The dozens of executive actions Donald Trump issued during the first week of his second presidency certainly upset the Washington apple cart, but whether they can all survive legal challenges that would make them a fixture of American policy remains to be seen, according to analysis in Politico.
"[M]any of Trump’s early actions took Biden-era policies directly to the paper shredder with rapid fallout or led to the immediate dismissal of some federal workers, for instance," wrote reporters Irie Sentner and Megan Messerly. Although some of his actions "are within the power of the president," others "don’t do much other than signal the president’s agenda, and a few are unlikely to survive legal battles," they wrote.
According to the article, several executive actions have brought about immediate change: Trump's halting of federal Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs; U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization; and the Inflation Reduction Act spending freeze. But others face legal challenges that may relegate them to merely "symbolic" actions on Trump's part.
A federal judge in Seattle has already blocked Trump's desire to end birthright citizenship, which has been ensconced in the 14th Amendment since 1868. Senior U.S. District Judge John Coughenour called the order "blatantly unconstitutional," and the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to make the final decision.
Trump’s establishment of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by "First Buddy" Elon Musk is already facing no fewer than three federal lawsuits. "At issue are conflicts of interest resulting from private interests — say, those of the world’s richest person — in federal decision-making."
Another of Trump's executive actions "expected to face quick legal challenge" is the repeal of a Biden-era order allowing transgender troops to serve openly in the military. Adele Scheiber, with the Modern Military Association of America, told The Military Times, "Trump has not instituted a new ban, but the repeal of Biden’s policy clears the way for one."
"As of today nothing has changed,” Scheiber said.
Read the Politico article here.