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A rundown of major decisions churned out from the White House since President Trump assumed office.
Combating criminal organisations
The order is intended to "thwart" criminal organisations, including "criminal gangs, cartels, racketeering organisations, and other groups engaged in illicit activities." It directs law enforcement to apprehend and prosecute citizens, and deport non-citizens involved in criminal activities.
Read the full text of the order here »
Reducing crime
The order intended to reduce violent crime in the US, and "comprehensively address illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and violent crime."
Read the full text of the order here »
Protecting law enforcement
The order seeks to create new laws that will protect law enforcement, and increase the penalties for crimes committed against them.
Read the full text of the order here »
Reviewing Wall Street regulations
Trump signed two actions on Friday that could end up rewriting regulations in the financial industry that Obama and Congress put in place after the 2008 financial crisis.
Read the full text of the order here »
Reviewing the fiduciary duty rule
The memorandum directs the Labour Secretary to review the “fiduciary rule” another Obama-era law intended to protect Americans’ retirement money from conflicted advice from financial advisers that was scheduled to go into effect in April.
Read the full text of the memorandum here »
For every new regulation proposed, repeal two existing ones
It also caps the spending on new regulations for 2017 at $0.
American Heart Month
This ceremonial proclamation invited Americans to wear red on Friday (Feb 3) for National Wear Red Day The goal was to remember those who have died from heart disease and to improve its prevention, detection, and treatment.
Read the full text of the proclamation here »
Drain the swamp
The order requires appointees to every executive agency to sign an ethics pledge saying they will never lobby a foreign government and that they won't do any other lobbying for five years after they leave government. It loosened some ethics restrictions that Obama put in place.
Reorganising the national and Homeland Security Councils
Trump removed the nation's top military and intelligence advisers and appointed Trump's chief strategist, Steve Bannon, as a regular attendee, and disinvited the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Director of National Intelligence where their presence was not necessary.
Defeating ISIS
Making a point to use the phrase "radical Islamic terrorism" Trump directed his administration "to develop a comprehensive plan to defeat ISIS." drafted within 30 days.
Immigration ban
In Trump's most controversial executive action yet, he temporarily barred people from majority-Muslim Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen from entering the country for 90 days, and Syrians from entering until he decides otherwise.
'Rebuilding' the military
This action directed Secretary of Defense James Mattis to conduct a readiness review of the US military and Ballistic Missile Defense System, and submit his recommendations to “rebuild” the armed forces.
National School Choice Week
Trump proclaimed January 22 through January 28, 2017 as National School Choice Week. The programs weaken public schools and fund private schools at taxpayers' expense.
Build the wall
Trump outlined his intentions to build a wall along the US border with Mexico, one of his main campaign promises. The order also directs the immediate detainment and deportation of illegal immigrants.
Cutting funding for sanctuary cities
Trump called "sanctuary cities" to comply with federal immigration law or have their federal funding pulled.
Expediting environmental review for infrastructure projects
The order allows governors or heads of federal agencies to request an infrastructure project be considered "high-priority" so it can be netted quickly.
Approving pipelines
Trump signed three separate memoranda set to expand oil pipelines in the United States. The first two approve construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline and the Keystone XL Pipeline, and the third requires all pipeline materials be built in the US.
Read the full text of all three memoranda here »
Reduce regulations for US manufacturing
Trump directed his Secretary of Commerce to review how federal regulations affect US manufacturers, with the goal of figuring out how to reduce them as much as possible.
Reinstating the 'Mexico City policy'
The move reinstated a global gag rule that bans American non-governmental organisations working abroad from discussing abortion.
Hiring Freeze
Froze all hiring in the executive branch excluding the military, directing no vacancies be filled, in an effort to cut government spending and bloat.
Out of the TPP
This action signaled Trump's intent to withdraw from the Trans Pacific Partnership, a trade deal that would lower tariffs for 12 countries around the Pacific Rim, including Japan and Mexico but excluding China.
Intention to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)
Reince's regulatory freeze
Environmentalists worried if this could mean Trump is about to undo many Obama’s energy regulations.
Sanctions on Iran
Sanctions imposed on companies and individuals suspected of involvement in Iran’s missile programme and its support for foreign armed groups, warning there will be more pressure on Tehran to come
Tailpiece: In his two terms, President Barack Obama issued 227 executive orders over 96 months, a total number at par with recent predecessors, but the lowest per year average (2.3 per month) in 120 years. Trump, so far, has signed 11 executive orders.
Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2017
