President Trump signs executive orders at the Capital One Arena in Washington, DC January 20, 2025
President Donald Trump’s ascent to power is being felt only days after his inauguration last Monday, January 20. Shortly after taking the oath of office, Trump began fulfilling a series of campaign promises. Following a rousing celebration rally at Washington DC’s Capital Arena, the 47th president began signing a slew of executive orders. Later, Trump would continue signing executive orders, memorandums, and proclamations in the Oval Office of the White House.
TikTok gets a reprieve
As expected, the president paused a law banning the popular social media app TikTok. According to the order, the ban will be paused for 75 days and shield companies working with TikTok from liability. Trump made his intentions public last Sunday when he posted on social media he would postpone the ban. Trump says he wants time to arrange a deal to save the video app, which 170 million Americans reportedly use.
Pardon for January 6 rioters
Some of the other orders by Trump got immediate reactions, like his pardon of around 1,500 January 6 rioters. The list is posted on the White House website and includes commutations for 14 people, including Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the far-right Oath Keepers group. Trump called their treatment “a grave national injustice.” However, many of the federal judges who handled some of the cases against the rioters called out the president’s actions in support of “poor losers.”
Birthright citizenship battle
Meanwhile, nearly two dozen states and several civil rights groups quickly filed lawsuits to block Trump’s order to revoke birthright citizenship. That provision is enshrined in the 14th Amendment of the US. Constitution. Birthright citizenship means anyone born within the U.S. or its territories is automatically a U.S. citizen. The measure was ratified in 1868 to ensure citizenship for African Americans and formerly enslaved people after the Civil War. Yesterday, a federal judge in Seattle temporally blocked Trump’s order calling it “blatantly unconstitutional.” The judge set a full hearing on the matter for February 6.
Crackdown on illegal immigration
Also, the White House is touting the results of Trump’s orders on illegal immigration and motion mass. Hundreds have been arrested and or deported, according to one report. Also, the US Department of Justice is threatening to take action against local and state officials who try to stand in the way of the crackdown.
