President Donald Trump's first six weeks in office were filled with a flurry of action, and he's just getting started.
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Trump has already signed 34 executive actions — here's what each one does
We've put together a running list of the executive actions President Donald Trump has signed since he took office, outlining what they mean and why they matter.
President Donald Trump signs the executive order halting immigrants from some Muslim-majority countries from entering the US.
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The 45th president has signed 34 executive actions so far, with far-reaching effects on Americans' lives.
While many of them have been billed as executive orders in the popular vernacular, most of them were technically presidential memoranda or proclamations.
The three types of executive actions have different authority and effects, with executive orders holding the most prestige:
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- Executive orders are assigned numbers and published in the federal register, similar to laws passed by Congress, and typically direct members of the executive branch to follow a new policy or directive. Trump has issued 16 orders.
- Presidential memoranda do not have to be published or numbered (though they can be), and usually delegate tasks that Congress has already assigned the president to members of the executive branch. Trump has issued 13 memoranda.
- Finally, while some proclamations — like President Abraham Lincoln's emancipation proclamation — have carried enormous weight, most are ceremonial observances of federal holidays or awareness months. Trump has issued five proclamations.
Scholars have typically used the number of executive orders per term to measure how much presidents have exercised their power. George Washington only signed eight his entire time in office, according to the American Presidency Project, while FDR penned over 3,700.
In his two terms, President Barack Obama issued 277 executive orders, a total number on par with his modern predecessors, but the lowest per year average in 120 years. Trump, so far, has signed 16 executive orders in 45 days.
Heres a quick guide to the executive actions Trump has made so far, what they do, and how Americans have reacted to them:
Executive Order, March 6: A new travel ban
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Trump's second go at his controversial travel order bans people from
Existing visa holders will not be subjected to the ban, and religious minorities will no longer get preferential treatment — two details critics took particular issue with in the first ban. The new order removed Iraq from the list of countries, and changed excluding just Syrian refugees to preventing all refugees from entering the US.
Democrats denounced the new order, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer saying the "watered-down ban is still a ban," and Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez saying "Trump's obsession with religious discrimination is disgusting, un-American, and outright dangerous."
Read the full text of the order here »
Presidential Memorandum, March 6: Guidance for agencies to implement the new travel ban
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This memo instructs the State Department, the Justice Department, and the Department of Homeland Security how to implement Trump's new travel ban.
It directs the three department heads to enhance the vetting of visa applicants and other immigrants trying to enter the US as they see fit, to release how many visa applicants there were by country, and to submit a report in 180 days detailing the long-term costs of the
Read the full text of the memorandum here »
3 Presidential proclamations, March 1: National months for women, the American Red Cross, and Irish-Americans
The president proclaimed March 2017 Women's History Month, American Red Cross Month, and Irish-American Heritage Month.
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Read the full text of the women's history proclamation here »
And the Red Cross proclamation here »
And the Irish-American proclamation here »
Executive Order, February 28: Promoting Historically Black Colleges and Universities
This order established the
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Read the full text of the order here »
Executive Order, February 28: Reviewing the 'Waters of the United States' rule
The order directed federal agencies to revise the Clean Water Rule, a major regulation Obama issued in 2015 to clarify what areas are federally protected under the Clean Water Act.
Trump's EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt called the rule "the greatest blow to private property rights the modern era has seen," in 2015, and led a multi-state lawsuit against it while he was Oklahoma's attorney general.
David J. Cooper, an ecologist at Colorado State University, cautioned that repealing the rule wouldn't settle the confusion about what the federal government can protect under the Clean Water Act, or where.
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Read the full text of the order here »
Executive Order, February 24: Enforcing regulatory reform
This order creates Regulator Reform Officers within each federal agency who will comb through existing regulations and recommend which ones the administration should repeal. It directs the officers to focus on eliminating regulations that prevent job creation, are outdated, unnecessary, or cost too much.
