It’s not going to be like last time. There won’t be any going along to get along. When President-elect Donald Trump assumes office in January, he is widely expected to reverse significant policies implemented by President Joe Biden, setting the stage for a pronounced shift in policy, similar to Biden’s early actions in 2021.
Trump’s transition team has outlined a robust “Day One” agenda, which is anticipated to include numerous executive orders aimed at dismantling Biden-era initiatives in areas like immigration, energy, and social policies.
After his inauguration in January 2021, Biden enacted 24 executive orders within just eight days, drawing Republican criticism after he had previously argued that executive actions should be used sparingly. With the door opened by his predecessor, The Washington Examiner reports that the president-elect will be ready to hit the ground running.
Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt promised Sunday on Fox News that “there will be tens of [executive orders], I can assure you that.”
“We know that he promised to sign an executive order to secure the southern border, something the Harris-Biden administration has refused to do,” Leavitt said. “We know that, on Day One, he’s going to launch the largest mass deportation operation of illegal immigrants in American history.”
Trump is also unlikely to take any executive action undoing Biden’s extensive efforts to forgive student loans, according to CATO Institute scholar Andrew Gillen.
“The cultural stuff is what I think we’ll see on Day One,” he said. “Fighting against what Trump calls wokeness and being anti-DEI. I wouldn’t be surprised to see executive action on those.”
Trump may also look to reimplement what he calls Schedule F, which would allow him to fire some federal employees who previously enjoyed job protections. Biden rescinded Schedule F upon taking office, and the Office of Personnel Management finalized a rule this spring against reclassifying workers as part of an effort to Trump-proof the federal government. While Trump can begin the process of unwinding the rule, it could take a year to fully rescind it.
Immigration remains central to Trump’s proposed agenda, with former acting ICE Director Tom Homan recently designated as “border czar” to lead the new administration’s efforts. During his term, Biden signed 94 immigration-related executive orders, which Trump’s team argues contributed to an increase in unauthorized border crossings—a key issue highlighted throughout Trump’s campaign.
Trump’s expected policy reversals mark a new chapter in the nation’s ongoing political shifts, as he aims to leave a lasting impact on issues he views as central to “restoring American greatness.”
