It's been a whirlwind two weeks in Washington as the Trump administration continues a persistent attempt to reshape federal policy through executive actions and administrative changes. Let's take a look at the major developments that have unfolded since late April — a period that's seen everything from sweeping education reforms to Pentagon drama that would make a soap opera writer blush.
As usual, the executive actions referenced in this post can be found on the 47 Watch website and there are links to all the articles used in the preparation for this post in the 47 Watch Timeline.
Education Overhaul: Seven Executive Orders in One Day
On April 23rd, the administration unleashed a barrage of seven executive orders focused on education reform. These included initiatives to promote "Excellence and Innovation at Historically Black Colleges and Universities," address "Foreign Influence at American Universities," "Restore Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy," "Reinstate Common Sense School Discipline Policies," reform accreditation processes for higher education, prepare Americans for "High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs," and advance AI education for American youth.
The reaction from academic institutions has been swift. Reports indicate that leaders from top universities, primarily from Ivy League schools and prominent private research universities in blue states, have formed a private coalition to strategize against what they view as attacks on research funding and academic freedom. Meanwhile, Harvard University's President Alan Garber issued an apology following internal reports highlighting incidents of antisemitic and anti-Muslim bias at the institution.
In what appears to be part of a broader initiative, the administration has also launched two investigations into Harvard University and the Harvard Law Review over allegations of race-based discrimination in the journal's editorial decisions. Additionally, the Education Department has begun cutting approximately $1 billion in mental health grants created in response to mass school shootings, arguing that schools were misusing the funds by focusing on diversifying their pool of psychologists.
Trade Wars and Tariff Adjustments
After weeks of market turbulence, the administration appears to be recalibrating its approach to tariffs. On April 29th, President Trump signed executive orders addressing tariffs on imported articles and adjusting automotive imports, providing some relief to his previously announced automotive tariffs. The orders now mean carmakers will pay a 25% tariff on auto imports without being subject to other levies, such as steel or aluminum, or on specific imports from Canada and Mexico.
A bipartisan measure seeking to reverse Trump's sweeping worldwide tariffs failed in the Senate in a 49-49 tie on May 1st. However, markets rebounded as Trump signaled that tariffs on China would be cut "substantially," sparking a relief rally in global markets. This shift came after CEOs from major retailers such as Walmart and Target warned about potential disruptions to supply chains if tariffs were not eased.
Economic experts remain concerned about the impact of the tariff policies. Torsten Slok, chief economist at Apollo Global Management, has predicted that the US will experience a recession in 2025 if high tariffs remain in place, with a 90% chance of a two-quarter contraction in economic output. The International Monetary Fund has already warned of a "major negative shock" to the global economy due to the tariffs, cutting its forecast for global GDP growth to 2.8% for the year.
Pentagon Drama: Signal Groups and Leadership Turmoil
The Defense Department has been the epicenter of controversy, with Secretary Pete Hegseth at the center of a growing storm. Information obtained by news sources revealed that Hegseth shared detailed military information with at least two Signal group chats, including data transmitted to him by Army Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla using a secure government system. It was also discovered that Hegseth had the unclassified Signal messaging app installed on a desktop computer in his Pentagon office.
The fallout has been substantial. Hegseth's chief of staff, Joe Kasper, confirmed his voluntary departure amid what reports describe as turmoil gripping the Defense Department. Sources describe the Pentagon as experiencing a "free-for-all," with departures of senior aides causing delays to routine actions and infighting for newly vacant positions.
The controversy extends beyond Hegseth. Former national security adviser Mike Waltz was spotted at a Cabinet meeting using a modified version of Signal named "TSM SGNL," which reportedly retains and archives messages to meet presidential records preservation requirements. Trump later confirmed he was removing Waltz as national security adviser, roughly a month after Waltz added a journalist to a Signal group chat containing sensitive military operation details. Waltz will instead be nominated for the position of U.N. ambassador.
In a separate development, a court order temporarily struck down Hegseth's restrictions on gender-affirming care for transgender service members as unconstitutional, leading the Pentagon to resume such medical care.
DOGE and Government Restructuring
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, continues to reshape federal agencies. DOGE is shutting down the Millennium Challenge Corporation, a Congress-established bipartisan foreign aid agency that partners with developing countries to promote economic growth. Reports indicate that DOGE personnel also visited the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation headquarters to evaluate the agency's performance and alignment with Trump's agenda.
The Peace Corps is also under review by DOGE, with the head of a Peace Corps alumni group stating he had been informed the agency is looking to reduce the number of full-time staff who assist volunteers overseas. Approximately 20% of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's permanent workers are expected to take a voluntary buyout offered as part of DOGE's staff reduction efforts, which is particularly concerning as hurricane season approaches.
