US President Donald Trump holds an executive order he signed during the inaugural parade inside Capital One Arena, in Washington, DC, on January 20. AFP
US President Donald Trump holds an executive order he signed during the inaugural parade inside Capital One Arena, in Washington, DC, on January 20. AFP
US President Donald Trump holds an executive order he signed during the inaugural parade inside Capital One Arena, in Washington, DC, on January 20. AFP
US President Donald Trump holds an executive order he signed during the inaugural parade inside Capital One Arena, in Washington, DC, on January 20. AFP

How many executive orders has Trump signed and which ones affect the Middle East?


Sara Ruthven
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US President Donald Trump signed about 140 executive orders in his first 100 days in office.

His orders, more than any other president has signed in their first 100 days, are an attempt to advance his “Make America Great Again” agenda and reverse policies introduced by previous administrations.

Mr Trump signed 220 executive orders over the course of his first four-year term. His predecessor – and successor – Joe Biden signed 162.

Meanwhile, Mr Trump has signed only five bills sent to him by Congress into law.

The National looks at some of the most significant foreign policy orders orders

America First Policy Directive to the Secretary of State

This order directs Secretary of State Marco Rubio to "champion core American interests" and always put the US first. It also directs him to bring the department in line with the Trump administration's agenda. Mr Rubio has ordered a slimming down of the "bloated" department and announced the closing of scores of offices that do not align with the administration's agenda. Read more

Unleashing American Energy

This order calls for the "energy exploration and production on Federal lands and waters" as well as ensuring US energy independence. While the US is a net exporter of oil, it still imports large amounts of petroleum from other countries, in particular Canada, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Brazil. Read more

Realigning the US Refugee Admissions Programme

This order froze refugee resettlement, as the US does not have the ability to absorb large numbers of migrants. The administration has also terminated or will allow to expire protected status for people from several countries. There are concerns that Mr Trump will once again enact the so-called Muslim ban that would block citizens of Muslim-majority countries from coming to the US.

Re-evaluating and Realigning US Foreign Aid

This order effectively froze all US foreign aid and initiated the dissolution of USAID, the agency primarily responsible for distributing assistance worldwide, including in countries in the Middle East. Read more

Designation of Ansar Allah [the Yemeni Houthis] as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation

This order reinstates the designation of Yemen's Houthis as a terrorist organisation, which was rolled back under the Biden administration. It freezes Houthi assets in the US and bars members of the organisation from entering the country. Read more

The Iron Dome for America

This order is part of Mr Trump's "peace through strength" policy and calls for the construction of a "next-generation missile defence shield", similar to the one possessed by Israel.

Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism

This order states the administration will "prosecute, remove or otherwise hold to account" those involved in anti-Semitic activity. It comes after a wave of pro-Palestine protests on university campuses across the country last year. Many in Mr Trump's Republican Party accused the student protesters of being infiltrated by Hamas and spreading hate against the Jewish community. Read more

Withdrawing the US from, and Ending Funding to Certain UN Organisations

This order accuses some UN agencies of drifting "from this mission and instead act contrary to the interests of the United States while attacking our allies and propagating anti-Semitism". It calls for a review of US membership in Unesco, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the agency for Palestinian refugees.

Imposing Sanctions on the International Criminal Court

This order comes after the court - to which the US is not a signatory - issued arrest warrants for the Israeli Prime Minister and his defence minister at the time amid the Gaza war. The US is under ICC investigation over alleged war crimes committed during its invasion of Afghanistan. Read more

Regulating Imports with a Reciprocal Tariff to Rectify Trade Practices that Contribute to Large and Persistent Annual US Goods Trade Deficits

This order established a blanket 10 per cent tariff on all US trading partners, with Syria, Israel, Iraq and other Middle East countries hit with additional levies. Mr Trump paused the tariffs for 90 days on April 9 for negotiations to take place. Read more

President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington April 17, 2025. Reuters
President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington April 17, 2025. Reuters

UAE v United States, T20 International Series

Both matches at ICC Academy, Dubai. Admission is free.

1st match: Friday, 2pm

2nd match: Saturday, 2pm

UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Rameez Shahzad, Amjad Gul, CP Rizwan, Mohammed Boota, Abdul Shakoor, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Sultan Ahmed, Zahoor Khan, Amir Hayat

USA squad: Saurabh Netravalkar (captain), Jaskaran Malhotra, Elmore Hutchinson, Aaron Jones, Nosthush Kenjige, Ali Khan, Jannisar Khan, Xavier Marshall, Monank Patel, Timil Patel, Roy Silva, Jessy Singh, Steven Taylor, Hayden Walsh

The smuggler

Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple. 
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.

Khouli conviction

Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.

For sale

A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.

- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico

- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000

- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950

While you're here
Updated: May 01, 2025, 4:35 PM`