WASHINGTON ― President-elect Donald Trump is gearing up to kick off his second term in the White House with a significant surge of executive orders and directives, signaling a major shift in policy is on the horizon.

“Shock and awe,” remarked Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., after Republican lawmakers were given a sneak peek of the impending actions.

Feeling assured of an “mandate” from the electorate, Trump is aiming to issue more than 100 executive orders shortly after he is inaugurated as the 47th president on Monday—a day he has referred to as a “liberation day for America.”

“There will be over 100 executive actions—commands for bureaucracies to adopt new approaches,” Stephen Miller, Trump’s incoming deputy chief of staff for policy, stated in an interview with Fox News last week.

These orders will circumvent Congress to reverse President Joe Biden’s initiatives on issues such as climate policy and diversity in the federal workforce, while also fulfilling Trump’s campaign commitments to tighten security at the southern border, amplify domestic energy production, and focus on regulations affecting transgender individuals.

Many of these proposed actions are expected to be contentious and will likely lead to backlash from Democrats and other left-leaning groups. Some measures, particularly those related to immigration, might provoke legal challenges.

Trump may have a hectic few days ahead as he also plans to grant “major pardons” to individuals convicted due to their involvement in the January 6, 2021, Capitol unrest.

Below is a summary of potential executive actions that Trump and his close advisors have indicated the incoming president could undertake:

Reinstating Title 42

In terms of immigration, Trump has mentioned several orders he intends to issue on “Day 1” aimed at sealing the U.S.-Mexico border, where illegal crossings have recently reached historic lows.

This includes an executive decision to reinstate Title 42, which allows for the rapid expulsion of asylum-seekers at the border.

Title 42 is a public health law that both the Trump and Biden administrations utilized during the COVID crisis to justify denying entry to migrants and asylum-seekers. Biden revoked the policy in 2023.

Mass deportations

A key promise from Trump’s campaign includes initiating “mass deportations” of unauthorized immigrants in the United States.

To facilitate these extensive plans, he indicated he would broaden the capabilities of immigration agents and potentially involve the U.S. military. These anticipated actions have already sparked resistance from Democrats.

Ending birthright citizenship

Trump has also pledged to eliminate birthright citizenship on his first day in office—potentially initiating a constitutional legal battle.

Birthright citizenship means that anyone born in the United States is considered a U.S. citizen, a right established by the 14th Amendment, which states, “all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”

If Trump believes that he cannot abolish birthright citizenship through executive means due to constitutional limitations, he would need to pursue a constitutional amendment, which would necessitate support from two-thirds of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the state legislatures.

Border wall and empowering local law enforcement

Trump intends to restart the construction of the border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, a major component of his initial term’s policy agenda that the Biden administration has put on hold.

During his presidency, approximately 452 miles of barriers were built, but only 40 miles represented new construction where none existed before.

His advisors have indicated plans to instruct the federal government to more vigorously utilize the 287(g) program—a federal initiative that allows local law enforcement to conduct certain immigration enforcement activities.

Trump frequently utilized this program during his first term. Biden campaigned to terminate these agreements, and while he hasn’t pursued it as aggressively as Trump, immigration advocates accuse him of not fully delivering on his commitments.

Tariffs

Trump has pledged to impose significant new tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China starting on his first day in office.

Three weeks post-election, Trump stated that one of his initial executive actions would be to implement a 25% tariff on all goods imported from Canada and Mexico.

He indicated plans for an additional 10% tariff on top of existing tariffs for products coming from China, citing the influx of “thousands of people pouring through Mexico and Canada, bringing crime and drugs at unprecedented levels.”

TikTok

In light of a TikTok ban that went into effect over the weekend, Trump announced plans to sign an executive order on Day 1 to allow the popular social media platform to continue its operations.

On Sunday, Trump stated he would issue a directive that delays the enforcement of the sell-or-ban TikTok law “to facilitate a deal that protects our national security.”

“The order will also guarantee that companies aiding in keeping TikTok operational prior to my order won’t face any liabilities,” Trump said in a statement.

