President Trump's first executive actions set a tone for his administration
By Ann Crosby ‘25
Photo of President Trump accepting the Oath of Office.
Courtesy of the Westerly Sun
For months, anticipation surrounding the Donald Trump presidency has gripped the US population and gained worldwide attention. Throughout his campaign, Trump made many promises regarding immigration, the economy, foreign policy, climate policy, DEI, and the Jan. 6 insurrection. Whether he would follow through on these promises was up for debate; however, after his first weeks in office, it is clear that Trump intends to pursue his agenda, no matter the cost.
To better understand Trump's initial actions in office, I interviewed Dr. Masse Ndiaye, who has an extensive foreign policy and international relations background. He is a high school teacher in Louisiana, but he has also been a professor of international relations at multiple universities. Throughout our interview, he commented on several topics, including immigration, the economy, and foreign policy.
Immigration:
During Trump's inaugural address, it became clear that he intended to enact many of his campaign promises regarding immigration. Firstly, when discussing immigration, he stated that “illegal entry will immediately be halted, and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens to the places from which they came.” A few hours later, Trump signed a sweeping executive order to further his immigration crackdown.
This order claims that the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border is an invasion, allowing the executive branch to take extreme measures. It asserts that migrants from South America pose a security and health risk to the United States. Additionally, it states that over the past four years, more than eight million illegal migrants have crossed the border, leading to stress on the U.S. immigration system.
According to the order, Trump has "broad authority" under the Immigration and Nationality Act to restrict or suspend the entry of immigrants into the U.S. if they are deemed "detrimental to U.S. interests." This enables Trump to use his executive powers to declare the situation at the southern border an invasion, effectively suspending the entry of immigrants into the country.
Furthermore, Trump signed a bill classifying drug cartels as terrorist organizations. This bill states: “The cartels have engaged in a campaign of violence and terror throughout the Western Hemisphere that has not only destabilized countries significant to our national interests but also flooded the United States with deadly drugs, violent criminals, and vicious gangs.” Later, the bill asserts that drug cartels essentially run the Mexican government and pose a national security threat to the U.S.
Lastly, Trump has attempted to end birthright citizenship, a constitutional right in the U.S. that grants automatic citizenship to anyone born on American soil. This proposal means that any children of undocumented migrants born after February 19, 2025, would not be recognized as U.S. citizens and could be subject to deportation.
In response to this announcement, over 20 states filed lawsuits against Trump, arguing that the order is unconstitutional. Additionally, Judge John Coughenour temporarily blocked the order, describing it as “blatantly unconstitutional.” The future of birthright citizenship remains uncertain, but it is anticipated that a case concerning this issue will eventually reach the Supreme Court.
While legal challenges to Trump's order regarding birthright citizenship mount, the administration's hardline stance on immigration is also manifesting in other ways. Deportation raids have also begun in many states across the U.S. If Trump continues to follow through with his promises, millions of illegal immigrants could be deported, resulting in family separations and other significant consequences.
Many industries will be negatively affected by deportations. For example, five percent of agricultural workers in the U.S. are undocumented, and their deportation could significantly reduce the food supply in the country. Other sectors, such as construction, restaurants, and hospitality, will also face impacts from deportations.
Economy:
Trump's economic plan will be a true test for the U.S. economy. He has promised to decrease inflation, cut taxes, impose massive tariffs, and expand U.S. industries. On his first day back in office, Trump overruled many trade regulations to increase domestic energy production, urged Congress to pass additional tax cuts, and signed a bill targeting the high cost of living.
The legislation titled “Delivering Emergency Price Relief for American Families and Defeating the Cost-of-Living Crisis” was one of Trump's first executive orders and begins by blaming the Biden administration for the high cost of living. The bill states, "The Biden Administration not only exploded government spending… but it simultaneously made necessary goods and services scarce through a crushing regulatory burden and radical policies designed to weaken American production. Hardworking families today are overwhelmed by the cost of fuel, food, housing, automobiles, medical care, utilities, and insurance."
