President Donald Trump signed a series of executive actions in front of thousands of supporters at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., on Monday.
He began by rescinding 78 Biden-era executive actions, executive orders, presidential memoranda and more, including withdrawing the United States from the Paris Agreement – just as he did in his first term. This is the international agreement to combat climate change and nearly 200 countries have pledged to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius and ideally below 1.5 degrees. Each country is responsible for developing its own plan to meet the commitment.
Following his event at Capital One Arena, President Donald Trump arrived at the White House for the first time since his inauguration as the 47th president earlier today.
Earlier, Trump had said he was going to sign presidential executive orders pardoning individuals convicted by the justice system for their involvement in the January 6, 2021, attack on the federal capitol, calling them “hostages.”
The United States withdraws from the World Health Organization
President Donald Trump announced on Monday the withdrawal of the US from the World Health Organization, a significant move that severs ties with the United Nations public health agency on the first day of his term.
Trump had long been critical of the WHO, and his administration officially withdrew from the organization in July 2020 as the Covid-19 pandemic continued to spread.
The text of the executive order cites “the mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic originating from Wuhan, China, and other global health crises, its failure to urgently adopt necessary reforms, and its inability to demonstrate independence from the undue political influence of WHO member states” as reasons for the US withdrawal.
Among the decrees signed in the Oval Office are:
– Granting pardons and commuting sentences for individuals connected to the January 6th riots.
– Declaring a national emergency over illegal immigration at the US-Mexico border.
– Designating criminal cartels as terrorist organizations.
– Suspending the refugee resettlement program in the US for four months.
– Establishing the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE (to be led by Elon Musk).
– Addressing the federal law banning TikTok, stating that the directive will give him the authority “either to sell it or shut it down.”
– Holding former government officials “accountable for election interference.”
– Withdrawing the US from the World Health Organization.
– Declaring a national energy emergency to enable additional resource extraction, including drilling in Alaska.
– Protecting women from radical gender ideology.
– The White House announcement listing 78 actions reversed under Trump’s executive order.
– Freeze on regulatory measures: The freeze will prevent bureaucrats from issuing further regulations until Trump officials take full control of the government.
– Hiring freeze: A freeze on federal hiring, except for the military and certain other categories, until Trump officials gain complete control.
– Return to full-time work: Federal employees will be required to immediately resume full-time, in-person work.
– Cost of living: A directive for every federal agency and department to address the cost-of-living crisis.
– Withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement: This will formalize the US’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement again. Trump had done this in his first term, but Biden rejoined the agreement. Trump also signed a letter to the United Nations explaining the withdrawal.
– Freedom of speech: The federal government was ordered to restore freedom of speech and prevent government censorship of free expression. The First Amendment already guarantees freedom of speech in the US.
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