Evening Report — Trump unwinds the Biden years

Evening Report

Trump seeks to undo Biden's legacy

PRESIDENT TRUMP IS MOVING QUICKLY to undo the work of his predecessor, using executive actions to chip away at former President Biden’s legacy.

So far, Trump has withdrawn at least 78 of Biden’s executive actions, while issuing dozens of his own orders, memos and proclamations aimed at reversing policies enacted over the past four years, according to data compiled by the American Presidency Project at the University of California at Santa Barbara.

Early Tuesday morning, Trump fired four high-profile presidential nominees, two of whom he had tapped in his first term.

At the top of the list is retired Gen. Mark Milley, who was serving on the National Infrastructure Advisory Council. Milley, a vocal Trump critic, received a preemptive blanket pardon as one of Biden’s final acts in office.

Trump also fired Brian Hook, who was a top envoy to Iran during his first term; celebrity chef and humanitarian José Andrés, who was on the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition; and Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former Democratic mayor of Atlanta, who served on the President’s Export Council.

“Let this serve as Official Notice of Dismissal for these 4 individuals, with many more, coming soon…YOU’RE FIRED!” Trump posted on social media.

The Trump administration also removed U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan, whom Biden appointed as the first female uniformed leader of an Armed Forces branch.

Of course, some major pieces of Biden's legislative agenda — namely, the Inflation Reduction Act — won't quickly be upended, although Republicans in Congress have vowed to claw back spending on various elements of the law.

Still, in his first 24 hours, Trump has taken aim at scores of Biden’s initiatives:

• Lifted Biden’s offshore drilling restrictions.

• Revoked security clearances for officials who claimed Hunter Biden’s laptop was Russian disinformation.

• Revoked Biden’s executive order removing Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism.

• Revoked Biden’s order allowing transgender members to serve in the military.

• Issued an order reviewing all policies that “burden the development of domestic energy resources,” pushing back on Biden’s initiative to encourage the purchase of electric vehicles.

TRUMP MAKES ISOLATIONIST MOVES

Trump made several early moves that indicate a hardened stance on the world stage as he seeks to implement his “America First” agenda.

• He withdrew the U.S. from the World Health Organization, which relies not he U.S. for about 20 percent of its budget. WHO has a budget of roughly $1.3 billion.

• Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Agreement for the second time.

• The U.S. will pause foreign assistance for three months while the government reviews its aid commitments to ensure they align with Trump’s vision for the world.

• Trump is in a tit-for-tat with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying the Russian leader is destroying his own country with the war in Ukraine. Russia warned Trump against seizing the Panama Canal.

TRUMP GOES BIG ON IMMIGRATION

Trump’s biggest moves came on immigration, a key issue in his campaign that proved popular with the public.

Some Democrats are acknowledging the new reality, with Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) saying he’ll likely vote with Republicans on some border security bills.

“There has been this misunderstanding about where Latinos are when it comes to border and border security,” he told Politico.

Some of Trump's actions here will be tied up in court.

• The American Civil Liberties Union and a group of Democratic attorneys general are suing over Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship.

• Trump is deploying the military to the Southern border, and deportation raids are expected to start soon.

TRUMP NODS TO CULTURAL FLASHPOINT ISSUES

Some of Trump’s moves on cultural flashpoint issues appear to be symbolic.

• Trump signed an executive order saying the government would recognize only two sexes.

• Trump signed an executive order correcting “past misconduct” at the Justice Department, saying it’s part of the weaponization of the government against him.

• Trump signed a federal government hiring freeze and will force federal workers to go back to the office. The federal workers union is suing Trump for ending protections that make it easier to fire government employees.

• He signed an order to protect free speech, which is already enshrined by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

TARIFFS, TIKTOK AND TRAVEL

• Trump notably did not announce any tariffs on his first day in office, but he says Mexico and Canada will face 25 percent tariffs beginning Feb. 1.

• Trump signed an order delaying the TikTok ban for 75 days, but he says China must still comply with the law and divest its ownership of the country.

Some Republicans are at odds with Trump, believing he should immediately enforce the divest-or-ban law passed by Congress and signed into law by Biden.

• Trump planned an infrastructure announcement this afternoon at the White House. On Thursday, he’ll address the World Economic Forum in Davos by video. On Friday, Trump will travel to North Carolina to view recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene. Then he’s off to Los Angeles to view devastation from the wildfires that destroyed parts of the city.

💡Perspectives:

• The Hill: Will Trump invest his political capital or spend it?

• The Liberal Patriot: Trump has the cultural winds at his back

• The Free Press: Trump’s back. What now?

• Very Serious: Trump makes promises he can’t keep on the economy.

