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Trump signed more than 145 executive orders in first 100 days of second term

The administration has faced more than 200 lawsuits, many challenging Trump’s use of executive authority.
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President Trump is marking 100 days of his second administration in Michigan on Tuesday, as his administration touts his economic and trade agenda.

He will deliver what the White House dubs his “100th Day in Office Achievement Speech” in Warren, Michigan, after visiting with the Michigan National Guard at Selfridge Air National Guard Base.

"Well, I think either we've done everything, or it's in the process of being done. For instance, the border's in great shape ... I would say that was my No. 1 thing. The economy would be certainly right up there, and I think it's doing great. We were losing billions and billions of dollars a day with trade, and now I have that down to a very low level, and soon we're going to be making a lot of money,” Trump said.

Trump’s speech will be themed the "Golden Age of America," focused on accomplishments, promises made and kept and the next 100 days, according to a senior administration official.

The speech marks a return to Michigan, a state Trump flipped in 2024 as part of his election victory — winning both the electoral and popular vote, which he sees as a mandate for his second-term agenda.

Trump promised to move at historic speed during his inauguration. Since taking office in January, Trump has moved quickly to enact policies largely previewed on the campaign trail. He’s signed more than 145 executive orders, 36 memorandums and 10 proclamations since taking office.

The driving force behind the first 100 days has been a sense of urgency — whether on oil drilling, tariffs, or reforming the Department of Education, according to Principal Deputy Communications Director Alex Pfeiffer.

“The president and the team were well equipped to hit the ground running,” Pfeiffer said, noting there’s no reason for the administration not to move quickly.

“I think he’s enjoying it and loves seeing progress and the ability to basically if we said we’re going to do something, we’re doing it,” said Pfeiffer.

Four years after leaving office, Trump returned with experience behind him and loyalists installed in the administration’s key roles. There’s unity among staff and determination to enact the orders in this term, according to a senior White House official.

“During the first Trump administration, he talked about draining the swamp, and he no question about it, felt very, very frustrated by people who worked within his administration and by what he has, to my estimation, correctly referred to as the deep state,” said John Malcolm, vice president of the Institute for Constitutional Government at The Heritage Foundation. “He is not repeating those errors. He is moving rather aggressively. I think he believes that he only has a limited period of time to accomplish all of his major objectives. I think he's probably right about that.”

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Trump’s poll numbers have slipped, with opinions largely divided along party lines and intensified by concerns over the economy. While he has at times described this as a transitional period, the White House continues to argue that Americans will see long-term benefits.

His economic plan centers on deregulation, boosting energy production, and urging Congress to pass a budget bill that would implement his tax reforms. It also relies heavily on a broad tariff policy aimed at raising revenue and production, fulfilling his pledge to lower prices and strengthen the economy.

The tariffs — which include a universal rate, reciprocal measures, and targeted ones on sectors like steel, aluminum, and automobiles — have at times shaken markets, raised inflation concerns among economists, and contributed to declining consumer confidence.

"I think one thing that has been a little disconcerting for the markets is President Trump creates what I would call strategic uncertainty in the negotiations, so he is more concerned about getting the best possible trade deals for the American people. We had four years of bad deals for decades of unfair trading. And we are going to unwind those and make them fair,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters Tuesday morning. “What we are doing is we've created a process. I think the aperture of uncertainty will be narrowing, and as we start moving forward announcing deals, then there will be certainty, but it certainly is not necessarily a good thing in negotiating."

Trump announced on Tuesday a reprieve for auto manufacturers in the United States from tariffs to allow more time to move manufacturing stateside as he traveled to Michigan.

On immigration, Trump declared a national emergency at the border, moved to end birthright citizenship, suspended the refugee admission program, deployed the military to the border, and pursued mass deportations — particularly targeting gang members now classified as members of foreign terrorist organizations and sending them to third-party countries. This week, the White House pointed to lower border crossings as evidence of success.

