Trump's Executive Orders All About Power And Theater
Date
1/21/2025 5:02:40 AM
(MENAFN- Asia Times)
In a piece of pure Political theatre, Donald trump began his second presidency by signing a host of executive orders before a rapturous crowd of 20,000 in Washington on Monday.
The orders immediately reversed swathes of Biden administration policy and ostensibly began what Trump christened a“golden age of America” in his inaugural address.
But there are limits to what Trump can achieve through such orders. And they mask a deeper urgency for the new administration over how to deal with potential Republican in-fighting and a restless public anxious for change.
What did Trump order?
Executive orders are typically used by US presidents at the beginning of their terms to immediately begin implementing their agenda.
Key orders signed on Trump's first day included:
a federal government hiring freeze and return-to-office mandate for all federal employees
sweeping pardons for those convicted after the January 6 2021 Capitol riot
withdrawing the US from the Paris Climate Agreement and World Health Organization
declaring a national emergency at the US-Mexico border and ending birthright citizenship.
Here's a rundown of the rest .
Because they are legally binding, executive orders are a powerful tool. Democratic and Republican presidents alike have been accused of dictatorial intent over their use.
Yet, executive orders remain constrained by the courts, Congress and public opinion. Birthright citizenship, in particular, is protected by the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, so Trump's order will undoubtedly face legal challenge.
Perhaps most importantly, executive orders can be swept away by a successor. Trump did this in dramatic fashion by revoking 78 Biden-era orders, many of which dealt with federal diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
The limits of executive orders have been tested in recent years and doubtless will be again by Trump.
But there is political value in issuing orders to demonstrate action, even if they are ultimately ineffectual, reduced in scope or overturned. That was the case with the legal wrangling over Trump's travel ban on citizens of Muslim-majority countries in 2017 and Biden's student loan debt forgiveness plan .
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