• Washington Monthly: The 47th president’s first words.

• MSNBC: Trump is still not king.

• Compact: The return of American exuberance.

Read more:

• All of Trump’s executive orders so far.

• 5 takeaways as Trump returns to power.

• Trump completes historic comeback.

• Trump returns to Capitol as vanquisher.

• Inauguration pastor asks Trump to ‘have mercy.’

CATCH UP QUICK

Israel's top general resigned over security failures ahead of the Oct. 7 terror attack. The next exchange of hostages dictated by the Israel-Hamas ceasefire is scheduled to take place Saturday.
Harvard University settled two lawsuits accusing the school of antisemitism on campus.

NEWS THIS AFTERNOON

Jan. 6 defendants go free as Dems, GOP debate pardons

The rioters convicted for their actions on Jan. 6, 2021 are walking free after President Trump pardoned or commuted the sentences for nearly all of them.

Jacob Chansley, known widely as the “QAnon Shaman,” said he’s headed out to buy some guns after learning of his pardon.

Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the Proud Boys who was convicted for leading the riots, will not serve out his 22-year sentence.

Trump also commuted the sentence for Stewart Rhodes, who founded the far-right militia group Oath Keepers.

Both Tarrio and Rhodes were released on Tuesday.

Via The Hill’s Alexander Bolton: "Trump has pardoned, commuted the sentences or vowed to dismiss the cases of more than 1,500 people charged with crimes related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, including people convicted of assaulting police officers.”

Democrats are furious, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) calling the pardons “un-Ameican.”

Republicans are being hounded for a response to the pardons, with news outlets running their past remarks about how they would not support the release of those convicted of violent crimes.

“No one should excuse violence," Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told Semafor. "And particularly violence against police officers.”

However, former President Biden’s blanket preemptive pardons for his family members — including his brother Jim Biden, who had attracted the scrutiny of Biden’s own Justice Department — has Republicans turning the mirror back on Democrats.

Biden previously pardoned his son for tax and gun crimes, as well as anything illegal he might’ve done over the course of a decade.

“Biden opened the door on this,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.).

Some Democrats agree, with Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) telling Huffington Post: “I think we're going to have a very hard time critiquing Donald Trump's improper use of the pardon power because of President Biden pardoning his own family members.”

Indeed, many Republicans are pulling the “what about Biden” card when asked about the Trump pardons.

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) told CNN: “I’ve got concerns with any pardons for people who did any harm to police officers. Full stop. And I’ve also got serious concerns with all of the pardons by Biden including the prospective pardons. That may mean we need to look at what that authority really entails.”

Biden also pardoned some of Trump’s most vocal critics, including members of Congress who investigated the Jan. 6, 2021 riots, such as Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.).

Schiff, who said ahead of time that he didn’t want a pardon, called Biden’s move “unnecessary” and “unwise.”

💡Perspectives:

• Huffington Post: Biden’s last bad decision.

• The Hill: Is bipartisan reform of the clemency process likely?

• The Hill: 2 blockbuster cases about the First Amendment and online speech.

• Fox News: Trump’s first 100 days gives Democrats opportunities.

• The Hill: We cannot hide from climate change.

Read more:

• Cannon blocks DOJ from sharing Smith’s Mar-a-Lago report.

• Murkowski, Cassidy criticize Jan. 6 pardons.

IN OTHER NEWS

Washington roundup: Rubio sworn in at State

Former Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) was sworn in Tuesday as secretary of State, making him the first of Trump’s Cabinet nominees to be confirmed.

“In our republic the voters decide the course of our nation, both domestically and abroad, and they’ve elected Donald J. Trump as our president,” Rubio said in remarks at the State Department.

“Our mission is to ensure our foreign policy is centered on one thing, and that is the advancement of our national interest…anything that makes us stronger, safer and more prosperous.”

Several of Trump’s Cabinet nominees have made it out of committee and will soon face a vote in front of the full Senate, including Pete Hegseth for Department of Defense, Kirsti Noem for Homeland Security, Scott Bessent for Treasury and Russell Vought for Office of Management and Budget.

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), who Trump tapped as his ambassador to the United Nations, received her hearing in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday.

Stefanik vowed to be an ally to Israel and took aim at what she described as the “antisemitic rot within the United Nations.”

Read more:

• Here are the biggest fights Democrats are bracing for.

• Main Street Caucus grows behind-the-scenes influence in Trump’s GOP.

• Rick Caruso attracts political spotlight amid Los Angeles fires.

• Senate passes Laken Riley Act in first move after Trump inauguration.

• Senate Democrats boil over Laken Riley missteps.

Stay Engaged

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