From TikTok to WHO: First executive orders by Donald Trump on Day 1 as 47th US President

Trump signed as many as 80 executive orders overturning significant decrees of the former Democratic government. He pulled the US out of the Paris Agreement and the World Health Organisation, put a temporary freeze on new federal regulations, and dropped all federal charges against the January 6 rioters.

Here’s a round-up of all the major orders he signed:

Crackdown on immigration, birthright citizenship

President Donald Trump on Monday issued an executive order cracking down on birthright citizenships in the United States, which stands contrary to the 14th amendment of the US Constitution.

While addressing the media, Trump said, “The federal government will not recognize automatic birthright citizenship for children of illegal aliens born in the United States. We are also going to enhance vetting and screening of illegal aliens.”

The series of executive orders that Trump outlined in his inaugural address, said he would invoke a 1798 wartime law known as the Alien Enemies Act to target foreign gang members in the US, a legal authority last used to detain non-citizens of Japanese, German, and Italian descent in internment camps during World War Two.

Withdrawal from Paris Agreement, WHO

As part of his first order of business, Donald Trump signed executive orders declaring a national energy emergency and withdrawing from the 2015 Paris Agreement, replicating his move from his first term. He also signed orders aimed at promoting oil and gas development in Alaska and reversing Biden’s efforts to protect vast Arctic lands and U.S. coastal waters from drilling.

Further, Trump pulled the US out of the World Health Organisation, alleging that the agency mishandled the Covid-19 pandemic, among other health crises. Trump said the WHO had failed to act independently from the “inappropriate political influence of WHO member states” and required “unfairly onerous payments” from the US that are disproportionate to the sums provided by other, larger countries, such as China.

75-day delay on TikTok ban

Trump also signed an executive order on Monday delaying the ban on short-video application TikTok by at least 75 days. The ban was scheduled to be imposed on January 19, 2025. When asked what TikTok order does, Trump said “just gave me the right to sell it or close it”….”and we’ll make that determination”.

Signed as one of his first orders of business as US President, Trump’s order directed the attorney general to not enforce the law “to permit my administration an opportunity to determine the appropriate course of action with respect to TikTok.”

Pardon for January 6 rioters

In a move promised by him during his election campaign, President Donald Trump signed orders dropping all criminal charges against almost all those booked in the January 6 riots. “What they’ve done to these people is outrageous,” Trump told reporters at the Oval Office on Monday after signing the order.

The order cuts short the sentences of 14 members of the far-right Proud Boys and Oath Keepers organizations, including some who were convicted of seditious conspiracy. The document also directs the U.S. attorney general to drop all pending cases related to the riot.

Back to office for all federal workers, freeze on government hiring

The very first order signed by Donald Trump was ordering all federal workers to return to office with immediate effect, and impose a hiring freeze for all government agencies.

“I will implement an immediate regulation freeze, which will stop Biden bureaucrats from continuing to regulate,” Trump went on, adding he will also “issue a temporary hiring freeze to ensure that we’re only hiring competent people who are faithful to the American public.”

Recognition of only two genders

President Trump ordered on his first day back in the White House that the United States will now recognize only two genders – male and female. Further, Trump repealed dozens of orders of the Biden administration supporting racial equity and combating discrimination against gay and transgender people.

According to the order, the government is mandated to use ‘sex’ as opposed to ‘gender’, while mandating that identification documents issued by the government, including passports and visas, be based on what it described as “an individual’s immutable biological classification as either male or female.”

Sign-off on Elon Musk-led DOGE advisory group

In an executive order as the new President of US, Donald Trump signed off on creating the advisory group Department of Government Efficiency, aimed at carrying out dramatic cuts to the U.S. government, attracting immediate lawsuits challenging its operations.

‘DOGE’, which is being run by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, has been created with the purpose of eliminating entire federal agencies and cutting three quarters of federal government jobs.

(with inputs from agencies)