The relationship between Musk and other administration officials appears strained at times. Reports emerged of a shouting match between Musk and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a White House corridor within earshot of the Italian Prime Minister and multiple senior officials, concerning the choice of the next Internal Revenue Service Acting Commissioner. Meanwhile, as Tesla's quarterly earnings showed a 71% plunge in net income year-over-year, Musk stated he would spend less time working for the federal government, though he has no plans to entirely withdraw from DOGE.
Immigration and Border Enforcement
Immigration enforcement has intensified across multiple fronts. On April 28th, Trump signed an executive order titled "Protecting American Communities from Criminal Aliens." The Pentagon subsequently created a second expanded 63-mile long military zone at the southern border of Texas. The Justice Department has initiated its first criminal prosecutions against migrants who have crossed into this expanded military zone, charging at least 28 migrants with crossing the "National Defense Area."
State and federal officials arrested 1,120 immigrants without permanent legal status during a coordinated weeklong operation across Florida called "Operation Tidal Wave." In Colorado Springs, federal agents raided an underground nightclub and detained over 100 people who they said were undocumented migrants, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Some enforcement actions have sparked controversy. Reports emerged that three U.S. citizen children, ages 2, 4, and 7, were sent to Honduras when their mothers were deported. One of the children, a 4-year-old with stage four cancer, was reportedly sent without medication or access to doctors. The Trump administration has also been assessing whether it can label some suspected cartel and gang members inside the United States as "enemy combatants," a move aimed at facilitating their detention and restricting their legal avenues to challenge imprisonment.
In other developments, the Trump administration has explored deals with Libya and Rwanda to accept migrants with criminal records from the United States. A Rwandan official confirmed "we're open to others" after accepting one Iraqi national accused of having links to terrorism.
Environmental Policy Shifts
The Trump administration has dismissed hundreds of scientists and experts who had been working on publishing the National Climate Assessment, a flagship report on how climate change is affecting the country that is required by Congress. The Environmental Protection Agency announced it will fire 280 staffers working on environmental justice and reassign another 175 effective end of July.
These changes align with a broader pattern, as detailed in internal emails showing that the EPA administrator terminated Biden-era climate funds last month despite warnings from a veteran career attorney that such actions "believed to have significant legal vulnerabilities."
Media and Communications
Several significant developments have affected media organizations and their relationship with the administration. Bill Owens, the executive producer of CBS News' "60 Minutes," resigned citing encroachments on his journalistic independence amid mounting pressure from President Trump and corporate ownership at Paramount. Reports indicate that Paramount Global and Trump started mediation talks over a "60 Minutes" interview with Kamala Harris, with Paramount leaders discussing settling the lawsuit for around $15 million to $20 million.
In a separate legal battle, Smartmatic accused Fox News in a court filing of promoting false claims that the company helped steal the 2020 election, alleging the network embraced the allegations only after facing audience backlash for calling Arizona for former President Biden.
The White House has launched a new website, 'White House Wire,' designed to promote pro-Trump news stories, similar to the Drudge Report, marking the administration's latest attempt to bypass mainstream media.
New Executive Orders in Early May
As May began, the administration issued two new executive orders: one establishing a Religious Liberty Commission and another titled "Ending Taxpayer Subsidization Of Biased Media," both dated May 1st. We'll also be covering another one in our main story section.
Justice Department and Legal Affairs
The Justice Department's approach has shifted under Attorney General Pam Bondi, who directed employees to enforce the administration's policies restricting gender-affirming care for minors. The Department has also reassigned about a dozen senior career attorneys from its civil rights unit and cut millions in community grants for gun-violence prevention programs, victim advocacy, and efforts to combat opioid addiction.
Federal election officials are indicating that states may need to commit to enforcing Trump's directive limiting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives as a condition for receiving $15 million in election security funding.
In a high-profile case, former Rep. George Santos (R-NY) was sentenced to more than seven years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of committing wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. In another notable case, Trump pardoned Michele Fiore, a former Las Vegas City Council member and one-time Nevada gubernatorial candidate found guilty of fraud last year.
This Week's Main Story: The [Continued] Quiet March Toward Martial Law & How Executive Orders Are Paving The Way
Our main story for this two-week catch-up roundup discusses something that frankly should have every citizen paying attention, regardless of political affiliation. Since returning to office in January, President Trump has signed a series of executive orders that, when viewed collectively, paint a disturbing picture of potential preparations for invoking the Insurrection Act and implementing what some critics are calling a form of martial law as early as August or September.
