Donald Trump’s Day One Promises Face Legal and Logistical Challenges

Donald Trump has promised big changes on his first day if he returns to office in January 2025. He’s vowed to deport large numbers of people, undo many of President Biden’s policies on education, fire thousands of federal workers, pardon people involved in the January 6 Capitol riots, close the U.S. border, and increase oil drilling.

But experts say many of these plans will be hard to carry out immediately due to legal and practical issues.

According to The Associated Press, Donald Trump’s team plans to issue numerous executive orders in his first week, which he used in his previous term to bypass Congress. These orders could cover areas like removing protections for transgender students and cutting funds to schools teaching “critical race theory” and other topics he opposes.

Trump also plans to fire Jack Smith, the special counsel who is handling federal cases against him. Smith is rushing to finish these cases before the inauguration, as current rules prevent a sitting president from being prosecuted.

Some experts warn that while Donald Trump can sign many orders, the courts may block certain actions. Stephen Vladeck, a law professor at Georgetown, explained that Trump’s proposals will likely face court challenges.

“The real question is how much of what Trump wants to do can actually be done legally,” Vladeck told NPR, noting how Trump’s 2017 travel ban faced similar legal battles.

Trump also wants to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine by arranging peace talks on “Day 1.” However, while some goals, like energy policy changes, may be easier to start, others—such as deporting large numbers of people and closing the border—could take longer to achieve, The Los Angeles Times reported.

Although Trump’s promises have sparked discussions, legal limits may determine which actions he can take immediately upon returning to office.