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The Trump Administration’s Executive Orders: Domestic Living & Affairs
By Elshaday F. ‘27
One of the biggest ways President Donald Trump is changing the role of the presidency is through executive orders. Executive orders are rules, regulations, and instructions issued by the president of the United States that have the binding force of law upon federal agencies and do not require the approval of the United States Congress. Within the first ten days of his second term, the Trump administration has authorized over 70 executive orders — more than any president has authorized in the past 40 years within the first 100 days of their term. It is easy to feel adrift trying to understand the current state of our country, but it is our responsibility as US citizens to stay informed on the policies that affect our daily lives. If you are feeling lost about where to start in this journey of staying educated, here are three of the biggest domestic executive orders that have been authorized by the Trump administration:
“Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing”
On January 20th, 2025, — the first day of the Trump administration’s second term — President Trump authorized the executive order titled “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing.” This order eliminates all DEI(Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programs in the federal government. The Trump administration has coined these DEI programs as “illegal and immoral discrimination programs” enforced by the Biden administration. This statement is in reference to executive order 13985 titled “Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government,” which was authorized by the Biden administration. This order created federal government programs to combat systemic barriers and promote equity in hiring, programs and policies. As a result of Trump’s executive order, the programs and positions that will be terminated include “Chief Diversity Officer” positions, all “equity action plans”, equity-related grants/contracts, and “environmental justice” programs/policies. The execution of this order includes the removal of the federal celebration of certain demographic groups (i.e. Black History Month), the termination of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) programs, and the halt of Social Security Administration(SSA) research programs, which create retirement and disability policies for the American people.
Regulatory Freeze Pending Review
The Regulatory Freeze Pending Review orders an administrative freeze on all federal departments and programs on account of the review of any pending or existing laws and regulations. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) oversees this review process, and is in charge of the approval of these rules. This regulatory freeze has led to the suspension of programs such as Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and various federal educational financial assistance programs such as the Pell Grants. Every month, 42.1 million people use SNAP benefits to purchase essential food items, and without this program, food insecurity in America — the richest country by GDP in the world — will be on the rise. A similar effect will follow when it comes to Medicaid, which works to increase healthcare accessibility, and programs like the Pell Grant, which allow Americans a chance at pursuing a higher education.
“Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship”
The executive order titled “Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship” was authorized by Trump as a direct response to “the previous administration trampling free speech rights by censoring Americans’ speech on online platforms.” The order establishes a policy that the First Amendment right of freedom of speech must be protected and aims to prevent government interference and infringement on this right. The Trump administration claims that the previous administration’s efforts to combat “ disinformation, malinformation, and misinformation ” infringed on the constitutional rights of the American people. These accusations of misinformation were often made against Trump’s administration — namely due to their claims about voter fraud during the 2020 elections and undermining the magnitude of the Covid 19 pandemic. While this executive order stands for the ‘protection’ of the First Amendment right of freedom of speech, it also amplifies the spread of misinformation through online platforms. It will enable politicians and other public figures to use their own platforms for spreading false information to their own benefit, which can be detrimental to the public’s perception of the truth. This spread of inaccurate & contradictory information on subjects like geopolitics, health, and economics can create an atmosphere of mistrust towards the government amongst the general public.
President Trump’s use of executive orders is already reshaping the role of the presidency and the operation of the government. Although executive orders can be a tool for presidents to enact swift policy changes, they are being used by the Trump administration to defund DEI, freeze federal funding & welfare programs, and enable the spread of misinformation by modifying the ideals of free speech. These orders are negatively impacting Americans, and as they take place before us, it is vital to stay informed and use critical thinking to reflect on these changes and their effects on all of our lives.
https://www.hklaw.com/en/general-pages/trumps-2025-executive-orders-chart
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/regulatory-freeze-pending-review/
https://www.nbcnews.com/data-graphics/tracking-trumps-executive-orders-rcna189571
https://www.hklaw.com/en/insights/publications/2025/01/executive-order-restoring-freedom-of-speech