While we've covered this in some form or another in previous updates, a new exective order means there are a few more dots at our disposal to connect.
On his very first day in office, January 20th, President Trump issued an executive order declaring a national emergency at the southern border of the United States. This order included a specific provision requiring the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Homeland Security to submit a report within 90 days on whether to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807 - a rarely used law that allows a president to deploy military forces for domestic law enforcement.
Why is this significant? The Insurrection Act grants the president power to use the military to put down what they determine to be a rebellion at the federal or state level. Critics worry this would dramatically expand presidential power with military backing.
Fast forward to April 28th, when the president signed another sweeping executive order titled "Strengthening and Unleashing America's Law Enforcement." This directive instructs the Attorney General and Secretary of Defense to increase the provision of military-grade assets to local police forces within 90 days, notably, by late July.
The order effectively expands the transfer of military equipment to law enforcement agencies across the country, with some observers warning it's meant "to make it possible to use military forces as 'law enforcement' and paves the way for militias 'aiding' the police with legal impunity."
Since 1990, local law enforcement has had access to military equipment through the Department of Defense's 1033 program, but recent administrations attempted to impose greater restrictions. This new executive order may reverse this trend, allowing previously restricted military equipment to flow to local police without proper oversight.
So what's the pattern here? First, create the legal foundation to use military forces domestically by exploring the Insurrection Act. Second, militarize local police forces with fewer restrictions and greater federal protections. Third, set up a timeline that converges in late summer, when protest activity typically increases due to warm weather and greater public gatherings.
Some legal experts are particularly concerned about the timing. The law would allow the president to use active-duty forces to suppress what he determines to be a "rebellion" or for domestic law enforcement purposes, a determination that the Supreme Court has ruled belongs "exclusively to the President."
Trump became "an ardent student of the Insurrection Act" during his first term. When confronted with protests in 2020, he reportedly summoned military leaders and told them he wanted to invoke the Act and order "ten thousand troops" into Washington D.C. He was dissuaded then by Defense Secretary Mark Esper and General Mark Milley, both of whom are no longer in those positions.
What makes the current situation particularly concerning is that Trump's Cabinet is now filled with loyalists like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who may be less likely to push back against such measures.
If these executive orders continue on their current trajectory, by August or September, we could see:
- A fully militarized police force equipped with military-grade weapons and vehicles
- Enhanced legal protections for officers using aggressive tactics
- A legal framework ready to deploy active military forces domestically
- An administration predisposed to invoke emergency powers during protests
The question isn't whether protests will occur — they almost certainly will as campaign season heats up — but how the administration plans to respond to them.
So, what Can Citizens Do?
If you're concerned about these developments, there are several practical steps to consider:
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Stay informed: Monitor executive orders and government actions through reliable news sources and government websites.
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Know your rights: Familiarize yourself with your First Amendment rights to peaceful assembly and protest. Resources from civil liberties organizations can help.
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Contact elected officials: Express concerns to representatives at local, state and federal levels about militarization of police and potential use of the Insurrection Act.
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Support civil liberties organizations: Groups like the ACLU are already challenging some of these executive orders in court.
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Document everything: If participating in protests, record interactions with law enforcement while following their lawful orders.
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Engage in peaceful advocacy: The most effective response to potential overreach is organized, peaceful civic engagement.
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Build community resilience: Strengthen local connections and support networks that can function regardless of federal actions.
If the Insurrection Act is actually invoked, additional precautions become important:
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Avoid confrontations: Military personnel operate under different rules than police.
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Stay connected: Have backup communication methods if internet or cell service is disrupted.
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Follow verified information: Misinformation thrives during crises.
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Know emergency contacts: Have legal resources and emergency contacts readily available.
The history of our democracy shows that informed, engaged citizens are its best protection. The executive orders already signed deserve our attention not because they guarantee a martial law scenario, but because they create conditions where such a scenario becomes more possible.
We owe it to ourselves and future generations to ensure that America's institutions remain committed to constitutional principles rather than concentrated executive power. The coming months will test whether our system of checks and balances functions as intended.
FIN
The past two weeks have witnessed a flurry of executive actions and administrative changes across virtually every sector of the federal government. From education reform to immigration enforcement, from Pentagon drama to environmental policy shifts, the Trump administration continues to implement its agenda at a rapid pace. As these policies take effect and face legal challenges, their impact on American society and institutions will become increasingly apparent in the months ahead.
Stay vigilant, stay engaged, and remember: democracy requires your participation, not just your attention.