Donald Trump returned to the political stage with a series of sweeping executive orders aimed at dismantling key policies from the Biden administration. On his first day back in the White House, Trump initiated actions to revoke nearly 80 executive orders from the previous administration, setting a clear tone for his agenda. Among the most notable was his decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Accord, a move that echoed his 2017 exit from the agreement. Furthermore, Trump began implementing what he described as "the largest deportation program in American history" and issued controversial pardons related to the January 6 Capitol attack.
Following his inaugural speech, Trump wasted no time in reinforcing his campaign promises. He signed an executive order that pulled the United States out of the 2015 Paris Agreement, fulfilling his pledge to undo what he termed "unfair, one-sided" agreements. As Trump stated,
“I am immediately withdrawing from the unfair, one-sided Paris Climate Accord rip off” – Donald Trump
His decision mirrored actions taken during his first term when he exited the Paris Agreement in 2017.
In addition to environmental policy changes, Trump also took decisive steps regarding immigration. He declared an emergency at the southern US border and outlined hardline policies aimed at curbing illegal entry. Trump articulated his stance during his address, saying,
“All illegal entry will immediately be halted, and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came.” – Donald Trump
These measures are part of a broader strategy to reshape US immigration policy.
Trump's return also marked a significant shift in his approach to digital platforms. Previously, he had ordered his attorney general not to enforce a law requiring TikTok's sale and delayed a federal ban on the app for 75 days. In a surprising turn, Trump remarked,
“I guess I have a warm spot for TikTok that I didn’t have originally.” – Donald Trump
This statement suggests a change in his attitude towards the popular social media platform.
A considerable portion of Trump's executive orders focused on reversing Biden-era policies. He directed that 78 executive actions from the past administration be rescinded, including those related to gender identity. Trump signed an order removing "gender ideology guidance" from federal government communications, policies, and forms. He emphasized this by stating,
“Agencies will cease pretending that men can be women and women can be men when enforcing laws that protect against sex discrimination.” – Donald Trump
Such actions indicate a significant rollback on inclusivity measures implemented by his predecessor.
Perhaps most controversially, Trump issued pardons for approximately 1,500 defendants charged in connection with the January 6 Capitol attack, along with six commutations. He instructed the Department of Justice to dismiss ongoing cases related to this event. Trump addressed this decision by saying,
“I’m going to be signing on the J6 hostages, pardons, to get them out.” – Donald Trump
He further added,
“We’ll be signing pardons for a lot of people, a lot of people.” – Donald Trump
These moves have sparked widespread debate and criticism regarding their implications for justice and accountability.