Washington: A few hours after taking office as the 47h President of the US, Donald Trump signed his first executive orders, including his decision to pardon people charged with the 2021 Capitol Hill riots, withdrawal of Washington from the Paris Climate Agreement, delaying of the ban on TikTok by 75 days, among others. He also revoked a total of 78 Biden-era administrative actions.
In front of his supporters inside the Capital One Arena in Washington DC, he signed eight executive orders and lifted the document to show his signature and threw pens at the cheering crowd. Later in the day, he signed the remaining orders after returning to the Oval Office.
BREAKING: President Trump just signed a flurry of Executive Orders publicly at the Capital One Area including:
-Recision of 78 Biden Era Executive Orders
-Freeze federal regulations
-Freeze on federal hiring
-Federal workers must return to full-time in-person work immediately… pic.twitter.com/Y7eWr6XlOH— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 21, 2025
“We’re going to sign executive orders. First, I’ll revoke nearly 80 destructive and radical executive actions of the previous administration, one of the worst administrations in history,” Trump told the crowd of his supporters.
The first eight executive orders that he signed are:
- Halting 78 Biden-era executive actions
2. Withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement for a second time
3. Freeze on all federal hiring, except for the military and a few other essential areas
4. Requirement that federal workers return to full-time in-person work
5. Directive to every department and agency to address the cost of living crisis
6. Regulatory freeze preventing bureaucrats from issuing regulations until the Trump administration has full control of the government
7. Order to prevent censorship of free speech
8. Ending the “weaponisation of government against the political adversaries of the previous administration”
Pardon for Capitol Hill rioters
Trump signed an order to pardon at least 1,270 people, who were charged for the 2021 Capitol Hill riots. “These are the hostages. Approximately 1,500 for a pardon, full pardon. We hope they come out tonight, frankly,” Trump said.
The Justice Department directed to drop about 300 pending cases. The release of 14 other defendants, who were charged in the most serious sedition cases, was also ordered. The riots had occurred as Trump had tried to overturn the 2020 election results.
Delay of TikTok app
The ban on TikTok was delayed by 75 days. The order directs the attorney general “to permit my administration an opportunity to determine the appropriate course of action with respect to TikTok.”
The order has also directed the Justice Department to issue letters to Apple, Google and Oracle that work with the video-sharing app. These companies have been informed “that there has been no violation of the statute and that there is no liability for any conduct that occurred during the above-specified period.”
Withdrawal from WHO
Trump also announced the US’s withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) over the alleged “mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic and other global health crises” by the UN body. This has been the second time that he has ordered Washington’s withdrawal from the health body. He formally withdrew in 2020 amid the pandemic.
National emergency at US-Mexico border
In a bid to enforce a crackdown on illegal immigration, he signed the order to declare a national emergency at the US’s southern border with Mexico. This order would prompt the deployment of additional Pentagon resources and deployment of armed forces at the southern border.
Other executive orders
He ordered for the renaming of several US landmarks, including Mount McKinley and the Gulf of America. He reinstated Cuba on the US list of state sponsors of terrorism. He revoked security clearances of 51 former officials who signed Hunter Biden laptop letter.
