Tracking Trump’s Second Term Executive Orders
President Donald Trump’s second term has begun with a wave of executive orders, signaling a significant shift in policy direction. This post breaks down the key orders, their implications, and what they mean for the future.
Need to Know: Trump’s Executive Orders
- Volume: As of Feb. 20, President Trump has signed over 70 executive orders, marking the most within the first 100 days of a presidential term in over 40 years.
- Scope: These orders span various sectors, including culture, immigration, energy, crime, and government operations, indicating a broad effort to reshape American policy and culture.
- Controversy: Many of these orders have sparked debate, with critics questioning their constitutionality and potential impact on various groups within society.
Key Takeaways: A Summary of Major Executive Orders
- Culture:
- Several orders address gender identity, with policies defining “sex,” restricting gender-affirming care, and affecting sports participation.
- Initiatives to investigate and eliminate perceived “anti-Christian bias” and “anti-Semitism.”
- Changes to national symbols and names.
- Immigration:
- Orders focused on border security, including building a wall, increased detention and removal, and ending certain immigration programs.
- Changes to asylum policies and refugee resettlement.
- Task forces to address immigration issues at both the northern and southern borders.
- Energy:
- Emphasis on maximizing energy production, including in Alaska, and deregulation of the energy sector.
- Reversal of some environmental regulations.
- Government:
- Orders aimed at increasing government efficiency, reforming the hiring process, and ensuring accountability.
- Creation of new government bodies and the elimination of others.
- Investigations into past government actions and potential censorship.
- Foreign Affairs:
- Withdrawal from international agreements and organizations, including the Paris Agreement and the World Health Organization.
- Changes to foreign aid distribution.
- Sanctions on the International Criminal Court.
- Defense:
- Reversal of policies regarding transgender individuals serving in the military.
- Emphasis on military readiness and the development of new defense systems.
- Trade:
- Imposition of tariffs on goods from Canada, China, and Mexico, though some of these were later paused.
- Education:
- Focus on school choice and “patriotic education.”
- Efforts to eliminate federal funds from certain educational programs.
Implications for American Culture and Society
These executive orders have the potential to significantly reshape American culture and society. Here are some key implications:
- Divisiveness: Several orders, particularly those related to culture and immigration, could exacerbate existing social divisions.
- Legal Challenges: Many of these orders are likely to face legal challenges, which could lead to lengthy court battles and uncertainty.
- International Relations: Changes to foreign policy and withdrawal from international agreements could strain relationships with other countries.
- Economic Impact: Trade policies and changes to energy regulations could have significant economic consequences.
- Social Change: Policies related to gender identity, abortion, and education could lead to substantial social change and impact the lives of many Americans.
Trump Order to Designate English as Official Language: A Shift in U.S. Policy
President Trump is expected to sign an executive order designating English as the official language of the United States. The order would allow government agencies and organizations that receive federal funding to choose whether to offer documents and services in languages other than English, and it would rescind a mandate from former President Bill Clinton that required such agencies to provide language assistance to non-English speakers. More than 30 states have already passed laws designating English as their official language, and lawmakers in Congress have introduced similar legislation for decades, though without success. Within hours of Trump’s inauguration last month, the new administration took down the Spanish language version of the official White House website, which has not been restored. The Trump administration also shut down the Spanish version of the website during his first term, and it was restored when President Joe Biden was inaugurated.
Implications for American Culture:
- Debate over National Identity: The move reignites the ongoing debate about American identity and what it means to be an American. It emphasizes assimilation and a singular national language, potentially marginalizing other linguistic and cultural identities.
- Impact on Immigrant Communities: This could create challenges for immigrant communities who may not yet be proficient in English, affecting their access to government services and resources. It might also affect the acceptance and inclusion of these communities in broader American society.
- Changes in Government Services: The executive order would potentially reduce the availability of multilingual government services, impacting access for non-English speakers. This could create disparities in areas like healthcare, education, and social services.
- Reinforcement of Cultural Divides: This policy could deepen existing cultural and political divides, with some viewing it as essential for national unity and others seeing it as discriminatory and exclusionary.
Symbolic Message: Designating English as the official language sends a symbolic message about the value placed on different languages and cultures within the U.S., potentially affecting how different linguistic groups are perceived and treated, especially Indian Nations that speak many different languages.
Trump’s Policies and Their Impact on Tribal Entities
Trump’s policies have had a mixed impact on tribal entities. Proposed rules clarifying the tax status of tribal corporations and the Tribal General Welfare Exclusion Act could be rejected by the Trump administration due to its opposition to preferential treatment based on race or ethnicity. However, Trump’s support for states’ rights and local sovereignty, and his advocacy for the official recognition of the Lumbee Tribe, suggest that his administration may be supportive of these rules.
Trump’s energy policies have had a limited impact on tribal entities. While his executive orders encourage energy exploration and production on federal lands, tribal lands are unlikely to be considered federal lands for this purpose. Additionally, energy companies have shown little interest in drilling in Alaska, and the administration’s withdrawal from wind energy leasing off America’s Outer Continental Shelf does not appear to have impacted any tribal entities.
The Trump administration’s freeze on certain federal grants and loans has created uncertainty for tribal programs that rely on federal funding. While the freeze has faced legal challenges, its long-term implications remain unclear. Tribal governments and enterprises may need to explore alternative funding sources or contingency plans to sustain essential services. Trump’s reversal of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives could affect individual members of tribal groups as they apply for employment, as well as tribal businesses that seek federal contracting opportunities. The potential economic effects of this order on tribal corporations engaged in government contracting could be significant.
Trump also rescinded several executive orders from the prior administration relating to strengthening marginalized communities, including tribal nations. The impact of these reversals on tribal communities is unclear.
It is important to stay informed and engaged in these evolving policy changes under Trump 2.0.
ePa spoke with Larry Wright, Jr., Executive Director, National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) on Trump’s impact in Tribal Nations:
