From withdrawing from groups, gender recognition to birthright citizenship, an analysis of the difficulty of implementing Trump's six eye-catching executive orders

After Donald Trump returned to the White House, he signed a number of executive orders in an attempt to quickly implement his main campaign promises. Among them, the crackdown on immigration and the rollback of some climate-friendly policies have drawn particular attention. However, presidential power also has its limits—in some cases, his plans still face many challenges before they can be implemented. Policy 1: Designating drug cartels as "foreign terrorist organizations"—faces challenges. By Bernd Debusmann Jr, White House reporter. What does it say? The executive order says drug cartels "engage in violence and terror" across the Western Hemisphere and flood the United States with crime, posing a national security risk to the U.S. The order explicitly states that U.S. policy is to "ensure the complete elimination" of these cartels' presence in the U.S. It requires U.S. agencies to submit recommendations within 14 days on which groups should be designated, and to prepare to expedite the removal of related individuals from the U.S. What obstacles does it face? Designating drug cartels as terrorist organizations could open the door to prosecuting U.S. citizens or even legitimate businesses with some connection to these groups. It could also strain relations with countries like Mexico, which has explicitly called for respect for its sovereignty. What are the potential impacts? First, designating these groups as foreign terrorist organizations could ultimately be used as justification for military action against targets in Mexico or other countries where such groups operate. The move could also prompt the U.S. federal government to invest more resources and strengthen legal tools to combat drug cartels and other gangs, and to go after their commercial and financial interests on both sides of the border. Although this would make "material support" for these groups a crime, its specific meaning remains unclear. In theory, this could mean that drug traffickers and users (including U.S. citizens) could be charged with aiding terrorists, as could U.S. citizens or businesses at the border who are forced to pay fees to these groups. Policy 2: Withdrawing from the Paris climate agreement—can be implemented. By Nadine Yousif, Toronto reporter. What does it say? The executive order requires the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations to "immediately" submit a formal written request to withdraw from the Paris Agreement. The order states that the agreement fails to reflect U.S. values or its economic and environmental goals. What obstacles does it face? Any country can withdraw from this global climate agreement, but UN rules say the withdrawal process can be lengthy. Trump first announced his intention to withdraw in 2017, but it was not formally completed until 2020. This time, it is expected to go through a waiting period of at least one year again. President Joe Biden quickly rejoined the agreement after taking office in 2021. What are the potential impacts? The U.S. accounts for about 11% of global greenhouse gas emissions, making it the second-largest polluter after China. Withdrawal would weaken global emission reduction efforts. Past withdrawal has already triggered a crisis of trust in U.S. leadership on climate change and raised questions about the effectiveness of the agreement itself. The move also aligns with Trump's goal of boosting domestic oil and gas production, even though the U.S. is already the world's largest oil and gas producer. This is one of a series of actions by Trump to roll back Biden administration environmental protection policies. Policy 3: Ending birthright citizenship—difficult to implement. By Jake Horton, BBC fact-checker. What does it say? The executive order aims to end citizenship for two categories of children born in the U.S.: those born to undocumented immigrant parents and those born to people residing on temporary visas. Reports say the government will enforce this policy by withholding documents such as passports, targeting those deemed not eligible for citizenship. What obstacles does it face? The principle of birthright citizenship is established in the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which states that "all persons born or naturalized in the United States" are citizens. Legal challenges have already begun, with one lawsuit accusing the order of being "unconstitutional and trampling on core American values." Constitutional expert Saikrishna Prakash says the final decision rests with the courts, not the president. What are the potential impacts? If this executive order takes effect, those whose citizenship is revoked could face mass deportation. The related lawsuits may ultimately have to be decided by the Supreme Court, a process that could take years. Policy 4: Withdrawing from the World Health Organization—can be implemented. By Dominic Hughes, health affairs correspondent. What does it say? The executive order claims the U.S. withdrawal stems from "the organization's mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic." Trump's long-standing animosity toward the WHO stems from his belief that the agency is dominated by China and has softened its stance toward China—he has always believed China should be held responsible for the spread of the virus. The order also mentions that the U.S. pays "unfair and overly burdensome" fees to the WHO. What obstacles does it face? This is the second time Trump has ordered the U.S. to leave the WHO. He withdrew after first taking office, and Biden reversed that decision upon taking office. The U.S. withdrawal process would not take effect until at least 2026 and requires congressional approval. Although Republicans hold a majority in both chambers of Congress, it is a slim majority, and only a few Republican defections could block the resolution. What are the potential impacts? Global public health experts have described the move as "catastrophic," "devastating," and "harmful." Among the 196 member states, the U.S. is by far the largest single donor, contributing nearly one-fifth of the WHO's total budget. If funding is suddenly cut, it would severely impact the WHO's ability to respond to health emergencies. The scientific community worries that after withdrawal, the U.S. would be excluded from key programs such as "pandemic preparedness" and "sequencing of seasonal flu virus strains," the latter used to develop annual flu vaccines. This could ultimately harm the health of U.S. citizens and national interests. Some argue that U.S. withdrawal might force the WHO to reform its operating model to better meet global public health needs. Policy 5: Renaming the Gulf of Mexico to "Gulf of America"—can be implemented. By Jake Horton, BBC fact-checker. What does it say? The executive order requires the Gulf of Mexico to be "officially renamed the Gulf of America." Trump can change the name in official U.S. government documents; for example, Florida's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has already used the term "Gulf of America" in a weather forecast document, describing "a low-pressure system moving across the Gulf of America." What obstacles does it face? Trump has no authority to force other countries or companies to change the name. For example, Google Maps still shows "Gulf of Mexico." What are the potential impacts? There is no formal international agreement on naming bodies of water; only the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) coordinates disputes. If Mexico files a formal objection, its allies could be drawn into U.S.-Mexico diplomatic friction. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum responded that the U.S. can call it "Gulf of America" if it wants, but Mexico and the international community will maintain the original name. This could increase U.S.-Mexico tensions, especially as the two sides are already at odds over tariffs and immigration policy. Policy 6: The U.S. only recognizes male and female—faces challenges. By Ben Chu and Lucy Gilder, BBC fact-checkers. What does it say? The executive order states: "It is the policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female. These sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality." It adds that the federal government will use the term "sex" rather than "gender." Trump's team argues that requiring the use of pronouns consistent with a transgender person's gender identity in government facilities and workplaces violates the First Amendment's protections of free speech and religious freedom. States like Kansas and Montana have already passed laws writing biological definitions of sex into law. What obstacles does it face? This policy is likely to face legal challenges. The Human Rights Campaign, which represents LGBTQ+ people, said: "We will fight back with everything we have against these harmful provisions." These challenges could go all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which, due to its conservative majority, might ultimately rule in Trump's favor. What are the potential impacts? Under this plan, prisons and places like refugee shelters and rape victim shelters would be segregated by sex, which supporters say helps protect women. But transgender rights groups say transgender women could face a higher risk of violence. Official identification documents, including passports and visas, would have to indicate whether an individual is "male" or "female." U.S. citizens would no longer be able to choose "X" as a third gender option. Source: BBC