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By Sarah Naffa

January 21, 2025

In the news today: Donald Trump begins his presidency with a flurry of executive orders and pardons; U.S. tariffs on Canada and Mexico are expected to start Feb. 1; and Colombia’s president will declare a state of emergency over deadly guerilla group attacks. Also, Prince Harry’s feud with British tabloids resumes with another high-stakes trial.

President Donald Trump holds up an executive order at an indoor Presidential Inauguration parade event on Monday. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

POLITICS

From TikTok to Jan. 6, this is what President Trump did on his first day

President Donald Trump has begun his promised flurry of executive action on Day 1 with his opening rounds of memoranda and executive orders. Here’s a look into some of Trump’s initial actions and upcoming plans. Read more.

Key points:

As promised repeatedly during the 2024 campaign, the president issued pardons late Monday for about 1,500 people convicted or criminally charged in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Trump is pulling the U.S. out of the World Health Organization and has ordered a comprehensive review of U.S. foreign aid spending. In more symbolic moves, Trump planned to sign an order renaming the Gulf of Mexico, making it the Gulf of America. The highest mountain in North America, now known as Denali, will revert back to Mount McKinley.
Trump reversed several immigration orders from Biden’s presidency. The president declared a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, and he plans to send U.S. troops to help support immigration agents and restrict refugees and asylum. He temporarily suspended the U.S. Refugee Admission Program, pending a review to assess the program’s “public safety and national security” implications. Trump is also trying to end birthright citizenship.

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POLITICS

Trump grants sweeping pardon of Jan. 6 defendants, including rioters who violently attacked police

President Donald Trump on Monday pardoned, commuted the prison sentences or vowed to dismiss the cases of all of the 1,500-plus people charged with crimes in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot. Read more.

Why this matters:

Trump also ordered the attorney general to seek the dismissal of roughly 450 cases that are pending before judges stemming from the largest investigation in Justice Department history.
It’s unclear how quickly the defendants may be released from prison. An attorney for Enrique Tarrio, the former Proud Boys national chairman who was sentenced to 22 years in prison for seditious conspiracy, said he expected his client to be released from prison Monday night.

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POLITICS

Trump says 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico coming on Feb. 1 as he signs several orders on economy

President Donald Trump said Monday that he expects to put 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico starting on Feb. 1, while declining to flesh out his plans for taxing Chinese imports. Read more.

Why this matters:

Orders on Monday included opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to oil drilling. He declared a national energy emergency hoping to jumpstart more electricity production in the competition with China to build out technologies such as artificial intelligence that rely on data centers using massive amounts of energy.
Trump also signed a directive telling federal agencies to conduct a 30-day review of how they can help lower the costs of housing, health care, food, energy and home appliances.
Trump also signed a measure telling federal agencies to study trade policies and have the Treasury and Commerce departments advise on how to create an “External Revenue Service” for collecting customs and duties tied to trade. The measure set a series of April deadlines.

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Trump suspends US foreign assistance for 90 days pending reviews