The act doubles down on Trump's plan to cut government regulations he says are hampering businesses, but opponents insist are necessary to protect people and the environment. L
Read the full text of the order here »
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Executive Order, February 9: Changing the order of succession in the Department of Justice
This order enacted a line of succession to lead the US Department of Justice if the attorney general, deputy attorney general, or associate attorney general die, resign, or are otherwise unable to carry on their duties. In order, the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, the US Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and then the US Attorney for the Western District of Missouri will be next in line.
The action reverses an order Obama signed days before leaving office. After Trump fired acting Attorney General Sally Yates for refusing to enforce his first travel ban, he appointed
Read the full text of the order here »
Executive Order, February 9: Combating criminal organizations
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The order is intended to "thwart" criminal organizations, including "
The action directs law enforcement to apprehend and prosecute citizens, and deport non-citizens involved in criminal activities including "the illegal smuggling and trafficking of humans, drugs or other substances, wildlife, and weapons," "corruption, cybercrime, fraud, financial crimes, and intellectual-property theft," and money laundering
The Secretary of State, Attorney General, Secretary of Homeland Security, and Director of National Intelligence will co-chair a
It also instructs the co-chairs to present the president with a report within 120 days outlining the penetration of criminal organizations into the United States, and recommendations for how to eradicate them.
Read the full text of the order here »
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Executive Order, February 9: Reducing crime
Following up on his promise to restore "law and order" in America, Trump signed an executive order intended to reduce violent crime in the US, and "comprehensively address illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and violent crime."
The action directs Attorney General Jeff Sessions to assemble a task force in order to identify new strategies and laws to reduce crime, and to evaluate how well crime data is being collected and leveraged across the country.
Trump has come under fire recently for claiming the national murder rate was at an all-time high, when it has in fact dropped to one of the lowest rates ever, with 2015 merely experiencing a slight uptick from the previous year.
Read the full text of the order here »
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Executive Order, February 9: Protecting law enforcement
The order seeks to create new laws that will protect law enforcement, and increase the penalties for crimes committed against them.
It also directs the attorney general to review existing federal grant funding programs to law enforcement agencies, and recommend changes to the programs if they don't adequately protect law enforcement.
The action is likely in response to multiple high-profile police killings over the past year, including a sniper attack that killed five Dallas police officers in July.
Read the full text of the order here »
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Executive Order, February 3: Reviewing Wall Street regulations
Trump signed two actions on Friday that could end up rewriting regulations in the financial industry that Obama and Congress put in place after the 2008 financial crisis.
The executive order sets "Core Principles" of financial regulation declaring that Trump's administration seeks to empower Americans to make their own financial decisions, prevent taxpayer-funded bailouts, and reduce regulations on Wall Street so US companies can compete globally.
It also directs the Secretary of Treasury to review existing regulations on the financial system, determine whether the Core Principles are being met, and report back to the President in 120 days.
Experts worry that loosening regulations could roll back the Obama administration's landmark consumer protection reform bill, Dodd-Frank, aimed at reducing risk in the financial system. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the progressive darling from , led the charge decrying the actions.
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Read the full text of the order here »
Presidential Memorandum, February 3: Reviewing the fiduciary duty rule
The memorandum directs the Labor Secretary to review the "fiduciary rule," another Obama-era law
Presidential proclamation, February 2: American Heart Month
This ceremonial proclamation
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Executive Order, January 30: For every new regulation proposed, repeal two existing ones
The order states that for every one regulation the executive branch proposes, two must be identified to repeal. It also caps the spending on new regulations for 2017 at $0.
Some environmental groups expressed concern that the order could undo regulations put in place to protect natural resources.
Read the full text here »
Executive Order, January 28: Drain the swamp
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The order requires appointees to every executive agency to sign an ethics pledge saying they will never lobby a foreign government and that they won't do any other lobbying for five years after they leave government.
But it also loosened some ethics restrictions that Obama put in place, decreasing the number of years executive branch employees had to wait since they had last been lobbyists from two years to one.
Read the full text here »
Presidential Memorandum, January 28: Reorganizing the National and Homeland Security Councils
Read the full text here »
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Presidential Memorandum, January 28: Defeating ISIS
Making a point to use the phrase "radical Islamic terrorism" (something Trump criticized Obama for on the campaign trail), Trump directed his administration "
Read the full text here »
Executive Order, January 27: Immigration ban
In Trump's most controversial executive action yet, he temporarily barred people from majority-Muslim Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen from entering the country for 90 days, and Syrians from entering until he decides otherwise.
