Here We Go Again...

Good Tuesday morning.

It hasn't even been 24 hours since he was sworn in at the 47th President, but the new Trump Administration is already "flooding the zone with shit," as our friend Steve Bannon loves to say. Yesterday marked the start of an Executive Branch shock-and-awe campaign to overwhelm any potential resistance to the Trump agenda in the courts, streets, legislatures, and civil service with unrelenting force.

To mark the inaugural edition of TRUMPWATCH, here are the 100 things Trump and his second Administration did on day one that you need to know about.

Democratic Institutions and the Rule of Law

1. Mass Pardoning of January 6 Insurrectionists: Issued blanket pardons to approximately 1,500 individuals charged with crimes related to the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack, including those charged with assaulting police officers and causing property damage.
2. Condemnation from Law Enforcement Organizations: The pardons were so extreme that even supportive law enforcement groups including the International Association of Chiefs of Police and Fraternal Order of Police issued statements condemning the action as undermining the rule of law.
3. Inauguration Venue Change: Broke with 40 years of tradition by holding the inauguration inside the Capitol Rotunda rather than on the traditional outdoor stage, significantly limiting public participation in this democratic ceremony.
4. Media Access Restrictions: Imposed unprecedented restrictions on press access to the inauguration, allowing only pre-approved media outlets full access to the ceremony.
5. Revocation of Security Clearances: Immediately revoked security clearances of approximately 50 former officials in an act of political retaliation, including John Bolton and signatories of the Hunter Biden laptop letter.
6. Targeting of Intelligence Community: Announced plans to conduct loyalty reviews of intelligence agency personnel, threatening the independence of intelligence analysis.
7. Attack on Judicial Independence: Used inaugural speech to criticize specific judges who had ruled against Trump in previous cases, threatening the independence of the judiciary.
8. Classified Document Policy Reversal: Reversed Biden-era policies regarding handling of classified documents, potentially weakening information security protocols.
9. Presidential Records Act Undermining: Issued executive order changing implementation of Presidential Records Act, limiting future public access to administration records.

10. Constitutional Distortion: Claimed Article II of the Constitution grants "unlimited powers" to the presidency, a fundamentally incorrect interpretation that threatens separation of powers.

Federal Workforce and Labor Rights

11. Schedule F Reinstatement: Reinstated and expanded executive order creating Schedule F classification, stripping job protections from potentially tens of thousands of career civil servants by reclassifying them as "at-will" employees.
12. Federal Hiring Freeze: Implemented immediate government-wide hiring freeze with exceptions only for military, law enforcement, and public health emergencies.
13. Federal Employee Union Restrictions: Reinstated Trump-era executive orders limiting federal employee unions' ability to represent workers, including restrictions on official time and union office space.
14. Merit Systems Protection Board Undermining: Issued directive to review and potentially weaken the Merit Systems Protection Board, which provides due process for federal employees.
15. Federal Pay Freeze: Announced intention to freeze federal employee pay for fiscal year 2026, effectively cutting real wages when accounting for inflation.
16. Whistleblower Protection Rollback: Revoked Biden-era executive orders strengthening whistleblower protections for federal employees, leaving them vulnerable to retaliation.
17. Federal Worker Drug Testing Expansion: Announced plans to expand drug testing requirements for federal workers, infringing on privacy rights.
18. Federal Retirement System Targeting: Signaled intention to convert federal employee retirement from defined benefit to defined contribution system, threatening retirement security.
19. Anti-Telework Directive: Ordered immediate return to office for all federal employees regardless of established telework arrangements, disrupting work-life balance.
20. Contractor Living Wage Elimination: Revoked executive order requiring federal contractors to pay a $15 minimum wage to their employees.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

21. DEI Office Closures: Ordered immediate closure of all federal diversity, equity, and inclusion offices, placing employees on indefinite administrative leave.
22. Anti-DEI Executive Order: Signed "Executive Order on Ending Radical and Wasteful DEI Programs," characterizing such initiatives as "discriminatory" and "un-American."
23. Gender-Affirming Care Restrictions: Ordered federal health insurance plans to stop covering gender-affirming care for transgender federal employees and dependents.
24. Indigenous Name Erasure: Signed order reverting Denali to "Mount McKinley," explicitly erasing the traditional Athabascan name for North America's highest peak.
25. Gulf of Mexico Renaming: Ordered the redesignation of the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America" in all federal documents and maps.
26. LGBTQ+ Data Collection Termination: Halted federal collection of data on LGBTQ+ Americans across agencies, hampering efforts to address discrimination.
27. Title IX Reinterpretation: Announced plans to rewrite Title IX regulations to exclude gender identity protections, threatening transgender students' rights.
28. Disability Accommodation Rollback: Revoked executive order that had strengthened reasonable accommodation processes for federal workers with disabilities.
29. Pay Equity Data Collection Termination: Discontinued data collection on pay disparities by race and gender in federal employment.
30. Religious Freedom Office Creation: Established new "Office of Religious Liberty" with mandate to review all federal policies for potential impact on religious organizations.

