Compiling presidential orders to document Donald Trump's actions

Unmatched Executive Actions: President Trump in the First 100 Days

Donald Trump is breaking records as the president who has issued the most executive orders in the first 100 days of his term. With more than 140 executive orders, memos, and other presidential documents already signed, this number might only grow further.

Our analysis of U.S. Federal Register data reveals that Trump's second term eclipses the previous record set by Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Great Depression. Notably, Trump also holds the record for the most documents signed on the first day of his presidency, surpassing current President Joe Biden's record.

Trump's executive orders touch on a range of themes, with a particular focus on two areas: shrinking the federal government and anti-bureaucracy measures, and foreign affairs and national defense, closely linked to immigration, border security, and tariffs.

The professor and his colleagues from the American Presidency Project at UCSB discovered that reducing the Department of Government Effectiveness (DOGE) and attacking American bureaucracy were the dominating themes among Trump's executive orders. Among these orders are measures that mandate certain federal agencies to cut their staff to the minimum required by law.

Trump's executive orders on immigration and border security include efforts to change birthright citizenship, and other measures to bolster border security. With regards to international relations and defense, Trump has taken steps such as imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court and publishing a list of sanctuary cities.

The 140 executive orders during the first 100 days in Trump's second term also encompassed directives on showerhead flow, the creation of a working group for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the designation of English as the official language of the United States.

A President Deciding Alone

Unlike legislative texts in the U.S., an executive order allows the president to impose changes to government directives without approval from his secretaries or a majority in the House of Representatives or the Senate. However, these decisions must either modify or revoke previous presidential orders, or comply with existing laws or measures. Decrees cannot create new laws, as this responsibility lies with Congress. They can be challenged in courts if they are perceived to violate an existing law or the Constitution.

Clarifying Points

Unlike other legislative texts in the U.S., an executive order allows the president to impose changes to government directives without approval from Congress.
Decrees cannot create new laws, as this responsibility lies with Congress.
Executive orders can be challenged in courts if they are perceived to violate an existing law or the Constitution.

Challenges Ahead

Despite numerous lawsuits contesting the constitutionality and legality of these executive orders, Trump demonstrates no signs of slowing down. With only five laws passed by Congress since his return to power in January, the fewer legislative texts passed during the first 100 days of a president since at least the 1930s, the American judiciary has become an important counterbalance.

As of April 28, there were at least 123 lawsuits nationwide that had temporarily put on hold certain measures deemed unconstitutional or illegal by the courts. John T. Woolley, a professor in the Political Science Department at UCSB and co-founder of the American Presidency Project, argues that these decisions are crucial in restoring public confidence in the courts. However, the president's attitude towards these judicial setbacks could potentially undermine their effectiveness.

The First 100 Days: Setting the Tone or an Illusion?

Although the first 100 days of a president's term set the tone for the rest of their mandate, it is crucial not to expect complex and lasting changes to be implemented in just 100 days, cautions Woolley. These changes can be "instantly" revoked by the next president. Nevertheless, the effects of the measures taken by Trump are already being felt and have resulted in significant consequences for the country's future, such as loss of expertise within various federal agencies, as Woolley points out.

Crucial Insights

Complex and lasting changes cannot be implemented in the first 100 days of a president's term.
The effects of the measures taken by Trump are already being felt, with significant consequences for the country's future.
The loss of expertise within various federal agencies could take a long time to rebuild, even once Trump's policies are reversed and previous priorities are reinstated.

The president's frequent use of executive orders in policy-and-legislation has bypassed the need for approval from his secretaries or a majority in the House of Representatives or the Senate.
Despite facing numerous challenges and lawsuits questioning the constitutionality and legality of these executive orders, politics suggests that President Trump continues to push forward with a minimum of legislative texts passed by Congress.
The denationalization of English as the official language of the United States is one of the many executive orders that have been signed in the first 100 days of Trump's second term, a move that could lead to controversy and conflict in crime-and-justice matters.
The 140 executive orders signed in the first 100 days of Trump's second term have preserved traditional federal government functions, despite efforts to shrink the federal government, a theme reminiscent of the war-and-conflicts era.
In the realm of sports, Trump has shown interest by creating a working group for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, demonstrating that executive orders can touch on a variety of topics, both politically and socially relevant, beyond government, presidency, and foreign affairs.
As the judiciary provides an important counterbalance in the war-and-conflicts between executive orders and existing laws, the general-news media has been closely monitoring the ongoing legal challenges and judicial setbacks regarding Trump's executive orders.