January 20, 2025 Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders And Actions - Executive Order
- Fact Seeker
- Feb 19
- 4 min read
Updated: Feb 20
Summary including editorial comments on possible reasons for rescissions of past executive orders (AI tools used).
Section 1: Purpose and Policy
The order addresses perceived issues from the previous administration, criticizing policies related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), border security, and climate change.
It claims these policies led to divisiveness, endangered citizens, and harmed the economy, contributing to inflation and overregulation.
The order sets a goal to restore "common sense" to government practices, aiming to promote unity, fairness, safety, and prosperity.
The revocations within this order are the beginning of broader efforts to restore and repair federal institutions and the economy.
Section 2: Revocation of Orders and Actions
The order revokes specific executive actions from the previous administration that are considered harmful.
EO 13985 (Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government) – January 20, 2021
Reason for Rescission:
Institutionalizes racial equity across all federal agencies, which some argue promotes preferential treatment based on race rather than equal opportunity.
Increases bureaucratic requirements for agencies to assess and adjust policies based on racial considerations, potentially creating inefficiencies.
Could lead to government programs prioritizing identity-based metrics over socioeconomic or merit-based factors.
Raises legal concerns about potential conflicts with the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.
EO 13986 (Ensuring a Lawful and Accurate Enumeration and Apportionment Pursuant to the Decennial Census) – January 20, 2021
Reason for Rescission:
Reversed Trump-era policies that sought to exclude non-citizens from the census count for congressional apportionment, which some argue undermines the representation of legal citizens.
Could lead to shifts in congressional seat allocation and federal funding distribution that prioritize areas with large undocumented populations.
Raises concerns about potential manipulation of census data for political advantage.
EO 13987 (Organizing and Mobilizing the U.S. Government for a Unified COVID-19 Response and Global Health Leadership) – January 20, 2021
Reason for Rescission:
Created extensive federal coordination efforts for COVID-19, which may now be redundant or unnecessary as the pandemic wanes.
Expanded government oversight of pandemic response, potentially limiting state-level flexibility.
Encouraged global health engagement, which could divert resources from domestic public health priorities.
Some aspects of the order, such as vaccine mandates and mask policies, have become politically controversial and may no longer align with public health needs.
EO 13985 (Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government) – January 20, 2021
Reason for Rescission:
Institutionalizes racial equity across all federal agencies, which some argue promotes preferential treatment based on race rather than equal opportunity.
Increases bureaucratic requirements for agencies to assess and adjust policies based on racial considerations, potentially creating inefficiencies.
Could lead to government programs prioritizing identity-based metrics over socioeconomic or merit-based factors.
Raises legal concerns about potential conflicts with the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.
EO 13986 (Ensuring a Lawful and Accurate Enumeration and Apportionment Pursuant to the Decennial Census) – January 20, 2021
Reason for Rescission:
Reversed Trump-era policies that sought to exclude non-citizens from the census count for congressional apportionment, which some argue undermines the representation of legal citizens.
Could lead to shifts in congressional seat allocation and federal funding distribution that prioritize areas with large undocumented populations.
Raises concerns about potential manipulation of census data for political advantage.
EO 13987 (Organizing and Mobilizing the U.S. Government for a Unified COVID-19 Response and Global Health Leadership) – January 20, 2021
Reason for Rescission:
Created extensive federal coordination efforts for COVID-19, which may now be redundant or unnecessary as the pandemic wanes.
Expanded government oversight of pandemic response, potentially limiting state-level flexibility.
Encouraged global health engagement, which could divert resources from domestic public health priorities.
Some aspects of the order, such as vaccine mandates and mask policies, have become politically controversial and may no longer align with public health needs.
Presidential Memorandum of January 6, 2025 (Withdrawal of Certain Areas of the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf from Oil or Natural Gas Leasing)
Reason for Rescission:
Restricts domestic energy production, potentially increasing reliance on foreign oil and raising energy costs.
Limits economic opportunities in offshore drilling industries, affecting jobs and local economies.
Reduces federal revenue from lease sales, which fund infrastructure and conservation programs.
Contradicts efforts to bolster American energy independence and security.
Presidential Memorandum of January 14, 2025 (Certification of Rescission of Cuba’s Designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism)
Reason for Rescission:
Potentially weakens leverage over the Cuban government in negotiations on human rights and democratic reforms.
May enable financial benefits and international trade opportunities for the Cuban regime without securing meaningful concessions.
Raises concerns about Cuba’s continued ties to hostile actors, including adversarial governments and terrorist organizations.
Could undermine U.S. national security interests in the region.
Presidential Memorandum of January 14, 2025 (Revocation of National Security Presidential Memorandum 5)
Reason for Rescission:
Lacks transparency on the rationale for revocation, creating uncertainty around national security policy shifts.
Could weaken prior counterterrorism or defense strategies, depending on the content of NSPM-5.
May signal a shift in foreign policy that benefits adversaries without securing clear advantages for the U.S.
Executive Order 14143 of January 16, 2025 (Providing for the Appointment of Alumni of AmeriCorps to the Competitive Service)
Reason for Rescission:
Grants preferential hiring status to AmeriCorps alumni, potentially disadvantaging other qualified applicants in federal hiring.
Raises concerns about government overreach in promoting specific programs over broader merit-based hiring principles.
Could politicize federal hiring by favoring participants in a particular public service initiative.
Limits flexibility in recruitment by placing additional obligations on federal hiring managers.
Section 3: Implementation
Ending DEI Policies: Federal agencies must immediately halt the implementation of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives deemed unlawful or extreme.
Policy Review & Replacement: The Domestic Policy Council (DPC) and National Economic Council (NEC) will assess past executive actions and recommend which should be revoked or replaced to enhance economic prosperity. A report with recommendations is due in 45 days.
National Security Review: The National Security Advisor (NSA) will review all National Security Memoranda (NSMs) from the previous administration for potential harm to national security and American values. Recommendations for rescission are due in 45 days.
Section 4: General Provisions
Clarifies that the order does not override existing legal authorities or budgetary processes.
States that implementation must comply with applicable laws and available funding.
Declares that the order does not create enforceable legal rights for individuals or entities.
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