With a stroke of his favorite black pen, Donald Trump has signed what should become his 221st executive order– a figure that exceeds the number in his entire first term, as he forges ahead with one of the biggest displays of US presidential power in modern history.
Issued in a number unprecedented since World War II, the orders cover everything from new customs barriers to promoting artificial intelligence, fighting “woke” culture and the architectural style of federal buildings, according to an AFP analysis.
Since Trump returned to the White House on January 20, 220 orders — which are legally binding and do not need Congressional approval — have been published in the Federal Register according to its update on Tuesday.
A 221st text signed Monday by him designating fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction is expected to follow.
Trump’s three predecessors, Joe Biden, Barack Obama and George W. Bush, signed an average of 30 to 40 a year.
Only Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt — who over four terms signed nearly 4,000 executive orders between 1933 and 1945 — produced at Trump’s rate, although that occurred in the context of the Great Depression and World War II.
Since early October the rate of Trump’s orders has tailed off, with only a dozen new texts signed in two and a half months.
He churned out more than 30 a month in the first four months of his term from January 20 to end April.
The AFP analysis of official presidential data shows that the majority — nearly 60 percent — deal with domestic issues, while fewer than 10 percent concern pure foreign policy. The rest cover miscellaneous matters.
Social issues dominate, ranging from culture, civil rights, education and health. These account for roughly 30 percent of all orders, surpassing trade, economy and investment (around 20 percent) and government reform (around 18 percent).
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