A little over a year ago, Donald Trump sat across from Fox News host Sean Hannity. With a flicker of his trademark bravado, he declared he would be a “dictator”—but only on his first day back in the White House.
At the time, his words seemed like little more than provocative rhetoric. Yet with his first day in office complete, the line between hyperbole and reality has blurred. Determined to deliver on his promises, President Trump wasted no time consolidating power. Sitting before an energized arena crowd, he signed a flurry of executive orders with sweeping implications. Among the most controversial were pardons for individuals convicted in the January 6 Capitol riots and the reversal of several Biden-era policies, such as environmental protections and workplace equity initiatives.
Here’s a closer look at some of the most significant moves Trump has made thus far:
Crackdown on Immigration
“Our southern border is overrun by cartels, criminal gangs, known terrorists, human traffickers, smugglers, unvetted military-aged males from foreign adversaries, and illicit narcotics that harm Americans,” read an order signed by Trump on his first day in office. As part of a crackdown on immigration, Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border. This executive action grants the administration broad powers to reallocate federal funds and deploy military resources to address the so-called crisis. Furthermore, the administration has announced the resumption of border wall construction in order to strengthen physical barriers and avoid unauthorized entry.
Though Trump signed an executive order calling for an end to birthright citizenship for children born in the US to undocumented immigrants, disagreement threatens to prevent its passage. According to The Guardian, a coalition of states is suing Trump’s administration on the grounds that the executive order is unconstitutional, citing the Fourteenth Amendment, which guarantees citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States.”
TikTok Delay
Just as TikTok users braced themselves for a digital blackout, President Donald Trump threw the app a lifeline. According to Fox News, after months of heated debates over the app’s ties to ByteDance and the Chinese government, Trump granted a 75-day reprieve to negotiate a sale to a US entity. “I would like the US to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The move reflects Trump’s awareness of TikTok’s cultural and economic influence, particularly among younger voters–a group that played a fundamental role in his electoral success. While the app’s future remains uncertain, the delay of the ban offers a glimmer of hope for TikTok’s user base.
January 6 Pardons
In a controversial decision, Trump pardoned nearly all rioters involved in the storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021. According to NBC News, he issued roughly 1,500 pardons and commuted the sentences of individuals associated with the extremist groups Proud Boys and Oath Keepers. Among those pardoned are protestors who assaulted police and committed crimes of seditious conspiracy. While not entirely unexpected, Trump’s move has attracted much scrutiny. Representative John Garamendi issued a statement, asserting that the pardons signify a “shameful, immoral and dangerous” decision that fails to punish “rioters who attacked the citadel of our democracy.”
WHO Withdrawal
On his first day, President Trump signed an executive order withdrawing the US from the World Health Organization (WHO). The organization, made of up of 194 countries, is responsible for providing health guidance, coordinating international health responses, and addressing public health crises. Justifying the withdrawal, Trump cited WHO’s “mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic” and its “inability to demonstrate independence from the inappropriate political influence of…member states,” according to Time.
Domestically, critics contend that the decision jeopardizes global cooperation and the nation’s access to crucial health and data resources. Meanwhile, supporters applaud the move as a necessary step toward prioritizing domestic health initiatives over international obligations.
Federal Workforce
“About a half-dozen of the record 26 executive orders Trump signed on Inauguration Day directly target the federal workforce,” according to The Washington Post. Among these was a directive to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) positions across federal agencies within 60 days. Another order reclassified tens of thousands of civil servants under a new “policy/career” category, enforced a hiring freeze, and required federal employees to return to full-time in-person work. The Trump administration stated that the goal of such measures was to improve government efficiency and strengthen executive authority over federal operations.
Paris Climate Agreement Exit
Trump’s removal from the Paris Climate Agreement comes as a result of his executive order titled “Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements,” according to U.S. News. The Paris Climate Agreement is an international agreement aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and limiting the rise of global temperatures. Also known as the Paris Climate Accords, the agreement requires countries to turn in five-year national climate action plans that outline the means by which they will reduce emissions. While the US will no longer be able to have a seat at the decision-making table, it can still attend negotiations, according to The Associated Press.
January 20 was, in more ways than one, a day of firsts. It was a day that reignited fierce political debates, redrew government priorities, and redefined the scope of executive power in America. Whether for better or worse, Trump certainly made good on his vow to be a “dictator” on day one. And while the future remains uncertain, the road ahead promises to be anything but ordinary.
