President Donald Trump planned executive orders for day one: Immigration, gender, Gulf of America

President Donald Trump has revealed details about the flurry of executive orders and directives that he plans to make within his first few hours as the 47th President of the United States.

Sharing the details in his inauguration speech, Mr Trump revealed he will shortly crack down on the border, trans rights and energy, just as a start.

Two sources familiar with the plans said more than 200 such orders and directives could be released in what is known internally as a “shock-and-awe” effort.

Here is what we know about the executive orders so far:

IMMIGRATION

In an inaugural address shortly after being sworn in to a second term in the White House, Mr Trump said he would declare illegal immigration a national emergency, send troops to the US.-Mexico border and reinstate his “remain in Mexico” policy.

He also said he would seek to stop all illegal entries and detain all migrants caught crossing illegally as part of a sweeping immigration crackdown that is expected to include deportations.

Mr Trump will issue a sweeping proclamation that aims to block access to all asylum seekers at the Mexico border, an incoming Mr Trump administration official said. He will also issue an order intended to end birthright citizenship for US.-born children whose parents lack legal immigration status, the official said.

Citing the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution, the official said in a briefing: “The federal government will not recognize automatic birthright citizenship for children of illegal aliens born in the United States. We are also going to enhance vetting and screening of illegal aliens.”

The US Constitution’s 14th Amendment provides for granting citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States.” Any move by Mr Trump to end birthright citizenship would face a legal challenge.

ENERGY

Mr Trump said he would immediately declare a national energy emergency, promising to fill up strategic oil reserves and export US energy all over the world.

“We will be a rich nation again, and it is that liquid gold under our feet that will help to do it,” he said.

Mr Trump, who vowed during his campaign to “drill, baby, drill,” will also sign an executive order focused on Alaska, an official with the incoming administration said, adding that the state was critical to US national security and could allow exports of liquefied natural gas to other parts of the US and allies.

The US also will withdraw from the Paris climate agreement, according to a White House document. In addition, Mr Trump said he would revoke what he has called an electric vehicle mandate.

Members of his team are recommending sweeping changes to cut off support for EVs and charging stations and to strengthen measures blocking the import of cars, components and battery materials from China, according to a document seen by Reuters.

They have also recommended imposing tariffs on all battery materials globally, a bid to boost US production, and then negotiating individual exemptions with allies, the document shows.

Mr Trump’s executive orders will also likely seek to roll back the Biden administration’s climate regulations on power plants, end a pause on LNG gas exports, and revoke waivers allowing California and other states to have tighter pollution rules.

TARIFFS

Mr Trump said on Monday he would tariff and tax countries to enrich Americans, promised an overhaul of the trade system, and said the US would establish an “External Revenue Service.”

“We are establishing the External Revenue Service to collect all tariffs, duties and revenues. It will be massive amounts of money pouring into our treasury, coming from foreign source,” he said.

Mr Trump will issue a broad trade memo on Monday that stops short of imposing new tariffs on his first day in office, but rather directs federal agencies to evaluate US trade relationships with China, Canada and Mexico, an incoming Mr Trump administration official said.

The Republican president has pledged tariffs of 10% on global imports, 60% on Chinese goods and a 25% import surcharge on Canadian and Mexican products, duties that may upend trade flows, raise costs and draw retaliation.

The official, confirming a Wall Street Journal report, said Mr Trump will direct agencies to investigate and remedy persistent trade deficits and address unfair trade and currency policies by other nations.

The memo will single out China, Canada and Mexico for scrutiny but will not announce new tariffs, the official said. It will direct agencies to assess Beijing’s compliance with its 2020 trade deal with the US, as well as the status of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, the official said.

Mr Trump believes tariffs would help boost US economic growth, although opponents warn that the costs would likely be passed along to consumers.

TRANSGENDER RIGHTS

Mr Trump said his government’s policy would be that there are only two genders, male and female. The president has vowed to sign an executive order ending transgender rights in the US military and inside US schools.

As for transgender athletes, he told a rally on Sunday that he would act on his first day to stop the participation of trans athletes in women’s sports.

DIVERSITY PROGRAMS

Mr Trump will also issue an order ending “radical and wasteful” diversity, equity and inclusion programs inside the federal government, an incoming White House official said on Monday.

During his first term, Mr Trump signed an executive order to curtail efforts to address racial disparities in the workplace, through programs including diversity training inside companies.

Biden reversed that executive order on his first day in office in January 2021, and Mr Trump is likely to reinstate his original order early in his second term, and perhaps on his first day in office.

Mr Trump has also criticized “diversity, equity and inclusion” policies inside universities.

PARDONS

Mr Trump has also said he will take action immediately on taking office to issue pardons for some of the hundreds of people convicted or charged in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the US Capitol by his supporters.

GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE

Mr Trump said in a campaign video in 2023 that on his first day in office he would revoke the Biden administration’s policies that provide information and resources to those seeking medical care so they can align their bodies with the gender they identify with. That care can include hormone therapy and surgery.

DRUG CARTELS

Mr Trump said on Monday he would also invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to eliminate foreign gangs and designate cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, fulfilling a promise he made on the campaign trail to crack down on the sources of the lethal opioid fentanyl.

REQUIRING FEDERAL WORKERS TO RETURN TO THE OFFICE

Mr Trump has railed against work-from-home arrangements for tens of thousands of federal employees, which were greatly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, and he has vowed to end them.

In December, Mr Trump said if federal workers refuse to return to the office, “they’re going to be dismissed.”

By forcing government workers back into the office Mr Trump and his allies hope it could trigger large-scale resignations, which would assist in their goal of reducing the size of the federal bureaucracy.

Gulf of America

Mr Trump revealed that on Monday, he will have the Gulf of Mexico renamed to the Gulf of America.

It isn’t the only renaming Mr Trump committed to.

Mr Trump will also rename Denali, a mountain in Alaska, to Mount McKinley.

“We will restore the name of a great president, William McKinley, to Mount McKinley.”

More to come...

- With Reuters