President Trump Delivers on Day One
Credit: The Trump White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
January 23, 2025 | Washington, D.C.
by Tabitha Walter, Executive Director, Eagle Forum
It’s been an exciting week for our nation! The winter chill could not stop the peaceful transition of power as President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance were inaugurated in the beautiful Capitol Rotunda.
Amidst all the events, President Trump wasted no time getting to work signing a historic 26 executive orders on his first day. One of these actions was to rescind 78 of Biden’s executive orders, including regulations regarding gender and DEI, COVID-19 mandates, harmful climate change initiatives, and more. Each action is an incredible restoration of common sense and promotion of American values. We want to highlight just a few of these “promises kept” this week.
Border Enforcement
After four years of disastrous Biden open border policies, border enforcement was a top issue in the campaign. Many of President Trump’s Executive Orders brought back the successful programs from his first administration. First, Trump declared the crisis at the border a national emergency allowing him to deploy troops to the area and release funds to address the problem. Other orders include reinstating the Remain in Mexico policy — effectively ending catch-and-release — and ending the CBP-one app that has allowed illegal aliens to travel nationwide. He has also rightfully designated cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.
Creation of DOGE
One of the actions we have all been looking forward to is the creation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to reduce the scope and spending of the federal government. In 2023 alone, the federal workforce grew by 709,000 jobs. DOGE, along with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), will scrutinize all agency actions and recommend ways to trim the fat of our bureaucracy.
In the meantime, President Trump ordered all heads of executive departments to eliminate ‘regulatory oppression’ to deliver emergency price relief in housing and unnecessary healthcare expenses. In addition, the order calls for getting rid of regulations that raise the costs of home appliances and eliminate climate policies that increase the prices of food and fuel. He has frozen all federal hiring and any leftover Biden regulations from taking effect, eliminated all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) positions to restore a merit-based hiring system, and required all employees to return to their offices in person.
End Government Weaponization
Restoring trust and fairness in the government is another important area of action. President Trump ordered all heads of agencies to review any instances of targeted political action to end the weaponization of the federal government. The Biden administration repeatedly used the heavy hand of government against parents who challenged school board activities, organizations that opposed the actions of the Left, pro-life advocates who sought to protect babies, and Republicans, like Donald Trump, who were a threat to the Leftist agenda.
Not only is he ensuring this doesn’t happen under his watch, but he is holding former government officials accountable for sharing sensitive U.S. information and has revoked 51 security clearances from intelligence officials who lied about the Hunter Biden laptop. Additionally, pro-life activist Bevelyn Williams who was put in prison for three years for blocking the entrance to an abortion facility is expected to soon receive a pardon.
Gender Ideology
The Trump administration is already setting a precedent of restoring sanity within the executive branch. In an executive order titled, “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” all agencies are ordered to recognize only two sexes — male and female — as defined by their biology. Language is included that recognizes these sexes are determined at conception signaling the value of human life at the earliest stage. This will have rippling effects throughout each agency which will eliminate preferred pronoun use within departments, protect women and girls in bathrooms in all federally funded spaces including schools, keep boys from competing in girls’ sports, and protect sheltered and incarcerated women from men in their personal spaces.
Withdrawal from the WHO & Paris Climate Treaty
One of the biggest efforts that Eagle Forum has worked tirelessly toward is a withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO). That came to fruition when President Trump made this official by issuing an executive order detailing the failures of the WHO regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and its continued corruption in the area of global health. Trump pulled the U.S. out of Pandemic Treaty negotiations and ordered that the Treaty and International Health Regulations will not be implemented here.
In addition, President Trump withdrew from the Paris Climate Treaty. At a Presidential debate last year, he said, “It was so unfair. China doesn’t kick in until 2030, Russia goes back to a low standard, and we kicked in right away. It would have destroyed our businesses.” The America First agenda is being implemented in so many ways.
Congress Needs to Make These Changes Permanent
We applaud the Trump administration for these actions to secure our borders, eliminate woke nonsense, foster accountability, and rein in the bloated federal government. Americans are optimistic about our future. While these Executive Orders are incredible, we urge Congress to pass laws to make these policies permanent. We will need your help and your voice to make sure that Congress does its job.
Tabitha Walter is the Washington, D.C. Executive Director for Eagle Forum. She focuses on conservative policy issues and federal election endorsements for Eagle Forum PAC.