A frenzy of decrees illustrating his desire to overturn the established order: since returning to power on January 20, Donald Trump has signed 79 decrees, the same number as his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, throughout his entire first year in the White House.
This avalanche of decrees represents an absolute record: since 1937, no American president has signed as many decrees at the beginning of his term, according to the American Federal Register, which has been publishing them since that date, reports AFP.
- Trump signed an executive order allowing diplomats who displease him to be fired
- Trump signed for America to build its own Iron Dome
It also marks a strong acceleration compared to Donald Trump's first term (2017-2021): during the same period, he had only signed fifteen.
Casting doubt on the foundations of free trade, legislation protecting ethnic and gender minorities, reducing or even abolishing federal services: the American president regularly takes the stage armed with a pen, emphasizing his ambition to restore America's greatness, but also to steer in the opposite direction of the previous administration.
Approximately a third of the decrees signed so far modify or repeal laws adopted by the Biden administration, according to AFP.
A retrospective look at the main themes addressed by the 47th President of the United States:
Economy and Trade
Tariffs, support for fossil fuels, the creation of a sovereign investment fund. The economy is at the center of Trump's signed decrees: 27 in total, according to AFP's count.
12 focus on trade and tariffs: +25% for products from Canada and Mexico and +10% for Chinese products. The latter should even be taxed an additional 10%, as announced by Trump on Thursday, without any corresponding decree so far.
- Trump signed the order imposing a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum. The trade war enters a new phase
- Trump triggers the trade war. He signed the order imposing tariffs in Canada, Mexico, and China. Reactions and economic effects
Trump also declared an "energy emergency" to boost American oil and gas production and to fulfill his promise to "drill like crazy," one of his campaign slogans.
The New York billionaire, who calls the energy transition a "scam," also signed several decrees against electric vehicles and wind projects. And another one that eliminates single-use plastic straws.
Diversity and Gender
Approximately 14 decrees address issues related to diversity and gender, a testament to the presidential offensive against transgender communities and "DEI" (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) policies.
Among the signed texts: recognizing only two genders, male and female, banning the "transgender ideology" in the military to exclude transgender individuals, and restricting gender transition procedures for individuals under 19. All these decrees are being challenged in court.
Two other edicts prohibit government agencies and the military from engaging in any positive discrimination in hiring based on ethnic or gender criteria.
Immigration
This central theme of the electoral campaign is directly or indirectly addressed in 16 decrees.
A text signed at the end of January considers that the refugee admission program is "detrimental to the country's interests."
The Trump administration then froze funding for organizations related to this program. The order has been blocked at this stage by a federal judge.
Trump also signed an executive order that revokes the right to land, enshrined in the 14th amendment to the US Constitution. Several federal judges have blocked its implementation, announcing a battle that could reach the Supreme Court, which has a conservative majority.
In one of his recent decrees signed on Saturday, Trump also establishes English as the official language of the United States and revokes a text from the Clinton era that aimed to facilitate access to public services for "limited English proficient individuals."
Practically, federal agencies will no longer be required to provide services in languages other than English. Many have done so until now, especially in Spanish.
DOGE
In six executive orders, Trump has set out to clarify the prerogatives of the Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE), the institutional UFO led by Elon Musk to reduce public spending.
A recent edict orders DOGE teams to list unnecessary regulations, with the aim of "beginning the deconstruction of the bloated and cumbersome administrative state."
Health
13 decrees on health today, to withdraw the US from the World Health Organization, suspend access to a government website on sexual and reproductive rights, or revoke Biden's executive orders ensuring access to abortion pills and the personal data of women seeking abortions.
Trump also signed edicts to reinstate discharged military members for refusing the Covid vaccine or to ban all federal subsidies to educational institutions requiring Covid vaccination.
Technology
A close friend of Elon Musk, the owner of SpaceX and Tesla, Donald Trump has already signed 10 decrees related to technology: three on artificial intelligence, two on cryptocurrencies.
He also decreed the creation of a "National Council for Energy Dominance," tasked in particular with developing electricity production in the face of Chinese competition in the AI field.