Donald Trump is already implementing significant changes during his second term as President of the United States.
The 78-year-old was inaugurated as America’s 47th president yesterday (20 January), after his first term concluded in 2021.
Trump’s wife, Melania, wore an eye-catching hat to the ceremony, sparking conspiracy theories, while Elon Musk was forced to explain charges he offered a ‘Nazi’ salute.
Trump has signed numerous executive orders, including one on the death penalty, since his election.
A federal execution moratorium has been in force since 2021, after former Democratic President Joe Biden commuted 37 of the convicts’ sentences to life in prison, leaving only three on federal death row.
Trump blamed the former president for ‘commuting the sentences of 37 of the 40 most vile and sadistic rapists, child molesters, and murderers on Federal death row: remorseless criminals who brutalized young children, strangled and drowned their victims, and hunted strangers for sport’ in the executive order, which does not require congressional approval.
It further said that ‘judges who oppose capital punishment have equally violated the law by erroneously stating that capital punishment is illegal, even though the Constitution specifically admits the constitutionality of capital punishment.’.
According to Trump’s directive, “the capital punishment is a crucial tool for deterring and punishing those who would commit the most heinous crimes and acts of fatal violence against American civilians.”
The Trump administration carried out 13 federal executions between 2017 and 2021, more than any other president in modern history, according to the Associated Press.
“Before, during, and after the founding of the United States, our cities, states, and country have continuously relied upon capital punishment as the ultimate deterrent and only proper punishment for the vilest crimes,” according to the decree.
“Our founders understood that only capital punishment could deliver justice and restore order in the face of such depravity. For this and other reasons, the death penalty continues to have widespread public support.
“Yet, for too long, politicians and judges who oppose the death penalty have defied and subverted our country’s laws.”
“At every turn, they seek to thwart the execution of lawfully imposed capital sentences and choose to enforce their personal beliefs rather than the law.”
It went on to say, “The government’s most important obligation is to protect its citizens from odious conduct.
“And my administration will not tolerate efforts to stymie and eviscerate the laws that authorize capital punishment against those who commit horrible acts of violence against American citizens.”
The directive further states that the attorney general “shall take all necessary and lawful action to ensure that each state that allows capital punishment has a sufficient supply of drugs required to carry out lethal injections.”
Donald Trump has signed executive orders that recognize just ‘two genders.’”.
The president issued an executive decree, declaring that there are only “two genders.”
The policy states that agencies would no longer pretend that males can be women and women can be men while implementing anti-sex discrimination legislation.
“These sexes, rooted in fundamental and incontrovertible reality, are not changeable.”
The directive would also abolish ‘wasteful’ government programs that promote diversity and inclusiveness, as well as ‘defending women from gender ideology radicalism.’.
Free speech.
The president accused the previous government of ‘trampling free speech rights by limiting Americans’ voices’ and promised to restore free expression.
The order claims that it would ‘ensure that no federal government officer, employee, or agent engages in or encourages any behavior that would unconstitutionally abridge any American citizen’s free expression’ and ‘stop suppression of protected speech.’””.
Leaving the World Health Organization.
The president blasted the organization for mismanaging the COVID-19 outbreak and vowed that it will no longer “rip off” the US.
While signing a letter to withdraw from the health agency, Trump stated, “World Health ripped us off, as does everyone else.” “It won’t happen anymore.”
TikTok ban.
As expected, Trump issued an executive order to postpone the US ban on the popular app, giving time for a more suitable course of action.
“I guess I have a warm spot for TikTok that I didn’t have originally,” he told me.
January 6 pardons
Trump’s failure in the 2020 election sparked an uprising at the Capitol on January 6, 2021, which resulted in the arrest of some Trump loyalists.
And, as expected, the president has quickly issued pardons to violators. Trump claimed he had pardoned around 1,500 individuals and awarded six commutations.
Immigration
Trump launched a flurry of immigration-related regulations on his first day back in the White House, declaring illegal immigration at the US-Mexico border a national emergency.
Trump has already begun overturning many Biden-era immigration measures and intends to send US soldiers to assist immigration authorities and limit refugee admissions.
The president has also put plans in place to prohibit illegal immigrants’ children from obtaining citizenship in the United States.
When he was inaugurated, he pledged, “All illegal entry will immediately be halted, and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens to the places from which they came.”
Restore the death penalty.
Trump signed an order ensuring states have adequate lethal injection medicines for executions, calling the death penalty a ‘vital tool for deterring and punishing those who would commit the most heinous crimes.’.
“The Attorney General shall pursue the death penalty for all crimes of a severity demanding its use,” according to the decree.
Renaming the Gulf of Mexico.
Following through on his pledge made at a news conference earlier this month, Trump has now ordered that the Gulf of Mexico be renamed the Gulf of America.
“President Trump is bringing common sense to government and renewing the pillars of American civilization,” the directive reads.
Regardless of the order, the global name will remain unchanged.
Energy Policy
Trump pledged to ‘unleash American energy’ as he signed the order, proposing to export US energy abroad during a ‘national energy emergency.’.
The wealth of energy and natural resources in America has traditionally driven our country’s economic development. In recent years, cumbersome and politically motivated rules have hampered the development of natural resources, hindered the generation of dependable and inexpensive power, decreased job creation, and imposed excessive energy costs on our residents,” the decree adds.
The order would also overturn Biden’s restriction on drilling in Alaska, as Trump promised that America ‘will be a prosperous nation again.’”.
Cost of Living
In the order, Trump promised to provide Americans with ‘immediate price relief’ aimed at cutting home prices and availability while also establishing ‘job opportunities for American workers.’.
Trump would also ‘remove damaging, coercive “climate” regulations that raise food and gasoline prices.’.
Drug cartels
Trump announced that he would now classify drug cartels as terrorist organizations.
The document asserts that international cartels pose a greater threat to national security than traditional organized crime.
Federal employees
The designation of federal employees as political hires theoretically makes them easier to fire.
Trump has also ordered a federal hiring freeze, which will lower the size of the government.
