What Did Trump Accomplish During His First Month in Office?

The topic of discussion for this Constitution Monday concerns the accomplishments of President Donald Trump during his first month in office. His supporters at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference summarized his accomplishments with one of his mottos from his campaign: “Promises Made, Promises Kept.”

During his first month, Trump signed 70 executive orders to do a variety of tasks: secure the border, cut wasteful spending, eliminate radical gender ideology, establish an “America First” foreign policy approach, challenge discriminatory diversity, equity, and inclusion, and much more. Trump has the approval of 70% of Americans for doing what he promised.

Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell summarized five of Trump’s accomplishments in her article published at The Daily Signal. 

Securing the Border

Two days into his second term, Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border, enabling him to deploy additional personnel to the border, and directing the acting secretaries of the departments of Defense and Homeland Security to finish the border wall.

The White House has touted January’s 36% decline in border apprehensions – resulting in the lowest number of illegal aliens apprehended along the border in almost five years – as the “Trump effect.”

That total includes 29,116 apprehended at the border outside of official ports of entry, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. That’s the lowest since May 2020. And that compares with 47,3l6 apprehensions outside of official ports in December, before Trump took office.

The January total also includes 32,349 apprehensions at ports of entry, compared with 48,719 in December….

Slashing Government Inefficiency

Trump launched the Department of Government Efficiency, aimed at identifying and eliminating wasteful spending. DOGE, which Trump tapped Elon Musk to lead as a special adviser to the president, says it’s already saved $55 billion in federal spending.

On his first day in office, Trump placed a 90-day freeze on foreign assistance from the U.S. Agency for International Development….

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she “clawed back” tens of millions of dollars in funds “that FEMA deep state activists unilaterally gave to NYC migrant hotels.”

The federal Department of Education announced it had terminated more than $600 million in grants to institutions and nonprofits that were using taxpayer funds to train teachers in critical race theory and radical gender ideology….

DOGE uncovered $1.9 billion at the Department of Housing and Urban Development that was “misplaced during the Biden administration due to a broken process,” DOGE revealed on X.

Protecting Women, Children From Gender Ideology

On Inauguration Day, Trump issued an executive order clarifying the existence of only two sexes, male and female, ending the Biden-Harris administration’s war on biological reality….

He signed an executive order in the Oval Office surrounded by female athletes of all ages protecting women’s and girls’ sports from male intrusion. The NCAA then changed its policy on transgender-identifying athletes.

The Department of Education announced an investigation into the Minnesota State High School League and the California Interscholastic Federation for failing to adhere to the order by continuing to allow males to compete in female sports….

The president also prohibited radical gender ideology and critical race theory instruction in federally funded public schools….

Another executive order ending federal support for irreversible child sex-change procedures inspired many children’s hospitals to cease so-called gender-affirming care for minors….

Confirming Cabinet Nominees

Trump said it was essential for his Cabinet nominees to get confirmed so they can start working as quickly as possible, and after a month, he has been able to swear in the majority of his Cabinet….

The Senate has outpaced itself for the number of Cabinet confirmations completed by this point in time since the George W. Bush administration in 2001.

Instituting One-Voice Foreign Policy

Since the Constitution vests foreign policy authority in the president, Trump declared on Feb. 12 all foreign policy must be conducted under his direction.

He announced reciprocal tariffs on countries currently assessing tariffs on the U.S….

Trump restored a 25% tariff on steel imports and elevated the tariff to 25% on aluminum imports….