President Donald Trump has enacted a wide-ranging series of executive orders that reshape significant aspects of the U.S. federal government, prompting extensive debate across political and academic circles. Key measures include the federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., deployed under the authority of the D.C. Home Rule Act, with claims of public safety concerns made despite recent reports indicating historically low crime rates.
Additional orders directed over 2,200 National Guard members to assist with civic services such as trash collection, graffiti removal, and landscaping. These duties are typically managed by municipal agencies. Through Executive Orders 14151 and 14173, the administration discontinued Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) initiatives throughout the federal workforce, significantly altering anti-discrimination policies and workplace safeguards.
A separate directive, EO 14215, mandates that independent federal agencies submit major regulations for White House review, thereby reducing regulatory autonomy. President Trump also established the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an agency tasked with embedding "DOGE teams" in executive departments to streamline costs, centralize oversight, and revise hiring practices.
The Supreme Court’s decision in July 2025 permitted a controversial executive order authorizing mass layoffs within the federal workforce to move forward. Another directive, the Fair Banking Order, prohibits financial institutions from denying services based solely on customers’ political or religious beliefs. Regulators have been ordered to review banking practices over the next 120 days.
Furthermore, President Trump expanded federal law enforcement authority in Washington, D.C., instituting curfews and strengthening federal oversight of public safety operations. This move has sparked concerns about potential executive overreach. In an unprecedented action, Trump ordered the removal of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, citing unsubstantiated allegations, raising questions about the traditional independence of the central bank.
Taken together, these executive actions signal an effort by the Trump administration to consolidate federal authority, reduce institutional independence, and promote a more centralized approach to national governance.
