Trump targets culture war lightning rods in early slate of executive orders
President Trump, who recently won the 2024 presidential election, is wasting no time in rolling out his agenda. His early slate of executive orders includes targeting federal diversity and pro-transgender initiatives, according to officials briefed on the matter on Monday.
One of the key orders will focus on defending women from gender ideology extremism and restoring biological truth to the federal government. This order aims to clarify that the U.S. government recognizes only two sexes, male and female, based on reproductive function rather than chromosomes. It also mandates that references to “gender” for federal employees be switched to “sex.”
Additionally, the order will rescind the Biden administration’s decision to offer an “X” gender option on passports, with officials stating that government documents like passports and visas must accurately reflect an individual’s sex. This move is seen as a reversal of the previous administration’s policies on gender identity.
Furthermore, the order will ensure that taxpayer funds do not support gender-transition surgeries and will eliminate guidance on preferred pronoun use in schools issued by the Biden administration.
In a separate executive order, President Trump plans to roll back diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within the federal government. This order aims to end taxpayer funding for programs like the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s environmental justice program, Treasury Department diversity training, and diversity recruiting efforts by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Office of Management and Budget and Office of Personnel Management will work with various agencies to terminate similar programs.
President Trump has promised to sign over 200 executive orders within his first 24 hours in office, with a focus on culture war issues and border security. His administration has already briefed members of Congress and the media on the upcoming orders, which also include ending birthright citizenship and renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.
As President Trump moves forward with his agenda, it is clear that his administration is prioritizing conservative values and a more traditional approach to gender and diversity issues. The swift action on these executive orders underscores the president’s commitment to fulfilling his campaign promises and reshaping federal policies to align with his vision for the country’s future.
