A month into his second administration, President Donald Trump has signed dozens of executive actions and advanced key policies reshaping both Washington and the office of the presidency.
Trump has instituted a broad mandate to curb illegal immigration, overhauled multiple federal agencies, threatened and imposed tariffs on trading partners, and drawn the ire of Democrats who are expressing concern that the executive branch is bypassing the legislature.
1. Reshaping Washington, Foreign Policy
Trump has advanced sweeping policy actions that are reshaping Washington, foreign relations, and the authority and scope of the United States’ executive branch.These actions, taken within weeks of his retaking office, have made him one of the fastest-moving executives in U.S. history, although his opponents in Washington allege that some of his actions may be illegal.
2. Dozens of Executive Actions
Trump began signing executive orders within hours of his swearing-in on Jan. 20.
The president has issued more than 100 executive actions affecting the economy, national security, federal government, immigration, foreign policy, energy, health, and education.
The orders include one issuing a national emergency at the southern border; one revoking a slew of executive actions from former President Joe Biden; one ending all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs at federal agencies; and one establishing an “America First” foreign relations policy.
3. Lawsuits Abound
Lawsuits challenging Trump’s sweeping actions have moved as quickly as the president himself, with more than 70 tallied by Just Security as of Feb. 17.4. Musk-Helmed DOGE Making Billions of Dollars in Cuts
DOGE, helmed by Elon Musk, has resulted in nearly $55 billion in savings since Trump took office, according to its website as of Feb. 18.The time-limited organization was formed from a repurposed version of the U.S. Digital Services, created in 2014 by President Barack Obama. According to DOGE, its work has resulted in almost $2 billion in cuts to the Treasury Department and nearly $1.5 billion in cuts to the Department of Education.
5. Democrats Alleging Overreach
While Trump and Musk have been vocally supportive of the spending cuts proposed by DOGE, Democrats have alleged that the cuts go too far.
6. Agency Overhauls
Trump has also reformed several government agencies during his first month back in office.7. Buyouts and Firings
Since taking office, Trump has overseen mass layoffs within the federal government.More than 75,000 federal workers accepted the administration’s buyout offer, allowing them to receive full pay and benefits until Sept. 30 while being exempt from daily attendance rules and layoffs.
8. Spending Freeze
In late January, the Trump administration attempted to enact a spending freeze, ordering agencies to pause the disbursement of funds “to the extent permissible under applicable law.”
9. National Emergency on Border
Immediately upon taking office, Trump fulfilled the centerpiece promise of his 2024 campaign by declaring a national emergency at the southern border and issuing a flurry of executive orders aimed at curbing illegal immigration.10. ICE Arrests
Since Trump took office, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has carried out increased immigration enforcement operations in major metropolitan areas such as Chicago, New York City, and elsewhere.Border czar Tom Homan said during a Feb. 11 radio interview on WABC that the administration has arrested about 14,000 illegal immigrants since Jan. 20. He added that border crossings have dropped by 92 percent in the same period.
11. DOJ Suing Illinois, New York Over Sanctuary Policies
The Justice Department, under Attorney General Pam Bondi, sued the states of Illinois and New York over their sanctuary protections for illegal immigrants.The lawsuits target several state laws that federal authorities say obstruct immigration enforcement, including a New York law that prevents the Department of Motor Vehicles from sharing records with immigration enforcement agencies unless presented with a court order or warrant.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul have vowed to defend the suits.
12. Sending Criminal Illegal Immigrants to Guantanamo Bay
Trump ordered the military to prepare Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba to house illegal immigrants, and the first flights arrived on Feb. 4.
These detainees were described by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as “the worst of the worst.”
13. El Salvador, Guatemala Accepting Deportees From Other Countries
In his first official international trip, Secretary of State Marco Rubio secured deportation agreements from both Guatemala and El Salvador.Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo on Feb. 5 announced that his country had agreed to a 40 percent increase in the number of deportation flights from the United States, including illegal immigrants from other countries.
14. Tariff Threats
Following through on pledges made late last year, Trump was set to impose 25 percent tariffs on all Canadian and Mexican imports before entering into negotiations with both nations’ leaders.Trump accused both countries of not doing enough to prevent illegal immigration and illicit fentanyl from crossing their borders into the United States. In response, Mexico agreed to send troops to its border, while Canada said it would create a “fentanyl czar” to respond to the drug trafficking crisis.
15. China Tariffs
Simultaneously with his announcement of tariffs on Mexico and Canada, Trump also vowed to levy a 10 percent tariff on top of existing tariffs on Chinese imports, citing the Chinese regime’s role in manufacturing fentanyl precursor chemicals.During the first Trump term, his administration imposed tariffs on billions of dollars’ worth of Chinese imports. The Biden administration continued and expanded upon these tariffs.
16. Reciprocal Tariffs
Trump on Feb. 13 rolled out a plan to enact reciprocal tariffs on all U.S. trading partners.“Whatever countries charge the United States of America, we will charge—no more, no less,” Trump said.
