On Day One, Biden to undo Trump policies on climate, virus

In his first hours as president, Joe Biden will aim to strike at heart of President Donald Trump’s policy legacy, signing a series of executive actions that reverse his predecessor’s orders on immigration, climate change and handling of pandemic.

Biden on Wednesday will end construction on Trump’s border wall, end ban on travel from some Muslim-majority countries, rejoin Paris Climate Accord and World Health Organization, and revoke approval of Keystone XL oil pipeline, aides said Tuesday. new president will sign orders almost immediately after taking oath of office at Capitol, pivoting quickly from his pared-down inauguration ceremony to enacting his nda.

15 executive actions are an attempt to essentially rewind last four years of federal policies with striking speed. Only two recent presidents signed executive actions on ir first day in office — and each signed just one. But Biden, facing debilitating coronavirus pandemic, is intent on demonstrating a sense of urgency and competence that he argues has been missing under his predecessor.

“I think most important thing to say is that tomorrow starts a new day,” said Jeff Zients, Biden's choice to lead a new White House office that will coordinate federal government's revamped response to pandemic.

orders reach well beyond pandemic. Biden intends to order a review of all Trump regulations and executive actions that are deemed damaging to environment or public health. He will order federal ncies to prioritize racial equity and review policies that reenforce systemic racism. He will revoke a Trump order that sought to exclude ncitizens from census, and will order federal employees to take an ethics pledge that commits m to upholding independence of Justice Department.

Susan Rice, Biden's incoming domestic policy adviser, said new president would also revoke just-issued report of Trump’s “1776 Commission” to promote "patriotic education."

se actions will be followed by dozens more in next 10 days, aides said, as Biden looks to redirect country without having to go through a Senate that Democrats control by narrowest margin.

tably, opening actions did t include immediate steps to rejoin Iran nuclear accord, which Trump abandoned and Biden has pledged to reimplement. Jen Psaki, incoming White House press secretary, said that while y were t included in Biden’s Day One orders, new president will in coming days revoke Pentagon’s ban on military service by trans Americans as well as so-called Mexico City policy, which bans U.S. funding for international organizations that perform or refer women for abortion services.

Psaki said actions to be taken Wednesday were focused on providing “immediate relief” to Americans.

In ar effort to signal a return to pre-Trump times, Psaki said she would hold a news briefing late Wednesday in a symbol of administration’s commitment to transparency. Trump's White House had all but abandoned practice of briefing reporters daily.

Biden will sign actions during his first visit to Oval Office in four years. Since n, presidential order actions were often marked by clumsy anuncements and confusion. In ir first days in office, Trump’s team was forced to rewrite executive orders by court order and aides took days to figure out how to use White House intercom to alert press about events. repeatedly canceled plans to hype new building programs — dubbed “Infrastructure week” — became a national punchline. Biden aides, by contrast, are aiming to demonstrate y are up for job right out of gate.

Biden senior aides, led by deputy chief of staff Bruce Reed and campaign policy chief Stef Feldman, began plotting out executive action plans in vember, just days after Biden won presidency and drafting began in December. final documents were reviewed by career staff at Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel in recent weeks before Biden’s swearing-in to ensure y would pass legal muster.

Biden’s team was set begin assuming reins of power even before Marine Band finished its rendition of “Hail to Chief” after new president takes oath of office.

Aides were due to begin entering White House complex at stroke of on — when Biden officially assumes office — to begin overseeing national security roles. urgency was hasten by concerns about security around Inauguration after U.S. Capitol insurrection.

COVID-19 restrictions, along with tight security surrounding Inauguration were severely curtailing number of aides in Biden’s West Wing. Aides, one official said, were told to pack snacks to eat in ir offices because of pandemic protocols.

(Im Credit: AP)