Trump Makes Sweeping Changes in First 30 Days in Office

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump took the reins at the White House for a second time and immediately set the tone for his new administration, issuing rapid-fire executive orders and reframing the federal government with comprehensive changes during his first 30 days in office.

From border security and tariffs, to shrinking the federal workforce and realigning the nation’s foreign policy, Trump is tackling his to-do list at breakneck speed.

“It’s unprecedented. We’ve never seen anything like this,” James Mohs, associate professor of accounting, tax, and law at the University of New Haven, told The Epoch Times. “This is what a good executive does. It’s part of a massive plan, and it’s one of the best plans I’ve ever seen.”

However, not everyone is on board. Some Democrats are pushing back on Trump’s ambitious agenda, and a host of legal challenges—with more than 70 lawsuits already filed—are seeking to delay or block the implementation of his executive actions.

Critics argue that the new administration’s initiatives are creating chaos and pushing the nation toward a crisis.

Yet polling data reveal that much of the opposition is coming from media outlets and partisan politicians rather than from the general public. A recent CBS poll found that Americans give Trump mostly positive marks, describing him as “tough,” “energetic,” “focused,” and “effective.”

The newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), overseen by Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk, has already cut at least $55 billion in federal spending and is a prime target of criticism from some opposing its actions, while supporters cheer the cuts and anxiously await more details.

Trump has faced little organized opposition from the public in the early weeks of his second term, unlike during his first.

He has prioritized the issues he vowed to address on the campaign trail, with initial actions targeting foreign trade, illegal immigration, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, among others.

Sharp Drop in Illegal Immigration

One of the most overlooked and underreported developments is the sharp decline in illegal immigration to the United States.

On his first day in office, Trump issued 10 executive orders and proclamations aimed at securing the border and deporting criminal illegal immigrants.

These actions have led to a dramatic drop in illegal immigration, with daily encounters declining to fewer than 300 from more than 11,000 during the height of the border crisis under the Biden administration.

Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, said he’s never seen such a low number of people crossing the border.

“In the last 24 hours, the U.S. Border Patrol has encountered a total of 229 aliens across the entire southwest border,” Homan wrote on X on Feb. 17. “I started as a Border Patrol Agent in 1984, and I don’t remember the numbers ever being that low. President Trump promised a secure border and he is delivering.”

Trump ended “catch and release” policies, stopping the release of individuals into the country once they were apprehended for immigration violations. According to Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, this has been the most effective measure in curbing illegal migration in the last month.

Vaughan told The Epoch Times that another effective effort was the dramatic increase in enforcement in the interior of the country.

People realize that even if they enter the United States illegally, the chances of being caught and deported are much higher now.

“When people hear and observe that coming illegally is not going to be tolerated, then they don’t turn over their life savings to a criminal smuggling organization to try to come here,” Vaughan said. “They realize that that danger is not worth the risk.”

Also, on his first day in office, Trump shut down the CBP One app, which allowed migrants who were still in Mexico to apply for a parole exception to enter the United States.

Other measures include diplomatic efforts to make sure that countries such as Mexico, El Salvador, Colombia, Venezuela, and Panama collaborate with the United States to curb illegal immigration and receive deportees.

In response to a tariff threat, Mexico, for example, agreed to deploy an additional 10,000 troops to the U.S.–Mexico border to focus on curbing illicit drug flows and boosting migration enforcement efforts.

Trump also ordered the opening of a detention center at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba to accommodate up to 30,000 illegal immigrants.

In addition, the Department of Justice announced that it would take action against sanctuary cities for “resisting” and “obstructing” the federal government’s immigration enforcement initiatives.

A new CBS poll revealed that 59 percent of Americans approve of Trump’s mass deportation program, while 64 percent are in favor of deploying U.S. troops to the U.S.–Mexico border.

However, Trump needs Congress to support his efforts and make these changes permanent. He needs funding for his initiatives and must “fix the loopholes,” as Vaughan put it, to prevent future presidents from reversing his border policies.

Efforts to Shrink Government

The new administration’s focus on slimming down the federal bureaucracy and eliminating waste captured headlines after Trump created DOGE with an executive order he signed on Jan. 20.

“We have to make our government smaller, more efficient, more effective, and less expensive,” Trump said on Feb. 12. “People have no idea how important it is.”

On DOGE’s recommendations, agencies are canceling contracts and leases, with more announcements made almost daily.

“Some of the things that we’ve found are shocking: billions and billions of dollars in waste, fraud, and abuse,” Trump said. “Nobody had any idea that it was that bad, that sick, and that corrupt.”

