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Border emergency, cartels as terrorists, and WHO exit: Trump signs dozens of executive orders on his first day as president

"In everything we do, my administration will be inspired by a strong pursuit of excellence and unrelenting success," the president assured.

U.S. President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, January 20, 2025.Jim Watson / AFP.

This Monday, after officially taking office as the 47th president of the United States, Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders that marked the start of his term with an agenda focused on key issues such as border security, revitalizing the economy and upholding national values.

During his first speech as president, Trump made his goals clear: "In everything we do, my administration will be inspired by a strong pursuit of excellence and unrelenting success. We will not forget our country, we will not forget our Constitution, and we will not forget our God."

First actions at the White House and Capitol Hill

After the inauguration, Trump signed crucial documents on Capitol Hill, including appointments for his cabinet and the proclamation that flags would fly at full mast during all presidential inaugurations. According to Will Scharf, the administration's new staff secretary, Trump also rescinded 78 actions implemented by Biden, including executive orders, memos and other directives.

Pardons for January 6 protesters

Later, in the Oval Office, Trump signed an executive order of full pardon for approximately 1,500 people involved in the riots that occurred on Capitol Hill on January 6, 2021.

Economic measures and government management

Trump also signed orders to curb government spending and reorganize the government. He established a federal hiring freeze, except in the military sector, and ordered federal officials to return to face-to-face work immediately, eliminating remote work. The latter should be carried out "as soon as practicable," according to a White House statement. There may be exceptions, decided by the heads of each department.

In addition, he ordered the reclassification of thousands of federal employees by reinstating Schedule F. The goal is to make it easier to lay off, increasing accountability. "Any power they have is delegated by the President, and they must be accountable to the President, who is the only member of the executive branch, other than the Vice President, elected and directly accountable to the American people," the new Administration maintained, recalling that on previous occasions public officials resisted implementing provisions mandated from the Oval Office.

On the economic front, he signed a directive aimed at addressing inflation and reducing living costs, while restoring freedom of speech in government, prohibiting attempts at censorship.

Focus on immigration and border security

Trump declared a national emergency on the southern border, with the goal of implementing stricter security measures. Through several executive orders, he tasked the military with border surveillance, designated certain cartels and gangs as terrorist organizations and reactivated the construction of the border wall. In addition, he ordered a halt to birthright citizenship for the children of undocumented immigrants, defying the traditional interpretation of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution.

Withdrawal from international agreements and defense of national values

Following his "America First" policy, Trump signed the country's formal withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, calling the agreement unfair and unilateral. In addition, he approved an executive order to limit diversity, equity and inclusion policies within the federal government, one of his key campaign pledges. He also withdrew the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO), accusing the organization of being ineffective and favoring other countries over U.S. interests. He also ordered a 90-day pause in U.S. foreign aid, in order to review aid programs to ensure they are aligned with U.S. interests and values.

Additional measures

Among other actions, Trump signed an executive order aimed at postponing, for at least 75 days, the implementation of the federal ban on TikTok.

Finally, Trump restored the death penalty in cases of murder of a law enforcement officer or capital crimes committed by illegal aliens, ordering that the death penalty be sought in all cases where legally feasible.

With these first measures, Trump made it clear that his administration will be marked by an unwavering focus on defending national interests.

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