Joe Biden repudiates Donald Trump's policies with a stroke of a pen: President signs stack of executive orders stopping the Mexican wall, ending the 'Muslim ban' - and introducing a federal mask mandate
Joe Biden, in his first order of business in the White House, signed a series of executive orders Wednesday evening undoing much of Donald Trump's legacy – like stopping funding for the southern border wall and ending the infamous 'Muslim ban'.
He signed three of the 16 orders stacked on the Resolute Desk in front of the press before members of the media were assertively shooed from the Oval Office as he prepared to sign the remaining actions.
'I thought there's no time to wait. Get to work immediately,' Biden told reporters gathered around him.
The first Executive Order Biden signed with the media present to take pictures establishes a mask mandate in all federal buildings and lands and requires those working in those locations to wear face coverings while on site.
He also signed an order demanding equality in the workplace and healthcare system no matter a persons' sexual orientation or gender identity, which paves the way for more rights for gay and transgender individuals.
The third and final executive action signed with press in the room was Biden's commitment to reenter the United States in the Paris Climate Accord, which Trump withdrew from after claiming its structure was unfair.
'In the coming days and weeks we will be announcing additional executive actions that confront these challenges and deliver on the President-elect's promises to the American people, including revoking the ban on military service by transgender Americans, and reversing the Mexico City policy,' new White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement.
Biden vowed just minutes after he was inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States that he will spend his first day in office undoing much of Donald Trump's legacy through executive actions.
Joe Biden signed three executive orders in front of the press as part of his first action as president in the Oval Office Wednesday – but had a stack of more than a dozen other orders he would sign after media left the room
JOE BIDEN'S 15 DAY ONE EXECUTIVE ORDERS
1. Mask mandate requiring face coverings in federal buildings and land
2. Halt border wall construction by terminating the national emergency declaration used to fund it
3. End the 'Muslim travel ban' from seven countries
4. Reversal of Trump's expansion of immigration enforcement
5. Stop the U.S. from withdrawing from the World Health Organization
6. Rejoin the Paris Climate Accord to reduce fossil fuel emissions
7. Reinstate a requirement for non-citizens to be included in the Census
8. Reinforce DACA after Trump sought to end protections for undocumented people brought into the country as children
9. Dissolve the Trump administration's 1776 Commission on history curriculum in schools
10. Cancel construction of the Keystone XL oil and gas pipeline
11. Extend the existing pause on federal student loan payments
12. Extend existing moratorium on evictions and foreclosures
13. Prevent workplaces from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity
14. Undo Trump's regulatory approval process
15. Extend deferrals of deportation and work authorizations for Liberians with a safe haven in the United States
'There is no time to waste when it comes to tackling the crises we face,' Biden sent in his first tweet as president. 'That's why today, I am heading to the Oval Office to get right to work delivering bold action and immediate relief for American families.'
He confirmed to the press while they were escorted out of the Oval Office that he did receive a letter from Trump, claiming it was 'generous.'
Biden said, however, that he would not disclose the details of the letter since it was 'private' and he had not yet spoken to Trump about it.
After laying a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a tradition for just sworn-in presidents, Biden took a walk down Pennsylvania Avenue before entering the White House for the first time as president – after spending eight years there as Barack Obama's vice president.
Issuing a series of executive orders was always Biden's plan for Day One as he promised to reverse several Trump-era policies implemented through executive action.
One first act was immediately put an end to the national emergency declaration at the U.S.-Mexico border, which allowed Trump's administration to divert billions from the Defense Department to construction of the southern border wall.
In a promise to stop the spread of coronavirus, he also issues his 100-day mask mandate – and in another order stop the U.S. from exiting the World Health Organization.
Indicative of his commitment to mask wearing, all attendees at the inauguration wore masks the whole time other than when they were speaking.
As part of the executive order spree on Wednesday evening, the president also dissolved Trump's 1776 Commission.
Just two days before the presidential election, Trump established the commission by executive order, claiming the goal of the 18-member group is to write a report on the 'core principles of the American founding.'
Trump announced he was establishing the commission following a slew of Black Lives Matter demonstrations – and he blamed the school system, claiming 'the left-wing rioting and mayhem are the direct result of decades of left-wing indoctrination in our schools.'
Essentially the commission was created in a rebuttal to schools implementing history curriculum implying systematic racism in American institutions.
Biden vowed minutes after he was sworn-in Wednesday that he wouldn't waste any time in getting to work for the American people
In his first tweet as president, Biden said: 'There's not time to waste'
Immediately after the ceremony, Biden signed three documents from the President's Room at the Capitol – including the inauguration declaration, cabinet nominations and sub-cabinet nominations
Biden took his oath of office just before noon on Wednesday on the steps of the Capitol.
The ceremony did not include much of the pomp and circumstance of past inaugurations as Trump fled Washington at 8:00 a.m. and refused to greet the incoming president.
Instead of the usual massive crowd at inaugurations, Biden's swearing in was observed by a much smaller group of lawmakers, former presidents and Washington insiders.
