A Tsunami of Executive Orders

An important feature of Trump's second term will be his actions on the first day. Trump will sign a flurry of executive orders (EOs) on the day he is sworn in (January 20, 2025) and the following day. The exact number is not known but it will easily be 50 orders or more.

The official number of each Executive Order is also not known in advance because they will have to be processed under the Administrative Procedures Act and published in the Federal Register. The Office of the Federal Register is the agency that assigns numbers to each Executive Order. This is done sequentially. But they will be effective immediately.

Trump's executive orders have already been drafted for the most part. Some are still undergoing legal review, some are being tweaked from a policy perspective, and some are being debated internally as to whether they should even go forward. Some EOs may be pulled from the pile if counsel decides that legislation is required to achieve the intended purpose.

Each EO is presented to the president in a separate blue leather binder with the Seal of the President of the United States stamped in gold on the cover. Joe Biden signed about 50 EOs on the day he was sworn in (January 20, 2021), mostly reversing Trump's policies. Here's how that looked at his desk in the Oval Office:

Source: GetArchive.net

You may notice that Biden has a rack of pens in front of him. Each EO is signed with a different pen and then the pens are handed out to supporters of the President as gifts. Now you can visualize Trump (without the mask) sitting at the same desk in the Oval Office with perhaps an even taller pile of binders signing away on EOs to reinstate Trump policies, establish new policies and abolish as many of Biden's policies as possible. The best quick guide to Trump's first 100 days is to consider the EOs he will sign on day one of his second term.

Here's a summary broken out by policy area:

Immigration

Restore the "remain in Mexico" program so immigrants will have to wait in Mexico while any U.S. asylum applications are pending.Build the wall.End the policy of making children of illegal immigrants automatic U.S. citizens if born in America. End so-called "birthright citizenship."Mass deportation of illegal immigrants starting with terrorists, and criminals.

Energy & Climate Change

Open Federal lands to oil and natural gas exploration. Same for offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, offshore Atlantic and Pacific coasts and Alaska.Roll back emissions standards on internal combustion engines (ICE) on U.S. automobiles.Roll back tougher rules on emissions from U.S. power plants.End incentives on electric vehicle (EV) production.Halt windmill projects.Withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement.End the transition of military vehicles to "clean or alternative" energy.

Military and Defense

Demand the resignation of all Generals who were involved in the withdrawal from Afghanistan.Demand the resignation of all Generals who supported Mark Milley's DEI and woke policies.End transgender surgery and treatments and paid abortions for military service members.Reinstate rank and seniority for military members forced out because they refused COVID shots.

Social Policy and Wokeness

Ban biological men from women's sports to preserve Title IX.Abolish "diversity, equity and inclusion" (DEI) initiatives and offices.Fire special counsels investigating Trump and end all federal prosecutions of Trump and close associates.Pardon J6 defendants awaiting trial and those already convicted if they did not engage in violence on January 6, 2021.Launch investigations of progressive DAs around the country for violating the civil rights of Americans.

Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Trump can be expected to sign many more EOs and launch numerous legislative initiatives over the subsequent days and weeks.

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