The bill emphasizes Trump's commitment to reducing inflation, making everyday goods more affordable, lowering housing costs, and decreasing healthcare expenses. However, it also targets numerous climate-friendly policies established by the Biden administration, which are vital for addressing climate change. While the specifics of Trump's execution plan remain uncertain, it is clear that these changes will impact the U.S. economy.
Towards the end of his first day back in office, Trump announced that he might impose a 25% tariff on Mexico and Canada, which are the U.S.'s most important trading partners. He also threatened China with high tariffs and suggested that he would use tariffs as a negotiating tool. Then on Feb. 1, Trump enacted these tariffs, which caused retaliatory measures from Canada, Mexico, and China.
In the short term, Trump's plan might have its intended effect; however, Dr. Nadaye stated that “tariffs could create global trade wars and recessions in the long term.” He also said taxing imports into the U.S. will inevitably increase American prices.
Foreign Policy:
Trump's foreign policy agenda is a multi-faceted endeavor. Firstly, Trump has reiterated that he will end the war between Ukraine and Russia. This will probably include decreasing or eliminating U.S. military support for Ukraine and could result in Ukraine losing the war.
Additionally, Trump stated that the U.S. will be “taking it back” in reference to the Panama Canal during his inaugural address. The canal has been under Panama’s control since Jimmy Carter signed The Panama Canal and the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, however, Trump does not like China's increased influence over the canal.
According to Dr. Ndiaye, China's increased presence in the canal is attributed to “the intensification of trade in Latin America between China and Latin American countries,” and it is not an attempt for China necessarily to take control of the canal. Instead, it reflects the rise in its trade volume with Latin America. Nevertheless, Trump is determined to reduce Chinese influence over the channel, which Dr. Ndiaye described as “perhaps an extreme position that could lead to a breakdown of trade cooperation in that region and would not be beneficial to any of us.”
Trump did not rule out using military force to take the Panama Canal, even when asked directly in an interview before taking office. However, seizing the canal will be a massive military undertaking for the U.S. and disrupt global trade. Experts have estimated that 90,000 US troops would need to be deployed to Panama in order for the U.S. to win a war, considering Panama's area and population.
Additionally, Trump has continued to express interest in taking control of Greenland in response to the growing Russian and Chinese influence in the Arctic. He believes that the U.S. is entitled to control the Arctic, even though Greenland is not for sale, and wants to remain an autonomous territory of Denmark.
"It would be better if the US could find a cooperating scheme with Denmark and the European Union that recognizes security challenges from Russia and China and maybe create a system where they could share control,” said Dr. Ndiaye. “But the idea of unilaterally declaring that Denmark should give up Greenland because it’s in our national interest might be extreme." He also noted that this approach could lead to tough trade regulations between the U.S. and European countries.
In a different area of international relations, the U.S. has also seen recent shifts in its approach toward Cuba. Trump redesignated Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism, reversing former President Biden's earlier decision to lift this designation as part of a deal to release U.S. political prisoners in Cuba. A total of 553 prisoners, many imprisoned for protests in 2021, were set to be released, and whether Trump's executive order will halt this program is unclear.
During my conversation with Dr. Ndiaye, he explained that Trump's foreign policy efforts exemplify the country's shift from multilateralism to unilateral. This means that instead of cooperating with foreign countries, Trump is trying to separate the U.S. from many international organizations. In his first days in office, this meant pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement, leaving the World Health Organization, and demanding NATO countries pay more into the alliance.
However, according to Dr Ndiaye, making the U.S. more unilateral in the long term could create economic hardships and change the international perception of the U.S. as a global superpower. Additionally, this shift could sever important allyships that the U.S. has maintained worldwide for many years.
