
“We will protect the American people against invasion,” said one of the incoming officials. “This is about national security. This is about public safety. And this is about the victims of some of the most violent and violent criminals we’ve seen in our lifetimes. And it ends today.”
The orders would reinstate the “stay in Mexico” policy, end the practice of “catch and release” and end construction of a wall on the southern border, officials said.
It would designate drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, end the ability of migrants caught between ports of entry to apply for asylum and suspend refugee resettlement for at least four months, they said.
Officials also said Trump would order “enhanced screening and vetting” of migrants and agencies “making recommendations to suspend entry to migrants from countries of particular concern.”
It would also create Homeland Security task forces to target undocumented gang members and criminals, and reinstate the death penalty when a law enforcement officer is killed by an undocumented migrant, officials said.
Although one of the incoming officials called the call a “preview” of actions to be taken today, it was not clear in the call that all the orders would take place on Monday. In addition, many of the plans would require the support of international partners such as Mexico and would almost certainly spark legal battles.
Economic actions
As part of Trump’s executive actions, which were expected to be signed “as soon as possible,” officials said Trump would end the (Biden administration’s) electric vehicle mandate. Another order would focus only on Alaska, which officials say has an “enormous abundance of natural resources.”
Officials said these moves were aimed not only at stimulating the economy and cutting costs, but also at “strengthening our nation’s national security,” citing the “AI race with China.”
The first order Trump would sign was to focus on “liberating” energy in the United States, and officials said, “cutting red tape and the burdens and regulations that have held our economy back, investment, job creation and natural resources.” production”.
Trump was expected to sign the national energy emergency to “unlock several authorities that will allow our nation to build rapidly, produce more natural resources, create jobs, create prosperity and strengthen our nation’s national security.” he said
Officials did not share details of the president’s inflation-fighting memo, saying only that it would be a “whole-of-government approach” to lower costs for all Americans.
Drilling hit record highs during the Biden administration, but it also took on Biden executive actions Banning future oil and natural gas drilling on the East and West coasts of America, the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, and Alaska’s Northern Bering Sea.
CALL actions
An incoming official said Trump’s orders related to diversity, equity and inclusion policies in the federal government are aimed at creating “equal treatment.” end DEI in the federal government.
The official said the orders will require the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Personnel Management to coordinate with various agencies to “finish” all of the agency’s DEI programs, including the renamed positions.
This also includes environmental justice programs, equity-related grants, equity action plans and equity initiatives, according to the official.
Additionally, a monthly meeting will be held between members of the Justice Department and the undersecretary of Trump administration agencies to evaluate other DEI programs that officials plan to dismantle further, the official said.
Specific programs the orders seek to end include the Federal Aviation Administration’s hiring of “people with severe intellectual disabilities” and the USDA’s spending of $1 million on environmental justice.
While the action would not address the use of DEI programs by private companies, the Trump official said when asked that he would “wait and see” further action on private companies.
“Private businesses should wait and see. We have more action at DEI soon,” the official said.
Transgender actions
Incoming officials also outlined a series of executive actions on the first day, which they described as efforts to “restore sanity,” including executive orders indicating that the U.S. government would only recognize the sex of a person assigned at birth, while federal funds are prohibited from being used on programs. recognition of people who identify as transgender.
Among the most obvious changes Americans may see is a change to passports, canceling the Biden rule that allowed Americans to mark an “X” on their US passport applications.
Trump also planned to rescind rules put in place by Biden that withheld federal money from schools, including universities, unless they followed certain rules to protect students from trans harassment.
Entities that receive federal dollars like prisons and shelters would also have to designate “single-sex” spaces, officials said, assigning people to certain areas based on the gender they were assigned at birth.
In announcing the changes, which could have far-reaching consequences, officials took few questions from reporters and did not provide specifics.
“The policy of the United States is to recognize two sexes, male and female. They are immutable sexes, based on basic and indisputable reality,” said one official.
White House officials did not share the exact text of Trump’s planned executive orders. They will be released to the press when the president signs them, officials said.
ABC News’ Will Steakin and Mike Levine contributed to this report.
