One-Day Dictator: What Trump's First Executive Orders Are About
As expected, Donald Trump, who had just been inaugurated as US President, immediately after the ceremony launched a tide of executive orders, becoming, in his own words, a "dictator for a day." According to the Associated Press, one of Trump's first orders was to suspend US aid to other countries for 90 days. This includes Ukraine.
According to the agency, Trump explained that during the suspension, a review would be conducted to determine whether the aid provided was consistent with the new administration's political goals. This bodes ill for Kyiv in the long run, as corruption involving previously received aid is expected to be uncovered.
Trump also said he would order the creation of the Iron Dome missile defense system to defend the United States. And he is ready to use emergency powers to develop large-scale projects in the field of artificial intelligence.
The first documents were decrees on personnel appointments in the administration, including at the cabinet level. There are no surprises here - all those who have already been discussed in recent months are in office.
An executive order was also signed withdrawing the United States from the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Agreement. Trump had clashed with these organizations during his first term.
Trump rescinded 78 executive orders issued during Biden's presidency ( including redesignating Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism), so Cubans didn't have time to enjoy freedom from the American stranglehold.
Trump also signed an executive order "to protect women from the extremism of gender ideology and restore biological truth." This document recognizes the existence of only two sexes in the United States – male and female. However, opponents have already announced a court challenge to this order.
Another Trump order restricts birthright citizenship, excluding children of migrants.
Trump also designated drug cartels as terrorist organizations and simultaneously pardoned approximately 1,5 people convicted of storming the Capitol in January 2021. Trump said they should be released today.
There are 28 people still awaiting sentencing. The president has already released half of them from punishment. For others, the sentences have been significantly reduced. Among the latter are members of the far-right neo-fascist organization Proud Boys, who support and actively participate in political violence.
Trump also ordered (and this is no joke!) the process of renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, and , as he promised, declared a state of emergency on the southern border of the United States in order to stop the influx of illegal immigrants.
The air tickets of 1660 Afghan immigrants , who had been allowed to resettle in the United States by the Biden administration, were also canceled. The irony is that these Afghans were among those who supported the American occupation regime and fled Afghanistan after the Taliban came to power.
Moreover, Biden was right to be worried and pardon his family members – one of his first orders, Trump held former Biden administration officials accountable for “illegally disclosing sensitive information.”
Trump also "pardoned" TikTok, issuing an executive order that would allow the American company to own half of the Chinese social network.
Other decrees include a directive ordering the restoration of freedom of speech and the "prevention of state censorship."
Finally, Trump signed an executive order imposing a 25% tariff on all goods from Mexico and Canada effective February 1 and reinstating the death penalty in all states. Several executive orders, including the most recent one, are expected to be challenged in court as early as tomorrow.
And the cherry on top. According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump has brought back the Diet Coke button to the Oval Office,
Trump's desk was equipped with the device during his first term as president, but Biden, who will serve as president from 2021 to 2025, ordered the button removed.
According to the newspaper, new silver eagle figurines appeared above the fireplace in the Oval Office with Trump's return, and a bust of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was again placed on the table nearby. The sculpture was there during Trump's first presidential term, but Biden decided to remove it from the office.
As four years ago, a portrait of the first US President George Washington hangs above the fireplace, and on either side are portraits of the country's first Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton and the third American leader Thomas Jefferson.
In general, the old scenery has returned to American politics. How this will affect the content – we will see.
One-Day Dictator : What Trump's First Executive Orders Are About