Donald Trump has signed his first lot of executive orders as president

Donald Trump signed his first batch of executive orders in his second term as US president. The list was much smaller than some had anticipated, after predictions that he might sign as many as 100 orders on his first day back in the White House.

Mr. Trump has spoken publicly about his plans to expand domestic energy production, crack down on the border with Mexico, and halt diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs within the federal government. Here is what we know so far.

Executive orders are essentially statements about how a president wants the federal government to be managed, which can mean issuing instructions to federal agencies or requiring them to submit reports. Executive orders also play an important role in setting a major policy agenda. While these orders are legally binding, they are not legislation, as they do not require congressional approval. But this doesn’t necessarily mean a president can enact orders unchallenged, as Congress can still block their implementation by withdrawing funding or setting other obstacles.

Only a sitting US president can overturn existing executive orders. It is common for new presidents to issue orders rescinding those of their predecessors. Other presidential documents, such as proclamations and political memorandums, may also be similar to executive orders but serve different purposes. However, all three are used by presidents to pursue actions they cannot achieve through Congress.

According to data collected by the University of California's American Presidency Project, thousands of executive orders have been signed in US history. During his first term, Mr. Trump signed 220 orders, while Joe Biden had signed 160 as of December 20th. However, there are also limits to executive orders, as Congress and the courts have the potential to block their implementation. In 1992, Congress repealed an executive order by then-President George H.W. Bush that sought to establish a repository for human fetal tissue for scientific research. Congress did so by passing a measure making it "of no legal effect."

Additionally, Congress can refuse to fund agencies and personnel responsible for implementing the orders. The orders may also be challenged in court on the grounds that the president has exceeded their statutory authority. This happened when the US Supreme Court said then-President Harry Truman had no authority to seize private property without congressional authorization, when he tried to take over steel mills during the Korean War.

Mr. Trump is expected to sign a series of executive orders, with some estimating he might sign as many as 100 on his first day. Among the key actions he is expected to take are: withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement; pardoning those convicted in the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol; ordering the "restoration of free speech" and preventing "government censorship"; giving TikTok 90 days to operate; initiating the process of renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of the Americas; ending diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) programs; recognizing only female and male genders; withdrawing from the World Health Organization; declaring a "national emergency" at the US-Mexico border; ending automatic citizenship for anyone born in the US; and rescinding 78 Biden-era orders, including protections for transgender people.