President Trump breaks Obama's record of most executive actions in first week
Donald Trump made history on Friday when he broke the record for most executive orders and presidential memoranda signed during a president's first week in office.
Just hours after assuming the executive role as president of the United States, Trump gathered colleagues in the Oval Office on Jan. 20 to sign what would be the first of many executive orders. One week into Donald Trump's presidency, it's clear the commander in chief is set on fulfilling as many campaign promises as possible with use of the executive tool.
The 45th president on Friday signed two executive orders, one putting a hold on the refugee program, limiting entrance from seven Muslim-majority countries and another rebuilding of the U.S. military, bringing his week one tally to 14. Trump has now surpassed that of predecessor Barack Obama -- who signed 12 executive actions in his first seven days.
With actions on the U.S.-Mexico border wall, a first step toward dismantling Obamacare, orders on border patrol and the Keystone XL Pipeline -- the 45th president has already moved the ball on each of these core pillars of his "Make America Great Again" campaign.
Republicans were famously critical of President Obama's use of executive orders, often referring to him as an "emperor" who used the tool to implement an agenda of "ideology," but have championed the Trump orders and actions.
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"We've never been against executive action," said Ashlee Strong, a spokeswoman for U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan. "We're against overreaching, illegal action."
Keep reading for a complete list of the executive orders and presidential memoranda the president has put forth in his first week:
1. Executive Order Minimizing the Economic Burden of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Pending Repeal, signed Jan. 20
As Trump's first presidential action, the commander in chief signed an order relative to minimizing the "unwarranted economic and regulatory burdens" of the Affordable Care Act. The order instructs all agency, executive and department heads with authorities relative to the ACA to fight against implementing President Obama's signature health care law, so much as the law permits.
This order -- and Trump's overall promise to repeal and replace Obamacare -- has been supported by those who feel the law blocks a nationwide, competitive insurer market that helps keep costs down at the state level. Others, though, . While this order sent a strong signal to Congress, a full repeal of the ACA will require action from lawmakers on the Hill.
2. Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies, signed Jan. 20
This memorandum instructed executive departments and agencies to adhere to set of guidelines around withdrawing or postponing regulations, depending on when and if they were published in the Federal Register.
3. Presidential Memorandum Regarding the Mexico City Policy, signed Jan. 23
This order reinstated a 2001 memorandum barring overseas non-governmental organizations that perform or promote abortions from receiving U.S. funding. The memorandum states, "I further direct the Secretary of State to take all necessary actions, to the extent permitted by law, to ensure that U.S. taxpayer dollars do not fund organizations or programs that support or participate in the management of a program of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization."
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In response, the Dutch government announced their intention this week to set up an international safe abortion fund.
4. Presidential Memorandum Regarding Withdrawal of the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations and Agreement, signed Jan. 23
A longstanding Trump campaign promise, this memorandum withdraws the United States as a signatory of the TPP and removes the country from the TPP negotiating process. Trump described the move as a "Great thing for the American worker" during the signing.
5. Presidential Memorandum Regarding the Hiring Freeze, signed Jan. 23
This memorandum enacted a hiring freeze on all Federal civilian employees. Per the memorandum, "no vacant positions existing at noon on January 22, 2017, may be filled and no new positions may be created, except in limited circumstances."
6. Presidential Memorandum Regarding Construction of American Pipelines, signed Jan. 24
This memorandum called for the use of American materials and equipment, such as iron and steel, as it pertains to the building and development of new pipelines.
7. Executive Order Expediting Environmental Reviews and Approvals For High Priority Infrastructure Projects, signed Jan. 24
This order is intended to expedite the process for "high priority infrastructure projects," as designated by the chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality.
8. Presidential Memorandum Regarding Construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline, signed Jan. 24
This memorandum invites TransCanada to resubmit its application to the Department of State for a Presidential permit for the construction and operation of the Keystone XL Pipeline.
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9. Presidential Memorandum Regarding Construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline, signed Jan. 24
After an outpouring of public disapproval for the Dakota Access Pipeline, as evidenced by the Standing Rock protests, the Trump administration cited "national interest" as it directed the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to review and approve the DAPL.
This memorandum directs executive departments and agencies to support the expansion of manufacturing in the United States through expedited reviews of proposals to construct or expand manufacturing facilities and through reductions in regulatory burdens affecting domestic manufacturing.
11. Executive Order: Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States, signed Jan. 25
Addressing what have frequently been referred to as "sanctuary cities," this order focused on cities the Trump administration feels harbor undocumented immigrants in defiance of federal compliance standards. The order ensures that "jurisdictions that fail to comply with applicable Federal law do not receive Federal funds, except as mandated by law."
12. Executive Order: Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements, signed Jan. 25
Claiming the Federal government has failed to discharge the "basic sovereign responsibility" of enforcing immigration law, this order's stated purpose is to "direct executive departments and agencies to deploy all lawful means to secure the Nation's southern border, to prevent further illegal immigration into the United States, and to repatriate illegal aliens swiftly, consistently, and humanely."
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Most notably, this order lays the ground work for an "contiguous, and impassable physical barrier," more commonly referred to as "the wall." It does so by allocating all sources of Federal funding and preparing Congressional budget requests for the planning, development and construction of the southern border barrier.
Immigration law was a core focus of Trump's first week in office, and the heightened scrutiny of an administration grounded in "rule of law" could have implications for refugees, those currently protected under "DACA," or "DREAMERS," and persons who identify as Muslim.
13. Executive Order: Relative to vetting of "radical islamic terrorists"
In a Friday order signing, the president said on immigration policy, "We only want to admit those into our country who will support our country and love deeply our people."
14. Executive Order: Relative to rebuilding of the U.S. military
In a Friday order signing, the president said this order will strengthen the U.S. military by "developing a plan for new planes, new ships, new resources and new tools for our men and women in uniform."