Examples of expenditures on the chopping block include $20 million for a spin-off of Sesame Street for Iraqi audiences, more than $18 million spent on media subscriptions from Politico and other publications, and $7.9 million to train journalists in Sri Lanka to use gender-neutral language.

Supporters of DOGE have said its efforts are aimed at restoring democratic functions from bureaucratic capture.

Musk vowed to fix the problem while simultaneously seeking to balance the federal budget by cutting $2 trillion in spending—approximately the size of the federal deficit in fiscal year 2024, according to Treasury Department data.

“It’s essential for America to remain solvent as a country,” Musk said.

Additional savings could be used to pay down the national debt, which currently stands at more than $36.2 trillion.

“What we’re really just talking about here is common sense controls that should be present, that haven’t been present,” Musk said. “The people voted for major government reform, and that’s what people are going to get.”

DOGE is also looking into Social Security records, including the approximately 21 million individuals on the rolls aged 100 or older—the Census Bureau shows fewer than 89,000 Americans in that age group.

Millions of those listed with death dates left blank are of ages that far exceed the oldest known human lifespans, including more than 2,700 names in the database for individuals born at least 200 years ago.

The total number of individuals listed in the database exceeds the U.S. population by nearly 50 million people, and other payouts include no identifying information, according to Musk.

Some DOGE critics—including several prominent Democratic Party leaders—have said the department’s efforts amount to a “constitutional crisis” related to what they believe is executive branch overreach that undermines congressional authority.

“You shouldn’t have to worry about your private data being exposed,” Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.) posted on Feb. 9 on X. “We must stop Musk’s meddling.”

Others argue that Musk’s role in the organization is improper due to perceived conflicts of interest because the tech leader’s companies received billions of dollars’ worth of government contracts in recent years.

Trump has repeatedly dismissed any suggestions of impropriety. He said Musk’s work is being overseen by his administration and that conflicts of interest are strictly prohibited.

Mohs said that DOGE’s undertakings are “nothing more than a reorganization” that is needed to recalibrate the federal government.

He suggested some in the Washington political establishment are pushing back because the power structure is potentially being upended.

“The swamp doesn’t want to be drained,” Mohs said.

Attorneys general representing 14 states filed a lawsuit alleging that Musk’s authority is illegitimate because he was never confirmed by the Senate.

After a federal judge in Manhattan granted a temporary restraining order affecting some of DOGE’s inquiries, the president said investigations of the judiciary were warranted.

“It seems hard to believe that judges want to stop us from looking for corruption,” Trump said. “So maybe we have to look at the judges because I think it’s a very serious violation.”

Reciprocal Tariff Plan

Trump’s “America First” agenda is perhaps most clearly reflected in his tariff proposal, which will likely shake up global trade and send shockwaves through financial markets.

On Feb. 13, Trump announced sweeping reciprocal tariffs on all U.S. trading partners “for purposes of fairness.”

The president’s plan aims to customize tariffs on a country-specific basis and could go into effect as early as April.

The reciprocal tariff action is central to the Trump administration’s effort to “level the playing field” with countries in global trade.

On Feb. 10, Trump raised tariffs on all steel and aluminum to 25 percent and imposed an additional 10 percent tariff on Chinese imports earlier this month.

In a recent social media post, Trump noted America’s long history of helping other nations, often “at great financial cost.”

“It is now time that these countries remember this,” he wrote on Feb. 17 on X.

“On Trade, I have decided, for purposes of Fairness, that I will charge a RECIPROCAL Tariff, meaning whatever Countries charge the United States of America, we will charge them—No more, no less!” Trump wrote.

Non-tariff barriers, such as subsidies, will also be factored into the plan, complicating the process. Trump, however, is confident that his team will craft a fair proposal for each country.

“We are able to accurately determine the cost of these Nonmonetary Trade Barriers. It is fair to all,” he wrote.

Christopher Tang, a supply chain management professor at the University of California–Los Angeles, has warned about the potential impact of tariffs.

While Tang acknowledges that Trump’s goal to bring back manufacturing and create U.S. jobs resonates strongly with voters, he cautions that the execution of these tariffs “could be problematic.”

“Everything is still in flux,” he told The Epoch Times, noting that Trump’s team needs to find a way to ensure a smoother transition without disrupting supply chains or causing inflation.

Meanwhile, a national debate has emerged over whether these tariffs will lead to higher prices.

Many businesses are skeptical, believing the tariffs are simply a negotiating tactic, according to Sunderesh Heragu, professor at Oklahoma State University’s College of Engineering.