Immigration and Border Policy

31. CBP One Program Termination: Immediately shut down this program that had provided a structured application process for asylum seekers.
32. Mass Deportation Initiative: Announced "Operation Border Resolve" to conduct mass deportations, including of long-term residents with U.S. citizen children.
33. Border Emergency Declaration: Declared a "border emergency" allowing diversion of military funds for border barrier construction.
34. Asylum Process Restrictions: Signed executive order imposing geographic and categorical limitations on asylum applications in violation of international law.
35. Family Separation Policy Framework: Directed Department of Homeland Security to prepare framework for reinstating family separation policies at the border.
36. Sensitive Locations Policy Reversal: Initiated process to roll back "sensitive locations" policy that had protected immigrants in hospitals, schools, and places of worship from enforcement actions.
37. Military Border Deployment: Ordered Department of Defense to prepare deployment of active-duty military personnel to the southern border.
38. DACA Termination Directive: Instructed DHS to prepare framework for ending DACA protections for individuals brought to U.S. as children.
39. Private Detention Expansion: Revoked Biden-era executive order phasing out federal use of private detention facilities for immigrants.
40. State Immigration Enforcement Authority: Signed executive order expanding state authority to enforce federal immigration laws without federal oversight.

Environmental Justice and Climate Action

41. EPA Authority Limitation: Issued executive order directing EPA to cease regulating greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act.
42. Paris Agreement Withdrawal: Announced intention to withdraw from Paris Climate Agreement for a second time.
43. Clean Power Plan Termination: Directed EPA to rescind the Clean Power Plan and all successor programs limiting power plant emissions.
44. Fuel Efficiency Standards Rollback: Ordered Department of Transportation to revise vehicle emissions standards downward.
45. Public Land Energy Exploitation: Ordered Interior Department to maximize oil, gas, and coal production on public lands, including in previously protected areas.
46. Pipeline Approval Fast-Track: Created expedited approval process for fossil fuel pipeline projects, bypassing environmental reviews.
47. Offshore Drilling Expansion: Revoked Biden-era limitations on offshore oil drilling, opening previously protected coastal areas.
48. Environmental Justice Program Defunding: Terminated all federal environmental justice programs and grants addressing pollution in disadvantaged communities.
49. Climate Science Censorship: Directed federal agencies to remove references to climate change from websites and reports.
50. Water Protection Rollback: Ordered EPA to narrow definition of "Waters of the United States," removing protections from many waterways.

Economic Justice and Corporate Accountability

51. Corporate Tax Enforcement Reduction: Revoked executive orders strengthening IRSenforcement of corporate tax laws.
52. Billionaire-Led Government Restructuring: Established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, positioning unelected billionaires to make decisions about government programs.
53. Wealth Tax Opposition: Announced intention to permanently prohibit any form of wealth tax through executive action.
54. Corporate Regulation Impact Analysis: Directed all agencies to perform "job impact analysis" before implementing any regulations affecting corporations.
55. Securities Exchange Commission Weakening: Ordered SEC to cease enforcement of climate risk disclosure requirements for public companies.
56. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Targeting: Directed Treasury to review CFPB funding mechanism with goal of bringing agency under congressional appropriations to limit its independence.
57. Anti-Trust Enforcement Limitation: Announced revision of anti-trust guidance to make corporate mergers easier to complete with less scrutiny.
58. Pharmaceutical Price Negotiation Termination: Ordered immediate halt to Medicare drug price negotiation program established under Inflation Reduction Act.
59. Corporate Accountability Reporting Requirements: Eliminated requirements for federal contractors to report labor violations and pay practices.
60. Minimum Wage Opposition: Announced opposition to any federal minimum wage increase, characterizing it as harmful to business.

