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Trump’s first presidential orders: WHO, Cuba, TikTok, and more

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US President Donald Trump entered his first day in office with an unprecedented show of executive power.

From ending birthright citizenship to forcing federal employees to return to the office, granting TikTok a reprieve, and reinstating Cuba on the list of “state sponsors of terrorism,” the new president signed several executive orders.

Trump once again signed an order withdrawing the US from the Paris Climate Agreement and pardoned or commuted the sentences of more than 1,500 individuals involved in the 6 January 2021 Congressional raid, including those convicted of assault on law enforcement officers and seditious conspiracy.

He spent 45 minutes in the Oval Office answering reporters’ questions while signing an order overhauling the federal government’s treatment of immigrants and a series of orders withdrawing the country from the World Health Organization (WHO).

Reflecting on his return to the Oval Office, Trump said, “What a great feeling. It is one of the best feelings I have ever experienced.”

Combating immigration and border security take center stage

Trump signed several executive orders on immigration, a cornerstone of his agenda. He moved to end birthright citizenship, a policy that would exclude children of undocumented immigrants from citizenship under the 14th Amendment.

Immigration groups and civil rights organizations concluded their legal challenge on Monday night, setting the stage for one of Trump’s first major judicial battles.

Trump also expanded immigration enforcement, declared a national emergency on the southern border, ended “catch and release” policies that allow immigrants to be paroled while awaiting court hearings, resumed construction of the border wall, and revived the “Remain in Mexico” policy, which requires asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for their cases to be processed.

Additionally, the president issued an order to “clarify the role of the military in protecting the territorial integrity of the United States.”

Trump directed relevant agencies to recommend suspending entry from countries deemed unsafe and halted refugee resettlement for at least four months. He further restricted asylum rights, designated several drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, and instructed the attorney general to seek the death penalty for murders of law enforcement officers and capital crimes committed by undocumented immigrants.

The war against DEI and transgender programs

Another executive order targeted Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs in hiring practices and community initiatives across the government.

Trump also signed a broad order rolling back programs recognizing transgender and non-binary individuals. The administration sought to lift restrictions on “conversion therapy,” a controversial practice aimed at persuading young transgender people to reject their identity.

‘Maximum pressure’ on Latin America and Cuba begins

The Trump administration quickly reinstated Cuba on the US government’s list of “state sponsors of terrorism,” reversing President Joe Biden’s decision to delay the move at the end of his term.

Trump had promised to cancel the Biden administration’s olive branch to Cuba, which was part of an agreement to release political prisoners on the island. This move signals a continuation of his first-term hostility toward Cuba.

New Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed during his hearing that the administration planned to reverse Cuba’s removal from the terrorism list and reinstate other restrictions.

The White House also renewed the list of “restricted entities” created during Trump’s first term. These Cuban entities, many affiliated with the government, are barred from certain financial transactions under US law.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel responded on Facebook, calling the moves “arrogance and disregard for reality.” Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla added, “It will hurt, but it will not suppress the firm determination of our people.”

Notably, the Trump administration did not reverse Biden’s decision to suspend Title III of the Helms-Burton Act, which allows Cuban exiles to sue Havana for confiscated property but has been used primarily by multinational corporations.

When asked about relations with Latin America and Brazil, Trump replied, “They should be great.” He added, “They need us much more than we need them. We don’t need them. They need us. Everyone needs us.”

Symbolic ‘American nationalism’ orders

Many of Trump’s actions appeared aimed at appealing to his base, including two announced on social media by his press secretary: renaming the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America” and restoring the name Mount McKinley to Alaska’s highest peak, which former President Barack Obama had renamed Denali in 2015 to honor Alaska’s indigenous groups.

It remains unclear which of Trump’s sweeping executive orders will have immediate impact, which are purely symbolic, and whether they will limit the influence of Congress or the courts.

As of 9:00 PM US time, Trump had signed dozens of executive orders. However, some fell short of the “thunderous days” promised by his allies ahead of Inauguration Day.

So far, ‘the mountain gave birth to a mouse’ on tariffs

Despite recent promises to impose tariffs of up to 100% on imports, Trump issued an order that did not impose new tariffs but directed federal agencies to investigate trade deficits and unfair trade practices.

The order includes China, Canada, and Mexico but does not impose blanket tariffs or target specific trading partners, as many had feared. This contradicts Trump’s November promise to impose 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada to curb illegal immigration and fentanyl trafficking.

The decision may disappoint supporters of Trump’s “hawkish” tariff policy, which included a 10-20% tariff on all imports, a 60% or higher tariff on Chinese goods, and replacing income tax with tariffs.

Earlier on Monday, Trump pledged in the Capitol Rotunda to “defeat record inflation and rapidly reduce costs and prices” but did not elaborate on how, beyond rolling back environmental regulations and increasing fossil fuel extraction.

Trump also promised to “take back” the Panama Canal, which the Panamanian government says is impossible under international law.

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