Heragu told The Epoch Times that even if the tariffs are implemented, business leaders expect them to be scaled back.

“If they are going to be permanent, then I think we are in for a shock,” he said.

The CBS poll found that the push for tariffs could be fueling public concerns about rising prices.

The survey reveals that tariffs on Europe, Canada, and Mexico are unpopular with most Americans, and nearly three in four believe new tariffs on imported goods will lead to price hikes.

Foreign Policy Shake-Up

Trump took swift action to reshape U.S. foreign policy, causing many to believe that his second term will be even more disruptive than his first.

Before his inauguration, Trump suggested purchasing Greenland and taking back the Panama Canal to counter China’s expanding influence; he even proposed making Canada the 51st state.

One of the first major moves Trump made after he took office was threatening to impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico for not doing enough to curb fentanyl trafficking and illegal immigration. Although the tariffs were subsequently paused for 30 days, tensions remained high as the separate 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports are expected to hit the two neighboring countries the hardest.

Trump already imposed 10 percent additional tariffs on Chinese goods and indicated that he is in “no rush” to speak with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

He also sent senior officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, to meet with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 18, marking the beginning of talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.

Following the meeting, Trump suggested at a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort on Feb. 18 that it might be time for Ukraine to hold elections. He hinted that replacing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy could be needed to achieve peace.

“We have a situation where we haven’t had elections in Ukraine, where we have martial law,” Trump told reporters.

“I hate to say it, but he’s down at 4 percent approval rating,” he said of Zelenskyy.

Speaking via video link to global elites at Davos on Jan. 23, Trump sent a strong message to Europe, urging them to increase their defense spending and contributions to NATO. He warned that U.S. financial support might no longer be guaranteed. He also highlighted that his “America First” policies were back.

To further his message in Europe, Trump sent Vice President JD Vance to Munich recently to deliver a speech at the Munich Security Conference. Vance centered his remarks on democracy and the defense of free speech within the European Union.

Vance’s comments, however, were regarded as too critical by some European leaders. Christoph Heusgen, a German diplomat and former advisor to Chancellor Angela Merkel, broke down in tears as he expressed his frustration over Vance’s criticism of the international body.

“After the speech of Vice President Vance on Friday, we have to fear that our common value base is not that common anymore,” Heusgen said.

Trump recently promised to impose tariffs on goods from the European Union.

“The EU has been very unfair to us,” Trump told reporters from Mar-a-Lago on Feb. 18. “We’re going to have to straighten that out, and we will.”

Divesting From DEI Practices

Trump railed against social justice agendas, including DEI programs, throughout his campaign and took swift action on his first day back at work at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to cease the federal government’s role in promoting DEI.

An executive order signed within hours of taking office put an end to what he called “illegal and immoral discrimination programs.”

By Jan. 31, more than $1 billion had been cut from DEI programs across dozens of government agencies and departments, with nearly half of the reductions coming from the Office of Personnel Management.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights sent a letter on Feb. 14 to the heads of the education departments in every state informing them that federal funds will be cut if all DEI programming is not removed within two weeks.

Additionally, the Department of Education cut 70 training grants for DEI programs—including a $373 million grant that taught teachers to confront their own “biases and racism and develop asset-based anti-racist mindsets.”

Lee Zeldin, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, announced on Feb. 14 that nine more DEI contracts had been canceled, saving taxpayers $60 million.

“I’m just warming up,” he posted on X. “I have zero tolerance for even a penny of your hard-earned tax dollars to be wasted or abused.”

Another executive order signed on Jan. 20 declared that the U.S. government recognizes only two genders, male and female.

A subsequent order titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” was signed on Feb. 5 to end “dangerous and unfair” protocols that allow men to compete against females in school and amateur athletics.

Under the order, funding is ordered rescinded from any education programs that “deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities, which results in the endangerment, humiliation, and silencing of women and girls and deprives them of privacy.”

“The war on women’s sports is over,” Trump said before signing the order surrounded by dozens of young female athletes. “From now, women’s sports will be only for women.”

He said removing “militant transgender ideology” that has placed female athletes in harm’s way “on the front lines” is needed to protect the dignity and safety of women’s sports.

Officials will also promote international rules to protect women’s sports from male participation and from locker room policies that force females to share spaces with men.

With the Olympics scheduled for Los Angeles in 2028, Trump directed the secretary of state to use all appropriate measures to influence the International Olympic Committee and block men from competing against women during the games.

Correction: A previous version of this article misstated the date Trump spoke to reporters at Mar-a-Lago. The Epoch Times regrets the error.