(Click here to get to the good stuff on President Trump’s executive orders)
The day after President Trump’s inauguration, I wrote a post where I tried to keep up with all of the president’s executive actions. I planned on updating the post on a monthly basis as a way to seperate the wheat of what he does from the chaff of what he says.
Then I discovered the POTUS Tracker, a website developed by Luke Wines that combines a running summary of executive actions, memoranda, and proclamations (helpfully pointing out which ones have been suspended due to a lawsuit) with a map of where the president is currently located and the official White House schedule. Because this did what I planned on doing but in a much more visually appealing way, I decided to scrap my “monthly update” plans.
While the POTUS Tracker is incredibly useful, I found its (I’m assuming AI-automated) summaries to take the words of the president’s executive orders, memoranda, and proclamations at face value, and if there’s anything humanity has learned about this president’s words (and usually any president’s words), it’s that they are not be trusted.
To that end, in the middle of February 2025, I created a ChatGPT Scheduled Task to run every Friday morning. The task sends ChatGPT to read all of the president’s executive orders for the given week, create a summary of the action, and then append to it “an analysis written for a radical left-wing audience that is skeptical of the president’s authoritarian leanings, while at the same time not allowing the analysis to skew towards propaganda or group think.”
ChatGPT reviews the president’s weekly executive orders through a radical-left lens—skeptical of authoritarianism, yet resisting propaganda and groupthink.
This post contains the output of that scheduled task.
As you read through, you’ll see the the format of the analyses are basically rote: This [blank] does [blank], followed by a contrarian statement. My intent in sharing the output is not to highlight ChatGPT’s writing skills or lack thereof. It’s to kickstart a reader’s bullshit detector when it comes to this president’s official actions.
Executive Orders from March 1–7, 2025:
1. Executive Order: Designating English as the Official Language of the United States
Analysis: On March 1, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order declaring English as the official language of the United States. While proponents argue this promotes national unity, critics contend it marginalizes non-English-speaking communities and undermines the multicultural fabric of the nation. This move may disproportionately affect immigrants and indigenous populations, potentially limiting access to essential services and infringing upon cultural expression.
2. Executive Order: Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production
Analysis: This order, issued on March 1, 2025, mandates increased logging activities across national forests and public lands. Framed as an economic stimulus, it raises significant environmental concerns. Accelerated deforestation could lead to habitat destruction, loss of biodiversity, and exacerbate climate change. The prioritization of industry over ecological preservation reflects a disregard for environmental stewardship and the rights of indigenous communities connected to these lands.
3. Executive Order: Addressing the Threat to National Security from Imports of Timber and Lumber
Analysis: Also on March 1, 2025, the administration cited national security to justify restrictions on timber and lumber imports. Such protectionist policies may strain international trade relations and lead to retaliatory measures. Labeling economic issues as national security threats sets a concerning precedent, potentially expanding executive power and bypassing legislative oversight.
4. Executive Order: Amendment to Duties to Address the Flow of Illicit Drugs Across Our Northern Border
Analysis: Signed on March 2, 2025, this order imposes additional duties to combat drug trafficking from Canada. While addressing drug trafficking is important, using trade tariffs as a tool raises questions about effectiveness and potential economic fallout. This approach risks politicizing public health issues and could harm diplomatic relations with neighboring countries.
5. Executive Order: Amendment to Duties to Address the Situation at Our Southern Border
Analysis: Also on March 2, 2025, the administration increased tariffs related to the southern border, ostensibly to enhance border security. This action may disproportionately impact marginalized communities and perpetuate xenophobic narratives. Utilizing economic penalties as a means of immigration control reflects an authoritarian approach, potentially undermining human rights and international asylum protocols.
6. Executive Order: Further Amendment to Duties Addressing the Synthetic Opioid Supply Chain in the People’s Republic of China
Analysis: On March 3, 2025, the President targeted China’s synthetic opioid supply chain with additional duties. While combating the opioid crisis is crucial, focusing solely on external sources ignores domestic factors contributing to substance abuse. This action risks escalating tensions with China and may serve as a diversion from addressing systemic issues within the U.S. healthcare and social systems.
7. Proclamation: Honoring Jocelyn Nungaray
Analysis: Issued on March 4, 2025, this proclamation renames the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge in Texas to honor Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old tragically murdered by undocumented immigrants. While commemorating victims is important, critics argue that highlighting crimes committed by immigrants can fuel anti-immigrant sentiment and be used to justify draconian policies. This act may exploit personal tragedy for political gain, reinforcing divisive narratives.
8. Executive Order: Implementing the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Cost Efficiency Initiative
Analysis: On March 5, 2025, the administration launched an initiative to reduce government spending through the Department of Government Efficiency. While fiscal responsibility is important, such measures often lead to cuts in essential public services, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations. The centralization of power under this department raises concerns about transparency, accountability, and the potential erosion of democratic processes.
Executive Orders from February 21–27, 2025:
1. Executive Order: Implementing the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Cost Efficiency Initiative
Analysis: This order, issued on February 26, 2025, aims to streamline government operations by reducing perceived inefficiencies. While fiscal responsibility is important, critics may view this as a pretext for cutting essential public services and programs that support marginalized communities. The centralization of power under the guise of efficiency raises concerns about diminished transparency and accountability within the federal government.
