Since Trump’s inauguration on January 20, the President has made much change in the short period of two weeks. While some Americans believe these policies have been a long time coming, others are outraged by what they deem to be radical changes. From name changes to international policies, these executive orders are certain to alter the daily lives of many Americans.
The Gulf of America
One of the first actions taken by Trump regards renaming the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf of America. According to the White House Website, this name change was done to honor American heritage through natural wonders. Trump has also decided to change the name of Mount Denali to Mount McKinley to honor patriotic leaders of the country. Although these motives center around pride, citizens question the relevance of these beginning decisions, as people say there are much more important decisions to be made. Critics also dislike the removal of indigenous and foreign names for American landmarks, because outside cultures are what make America the melting pot it is, and thus the landmarks should reflect this aspect.
Birthright Citizenship
A particularly controversial governmental change announced on January 20 surrounds Trump’s idea of altering Birthright Citizenship. Trump has asserted that the 14th Amendment was created to uphold citizenship for enslaved people and freedmen, but was never created to extend these rights to children of illegal or temporary immigrants. Therefore, 30 days after the policy is enacted, children born in America of mothers that are illegal immigrants with foreign fathers and children of mothers on temporary residency like visas with foreign fathers are no longer protected by citizenship and shall not have documentation. This seems to be especially concerning to first generation Americans and past immigrants, but others believe this can help with controlling immigration and the border.
Khloe Clay (‘26) includes, “I am a first generation American on my mom’s side, so I find this executive order a bit invasive. I hope immigrant children find the protection necessary in the future.”
Tariffs
One of Trump’s ideas to fix the economic crisis centered around tariffs on imported goods from Mexico, China, and Canada. This idea was rooted in protecting American industries and improving local businesses. However, critics were quick to point out that tariffs on imported goods would raise the taxes on the majority of manufactured products-especially from known stores like Walmart-because of the surplus of goods imported from China. In addition, some critique this tariff placement because it does not correlate with the tariff policies evident in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which tries to limit extra costs between North American countries. Since this initial executive order, Trump has agreed to have a 30-day pause on tariffs due to the economic hardships and trade conflicts presented with them. This will allow for America and surrounding countries to slow down the tension and focus on alternative solutions for fixing inflation.
Bianca Handwerker (’28) includes, “Trump’s tariffs are saving the US economy. Trump is doing this by imposing taxes on imported goods from China, forcing American companies to buy American made products, which will help boost domestic industries creating more jobs for American citizens to work in factories. As an American citizen, this creates future jobs for our generation, Trump is giving opportunities to Americans. Slowly but surely, Trump will make America a better place.”
Withdrawal from World Health Organization and Paris Agreement
President Trump also announced that America will be withdrawing from multinational organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Paris Agreement. The reasoning behind withdrawal from WHO lies in the organization’s mishandling of COVID-19 and unproportional payments between the United States and other countries such as China. Although Trump had previously withdrawn from the Paris Agreement, he has posed a withdrawal once again. The Paris Agreement is a global accord correlated to the United Nations that works towards improving climate change. Trump claims this withdrawal is rooted in unfair treatment and immense burdens on the American economy. Despite these organizations tampering with American prices, citizens worry about these withdrawals due to the effort they pose towards helping the world’s health and climate crises, and pose danger to citizens and the environment.
Sophia Taveras (‘27) includes “I hope the Federal government finds some alternative resources and solutions that can aid our environment.”
January 6 Pardons
The Trump administration has also issued an executive order pardoning all remaining individuals convicted of offenses surrounding the Capitol riot that took place on January 6, 2021. This has allowed for over 1000 people to have charges dropped against them, however some remain in prison because of additional charges they have accumulated. While the Trump administration claims these pardons were enacted to fix previous wrongdoings, others believe these pardons condemn political violence and will perpetuate more animosity between opposing political parties.
Although these executive orders present many debates and mixed responses from the American population, they also showcase efforts being made to improve America’s economy and lower inflation rates.
