Trump’s unprecedented executive order blitz reshapes policy landscape
4 Min Read
No US president has issued so many executive actions so quickly since 1937, according to the Federal Register, which has tracked such orders since then.
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US President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Feb. 28, 2017 (AP)
With a narrow Republican majority in Congress, US President Donald Trump has wasted no time wielding executive power to reshape the government, signing a historic number of executive orders touching on several issues.
No president has issued so many executive actions so quickly since 1937, according to the Federal Register, which has tracked such orders since then.
But Trump’s aggressive approach has sparked fierce legal pushback—by February 27, at least 16 of his directives had been challenged in court, according to monitoring by Just Security at New York University’s School of Law.
Here’s a breakdown of the key policy areas targeted by Trump’s executive blitz:
Economy and trade
With 27 orders tied to economic policy, Trump has placed trade and industry at the center of his agenda. Twelve directives focus on tariffs and trade, including threats of levies on Canada and Mexico and a 10% tariff—“for now”—on Chinese imports.
Sticking to his “drill, baby, drill” pledge, Trump declared a “national energy emergency” to boost fossil fuel production, while simultaneously rolling back initiatives promoting electric cars, wind energy, and even the push to replace plastic straws with paper ones—policies he has dismissed as part of a “scam” around green energy.
Diversity and gender
Trump has issued 14 executive orders targeting diversity and gender-related policies, dismantling workplace programs focused on racism, sexism, and inequality.
Among his moves: restricting gender recognition to only male and female, barring transgender individuals from military service, and imposing limits on gender transition procedures for those under 19—measures that are now facing legal battles.
Other orders prohibit federal agencies and the military from using race or gender as a factor in hiring decisions.
Immigration
Fifteen executive orders address immigration—one of Trump's long-standing priorities.
In January, he signed an order halting refugee admissions, calling them “detrimental to the interests of the United States,” before freezing funding for organizations involved in resettlement. However, a US court has since blocked the move.
Another directive seeks to reinterpret the 14th Amendment, challenging birthright citizenship—a legal fight that could reach the conservative-leaning Supreme Court.
Trump also signed his 77th executive order declaring English the official language of the United States.
Government overhaul (DOGE)
Six of Trump's orders expand the authority of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, his self-styled “cost-cutter-in-chief.”
One order explicitly calls for the “deconstruction of the overbearing and burdensome administrative state.”
Health
Thirteen executive orders target healthcare, many of which undo policies from the era of Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden.
Among his first acts in office was withdrawing the United States from the World Health Organization. He also rescinded Biden-era protections for abortion pill access and abortion data privacy.
Additionally, Trump reinstated service members who had been discharged for refusing the Covid-19 vaccine and cut federal funding for schools that require Covid vaccinations.
Technology
Trump has issued 10 orders related to technology, including two addressing cryptocurrency regulation and three focused on artificial intelligence.
His administration has worked closely with Musk, whose companies—including SpaceX and Tesla—hold lucrative government contracts, despite concerns over potential conflicts of interest.
As legal challenges mount and political opposition stiffens, Trump’s aggressive use of executive orders sets the stage for a volatile political battle that could define his presidency.