Following the shutdown on Saturday, TikTok responded to Trump’s announcement, stating they are “working to restore service.” TikTok expressed gratitude to Trump for clarifying and assuring service providers that they would not incur penalties for facilitating the platform’s availability.

Biden signed bipartisan legislation in April that banned TikTok unless its Beijing-based parent company, ByteDance, divested its U.S. assets by a set deadline, citing national security issues associated with the app, which some believe could allow the Chinese government access to personal user data or be used to spread false information.

Even though Trump is now looking to keep TikTok running, he sought to prohibit it through executive order during his initial term.

‘Drill, baby, drill’ agenda

Trump, who campaigned with the slogan “drill, baby, drill,” is expected to initiate several executive actions designed to promote his pro-oil agenda to enhance domestic energy production, which is already at a record high.

He has committed to swiftly reversing Biden’s recent actions that restricted offshore drilling along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Additionally, he aims to resume oil drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Among the various actions anticipated in the energy domain, the incoming president has announced plans to establish a new National Energy Council to “oversee the path to U.S. energy dominance.” This council will be headed by a former official from North Dakota.
Gov. Doug Burgum has been nominated by Trump to be the secretary of the Department of Interior. However, there has been no detailed information regarding the structure, staffing, and operational methods of the council.

Abolishing the ‘electric vehicle mandate’

Trump has frequently mentioned his intention to abolish Biden’s so-called “electric vehicle mandate.” This refers to an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulation requiring auto manufacturers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% in new light- and medium-duty vehicles starting in 2027.

According to the EPA, manufacturers might produce electric vehicles for approximately 30% to 56% of their new light-duty models by 2032 and for 20% to 32% of new medium-duty vehicles.

Biden has utilized federal resources to promote the shift towards clean-energy electric vehicles, while Trump has committed to reversing these initiatives.

Lifting the ban on natural gas exports

Trump has said he will take executive measures to lift the Biden administration’s pause on new permits for liquified natural gas export projects.

This move is part of several regulations put in place by Biden to address climate change, which Trump has dismissed as a “hoax.”

This past July, a federal judge in Louisiana ruled that the Biden administration cannot stop the issuance of permits for these projects, and the Justice Department has since appealed that ruling.

Addressing ‘transgender lunacy’

Trump has vowed to take immediate action on his first day in office concerning rights related to transgender individuals, proposing that the U.S. government officially recognize only two genders: male and female.

“With one signature, on Day 1, we’ll put an end to the transgender lunacy,” Trump declared during a speech in Phoenix last month.

He stated intentions to sign executive orders banning “child sexual mutilation,” remove transgender individuals from the military and public education systems, and prevent biologically male athletes from competing in women’s sports.

Recently, the House of Representatives, controlled by Republicans, passed a bill prohibiting transgender women and girls from participating in women’s school sports, yet it remains uncertain whether this legislation can secure the necessary 60 votes in the Senate to reach Trump’s desk for a potential signature.

DEI policies in the federal government

Trump has indicated plans to revoke policies from the Biden administration that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the federal government.

“I’ll eliminate all Marxist diversity, equity, and inclusion policies in the federal government immediately,” Trump stated last month.

DEI initiatives in businesses and government have become a focal point for Republican opposition. In his initial year, Biden signed an executive order to ensure diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility were prioritized in developing the federal workforce.

Encouraging in-person work for federal employees

Trump and his advisers have communicated the potential for executive actions requiring federal employees to return to in-person work.

“He’s going to require workers to return to their offices,” said Miller. “He plans to end the situation where federal employees are at home pretending to work while, in reality, they’re just watching Netflix on your dime.”

Trump has made it clear he will dismiss any federal employees who do not come back to their offices once his administration resumes. He also intends to legally contest a Biden agreement that allows employees of the Social Security Administration to work from home.

Many remote work policies implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic are still active for some federal employees.

Halting funding for ‘radical left NGOs’

Miller announced that Trump aims to take measures to stop federal financial support for “radical left NGOs,” though he did not specify which organizations would be affected.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are nonprofit entities that rely on federal funds.

Biden previously overturned a Trump executive order that enforced a “global gag rule,” preventing federal assistance from funding foreign organizations that provide abortion services or information.

For further updates, reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.