President Donald Trump has rapidly begun deploying his administration’s new vision for the United States and its future by utilizing a flurry of executive orders. The Argus has compiled the most important of the 46 executive orders signed in January 2025 and brief explanations for each.
Unleashing American Energy (Jan. 20)
Reverses many Biden-Era decisions regarding drilling for fossil fuels and a push away from electric cars, citing the executive order aims to safeguard the “freedom to choose” among household appliances.
Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements: (Jan. 20)
Withdrew the United States from the Paris climate accord, as Trump notably did during his first administration.
Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential (Jan. 20)
Another executive order that aims to roll back Biden administration restrictions on drilling, mining in Alaska, opening the state up to future natural gas exports.
Restoring Accountability to Policy-Influencing Positions Within the Federal Workforce (Jan. 20)
Reinstates a prior executive order that Trump signed near the end of his first term, which classifies federal employees as “political appointees.” The order also strips these workers of civil service protections, meaning they can be fired at will.
Reforming the Federal Hiring Process and Restoring Merit to Government Service (Jan. 20)
Orders federal agencies to increase efficiency of selecting government employees by disregarding considerations of race, sex or religion. Employees should be committed to “the ideas of our American republic.”
Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing (Jan. 20)
Agencies are to immediately end diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the federal government. Agencies must report a list of all employees in DEI positions.
Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government (Jan. 20)
Orders the federal government to recognize only two biological sexes, male and female. Prohibits the use of federal funds to promote gender ideology.
Establishing and Implementing the President’s ‘Department Of Government Efficiency’ (Jan. 20)
Renames the U.S. Digital Service to the DOGE Service (Department of Government Efficiency), which aims to recognize outdated spending and make cuts to wasteful programs.
Restoring Names that Honor American Greatness (Jan. 20)
Renames the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and Alaska’s Denali mountain to Mount McKinley.
Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship (Jan. 20)
Reaffirms the federal government’s commitment to the First Amendment right to freedom of speech. Bars federal employees from interfering with the right. Requests the attorney general to investigate and retroactively seek remedial actions for the federal government’s activities in the last four years that were inconsistent with this order.
Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid (Jan. 20)
Immediately places a 90-day pause on foreign aid or assistance to U.S. allies while the administration evaluates current programs.
Withdrawing the United States from the World Health Organization (Jan. 20)
Withdraws the US from the World Health Organization, or WHO. Rescinds a prior Biden-Era executive order that implemented processes to respond to emerging pandemics.
Clarifying the Military’s Role in Protecting the Territorial Integrity of the United States (Jan. 20)
Direct the secretary of defense to protect U.S. sovereignty and territorial integrity by sealing the southern U.S. border to prevent migration, narcotics trafficking, human smuggling and more.
Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program (Jan. 20)
Freezes the U.S. Refugee Admission Program. Refugees must be admitted into the U.S. on a case-by-case basis through a joint decision by the secretary of state and the secretary of homeland security. The resumption of USRAP will be considered every 90 days.
Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship (Jan. 20)
Aims to revoke ‘birth-right citizenship,’ a constitutional right provided by the 14th Amendment of the Constitution.
Securing Our Borders (Jan. 20)
Proposes a joint state and federal effort to cease future immigration at the southern border. Orders agencies to construct a physical barrier and deploy law enforcement to the border.
Restoring the Death Penalty and Protecting Public Safety (Jan. 20)
Order the attorney general to resume pursuing the death penalty whenever possible, in response to a Biden-Era policy to temporarily freeze from the practice. The attorney general is also ordered to pursue federal prosecution and the death penalty for capital crimes committed by “anyone without legal status.”
Protecting the American People Against Invasion (Jan. 20)
Calls for immediate removal of those in the United States without legal status. Extends agencies abilities to enact removal orders.
Designating Cartels and Other Organizations as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists (Jan. 20)
Requests the secretary of state to designate certain cartels and other transnational organizations as foreign terrorist organizations.
Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats (Jan. 20)
Commands agencies to pursue stricter screening procedures for people immigrating to the United States, seeking a visa or applying for refugee status.
Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions (Jan. 20)
Rescinds 78 executive actions signed by former President Joe Biden.
Removing Barriers to American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence (Jan. 23)
Removes barriers regarding the development of AI.
Declassification of Records Concerning the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Jan. 23)
Plans to release all records related to these assassinations within 45 days.
Strengthening American Leadership in Digital Financial Technology (Jan. 23)
Calls for regulations and promotion of digital assets like cryptocurrencies.
Enforcing the Hyde Amendment (Jan. 24)
Reinforces Congress’ Hyde Amendment, which prohibits the use of federal dollars to cover abortion and related health care, with limited exceptions.
Emergency Measures to Provide Water Resources in California and Improve Disaster Response in Certain Areas (Jan. 24)
Investigation into measures to supply adequate water resources to Southern California.
Council to Assess the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Jan. 24)
Establishes the Federal Emergency Management Agency Review Council to review how the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, is doing its job.
The Iron Dome for America (Jan. 27)
An order asking the defense secretary to submit a plan for a missile defense system to defend the U.S. against aerial attacks within 60 days
Restoring America’s Fighting Force (Jan. 27)
Prohibits DEI initiatives in the U.S. Armed Forces. Prohibits the “promotion of divisive concepts,” including that America’s founding documents are racist or sexist.
Prioritizing military excellence and readiness (Jan. 27)
Prohibits members with gender dysphoria or pronoun usage that doesn’t reflect an individual’s biological sex from serving in the military.
Reinstating Service Members Discharged Under The Military’s COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate (Jan. 27)
Reinstated service members who were discharged for refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine during the pandemic to their former ranks.
Protecting Children From Chemical and Surgical Mutilation (Jan. 28)
Establishes a policy to end medical interventions aimed at altering the sex of children, such as puberty blockers, hormone treatments and gender-transition surgeries.
Additional Measures To Combat Anti-Semitism (Jan. 29)
Promises to combat anti-Semitism “vigorously, using all available and appropriate legal tools, to prosecute, remove, or otherwise hold to account the perpetrators of unlawful anti-Semitic harassment and violence.”
Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling (Jan. 29)
Raises concerns regarding the content of K-12 education, aiming to counter what the administration perceives as radical or anti-American ideologies in schools. Freezes federal spending on programs that promote gender ideology or discriminatory equity.
Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families (Jan. 29)
Highlights concerns about the underperformance of U.S. public schools, citing statistics showing low proficiency in reading and math. Stresses the need for reform and promotes state-led initiatives that allow parents to have the “right to choose and direct” their children’s education.
Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation (Jan. 31)
Aims to reduce the regulatory burden on Americans and improve financial management by controlling the costs of federal regulations. States the executive branch will be responsible and financially prudent in managing public and private funds.