The president instructed agencies to determine reciprocal tariffs for each country, weighing factors such as tariffs, value-added taxes, local subsidies, regulations that make it difficult for U.S. businesses to overcome trade barriers, and currency devaluation that makes U.S. goods more expensive.
17. Gaza Plans
The Trump administration has floated a proposal to resettle Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to Arab nations.The land would instead be redeveloped under U.S. ownership—a proposal that sparked immediate opposition from U.S. allies such as Saudi Arabia.
18. Setting Up Ukraine Peace Negotiations
The United States and Russia are expected to begin discussions about ending the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.During his 2024 campaign, Trump often said he would be able to end the Russia–Ukraine conflict within 24 hours. While that aim was not met, Trump has maintained his interest in ending the conflict.
Top Russian and U.S. officials, including Rubio, met on Feb. 18 in Saudi Arabia about a week after Trump spoke on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
19. Withdrawing From International Bodies
Trump has also rapidly withdrawn the United States from several international organizations.He issued an executive order on day one for a full withdrawal from the World Health Organization, an action Trump primarily linked to the body’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
20. Panama Pulling Out of China Initiative
After meeting with Rubio on Feb. 2, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino announced that his country will not renew a 2017 memorandum of understanding with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The agreement entailed Chinese infrastructure projects and investments in Panama as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).U.S. officials and other critics have referred to the BRI as a form of “debt-trap diplomacy” employed by the CCP.
21. Women’s Sports
After Trump signed an executive order defining male and female based on biological sex only, declaring that the federal government would only recognize the two sexes, he went further by blocking male athletes from participating in women’s sports.His “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” order cited Title IX rules. While the Biden administration had expanded Title IX to include transgender-identifying students, Trump’s order limits participation in women’s sports to only those who are female by birth.
22. End of DEI in Government, Schools
Trump directed all agency heads to cease DEI practices immediately, including firing any workers employed in those programs. Some of those efforts were among the first DOGE targets as the advisory commission began probing multiple federal departments.A day after his inauguration, Trump signed an order cutting off federal funding to any learning institutions that mandate DEI provisions or hire contractors who use those practices.
23. Jan. 6 and Pro-Life Pardons
On Inauguration Day, Trump pardoned 1,569 defendants involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach and commuted the sentences of 14 serious offenders.
24. TikTok Reprieve
Last year, Congress passed a law forcing TikTok to divest from its Beijing-based parent company by Jan. 19, 2025, or face a ban in the United States.Trump, who had warmed up to the app during his 2024 presidential campaign, said he was committed to protecting national security while also “saving a platform used by 170 million Americans.”
25. Confirmation Wins
Rubio was easily confirmed as secretary of state, receiving support from every lawmaker in the Senate.Other Trump nominees, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard faced a tighter confirmation process, mostly along party lines.
Former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) opposed all three of their nominations.
26. Renaming Denali and Gulf of Mexico
The names of two major geographical landmarks—North America’s tallest peak and a major Atlantic Ocean basin—were the targets of a different executive order by Trump.Alaska’s Denali, whose name has been disputed since it was first seen by U.S. surveyors in the 1800s, was officially renamed Mount McKinley. The federal government named the peak after President William McKinley, but native Alaskan groups had long referred to it as Denali.
Obama signed an executive order in 2015 referring to the peak by its native name; Trump directed the Interior Department last month to revert to calling it Mount McKinley.
27. Plans for Assassination File Releases
Trump also signed an order for plans to be drafted for the release of any remaining records related to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy (JFK), Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy (RFK), and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.The plan gave the director of national intelligence and attorney general 15 days to prepare a plan for the “full and complete release” of any remaining JFK assassination files and 45 days for the RFK and King files.
28. Mystery Drones
After months of ground observers in the northeast reporting unidentified aircraft that appeared to be unmanned aerial systems or drones, the White House said on Jan. 28 that “large numbers” of the drones seen over states such as New Jersey “were authorized to be flown by the FAA for research and various other reasons.”
“Many of these drones were also hobbyists, recreational, and private individuals that enjoy flying drones. ... This was not the enemy,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
29. Democrats Alleging Constitutional Crisis
As Trump moves rapidly to reshape the executive branch, the president’s Democratic opponents are becoming increasingly vocal about a “constitutional crisis,” particularly stemming from DOGE’s efforts.Because Article I of the Constitution gives Congress the power of the purse, many congressional Democrats believe DOGE is breaching Congress’s authority if its recommendations lead to the revocation of any federal funding or removal of agencies without congressional approval.
30. In the Courts
Of the more than 70 lawsuits filed in response to new actions by the Trump administration, several have already yielded direct action by judges.Four federal judges have issued preliminary injunctions blocking Trump’s efforts to limit birthright citizenship. Two judges have blocked the administration’s spending freeze, and another judge temporarily paused Trump’s federal worker buyout program before resuming it last week.
The Justice Department has already appealed multiple decisions.
