From TikTok to Jan. 6, here’s what President Trump did on his first day back in office

On January 21, 2025By Littum

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has begun its promised flurry of executive action on Day 1.

With its opening rounds of memoranda and announcementsTrump reversed dozens of former President Joe Biden’s actions, began his immigration crackdown, pulled the US out of the Paris climate accords and tried to keep TikTok open in the US, among other things. He pardoned hundreds of people for their roles in the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Here’s a look at some of Trump’s initial actions and upcoming plans:

Pardons in the attack on the US Capitol on January 6

President Donald Trump signs an executive order as he attends an indoor presidential inauguration parade event at Capital One Arena, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

As he promised repeatedly during the 2024 campaign, the president said pardons issued late Monday for about 1,500 people convicted or criminally charged in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol as Congress met to confirm Biden’s 2020 victory over Trump.

Separately, Trump ordered an end to federal cases against “political opponents” of the Biden administration — meaning Trump supporters. He said Monday that he would end the “weaponization” of federal law enforcement, but his actions appeared to be aimed only at helping his backers.

The economy and TikTok

In a made-for-TV display at Capital One Arena on Monday night, Trump signed a largely symbolic memorandum that he described as directing all federal agencies to fight consumer inflation. By repealing Biden actions and adding his own orders, Trump is easing regulatory burdens oil and natural gas productionsomething he promises will bring down the cost of all consumer goods. Trump specifically targets Alaska for expanded fossil fuel production.

On trade, the president said he expects to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico starting Feb. 1, but declined to elaborate on his plans for taxing Chinese imports.

Trump also signed an order intended to pause Congress’ TikTok ban for 75 days, a period during which the president says he will seek an American buyer in a deal that can protect national security interests while allowing the popular social media platform be open to Americans.

America first

President Donald Trump throws pens he used to sign orders into the crowd as he attends an indoor presidential inauguration parade at Capital One Arena, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

As he did during his first administration, Trump is pulling the United States out of the World Health Organization. He also ordered a comprehensive review of US foreign aid spending. Both moves fit in with his more isolationist “America First” approach to international affairs.

In a more symbolic move, Trump planned to sign an order renaming the Gulf of Mexico, making it the The American Gulf. The highest mountain in North America, now known as Denaliwill return to Mount McKinley, its name until President Barack Obama changed it. And Trump signed an order requiring flags to be flown at full height on each upcoming Inauguration Day. The order came because the death of former President Jimmy Carter had caused flags to be flown at half-mast. Trump demanded they be moved up on Monday. Another Trump order calls for promoting “Beautiful Federal Civic Architecture.”

Immigration and National Security

Trump overturned several immigration orders from Biden’s presidency, including one that narrowed deportation priorities for people who commit serious crimes, are considered threats to national security or were stopped at the border. That brings the government back to Trump’s initial policy of making anyone in the country illegally a priority for deportation.

The President declared a national emergency at border between the United States and Mexicoand he plans to send US troops to help support immigration agents and limit refugees and asylum.

Trump is trying terminate birthright citizenship. However, it is unclear whether his order will survive inevitable legal challenges, since birthright citizenship is enshrined in the US Constitution.

He temporarily suspended the US refugee admissions program pending a review to assess the program’s “public safety and national security” implications. He has also promised to restart a policy that forced asylum seekers to wait across the border in Mexico, but officials did not say whether Mexico would accept migrants again. And Trump ends The CBP One appa Biden-era border app that granted legal entry to nearly 1 million migrants.

Meanwhile, on matters of national security, the president revoked every active security clearance from a long list of his perceived enemies, including former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, Leon Panetta, a former director of the CIA and Secretary of Defense, and his own former national security advisor, John Bolton.

Climate and energy

As expected, Trump signed documents that he said will formally withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accords. He made the same move during his first term, but Biden reversed it.

In addition, Trump declared an energy emergency as he promised to “drill, baby, drill” and said he will eliminate what he calls Biden’s mandate for electric vehicles.

Auditing Federal Bureaucracy

President Donald Trump signs an executive order on TikTok in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Trump has halted federal government hiring, except for the military and other parts of the government that were not named. He added a freeze on new federal regulations as he builds out his second administration.

He formally authorized the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, which is headed by Elon Musk, the world’s richest man. Ostensibly an attempt to streamline government, the DOGE is not an official agency. But Trump appears poised to give Musk wide latitude to recommend cuts to government programs and spending.