Trump signs more orders in one year than his entire first term, a record since World War II

Trump has issued a record number of executive orders since returning to office, using presidential power at a pace not seen since World War II.

According to the latest update in the Federal Register on Tuesday, he has signed 220 executive orders since re-entering the White House on January 20. These orders are legally binding and do not require Congressional approval.

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On Monday, using his signature black pen, Trump signed another executive order, this time classifying fentanyl as a “weapon of mass destruction”. It marked his 221st order, surpassing the total number he signed during his entire first term.

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This marks one of the most extensive uses of presidential authority in modern U.S. history.

By comparison, Trump’s three predecessors, Joe Biden, Barack Obama, and George W. Bush, each signed an average of 30 to 40 executive orders per year.

Only Franklin D. Roosevelt exceeded Trump’s pace, issuing nearly 4,000 orders during his four terms from 1933 to 1945, though his presidency unfolded during the Great Depression and World War II.

Issued at a pace not seen since World War II, the orders span a wide range of topics, from customs barriers and artificial intelligence to opposing “woke” culture and even setting the architectural style of federal buildings, according to an AFP analysis.

AFP’s analysis of official data shows that nearly 60% of the orders focus on domestic policy, while fewer than 10% address foreign affairs. The rest fall into mixed categories.

Social issues lead the agenda, including culture, civil rights, education, and health, making up roughly 30% of all orders. These outnumber those related to trade and the economy (about 20 per cent) and government reform (around 18 per cent).

He churned out more than 30 a month in the first four months of his term, from January 20 to the end of April. Since early October the rate of Trump's orders has tailed off, with only a dozen new texts signed in two and a half months.