“From my view, that’s a huge, huge accomplishment to fulfill a campaign promise that soon. And we’re working to fulfill the rest of our promises,” a senior White House official said.

Trump has also taken steps to shrink the federal workforce, using the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk. The administration directed agencies to prepare for staffing cuts, dismissed inspectors general, and targeted probationary employees for reduction. It also moved to dismantle agencies including USAID, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the U.S. Institute of Peace, while halting work at several oversight boards.

Meanwhile, Trump eliminated diversity, equity and inclusion programs across the federal government and took steps to restrict gender-affirming care for children and limit the participation of transgender women in women's sports. The administration is also working toward dismantling the Department of Education and has sought to cut funding from schools that do not comply with its policies.

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Trump also pardoned Jan. 6 defendants following his own legal victories, as cases related to the 2020 election and his handling of classified documents were dismissed. He has also moved to punish law firms connected to previous investigations against him.

He has pursued an "America First" foreign policy, aiming to broker deals in the Middle East and to end the war between Ukraine and Russia.

“The pace that President Trump sets of success and change and movement forward is amazing. We feel very strong that we've done what we need to do to get out of the blocks and get rolling. Obviously, there's a lot more work to do, but the first 100 days has been a success,” said Deputy National Security Adviser for Strategic Communications Brian Hughes

But deals promised to end conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine have yet to be cemented, and have prompted criticism over Trump’s softer language towards Putin.

“Just a few months ago, before President Trump took office, we weren't even talking to the Russians. Now we have the Russians at the table. We have the Ukrainians at the table. Both say they're committed to peace. We're pushing them towards an opportunity to make the final compromises for a long-standing peace and stability and an end to that terrible war. But those last few miles are going to be up to them, and as we get through it, you know, I think, I think the options are available to the President. He's been frustrated at times with both parties, but we've really never been closer,” Hughes said.

But the sweeping policies and rapid pace have drawn criticism from Democrats, who have raised concerns about Trump’s use of executive authority, due process protections for immigrants, and the scope of the Department of Government Efficiency’s power.

The administration has faced more than 200 lawsuits challenging the Department of Government Efficiency’s actions, immigration policies, employee dismissals, and Trump’s use of executive authority.

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“I can tell you what people are thinking about who study the presidency as I do, and study the Constitution as I do, and that is all of this unilateral action, particularly through executive orders, is if not a violation of the separation of powers and checks and balances, the basic foundations of our Constitution, it is certainly, I'll use the term, or the phrase, ‘thumbing the nose’ at the Constitution and the separation of powers and checks and balances,” said Barbara Perry, who co-directs the Presidential Oral History Program at the UVA Miller Center.

Trump has frequently criticized the courts when executive orders have faced challenges from rulings.

“Well, he is reshaping separation of powers. But that doesn't necessarily mean that he is dismantling separation of powers. It could be that he is right-sizing separation of powers,” said Malcolm.

Trump holds a unique position as the only president since Grover Cleveland in the 1890s to serve nonconsecutive terms, according to Miller.

“When I'm asked what strikes me about this second 100 days of Donald Trump, I say, first of all, I would argue that it is as consequential, if not more so, than FDRs 100 days in 1933 and that was at up until now, what historians and political scientists consider to be the most consequential first 100 days because of all the action that Franklin Roosevelt and Congress took to try to ameliorate the horrible effects of the Great Depression,” said Miller.

Miller notes that the presidents' views of the federal government are very different.

“Franklin Roosevelt wanted to expand it to help people deal with the effects of the Great Depression. And Donald Trump, as he said in running for president this time, would be cutting back on government, and he is doing that.”

In the next 100 days, the administration is looking to see deals in Congress, trade deals and peace deals, according to senior administration officials.

Hughes said they’re looking to close the gap between Russia and Ukraine and will continue to put pressure on Iran.

"He hit the ground running on day one in 100 days, we've accomplished so much, but there's so much more to do, and President Trump is willing to do it," Hughes said.