President Donald Trump served speeches, politics and policy during his inauguration, immediately increasing border security and granting pardons to Jan. 6 rioters while also rescinding Biden administration directives on climate change and DEI. The president also officially gave TikTok a reprieve from a potential ban in the United States. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025.
Trump issues series of executive actions on Day 1
Donald Trump is now officially the 47th president of the United States. It did not take long for him to get his agenda started for his second term after his inauguration on Monday, Jan. 20. During his 30-minute inauguration speech in the Capitol Rotunda, Trump outlined how he would spend much of his first day in office.
“Today, I will sign a series of historic executive orders,” he said. “With these actions, we will begin the complete restoration of America and the revolution of common sense. It’s all about common sense. First, I will declare a national emergency at our southern border. All illegal entry will immediately be halted. And we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came. We will reinstate my ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy. I will end the practice of catch and release and I will send troops to the southern border to repel the disastrous invasion of our country. Under the orders I sign today, we will also be designating the cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.”
The president followed through with his promise, signing a series of executive orders throughout the day. He signed the first while on stage in front of a crowd at the Capital One Arena, rescinding 78 executive actions implemented under the Biden administration.
Trump signed additional executive actions at the White House, including one that orders flags to fly at full staff on Inauguration Day. On Monday, flags flew at half-staff in honor of former President Jimmy Carter’s passing.
He also signed an order requiring all federal workers to return to work in person full-time and issued a freeze on federal hiring except for the military and other excluded departments.
Two executive actions saw Trump withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Health Organization.
He also ordered the construction of the wall on the southern border to restart. Trump’s first administration built about 450 miles of the current barrier wall.
The president signed another executive order that ended birthright citizenship for children of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit challenging that order late Monday night.
Trump declared a national emergency on energy costs for Americans and issued an order eliminating an Environmental Protection Agency rule to get car manufacturers to cut greenhouse gas emissions — the so-called “electric vehicle mandate.”
Another order calls for the reopening of drilling in parts of Alaska.
Additionally, Trump signed an executive order making it federal government policy to recognize only two sexes: male and female. Another order called for the elimination of all government programs that are part of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Trump pardons 1,500 Jan. 6 prisoners, orders immediate release
One of the executive orders issued by Trump on day one included the pardoning of 1,500 Americans who stormed the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021 as Congress tried to certify the 2020 election results.
The president granted clemency, including “full, complete and unconditional” pardons for about 1,500 people.
Straight Arrow News reporter Karah Rucker has a complete breakdown of all that executive order entails here.
The move came just hours after outgoing President Joe Biden issued a series of last-minute preemptive pardons, including for Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired Gen. Mark Milley and members of the House committee that investigated Jan. 6. Biden also pardoned his siblings and their spouses in a move to ward off any possible future prosecution, saying they were “subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt me — the worst kind of partisan politics.”
Trump delays TikTok ban for enforcement for at least 75 days
Within the first few hours of his second term, Trump followed through on his promise to delay the enforcement of the TikTok ban. The executive order directed the Department of Justice not to enforce the law for at least 75 days.
The law, passed during the Biden administration with strong bipartisan support, said TikTok parent company ByteDance had to sell the social media platform to a buyer from America or one of its allies or be banned starting Jan. 19.
Congress passed the law over national security concerns that China might influence or tap into American data through the app. The U.S. Supreme Court allowed the law to go forward last Friday, Jan. 17.
The Trump executive order said the 75-day delay will help his administration attempt to “determine the appropriate course forward in an orderly way that protects national security while avoiding an abrupt shutdown of a communications platform used by millions of Americans.”
Marco Rubio confirmed as secretary of state
Longtime Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is officially the U.S. secretary of state, making him the first confirmed member of Trump’s new cabinet. Senators voted unanimously Monday to approve the selection.
The Republican has served on the Senate since 2011 and his nomination drew strong support from not just Senate Republicans, but Democrats who said he’s highly qualified for the job.
Meanwhile, another one of Trump’s cabinet nominees is one step closer to landing the role of defense secretary.
On Monday, the Senate Armed Services Committee voted to send Pete Hegseth’s nomination to the Senate floor — but just barely.
All 14 of the committee’s Republicans voted in favor of Hegseth, while all 13 Democrats voted against him. The former Fox News host is a controversial pick because of allegations of sexual assault, alcohol abuse and financial mismanagement. It’s something the Army and Iraq War vet has denied, saying he’s a changed man.
At this point, not one Senate Republican indicated they would vote “no” on Hegseth getting the job.
Senate passes amended ‘Laken Riley Act’ to combat illegal immigration
In another high-profile move Monday, the Senate passed legislation known as the “Laken Riley Act.” Twelve Democrats crossed party lines to join Republican senators in voting to send the immigration bill to the House.
The measure would mandate the detention of more undocumented immigrants who are charged with any crime, including small crimes like shoplifting. The act came to be after undocumented immigrant Jose Ibarra from Venezuela was convicted of murdering Laken Riley last year while she was out for a jog on the University of Georgia campus.
Ibarra had previously received a misdemeanor for shoplifting, but no immigration action was taken.
The House passed a similar bill earlier this month. This amended bill is expected to pass the House and become the first piece of legislation approved by Trump in his new term.
Ohio State wins College Football National Championship, beats Notre Dame 34-23
Ohio State overpowered Notre Dame in the national championship game Monday night, winning 34-23 after fending off a late Irish comeback attempt to win the title. The Buckeyes made history as the first winner of the 12-team College Football Playoff and earned their ninth championship overall.
Straight Arrow News sports reporter Chris Francis has the game’s biggest highlights here.
