Since the time the Trump administration has taken office, American political scientists and scholars have encountered the phrase ‘constitutional crisis’ more than ever before. Executive Orders (EO) and presidential directives are at the heart of that debate. During his first term, President Donald Trump signed 220 EOs. Just a month into his second term, Trump has signed 73 EOs, 23 proclamations and 12 memorandums as of February 20, 2025—108 executive actions in all. Every president since George Washington has signed an EO, and their frequency has increased with modern presidencies. Trump, in his second term, has sped ahead of all presidents in signing the highest number of EOs in the first 100 days. EOs have always been important in the American political scene, especially in the context of the presidential system, but in the context of the second Trump administration which took office on January 20 this year, it has acquired heightened importance. The legal basis for presidents to issue EOs lies in the Article II of the American Constitution which establishes the Executive branch of the government and vests power in the president to “take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed”. Living up to his campaign promise, President Trump has issued a slew of EOs targeting almost all-important areas of governance and policy, setting a net policy reversal from the Biden administration.
Trump’s Executive Orders: A Stocktaking (Vivek Mishra – Observer Research Foundation)
Related articles