Healthcare Access and Reproductive Rights

61. Affordable Care Act Undermining: Ordered HHS to review and weaken ACA regulations,including elimination of essential benefits requirements.
62. Reproductive Healthcare Restrictions: Reinstated "global gag rule" prohibiting federal funding for international organizations that provide or discuss abortion services.
63. Contraceptive Coverage Rollback: Expanded religious and moral exemptions to contraceptive coverage requirements in health insurance plans.
64. Medicare Privatization Framework: Announced framework to transition Medicare toward a premium support model, threatening traditional Medicare.
65. Medicaid Work Requirements: Directed CMS to approve state Medicaid work requirement waivers previously rejected by courts.
66. Healthcare Price Transparency Elimination: Revoked executive orders requiring hospitals to publish prices for medical procedures.
67. Title X Funding Restrictions: Reimposed restrictions on Title X family planning funds for organizations that provide abortion services.
68. Veterans' Healthcare Privatization: Announced expansion of private care options for veterans, threatening VA healthcare system.
69. Pandemic Response Capability Reduction: Dismantled White House pandemic response team and reduced public health emergency funding.
70. Mental Health Parity Enforcement Reduction: Ordered agencies to reduce enforcement of mental health parity laws requiring equal coverage for mental and physical health.

Education and Student Rights

71. Student Loan Debt Relief Cancellation: Ordered immediate halt to all student debt relief programs initiated by previous administration.
72. Public School Privatization Initiative: Announced "American Education Freedom" initiative redirecting federal education funds toward private school vouchers.
73. For-Profit College Regulation Rollback: Revoked gainful employment rule protecting students from predatory for-profit colleges.
74. Campus Sexual Assault Policy Revision: Ordered rewrite of Title IX sexual assault guidelines to reduce protections for survivors.
75. Public School Prayer Directive: Issued guidance expanding prayer in public schools in ways that may pressure non-religious students.
76. Charter School Expansion: Directed Education Department to prioritize charter school funding over traditional public school support.
77. Critical Race Theory Ban: Banned discussion of "critical race theory" and "divisive concepts" in federal training and federally-funded education.
78. Special Education Funding Restructuring: Announced plans to convert special education funding to block grants, potentially reducing resources for students with disabilities.
79. School Nutrition Rollback: Revoked healthy school lunch standards, allowing increased sodium, sugar, and reduced whole grains.
80. Student Privacy Protections Elimination: Weakened regulations protecting student data privacy in educational technology.

International Relations and Militarism

81. NATO Commitment Questioning: Used inaugural address to question U.S. commitment to NATO mutual defense provisions.
82. Russian Sanctions Relief: Signaled intention to review and potentially lift sanctions against Russian officials and entities.
83. Military Budget Expansion: Announced plans for largest military budget increase in decades while cutting domestic programs.
84. Nuclear Weapon Expansion: Ordered Pentagon to develop new low-yield nuclear weapons, increasing risk of nuclear conflict.
85. Arms Control Treaty Withdrawal: Announced intention to withdraw from remaining arms control treaties, including New START.
86. Saudi Arabia Arms Sales Expansion: Removed human rights conditions on arms sales to Saudi Arabia despite ongoing Yemen conflict.
87. Military Aid to Israel Increase: Announced unconditional increase in military aid to Israel without human rights conditions.
88. Taiwan Defense Ambiguity: Created confusion regarding U.S. commitment to Taiwan's defense with contradictory statements.
89. UN Funding Cuts: Directed State Department to prepare significant cuts to United Nations funding.
90. Climate Fund Cancellation: Terminated all U.S. contributions to international climate adaptation funds for developing nations.

Speech, Press, and Information Freedom

91. Media Classification as "Enemy": Referred to mainstream media organizations as "enemy of the people" in inaugural address.
92. Libel Law Revision Task Force: Established task force to examine ways to make it easier to sue media organizations for libel.
93. Government Scientist Gag Order: Imposed restrictions on federal scientists' ability to speak publicly or publish findings.
94. Internet Regulation Framework: Announced plans to regulate social media platforms that "censor conservative voices."
95. Net Neutrality Prevention: Directed FCC to permanently prohibit net neutrality rules through executive action.
96. Classification Authority Expansion: Expanded ability of political appointees to classify information as secret.
97. Surveillance Expansion: Directed intelligence agencies to expand domestic surveillance capabilities.
98. Public Broadcasting Defunding: Ordered immediate review of all federal funding for public broadcasting with intent to eliminate.
99. First Amendment Zone Restrictions: Expanded restrictions on protests near federal buildings and presidential events.
100. Internet Privacy Rollback: Eliminated FCC privacy rules protecting consumers' internet browsing data.

Whew...well folks, we are in for a wild ride these next four years. This moment in our national story is distressing for many of us, to say the least. Take care of yourselves and your neighbors; do what you need to do to keep going. But don't roll over and become complacent. Foremost, do your best to stay informed. It is my hope that TRUMPWATCH will be a source you can rely on to keep track of the authoritarian deluge we now face.