Trump, pictured alongside Joe Biden at the White House as his inauguration is set to begin, will take office in a mere few hours [Getty/file photo]
President-elect Donald Trump will sign a number of executive orders concerning energy, immigration and other fields once he takes office later on Monday, an official with the incoming White House said on Monday, hours ahead of his inauguration.
Trump will issue an order intended to end birthright citizenship for US-born children whose parents lack legal immigration status, the official said.
Citing the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the official said in briefing: “The federal government will not recognise automatic birthright citizenship for children of illegal aliens born in the United States. We are also going to enhance vetting and screening of illegal aliens.”Â
Concerning energy, Trump has now officially declared a national emergency aimed at “unleashing affordable and reliable American energy”.
The Republican, who vowed during his campaign to “drill, baby, drill,” will also sign an executive order focused on Alaska, the official said, adding that the state was critical to US national security and could allow exports of LNG to other parts of the United States and allies.
No details were provided for either measure, but the official said Trump’s orders would cut “the red tape and the burden and regulations” to boost US energy production and lower costs for American consumers.
The official said there was no specific target for the oil price, adding that the Trump administration aimed to ensure an abundance of American energy that would allow prices to drop.
The energy order would also seek to reverse efforts by the outgoing Biden administration to encourage development of electric vehicles and set requirements for energy efficiency of common household appliances, the official said, without providing any details.
The incoming president will also issue a broad trade memo that stops short of imposing new tariffs on his first day in office, but rather directs federal agencies to evaluate US trade relationships with China, Canada and Mexico, an incoming Trump administration official said.
The Republican has pledged tariffs of 10 percent on global imports, 60 percent on Chinese goods and a 25 percent import surcharge on Canadian and Mexican products, duties that may upend trade flows, raise costs and draw retaliation.
One of the first executive orders Trump plans to also sign as president will be aimed at establishing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Semafor reported on Monday citing a fact sheet.
The department’s work will include updating federal software systems to “private-sector standards,” with the work being slated to begin with a focus on modernizing information technology across the government, Semafor said.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy have been charged with leading the department.
Trump has said Musk and Ramaswamy will offer proposals to reduce government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut waste and restructure federal agencies, although the panel will hold no actual authority under federal law.
The department will “oversee a substantial reduction in the size and scope of government” and operate “within” the U.S. government, Semafor reported citing the fact sheet.” DOGE will work with the Office of Management and Budget and all agencies to shrink the federal workforce, federal spending, and federal regulatory burdens,” Semafor added.
Trump’s inauguration is expected to take place at 12pm Eastern Time.
