Upon his return to the White House, President Donald Trump wasted no time asserting his authority. His presidency kicked off wiht a flurry of executive orders on immigration, criminal justice, and a reversal of many of his predecessor’s policies.

Among his most controversial actions was a sweeping pardon granted to approximately 1,500 individuals involved in the january 6th Capitol riot. “We hope they come out tonight, frankly,” Trump stated, “We’re expecting it.” This pardon extended to 14 members of far-right groups like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, some convicted of seditious conspiracy.

immigration remained a central focus. Trump declared illegal immigration at the US-Mexico border a national emergency, designated criminal cartels as terrorist organizations, and aimed to end automatic citizenship for US-born children of undocumented immigrants. He also temporarily suspended the US refugee resettlement program for at least four months, mandating a security review that could lead to travel bans on individuals from certain nations. “The United States lacks the ability to absorb large numbers of migrants,” his corresponding order stated.Trump made it clear his intention to dismantle many of his predecessor’s initiatives. He revoked 78 executive orders issued by the Biden administration, labeling them “destructive and radical.” “I’ll revoke nearly 80 destructive and radical executive actions of the previous administration,” he declared at a rally. He also instructed federal agencies to preserve records related to what he termed “political persecutions” under the Biden administration.

This reversal of policy extended to social initiatives. Trump rescinded executive orders promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), along with those protecting the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals and racial minorities. This move fulfilled a campaign promise to roll back protections for these groups. Of the revoked orders, at least a dozen focused on racial equity and combating discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals.

In a departure from previous plans, Trump delayed a ban on the popular social media app TikTok for 75 days. This decision, pushing the ban back to March 19th, allows the administration time to assess the situation. The order directs the Attorney General to abstain from enforcing the ban, giving Trump’s administration time to “determine the appropriate course of action with respect to Tik…”