Tracking every rollback, reversal, and overreach — and the path back to the America we know.
On January 23, 2018, President Trump issued Proclamation 9693 imposing tariffs on imports of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells and modules. The proclamation established a four-year tariff schedule beginning at 30% for cells and 30% for modules, declining annually. The tariff increased costs for solar installations across the United States, affecting residential and commercial solar projects and raising electricity costs in some regions.
On January 23, 2018, the Trump administration issued a Presidential Determination under Section 4533(a)(5) of the Defense Production Act of 1950 (Document 2018-1552). This determination invoked the DPA to expedite domestic production of materials and equipment deemed essential to national defense and energy infrastructure. The confirmed direct effect was authorization for federal agencies to prioritize contracts and allocate resources for specified domestic energy and defense-related manufacturing without standard competitive bidding processes.
President Trump signed Proclamation 2018-01620 on January 22, 2018, designating the week of January 28 through February 3, 2018, as National School Choice Week. The proclamation declares a week to recognize and promote school choice options including traditional public schools, charter schools, private schools, and homeschooling. The proclamation itself has no binding regulatory effect and does not change education policy or funding.
President Trump signed Proclamation 10551 on January 19, 2018, designating January 22, 2018 as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. The proclamation is an annual observance that calls attention to the value of human life. As a proclamation, it has no direct legal effect on policy or Americans' legal rights, but serves as an official statement of the administration's position on the issue.
On January 17, 2018, the Trump administration issued a notice continuing a national emergency declaration originally issued in 1995 regarding terrorists who threaten to disrupt the Middle East peace process. The continuation extends the emergency declaration, which authorizes the use of special powers and sanctions authorities related to designated individuals and entities. The direct impact on Americans includes potential restrictions on financial transactions, travel, and commerce involving designated parties, as well as enabling certain law enforcement and intelligence authorities under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
President Trump signed Proclamation 2018-01234 on January 16, 2018, designating January 16, 2018, as Religious Freedom Day. The proclamation reaffirmed the administration's commitment to protecting religious liberty and called for Americans to reflect on religious freedom. The proclamation itself is ceremonial and does not establish new legal restrictions or protections; it serves as a statement of presidential position on religious freedom.
Executive Order 13822 was signed on January 9, 2018, directing federal agencies to improve transition services for military personnel leaving active duty. The order established requirements for pre-separation counseling, job training coordination, and interagency collaboration to support veterans' transition to civilian employment. The confirmed effect includes expanded access to transition assistance programs and employment resources for separating service members.
President Trump signed Executive Order 13821 on January 8, 2018, directing federal agencies to streamline and expedite the process for locating broadband facilities on federal lands and rights-of-way in rural America. The order reduced administrative timelines and requirements for broadband infrastructure deployment on federal property. The confirmed effect was faster permitting for telecommunications companies to install broadband infrastructure in rural areas with federal land involvement.
On January 8, 2018, the Trump administration signed a memorandum directing the Department of the Interior to permit broadband tower facilities on federal properties it manages. The memorandum streamlines approval processes for telecommunications infrastructure on Interior lands. The confirmed effect allows broadband and wireless providers to install tower facilities on federal property, expanding rural broadband access in areas managed by Interior.
On January 3, 2018, President Trump signed Executive Order 13820, which dissolved the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity that had been established in May 2017. The commission, chaired by Vice President Mike Pence and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, was terminated before completing its stated mission to investigate voter fraud and election security. The commission had operated for approximately 8 months and had requested voter data from all 50 states; the order ended its operations and authority.