Upon taking office for his second term on January 20, 2025, Donald Trump wasted no time in executing several key promises, focusing on swift action through executive orders. Among the first signed was an order reinstating federal executions, a direct rebuke to his predecessor, Joe Biden, who had commuted 37 death sentences during his tenure. Trump’s new order aims to make capital punishment a core deterrent for heinous crimes, emphasizing its historical and constitutional role in the U.S. He also condemned opposition to the death penalty from judges and politicians, vowing to prevent further obstruction of lawful executions.

Trump’s second-term agenda includes more than just death penalty policies. He has implemented orders recognizing only two genders, withdrawing from the World Health Organization, granting pardons to many involved in the January 2021 Capitol insurrection, and seeking to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America—though this name change would not be internationally recognized. Additionally, he has designated drug cartels as terrorist organizations.

Trump’s first days in office indicate a focus on aggressive executive action to fulfill his campaign pledges, particularly those centered on law and order, national sovereignty, and direct challenges to policies from the previous administration. Whether he will be able to accomplish all of his objectives remains to be seen, but his initial actions suggest a determination to push forward with his promises.