2. Executive Order: Making America Healthy Again by Empowering Patients with Clear, Accurate, and Actionable Healthcare Pricing Information
Analysis: Signed on February 25, 2025, this order mandates that healthcare providers disclose pricing information to patients. Transparency in healthcare costs is beneficial; however, without addressing the underlying issues of affordability and access, this measure may have limited impact. Skeptics argue that focusing solely on price transparency without broader healthcare reforms could exacerbate existing inequalities, leaving vulnerable populations without necessary care.
3. Executive Order: Suspension of Security Clearances and Evaluation of Government Contracts
Analysis: This order, dated February 25, 2025, suspends certain security clearances and calls for a review of government contracts. While ensuring national security is vital, the broad suspension of clearances could be perceived as a political maneuver to purge dissenting voices within the government. The evaluation of contracts may serve as a tool to favor allies and punish opponents, undermining the principles of fair governance and due process.
4. Executive Order: Addressing the Threat to National Security from Imports of Copper
Analysis: Issued on February 25, 2025, this order imposes restrictions on copper imports, citing national security concerns. While protecting domestic industries can be justified, such measures may lead to trade wars and increased consumer prices. Critics contend that invoking national security to justify economic protectionism can be a slippery slope, potentially eroding international alliances and economic stability.
5. Executive Order: America First Investment Policy
Analysis: Signed on February 21, 2025, this policy prioritizes domestic investment over foreign engagements. While promoting national economic interests is a common governmental goal, an isolationist stance may strain diplomatic relations and reduce global cooperation. Skeptics argue that such policies can lead to xenophobia and a retreat from international responsibilities, potentially destabilizing global markets and undermining collective progress on transnational issues.
6. Executive Order: Defending American Companies and Innovators from Overseas Extortion and Unfair Fines and Penalties
Analysis: This order, dated February 21, 2025, seeks to protect U.S. businesses from foreign regulations deemed unfair. While defending domestic enterprises is important, this action may be viewed as an attempt to shield corporations from legitimate accountability measures abroad. Critics express concern that this could encourage a race to the bottom in regulatory standards, compromising environmental protections, labor rights, and ethical business practices on a global scale.
Executive Orders from February 14-20, 2025
1. Executive Order: Commencing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy
Analysis: This order aims to shrink the federal government by eliminating certain agencies and advisory committees deemed unnecessary. While reducing bureaucratic bloat can be beneficial, critics may view this as a move to dismantle institutions that provide essential public services and oversight. The lack of transparency in determining which entities are “unnecessary” raises concerns about the potential erosion of public accountability and the consolidation of power.
2. Executive Order: Ensuring Lawful Governance and Implementing the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Regulatory Initiative
Analysis: This directive seeks to rescind regulations considered unconstitutional or overly burdensome, emphasizing a strict interpretation of federal authority. While streamlining regulations can promote efficiency, there is apprehension that this approach may undermine protections related to the environment, public health, and worker rights. The broad criteria for rescinding regulations could be used to justify the rollback of essential safeguards, favoring corporate interests over public welfare.
3. Proclamation: 80th Anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima
Analysis: Commemorating historical military events honors those who served; however, some may interpret this as an attempt to bolster nationalist sentiments and justify increased military spending. In the context of rising global tensions, such proclamations might be perceived as a means to distract from domestic issues and rally support for authoritative policies under the guise of patriotism.
4. Executive Order: Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders
Analysis: This order terminates funding for programs perceived to support unauthorized immigration. While fiscal responsibility is important, framing immigration through a punitive lens can exacerbate xenophobia and ignore the complex socio-economic factors driving migration. Critics argue that this approach undermines humanitarian commitments and may lead to increased marginalization of vulnerable populations, all while expanding the enforcement apparatus of the state.
5. Executive Order: Ensuring Accountability for All Agencies
Analysis: By mandating increased presidential oversight of independent regulatory agencies, this order centralizes executive power, potentially compromising the autonomy of agencies designed to operate free from political influence. This consolidation may lead to the erosion of checks and balances, enabling the executive branch to unilaterally shape policy without adequate oversight, which is a hallmark of authoritarian governance.
6. Executive Order: Expanding Access to In Vitro Fertilization
Analysis: While expanding reproductive health services is positive, the administration’s support for in vitro fertilization (IVF) may be viewed with skepticism if not accompanied by broader healthcare reforms. Without addressing systemic issues like healthcare affordability and access, this action could be seen as a superficial measure that benefits a select few, rather than a commitment to comprehensive reproductive rights for all individuals.
7. Executive Order: Radical Transparency About Wasteful Spending
Analysis: Promoting transparency in government spending is commendable; however, the term “radical transparency” may be a rhetorical device to justify cuts to social programs under the pretext of eliminating waste. There is concern that this initiative could selectively target programs that do not align with the administration’s agenda, reducing support for marginalized communities while leaving larger, less efficient expenditures unaddressed.
8. Proclamation: President George Washington’s Birthday, 2025
Analysis: Celebrating foundational historical figures is customary, yet the emphasis on President Washington may be leveraged to evoke a return to traditionalist values. This could serve to reinforce a narrative that prioritizes a specific interpretation of American identity, potentially marginalizing diverse perspectives and justifying policies that consolidate power under the guise of preserving heritage.