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Federal judges in several states declared the order unconstitutional, releasing hundreds of people who were stuck at US airports in limbo. The White House continues to defend the action, insisting it was "not about religion" but about "protecting our own citizens and border."
Tens of thousands of people protested the action in cities and airports across the US, company executives came out against the order, and top Republicans split with their president to criticize Trump's approach.
Read the full text here »
UPDATE: Since the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down this order on February 9, Trump issued a new order intended to replace this one on March 6.
Presidential Memorandum, January 27: 'Rebuilding' the military
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This action directed
Read the full text here »
Presidential proclamation, January 26: National School Choice Week
Trump proclaimed January 22 through January 28, 2017 as National School Choice Week.
The ceremonial move aimed to encourage people to demand school-voucher programs and charter schools, of which Trump's Secretary of Education nominee Betsy DeVos is a vocal supporter. Meanwhile, opponents argue that the programs weaken public schools and fund private schools at taxpayers' expense.
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Read the full text here »
Executive Order, January 25: Build the wall
Trump outlined his intentions to build a wall along the US border with Mexico, one of his main campaign promises.
The order also directs the immediate detainment and deportation of illegal immigrants, and requires state and federal agencies tally up how much foreign aid they are sending to Mexico within 30 days, and tells the
Read the full text here »
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Executive Order, January 25: Cutting funding for sanctuary cities
Trump called "sanctuary cities" to comply with federal immigration law or have their federal funding pulled.
The order has prompted a mixture of resistance and support from local lawmakers and police departments in the sanctuary cities,
Read the full text here »
Executive Order, January 24: Expediting environmental review for infrastructure projects
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The order allows governors or heads of federal agencies to request an infrastructure project be considered "high-priority" so it can be fast-tracked for environmental review.
Trump signed the order as a package infrastructure deal, along with three memoranda on oil pipelines.
Read the full text here »
3 Presidential Memoranda, January 24: Approving pipelines
Trump signed three separate memoranda set to expand oil pipelines in the United States, a move immediately decried by Native American tribes, Democrats, and activists.
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The first two direct agencies to immediately review and approve construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline and the Keystone XL Pipeline, and the third requires all pipeline materials be built in the US.
While pipeline proponents argue that they transport oil and gas more safely than trains or trucks can, environmentalists say pipelines threaten the contamination of drinking water.
Read the full text of all three memoranda here »
Presidential Memorandum, January 24: Reduce regulations for US manufacturing
Trump directed his
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Read the full text here »
Presidential Memorandum, January 23: Reinstating the 'Mexico City policy'
The move reinstated a global gag rule that bans American non-governmental organizations working abroad from discussing abortion.
Democratic and Republican presidents have taken turns reinstating it and getting rid of it since Ronald Reagan created the gag order in 1984. The rule, while widely expected, dismayed women's rights and reproductive health advocates, but encouraged antiabortion activists.
Read the full text here »
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Presidential Memorandum, January 23: Hiring Freeze
Trump froze all hiring in the executive branch excluding the military, directing no vacancies be filled, in an effort to cut government spending and bloat.
Union leaders called the action "harmful and counterproductive," saying it would "disrupt government programs and services that benefit everyone."
Read the full text here »
Presidential Memorandum, January 23: Out of the TPP
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This action signaled Trump's intent to withdraw from the Trans Pacific Partnership, a trade deal that
said
Read the full text here »
Executive Order, January 20: Declaring Trump's intention to repeal the Affordable Care Act
One of Trump's top campaign promises was to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, commonly called Obamacare.
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His first official act in office was declaring his intention to do so. Congressional Republicans have been working to do just that since their term started January 3, though there's dissent among Republicans
Read the full text here »
Presidential Memorandum, January 20: Reince's regulatory freeze
Trump's Chief of Staff Reince Priebus signed this action, directing agency heads not to
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