Slate News What Next | Can Trump Actually Do All That?
Jan 22, 2025
Deborah Pearlstein, a constitutional law expert and Director of the Program in Law and Public Policy at Princeton University, dives into Trump’s bold executive actions on his inauguration day. She critiques whether these moves were substantive governance changes or mere spectacles for his supporters. The discussion highlights the implications of Trump's executive orders on birthright citizenship and environmental policies, while also examining the evolving role of advocacy and the judiciary in shaping these controversial policies.
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Executive Order Limits
- Executive orders can only change things within the executive branch.
- They cannot directly order individuals, companies, or outside organizations.
Birthright Citizenship Challenge
- Trump's executive order on birthright citizenship directs federal agencies to deny passports to children of undocumented immigrants.
- This is likely a strategy to provoke legal challenges and instill fear.
TikTok Ban Delay
- Trump's executive order on the TikTok ban delays enforcement of a pre-existing Congressional ban.
- This order essentially instructs the attorney general not to penalize companies hosting the app.