Tracking every rollback, reversal, and overreach — and the path back to the America we know.
On September 2, 2020, the Trump administration signed Memorandum 2020-19963 establishing an order of succession within the General Services Administration. The memorandum designates specific officials to assume the GSA administrator role in case of vacancy or incapacity. This affects the chain of command for the federal agency responsible for managing federal real estate, procurement, and related services.
On September 2, 2020, the Trump administration signed a memorandum delegating authority to submit notifications and explanations to Congress regarding the U.S.-International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards agreement. The memorandum authorized the delegation of specific congressional notification requirements related to the ratification of the IAEA safeguards accord for the United States. This action streamlined the administrative process for transmitting required nuclear safeguards documentation to Congress.
On August 24, 2020, President Trump signed Executive Order 13946, directing federal agencies to prioritize locating new federal facilities and developments in Opportunity Zones and other economically distressed communities designated under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The order requires federal agencies to consider Opportunity Zone locations when making decisions about new federal infrastructure projects, real estate acquisitions, and facility consolidations. The confirmed direct impact is that federal agencies altered their site selection processes to weight Opportunity Zone eligibility as a factor in capital planning decisions.
On August 13, 2020, the Trump administration issued Notice 2020-18016 continuing the national emergency declaration with respect to export control regulations. The notice extends the existing emergency authority that allows the administration to regulate exports of certain goods and technologies without standard congressional approval processes. The continuation maintains expanded executive power over export licensing and control determinations for items deemed related to national security.
On August 6, 2020, President Trump signed Proclamation 2020-17977 adjusting imports of aluminum into the United States. The proclamation modified tariff rates and established import quotas on aluminum products, continuing restrictions initially imposed under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. The action directly affected U.S. importers, domestic aluminum producers, and manufacturers using aluminum as an input, altering the cost and availability of aluminum-based goods in the American market.
Executive Order 13944 was signed on August 6, 2020, directing federal agencies to prioritize domestic production of essential medicines, medical countermeasures, and critical inputs needed for public health emergencies. The order established requirements for federal procurement preferences and directed the Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Defense to assess supply chain vulnerabilities and develop strategies to increase domestic manufacturing capacity. Confirmed effects included increased federal contracting focus on domestic suppliers and initiation of supply chain assessments, though full implementation of domestic production expansion occurred over subsequent months.
On July 29, 2020, the Trump administration issued a notice continuing the national emergency with respect to Lebanon, originally declared in 1976. The continuation extends the emergency declaration, which authorizes the President to exercise powers under the National Emergencies Act. The declaration affects U.S. government authority regarding financial transactions, asset freezing, and sanctions related to Lebanon.
On July 29, 2020, the Trump administration authorized the Kansas City Southern Railway Company to construct, connect, operate, and maintain railway bridge facilities at the international boundary between the United States and Mexico. The authorization permits the company to build and maintain cross-border rail infrastructure at a specified location on the US-Mexico border. The direct effect allows increased rail transport capacity between the two countries at this crossing point.
On July 29, 2020, the Trump administration signed an authorization allowing TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, L.P. to operate and maintain existing pipeline facilities at the international boundary between the United States and Canada. The action permits continued operation of pipeline infrastructure at the US-Canada border crossing. The direct effect was to enable ongoing crude oil transport across the US-Canada border through existing Keystone Pipeline facilities.
President Trump signed Proclamation 10029 on July 24, 2020, establishing the Korean War Veterans Armistice Day to be observed annually on July 27. The proclamation designates a day for Americans to honor Korean War veterans and those who died in the conflict. The proclamation creates an annual observance but does not establish a federal holiday.