President Donald J. Trump has spent little more than a month in his second term. In that time, the administration has made sweeping policy changes, reshaped international relations and sparked domestic unrest. From tariffs and high-profile appointments to diplomatic maneuvers and cultural clashes, the early weeks of his presidency have been eventful and polarizing. In chronological order, here are some of the most defining moments of President Trump’s second term thus far:

On January 20, 2025 President Trump took the oath of office as the 47th president of the U.S. with JD Vance taking the oath of office as the 50th vice president. The Senate confirmed Marco Rubio as the 72nd U.S. Secretary of State in a vote of 99-0, making him the first official member of Trump’s cabinet. The President also pardoned and commuted the sentences of individuals at or near the capitol on January 6, 2021. Susie Wiles assumed the office of White House Chief of Staff, becoming the first woman to do so. Trump also held his inaugural parade at Capital One Arena in Washington DC, signing executive orders in front of the crowd after his speech. Listed below are some of the most impactful executive orders he signed on his first day:

• EO 14147: Ending the Weaponization of the Federal Government
• EO 14148: Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions
• EO 14150: America First Policy Directive to the Secretary of State
• EO 14151: Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing
• EO 14152: Holding Former Government Officials Accountable for Election Interference and Improper Disclosure of Sensitive Governmental Information
• EO 14155: Withdrawing the United States From the World Health Organization
• EO 14158: Establishing and Implementing the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency”
• EO 14160: Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship
• EO 14163: Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program
• EO 14164: Restoring the Death Penalty and Protecting Public Safety
• EO 14168: Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government
• EO 14172: Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness

The above is not a comprehensive list of executive orders signed by President Trump on his first day. More information on all of the executive orders signed by Trump thus far can be found here.

On January 23, Trump issued an executive order to declassify documents pertaining to the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. He also revoked the security detail of Anthony Fauci, the former Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. A day later, he expressed his support for Canada becoming the 51st state, prompting pushback from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

On January 31, the White House announced that the United States would implement 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, along with 10% tariffs on imports from China. These were to begin on February 1st with no exemptions.

On February 1, 2025, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced retaliatory tariffs of 25% on U.S. goods, responding to Trump’s decision to enact a 25% tariff on Mexican exports to the United States. This significantly heightened the economic tensions between the neighboring nations.

The following day, China’s Ministry of Commerce declared plans to file a legal case against the U.S. at the World Trade Organization over Trump’s 10% tariffs on Chinese exports. That same day, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during a visit to Panama, demanded the country take “immediate changes” to what he described as “Chinese influence and control” over the Panama Canal.

On February 3, Mexico agreed to deploy 10,000 troops to its border with the U.S. in exchange for a one-month delay on the tariffs set to take effect on February 4. Canada also secured a 30-day postponement of similar tariffs.

Despite these pauses on February 4, the 10% tariffs on Chinese goods went into effect at 12:01 a.m. EST. In retaliation, China imposed a 15% tariff on U.S. coal and liquefied natural gas, along with a 10% tariff on crude oil and large-engine cars, that went into effect on February 10.

“Donald Trump’s presidency was certainly unexpected in my opinion. I didn’t think many people would still vote for him after the impeachment, or any of his other scandals. Me personally, I dislike his taxation of the poor, while lowering the taxes for the rich,” senior Hong Yu Deng said. “It doesn’t make sense why he would do this other than to simply reap the benefits himself along with his other rich peers. I’m not sure if he really is America’s best pick for a president, but now that he’s elected there’s only one way to find out.”

On February 5, President Trump signed an executive order barring transgender women and girls from participating in women’s sports at federally funded institutions, igniting protests across the nation.

On February 9, while flying over the Gulf of Mexico to become the first president to attend a Super Bowl, Trump signed a proclamation renaming the body of water the “Gulf of America”. The new name has yet to receive widespread international recognition, but has notably been adopted by some map services such as Google Maps.

The Trump administration has faced legal and political pushback on multiple fronts. On February 10, the Department of Justice ordered the dismissal of criminal charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams without assessing the strength of the evidence. When U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon refused to comply, she offered her resignation on February 12, sparking further turmoil within the department.

Following President Trump’s aforementioned declaration of the “Gulf of America”, the Associated Press, an international news outlet, continued to use the term “Gulf of Mexico” for clarity. Due to this, on February 14, the Trump administration indefinitely banned the Associated Press from the Oval Office and Air Force One.

On February 24, Trump welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron to the White House, reinforcing the U.S.-France alliance despite the tensions arising from planned tariffs on European Union goods.

On February 26, in a controversial move, President Trump posted an AI generated video on Truth Social showing Gaza under US occupation. In the video, American citizens were shown inhabiting “Trump Gaza,” depicted as a peaceful, prominent vacation destination. This was not the first time Trump suggested that Gaza should be relinquished to the US, which he first proposed on January 6. The same day, the Trump administration announced a deadline of March 21 for New York to end traffic congestion pricing in Manhattan. The Federal Highway Administration stated that the $9 toll, applicable to most vehicles entering Manhattan through neighborhoods south of Central Park, must be terminated. NY Governor Kathy Hochul vowed that she would fight the federal pushback, citing that congestion pricing remains vital in New York City.

Two days later, President Trump held a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Although a joint press conference and the signing of a mineral agreement were initially planned, these did not take place as the meeting ended early. During the discussion, a heated exchange occurred between Trump, Vice President Vance, and Zelenskyy, who ultimately left the White House without signing any agreement. President Trump partially attributed the exchange to the fact that the Ukrainian president opted not to wear a suit in his meeting with Trump and Vance.

As Trump’s second term continues, the nation remains deeply divided. Supporters praise his bold approach to economic and cultural issues, while critics warn of increasing authoritarianism and international isolation. The coming months hold the potential to shape the legacy of his presidency, with significant moments ahead on both domestic and global stages.

“I think he’s done mostly good thus far especially with immigration policy because we should always encourage legal immigration and we should also ensure we aren’t letting potential dangerous elements within the country,” junior Rocco Lipari said. “I also think that the tariffs will be beneficial in the long term as long as he doesn’t put them on agricultural goods. I also like how he has cut back tremendously on wasteful spending and I hope he keeps it up with agencies like DOGE. Despite this however I think his foreign policy has disappointed me as he had said he wants to pull us out of a lot of regions however at the same time he is talking about occupying Gaza. Overall though I think his presidency has started off pretty well.”