Trump’s Executive Order Frenzy: 137 Signed in 100 Days, Reshaping Education, Energy, and Borders

Donald Trump has set a new record, and it’s not just for his signature red ties. In his first 100 days back in the Oval Office, Trump fired off a staggering 137 executive orders—blasting past every president since FDR, who started his term back in 1933.

The blitz began on January 20, Trump’s inauguration day, with a whopping 26 orders signed before his first cup of coffee had cooled. By day 10, he was up to 45. Many of these orders were aimed squarely at reversing Biden-era policies, slashing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, rolling back regulations on the energy industry, and fast-tracking artificial intelligence development.

On day one, Trump’s “Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions” scrapped dozens of Biden’s policies, including orders advancing racial equity, supporting refugees, and increasing protections for LGBTQ+ Americans. Trump’s order argued that these initiatives had "injected a divisive and dangerous preferential hierarchy" into government institutions, and blamed them for rising inflation and increased regulation. Whether or not you buy that reasoning, one thing’s for sure: paperwork in Washington hasn’t moved this fast in ages.

Trump’s second round in the White House has put education in the spotlight. In March, he signed an order to dismantle the Department of Education and hand oversight back to state leaders, citing the U.S.'s chronic underperformance compared to countries like Finland and Japan. As Trump put it, “We’re not doing well with the world of education in this country, and we haven’t for a long time.”

He’s also pulled federal funding from K-12 schools teaching critical race theory or DEI curriculum, arguing that such lessons force children into roles of victim or oppressor, erode critical thinking, and undermine family unity. Another order bars schools and colleges from allowing men on women’s sports teams if they receive federal funds — a move sure to keep Title IX lawyers busy.

This administration also launched the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—yes, that’s the actual acronym—renaming the old United States Digital Service. Under the public leadership of Elon Musk, DOGE claims to have saved $160 billion through canceled contracts, workforce cuts, and asset sales. Musk, Trump said, is “an incredible… brilliant guy.” Not quite a Nobel Prize ceremony, but hey, there’s always next quarter’s budget review.

Energy policy has also been a top priority, with Trump vowing to “unleash U.S. energy” and lower prices. An executive order this month aims to cut red tape for coal mining, reclassify coal as a "mineral," and encourage its use for powering AI initiatives. Trump even declared coal more valuable than Fort Knox’s gold—“You could drop a bomb on it, and it’s going to be there for you to use the next day.” That’s one way to pitch energy resilience.

On the immigration front, Trump moved quickly to resume construction of the border wall, reinstate the “Remain in Mexico” policy, deploy troops to the border, and designate certain cartels as terrorist organizations. He’d warned that every “radical and foolish” Biden order would be repealed within hours of his return to office—and by the looks of this paperwork tsunami, he wasn’t kidding.

To cap off his first 100 days, Trump is planning a rally in Michigan’s Macomb County—a battleground state where he’s wrapped up each of his three presidential campaigns. With this pace, you have to wonder if his pen budget needs an executive order, too.