Climate:
Trump's approach to climate and energy was emphasized by a series of six executive orders he signed on Jan. 20, as well as during his inaugural address when he stated, “Drill, baby, drill,” a slogan he often uses to promote the expansion of oil drilling in the U.S. He also declared a state of emergency regarding energy shortages, which allows him to exercise presidential authority under the National Emergencies Act, despite the fact that the U.S. is currently producing more oil than any other country in history.
This state of emergency enables Trump to bypass many environmental regulations, speeding up project approvals for energy companies. While the executive order includes various specifics, it clearly allows drilling companies to access more resources, potentially increasing the level of drilling in the U.S.
Although wind and solar power have gained popularity and significantly contribute to U.S. energy, Trump does not recognize them as “energy.” This indicates that many government subsidies that support wind and solar companies will likely be terminated, demonstrating a clear shift away from green energy sources.
Trump also pulled out of the Paris Climate Agreement for a second time, which Dr. Ndiaye said will allow him to “enact policies that would increase drilling in the U.S., because then he would not be held accountable for an international treaty that he's no longer a part of, or the U.S. is no longer a part of.” Additionally, Trump is reversing many policies associated with the Green New Deal. Specifically, he is targeting legislation encouraging car companies to invest in electric vehicles and ending tax write-offs for buyers of electric cars.
These policies will inevitably worsen climate change and diminish any chance of avoiding its most severe effects. Scientists have stated that there will be catastrophic consequences if the world cannot cut emissions to 2005 levels or below. Dr. Ndiaye believes that Trump's failure to cooperate with foreign countries could lead to the "dismantling of the whole architecture for cooperation to reduce global temperatures,” which could have disastrous consequences.
Ending Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI):
Trump has continued to target many DEI movements that have gained traction over the past decade. He stated that it is now U.S. government policy that “there are only two genders: male and female.” Additionally, he pledged to “forge a society that is color blind and merit-based.”
Later, he put his words into action by signing the “Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing” and “Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism And Restoring Biological Truth To The Federal Government” bills.
The first bill aims to eliminate DEI programming within the federal government. The Trump administration plans to achieve this by meeting with key department heads to review their DEI agendas. A spokesperson for the administration stated that they will “assess which DEI programs may still be discriminating against Americans and determine ways to eliminate them.”
The second bill mandates that the federal government use the term “sex” instead of “gender” and ensures that government documents accurately reflect a person's biological sex. This measure is largely a response to a 2022 bill passed by the Biden administration, which allowed individuals to identify as gender-neutral by using an “X” on their government documents. Additionally, the new bill prohibits using taxpayer funds to cover gender-transition health care.
Jan. 6th:
Pardoning individuals involved in the Jan. 6 insurrection was a promise that Trump reiterated during his campaign. Shortly after taking office, he began to act on this promise by pardoning nearly 16,000 individuals connected to the insurrection. As a result, almost all 1,270 convicted insurrectionists are now free and facing no criminal charges.
This broad pardon even includes convicted felons who assaulted Capitol Police and National Guard officers. Furthermore, far-right extremists from groups such as the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, who were convicted of seditious conspiracy, have also been released from prison.
Before taking office, Trump indicated that his pardons for the rioters would be decided on a case-by-case basis. Vice President JD Vance stated that individuals who committed violent crimes "obviously should not be pardoned." Despite this, Trump's sweeping action grants clemency to those convicted of violent offenses.
Trump continues to use his executive power to alter fundamental systems within the U.S. government. In the short term, Dr. Ndiaye noted that Trump's impact may appear positive, particularly due to the ceasefire in Gaza and the potential for future negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. However, he also acknowledged the many negative long-term effects that Trump's actions may have.
Dr. Ndiaye ended our interview by commenting on Trump's lasting effect on the U.S. and the world, saying, “The US loses that identity it has kept for a long time in the international scene as a superpower that promotes certain ideas such as human rights [and] democracy.” Policies such as cracking down on immigration and ending DEI suggest that the U.S. no longer holds the same values.