Tracking every rollback, reversal, and overreach — and the path back to the America we know.
President Trump signed Proclamation 10692 on March 29, 2018, designating April 2018 as National Donate Life Month. The proclamation calls for Americans to recognize organ, eye, and tissue donation and encourages participation in donation programs. The proclamation has no direct regulatory effect on Americans but serves as a formal statement encouraging voluntary donation participation during the designated month.
On March 27, 2018, the Trump administration signed a notice continuing the national emergency declared in 2015 regarding significant malicious cyber-enabled activities originating from, or directed by, Russia. The continuation extends the emergency declaration that authorizes sanctions and restrictions on entities and individuals engaged in cyber attacks against U.S. infrastructure and institutions. The declaration remains in effect, allowing the executive branch to maintain existing cyber-related sanctions and take additional actions against designated cyber threat actors.
On March 27, 2018, the Trump administration issued a notice continuing the national emergency with respect to South Sudan, originally declared in 2014. The continuation extends the emergency declaration, which authorizes specific executive powers related to South Sudan policy. The direct impact on Americans includes potential restrictions on financial transactions with designated South Sudanese entities and individuals, and affects U.S. foreign aid and diplomatic engagement with South Sudan.
On March 22, 2018, President Trump signed a memorandum directing the U.S. Trade Representative to investigate China's laws, policies, practices, and actions related to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. The investigation resulted in findings of unfair Chinese practices and led to the implementation of tariffs on Chinese goods beginning July 2018. American consumers and businesses faced increased costs on thousands of imported products, including electronics, machinery, and consumer goods.
On March 22, 2018, President Trump signed Proclamation 10017 imposing a 25% tariff on aluminum imports into the United States under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. The proclamation took effect on March 23, 2018, and increased prices on aluminum-containing products for American consumers and manufacturers, including automobiles, beverage cans, construction materials, and appliances. The tariff remained in effect through Trump's first term and into subsequent administrations with limited modifications.
President Trump signed Executive Order 13827 on March 19, 2018, imposing additional sanctions on Venezuela. The order prohibited U.S. persons and entities from purchasing, trading, or financing Venezuelan government bonds and specified gold transactions. The order directly affected American financial institutions and individuals engaged in Venezuelan financial markets by restricting their transaction options.
On March 12, 2018, the Trump administration issued Notice 2018-05340 continuing the national emergency with respect to Iran that was originally declared in 1995. The continuation extends the emergency declaration, which authorizes the President to maintain economic sanctions and other restrictions on Iran without Congressional approval. The declaration directly affects Americans through ongoing restrictions on trade with Iran, sanctions on Iranian entities, and related economic measures.
On March 12, 2018, President Trump signed an order prohibiting Broadcom Limited's proposed $117 billion acquisition of Qualcomm Incorporated, citing national security concerns related to 5G technology leadership. The order effectively terminated the proposed merger. The action prevented the consolidation of two major U.S. semiconductor companies and kept Qualcomm operating as an independent entity.
Executive Order 13826 was signed on March 7, 2018, establishing a federal interagency council to coordinate crime prevention and criminal justice reentry efforts across federal agencies. The order directed the Department of Justice to chair the council and coordinate policies on recidivism reduction, prisoner reentry programs, and crime prevention initiatives. The confirmed direct effect was the creation of a formal structure for federal agencies to align reentry and crime prevention policies.
On March 2, 2018, the Trump administration continued the national emergency declaration with respect to Venezuela, originally issued in 2015. The notice maintains emergency authorities that allow the executive branch to impose economic sanctions and restrictions on Venezuelan government officials and entities without additional congressional approval. The continuation directly affects Americans engaged in financial transactions with Venezuela and Venezuelan entities, as it sustains existing prohibitions on U.S. persons conducting business with designated Venezuelan targets.