In the midst of the pandemic and emerging safety threats after the storming of the Capitol earlier this month by a mob of pro-Trump protesters, the National Mall was filled with flags rather than people.
After becoming president, Biden immediately began working on signing at least 15 executive orders he promised would take priority from the moment he entered the White House.
Trump did not attend inauguration, instead at the time of the ceremony landing in Palm Beach, Florida on Air Fore One as his term officially ended
One order Biden is issuing Wednesday is a mask mandate and social distancing requirements in all federal buildings and lands and for all federal employees
Biden will also sign an order stopping construction of the famed southern border wall – one of Trump's biggest campaign promises to stop the flow of illegal immigration by way of Mexico
IMMIGRATION
END THE 'MUSLIM BAN'
'A priority for Biden is nixing the ban on those traveling to the U.S. from seven Muslim-majority countries – one of Trump's first orders as president, which was dubbed the 'Muslim travel ban.'
While Biden plans to reverse the order, his administration vows to improve screening of visitors by strengthening information sharing with foreign governments.
HALT THE WALL
During Trump's presidency, more than 400 miles of border wall have been built, whether that be new portions of the wall or improvements to existing fencing.
Biden will immediately halt ongoing construction of the wall, but will need to review active contracts and how that money could potentially be redirected.
So far, $15 billion in taxpayer dollars have been allocated for more than 700 miles of border wall. It is still unclear how many miles are under contract and what penalties the government would have to pay if they were canceled now.
DACA IS BACK
His orders also seek to fortify the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, known as DACA, a signature effort during the Obama administration that provided hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants protection from deportation and a pathway to citizenship.
CORONAVIRUS
MASK MANDATE
Biden's team has repeatedly promised to take the coronavirus pandemic more seriously and implement more strict public health measures they claim will stop the spread of the disease.
Biden is mandating mask wearing and social distancing in all federal buildings, on federal lands and by federal employees and contractors. He is also challenging Americans to wear a face covering for the first 100 days of his administration.
VACCINE MOVES
He also shared in unveiling his coronavirus team that his goal is to distribute and administer 100 million shots in his first 100 days as president.
EVICTIONS, FORECLOSURES STAYED AND STUDENT LOAN PAUSE
On Day One, Biden also plans to extend a moratorium on foreclosures and extend the pause on federal student loan payments, both initiatives started by Trump and extended a few times already in the midst of the pandemic.
One of Trump's first orders of business when he took office in 2017 was signing an executive order banning all travel from seven Muslim-majority countries . Biden plans to reverse that action
BACK INTO WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
During Trump presidency, he withdrew from several foreign organizations and pacts, which Biden plans to reenter – including the World Health Organization.
The president withdrew from the World Health Organization in 2020 after accusing it of incompetence in its handling of the coronavirus pandemic. He also claimed it caved to Chinese pressure over COVID-19 and lamented the U.S. helped fund the group too much.
Biden's incoming White House coronavirus coordinate Jeff Zients announced top infectious disease experts at National Institute of Health, Dr. Anthony Fauci, will deliver a speech Thursday to the WHO.
In the speech as the new head of the U.S. delegation to WHO, Fauci, who often sparred with Trump over the last year, will lay out how Biden's administration plans to work with the group on reforms.
CLIMATE
BACK INTO PARIS ACCORD
Trump also withdrew from the Paris Climate Accord, lamenting it wasn't fair that the U.S. was funding much of the program aimed at cutting global fossil fuel emissions while other countries, like China, contribute much more to these emissions.
Biden will sign an executive order to rejoin the Paris climate accord, fulfilling a campaign pledge to get back into the global climate pact on Day One.
It will take 30 days for the U.S. to officially be back in.
Biden also will reenter the U.S. in the Paris Climate Accord, an organization focused on reducing fossil fuel emissions, and he will revoke a presidential permit for the Keystone XL oil and gas pipeline
CANCEL KEYSTONE XL
In an effort to roll back more of Trump's climate-related orders, Biden will also revoke a presidential permit for the Keystone XL oil and gas pipeline.
BAN ON ARCTIC DRILLING IS BACK AND EMISSIONS STANDARDS ARE REVIEWED
He also plans to implement a temporary moratorium on new oil and gas leasing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and review Trump's freeze on vehicle and emission standards.
NATIONAL MONUMENTS ROLLBACK FROZEN
The incoming president also wants to set in motion an evaluation of Trump's cut in protections for some national monuments.
CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT ON ALL DECISIONS
Federal agencies under Biden's presidency will also be issued a new requirement to consider the impact that fossil field emissions have on climate change and how that will affect disadvantaged communities and future generations.
GOVERNMENT
ETHICS
A pointed order will compel federal employees to take an ethics pledge that commits them to upholding the independence of the Justice Department.
CENSUS: EVERYONE WILL BE COUNTED
He will revoke a Trump order that sought to exclude illegal immigrants – and other non-citizens who are usually included – from the census.
RACE AND ENVIRONMENT MARCHING ORDERS
Biden will order a review of all Trump regulations and executive actions that are deemed damaging to the environment or public health.
He will order federal agencies to prioritize racial equity and review policies that reinforce systemic racism.