Executive directives: The impact of Trump’s presidential decisions

In a presidency marked by bold actions, Trump’s executive orders have drawn international attention and promise to leave a lasting impact on the American landscape. Let’s delve into key executive orders and their effects on the American people.

Lea Abou Alaiwa and Ella Ciliberto

March 26, 2025

Lea Abou Alaiwa

President Donald J. Trump was inaugurated for his second non-consecutive term of presidency on Jan. 20.

President Donald J. Trump was inaugurated for his second non-consecutive term of presidency on Jan. 20. In his first term, Trump signed a total of 220 executive orders, averaging 55 orders per year, from January 2017 to January 2021. The average amount of executive orders per term is 303 executive orders, with the most being Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt with 3,721, Woodrow Wilson with 1,803 and Calvin Coolidge with 1,203 executive orders. As of January, 72 of Trump’s previous executive orders have been revoked. As of March 14, 53 days after his inauguration, President Trump has signed 89 executive orders. This article dives into key executive orders and their effects on the American people.

Trump’s executive orders timeline

Executive Order 14159—Protecting the American People Against Invasion

January 20, 2025

This executive order addresses illegal immigration by revoking executive orders 13993, 14010, 14011 and 14012 and directs resources to limiting human trafficking. To do this, the order promotes law enforcement to increase deportations of illegal immigrants and strengthens efforts to investigate and extinguish human trafficking organizations. This order calls for improvements in detention facilities and imposes harsher punishments on people or organizations that assist in illegal immigration.

Executive Order 14151—Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing

January 20, 2025

This order terminates the diversity, equity and inclusion programs within the federal government instituted under the Biden Administration. To achieve this goal, order 14151 tasks the Attorney General, Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to end all current DEI programs and job positions and all federal agency heads must report all DEI activity within their agency. Routine monitoring will also be established to ensure this order is followed.

Executive Order 14153—Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential

January 20, 2025

This order permits and expedites the process of development and resource extraction in Alaska. This order cancels all activity or leases of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and authorizes all extraction of oil and gas from the refuge and reinstates the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program Record of Decision. Order 14153 also rescinds the final rule of Management and Protection of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska and any additional guidance related to the protection of resources in Alaska. 14153 also promotes the review and possible revocation of any lands or pending indigenous sacred sites granted to Alaskan natives.

Executive Order 14155—Withdrawing the United States From the World Health Organization

January 20, 2025

This order withdraws the United States from the World Health Organization because of the United States’ assumption of the organization’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic and other global health crises, along with failure to adopt urgently needed reforms, and inability to demonstrate independence from the inappropriate political influence of WHO member states. The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs shall establish mechanisms with the National Security Council as deemed necessary and appropriate to safeguard public health. This order also reassigns United States Government personnel or contractors working in any capacity with the WHO.

Executive Order 14154—Unleashing American Energy

January 20, 2025

This order shall unleash America’s energy and natural resources. To achieve this, the United States is going to encourage energy exploration and production on Federal lands and water as policy. The US will also ensure that an abundant supply of reliable energy is readily accessible in every State and territory of the Nation. The electric vehicle mandate will be eliminated and instead promote true consumer choice. The American people will have the freedom to choose from a variety of goods and appliances. The director of the Office of Management and Budget and the National Economic Council will develop and begin implementing action plants to suspend, revise, or rescind all agency actions identified as unduly burdensome. Executive Orders 13990, 13992, 14008, 14007, 14013, 14027, 14030, 14037, 14057, 14072, 14082 and 14096 are revoked.

Executive Order 14187—Protecting Children From Chemical and Surgical Mutilation

January 28, 2025

This order will ensure policy in the United States to not fund, sponsor, promote, assist or support the transition of a child from one sex to another and will enforce all laws that prohibit or limit these procedures. This includes the use puberty blockers, sex hormones and surgical procedures. This is also referred to as “gender affirming care.” The head of each executive department of agency that provides research or education grants shall immediately take appropriate steps to ensure that these institutions comply with the order.

Executive Order 14191—Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families

January 29, 2025

Executive Order 14191 aims to create a more universal educational program for K-12 schools and make education more accessible for families. To achieve this goal, the Secretary of Education will issue guidance regarding how States can use funds to inform about different K-12 choices.The Secretary of Education will also include educational freedom as a priority through discretionary grant programs. The Secretary of Health and Human Services will issue guidance regarding grants for families and children in lower income. The Secretary of Defense will review any mechanism under which military connected families may use funds from the Department of Defense to attend schools of their choice, including private or religious based schools.

Executive Order 14190—Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling

January 29, 2025

Executive order 14190 aims to prioritize patriotism in K-12 schools while providing an adequate education for American children. This executive order discourages the teaching of discriminatory ideology on the basis of race, color, sex, or national origin, and discourages allowing access to “intimate facilities” or sports/extra curricular activities which do not align with a child’s assigned sex. To achieve this the secretaries of health and human services, education and defense will reevaluate federal funding, teaching licence distribution and school curriculums.

Executive Order 14208—Ending Procurement and Forced Use of Paper Straws

February 10, 2025

This order ends the use of paper straws in the United States. The heads of executive departments and agencies shall take all appropriate action to eliminate the procurement of paper states and ensure that paper straws are no longer provided within agency buildings. The assistant to the president for Domestic Policy shall issue a National Strategy to End the Use of paper straws. This strategy shall address the elimination fo all policies designed to disfavor plastic straws and contract policies that ban or penalize plastic straw purchase and or use.

Executive Order 14159—Protecting the American People Against Invasion

Executive Order 14151—Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing

Executive Order 14153—Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential

Executive Order 14155—Withdrawing the United States From the World Health Organization

Executive Order 14154—Unleashing American Energy

Executive Order 14187—Protecting Children From Chemical and Surgical Mutilation

Executive Order 14191—Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families

Executive Order 14190—Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling

Executive Order 14208—Ending Procurement and Forced Use of Paper Straws

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About the Contributors

Lea Abou Alaiwa, Assistant Photo Editor and News Co-Editor

Lea Abou Alaiwa is a sophmore and this is her first year on staff. This year, she’s broadcast’s Assistant Photo Editor and News Co-Editor. When she’s not in the newsroom working, you can find her either spending hours practicing trumpet or at Java fueling her caffeine addiction.

Ella Ciliberto, Online Assistant Design Editor

Ella is a sophomore and this is her first year on staff. She is excited to be this year’s assistant design editor for the online newspaper. She spends a lot of time in the business department and will be entering her second year in West’s business club, BPA. Outside of school she does dance and enjoys listening to music.