Trending Now
We have updated our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use for Eurasia Group and its affiliates, including GZERO Media, to clarify the types of data we collect, how we collect it, how we use data and with whom we share data. By using our website you consent to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy, including the transfer of your personal data to the United States from your country of residence, and our use of cookies described in our Cookie Policy.
{{ subpage.title }}
Graphic Truth: Is Trump’s use of executive orders unprecedented?
All presidents rely on executive orders, but in his second first 100 days in office, Donald Trump has taken it to a whole new level. He has issued 137 executive orders so far — more than triple the 41 Joe Biden signed during the same period, and far surpassing the pace of Trump’s own first term in 2017.
Executive orders are an efficient tool to deliver on “first 100 days” campaign promises (check out this article on where five of Trump’s biggest campaign promises stand). While they offer an immediate way to shape policy, they’re also notoriously fragile — easily reversed by future administrations, as seen on Trump’s first day in office, when he issued 26 executive orders and overturned 78 of Biden’s.
Critics warn that Trump’s flood of orders isn’t just about speed; it’s also raising serious concerns about presidential overreach. Many fear he is using executive actions to bypass Congress altogether and, in some cases, is ignoring Supreme Court rulings instructing him to stop.Graphic Truth: Is Donald Trump signing more executive orders than normal?
He has issued 66 executive orders so far, more than double the number of executive orders Joe Biden signed in the first month of his presidency, and more than five times the number Trump signed during the first 30 days of his last term in 2016.
While executive orders are effective for hitting the ground running and fulfilling those infamous “first 100 days” campaign promises, critics point out that they are easily overturned, as seen on Trump’s first day in office, when he issued 26 executive orders, but also overturned 78 of Biden’s.
Some also argue that they are a sign of weakness – a cop-out used instead of passing lasting legislation through a perpetually gridlocked Congress. The deluge of legal challenges in response to Trump’s executive orders also shows how they can be stalled, or smacked down, by judges.