Trump signs executive actions Jan. 6, TikTok, immigration and more : NPR

President Trump signed a flurry of executive orders, memoranda and proclamations after his inauguration on Monday, reversing many of his predecessors’ policies and re-enacting actions from his first term.

Hans signed the first lot in front of a packed crowd at Capital One Arena, prompting cheers, before moving to the Oval Office to sign more.

Trump and his officials also signaled a number of other executive actions coming soon, ranging from campaign priorities like border security to culture war issues like DEI policies.

Here are some of the key orders both signed and signaled on Monday.

January 6 pardons

Trump on Monday issued pardons for about 1,500 defendants who took part in the siege of the US capital four years ago, wiping out dozens of convictions for people who helped delay the certification of the 2020 elections and raise the peaceful transfer of power.

Trump also said in the Oval Office that he would reverse the convictions of a number of people, without providing immediate details.

“We hope they come out tonight,” he said.

Pausing the TikTok ban

Trump signed an order that paused a law that would ban the mega-popular social media app TikTok unless its China-based parent company spun off its US-based operations.

The bipartisan divestment or ban law passed Congress in April 2024 and was signed into law by then-President Biden. Trump himself sought to ban the app during his first term in 2020, but that effort was blocked by the courts.

“I am directing the Attorney General to take no action to enforce the law for a period of 75 days from today to allow my administration to determine the appropriate course forward in an orderly manner that protects national security while avoiding a abrupt shutdown of a communications platform used by millions of Americans,” Trump’s order said.

Regrets Biden’s executive actions

Another order cancelled 78 Biden-era executive actionsorders and presidential memoranda. They include a wide range of initiatives related to racial equality, climate, migration and gender policy; the federal workforce; and Biden’s recent move to remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.

Inflation

Another executive order directs “the heads of all executive departments and agencies to deliver emergency price reductions, in accordance with applicable law, to the American people and to increase the prosperity of the American worker.”

In a speech at Capital One Arena, Trump said this order would help “fight inflation and quickly bring down the cost of daily living.”

Immigration

Trump signed orders on sweeping changes to immigration and border security. They include:

Declare a national emergency at the border: Trump signed an order declaring “that a national emergency exists at the southern border of the United States” and authorizing the deployment of armed forces and the National Guard to respond.

“Clarify” the military’s role in border security: This act directs the military to “prioritize the protection of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the United States along our national borders.” This includes “by rejecting forms of invasion, including illegal mass migration, drug trafficking, human trafficking and smuggling, and other criminal activities.”

Finish “catch and release”, continue building the wall, and finish “Stay in Mexico”: A sweeping “Securing Our Borders” order calls for establishing “physical barriers” at the border, ending the practice known as “catch-and-release” and reinstating a policy requiring asylum seekers to wait in Mexico, while their application is being processed.

Designation of criminal cartels as terrorists: This order defines drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations in order to expedite the removal of members of groups such as Tren de Aragua, a transnational criminal organization from Venezuela, and MS-13.

Suspension of refugee resettlement: Trump signed an order to suspend the US refugee admissions program.

Termination of birthright citizenship: Trump signed an order that would end birthright citizenship for children born in the United States to parents without legal status. The executive order claims that the 14th Amendment, which establishes birthright citizenship, does not include persons born in the country but not “subject to its jurisdiction.” This action is likely to see immediate legal challenges.

Improving examination and screening: That order directs federal agencies to “vet and screen to the fullest extent possible all aliens who intend to be admitted to, enter, or are already inside the United States, particularly those aliens who come from regions or nations with identified security risks.”

“Protect American Citizens from Invasion”: This order directs federal agencies to use “all lawful means to ensure the faithful enforcement of the immigration laws of the United States against all inadmissible and removable aliens.”

Recreate the death penalty: Trump signed an order reinstating the federal death penalty, instructing the attorney general to “pursue the death penalty for all crimes of a seriousness warranting its use.” In particular, it calls for the death penalty to be sought in all cases involving the killing of a law enforcement officer and all capital crimes committed by immigrants without legal status.

“Weaponization of the Government”

Trump signed an order “that ends the weaponization of the federal government.”

Trump and his allies have long argued that the Justice Department under former President Biden was weaponized against him, citing the various lawsuits against him and other conservatives.

DOJ prosecutors dropped the two federal criminal cases against Trump after he won the 2024 election, following longstanding department precedent. In a report on the government’s election meddling case released last week, special counsel Jack Smith said the evidence against Trump would have led to his conviction at trial — if not for his election victory that led to the charges being dropped.

Throughout the 2024 campaign, Trump promised to punish, prosecute or imprison his political enemies. Trump has repeatedly indicated that he would use federal law enforcement as part of a campaign to demand “retribution.”

Federal workforce

Trump signed a “freeze of all federal hiring, except for the military and a number of other excluded categories.” At Capital One Arena, Trump told supporters that the temporary pause would “ensure that we hire only competent people who are true to the American public.”

He also signed an order requiring federal workers to return to the office in person and a “legislative freeze” preventing the creation of new federal regulations.

Withdraw from the Paris climate agreement

Trump signed an order titled “Put America First in International Environmental Agreements,” which included pulling out of the Paris climate accord.

Trump previously withdrew from the Paris Agreement during his first term, but Biden rejoined the agreement in 2021.

Defining ‘sex’ and ending DEI programs

Trump signed an executive action Monday night that addresses gender identity. The details were not immediately released; however, an incoming White House official, speaking on background, had told reporters earlier in the day that an order would make it US policy to recognize two biologically distinct sexes — male and female.

“These are genders that are not changeable and they are grounded in fundamental and indisputable reality,” the official said.

The change will require government agencies to use the definitions on documents such as passports, visas and employee records, the official said. Taxpayer funds will not be allowed to be used for “transition services,” the official said.

Another action would end diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the federal government, the official said, giving as examples environmental justice programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and diversity training.

Energy and climate

Trump intends to declare a national energy emergency aimed at cutting red tape and regulations for the energy industry, and another specific to Alaska’s resources, an incoming White House official told reporters at a background briefing.

“The national energy emergency will unlock a variety of authorities that will enable our nation to quickly rebuild, to produce coal and natural resources, to create jobs, to create prosperity and to strengthen our nation’s national security,” said the civil servant. The official said energy prices are too high, but declined calls to name a lower target price.

The action would end what incoming Trump officials call the “electric car mandate” and would end “efforts to limit consumer choices about the things that consumers use every single day, whether it’s shower heads, whether it’s gas stoves, whether it’s dishwashers and the like,” the official said.

Trump has long challenged energy efficiency standards on the campaign trail, specifically targeting “electric car mandates,” a term he uses to encompass all policies designed to promote a transition to battery-powered cars. Regulations that actually require 100% of vehicles to be electric do not exist at the federal level.

NPR correspondents Tamara Keith, Ximena Bustillo, Tom Dreisbach and Camila Domonoske contributed to this report.