In a dizzying display of executive might, President Donald Trump’s first day back in office left official Washington shellshocked and opponents scrambling to respond. Hours after a combative inaugural address in which he vowed “nothing will stand in our way,” Trump unleashed a relentless barrage of executive orders and presidential pardons that seemed to herald a new era of unilateral action.
A Blizzard of Executive Action
Among the most shocking moves was the issuing of 1,600 pardons for rioters involved in the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol, including members of far-right militias jailed for sedition. The symbolism was lost on no one, coming just hours after Trump’s wealthiest backer, Elon Musk, made a gesture strongly resembling a fascist salute.
But the pardons were just the beginning. Trump signed a raft of executive orders on his first day that included:
- Withdrawing from the WHO and Paris climate accord
- Declaring a national emergency to deploy troops to the border
- Ending birthright citizenship for children of non-citizens
- Freezing federal hiring and ending work-from-home
- Rescinding Biden-era DEI policies and declaring only two genders
As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female.
– President Donald Trump
And that was just day one. Trump has already signaled plans for 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports starting February 1st. At the Pentagon, a portrait of Trump critic Gen. Mark Milley was swiftly removed. The breakneck pace and aggressive tone left many wondering what the coming days and weeks would bring.
A New Era in Washington
Trump’s no-holds-barred approach on day one sends an unmistakable signal that the next four years will be anything but business as usual in the nation’s capital. With a vow to reshape the federal bureaucracy he long decried as a “deep state,” an open embrace of allies like the militias behind January 6th, and an inaugural address short on appeals to unity, Trump appears to be turning his “dictator” rhetoric into reality.
Where this aggressive use of executive power leads is anyone’s guess. But one thing is clear – the relative calm and stability of the Biden years is already a distant memory. A new era has begun in Washington, and America is in for a wild ride ahead.
