Biden seeks last-minute moves that could be hard for Trump to undo

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President Joe Biden is ending his presidency in a manner consistent with how he started, with a series of executive decisions designed to make him distinct from his predecessor, Donald Trump, and his incoming successor.

Biden’s actions have had a big impact, affecting nearly every area of government, and are probably going to keep going up until his time in office is over, according to officials in his administration. Even as many people at the White House were getting ready to close up their offices and leave at the end of the day on Friday, there were still final preparations being made for more executive actions.

The US President has been considering taking steps to move forward with the Equal Rights Amendment, which would ban discrimination based on sex, according to sources close to the discussions, who are speaking anonymously since they’re sharing confidential information. Additionally, President Biden has been exploring the possibility of issuing pardons beforehand for individuals who might face opposition from the incoming Trump administration.

Outgoing presidents usually end their terms with a variety of last-minute actions, like issuing pardons or proclamations, but Biden’s efforts have been more extensive, indicating his strong conviction that Trump poses a special threat to the traditions of the United States.

Research and development of computer chips and other critical technological advancements are crucial for the development of advanced artificial intelligence projects.

The Food and Drug Administration has made a move to require labels on the front of food and drink packaging in an effort to encourage Americans to make healthier choices. The Biden administration released a proposal on Wednesday to significantly cut back nicotine levels in cigarettes.

The actions taken in recent days have been the culmination of months of planning that kicked off when Biden dropped out of the presidential reelection race back in July. This process gained momentum as it became apparent on November 5 that he would be transitioning power to Trump rather than Vice President Kamala Harris.

When President Biden brought his Cabinet together in September, he encouraged department heads to take steps that would enhance his legacy, but also protect it from being diminished by a potential future Trump administration.

“And we’re going to keep pushing forward, because the vice president and I are committed to making sure that democracy delivers on the promises it makes to the American people and lives up to what we’ve delivered so far.”

He mentioned that we should keep working with the existing laws we’ve passed, laws that have helped us invest in the United States, upgrade our infrastructure, and enact our historic policies.

The new federal pay raise set for two groups of low-wage government workers will actually take effect this week, potentially catching the incoming Trump administration off guard. The rule, finalized in October by the Office of Personnel Management, will provide a 12 percent pay hike for approximately 14,500 service workers at Army depots and Veterans Affairs facilities. The ruling, to be published in the Federal Register on January 21st, will come at an estimated yearly cost of $150 million to taxpayers once it’s implemented.

Pushed by Trump and his supporters who aim to slash trillions of dollars from the federal budget and reduce the workforce, Biden officials managed to secure a pay increase for these workers after overcoming opposition from officials from both Democratic and Republican administrations dating back to the Obama era, which had been an ongoing hurdle due to the cost.

Funding for those projects had already been allocated by Congress, so grants for the projects could be issued before the Trump administration could try to take the money back or leave it unused.

Congress can reject new federal rules for up to 60 days under this provision.

outside the window, to guarantee the new rules went into effect.

The drop in such actions slowed down somewhat in the fall, but the activity picked up pace again in December, following the election.

It’s unclear how much energy and attention the Trump administration will devote to searching for and reviewing, then reversing Biden’s regulations. Initially, Trump will likely prioritize his prominent campaign promises, like mass deportations and major tariffs.

One of the benefits the president has is the ability to make the first move,” said Andrew Rudalevige, a Bowdoin College professor who has analyzed presidential actions. “They can establish a new status quo, and in Washington, the status quo holds a lot of power. Inaction will typically prevail over action in our nation’s capital.

He also stated, “It’s somewhat alluring to presidents when they’re departing, especially if they can somehow reset the agenda.”

The incoming president isn’t able to take back the clemency already granted to most federal death row inmates or the pardons that have been given to other prisoners by Biden. Attempting to cancel the temporary protections given to immigrants from El Salvador, Venezuela, and other countries could also lead to legal challenges.

In addition to that, Biden’s administration aimed to introduce numerous regulations early in his term, covering matters like workplace protection and medical privacy, so that they are firmly in place by the time the new administration takes over.

I think it’s reasonable to prioritize your goals and make it difficult to reverse your decisions,” Rudalevige said. “A lot of one-sided actions are fragile, so it limits what you can accomplish.

Other steps have been taken more recently. For instance, Biden on January 6 imposed a ban on new offshore oil and gas drilling in most U.S. coastal waters, part of a goal to protect at least 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030. The White House claimed that Biden has already preserved more than 670 million acres of land and water, which is more than any previous president has done.

Trump quickly opposed the move and declared that it would be reversed.

In regards to President Biden’s actions yesterday on offshore drilling, banning offshore drilling won’t take effect,” he said. “I will reversing it right away. This will happen immediately, and we will increase drilling.

Trump could also quickly reverse or undermine many other actions with ease.

“Joe Biden’s legacy is damaged by very high inflation, a large number of migrant-related crimes, and the United States appearing weak in the world,” Anna Kelly, a spokesperson for the Trump-Vance transition team, stated. “Fortunately, in just five days, President Trump will bring in a new era of great success for America and fulfill his promise to make America prosperous, safe, and great again.”

Other actions are also coming in areas where Biden and Trump share common ground. For example, earlier this month, Biden blocked the sale of U.S. Steel to a Japanese rival, declaring Nippon Steel’s $14.9 billion bid for the U.S. steelmaker “prohibited.”

Trump had previously opposed the takeover, writing on his Truth Social platform, “As president, I will block this deal from occurring. Buyer Beware!!”

Similar to previous presidents, Biden is now working to establish his foreign policy priorities in his final days in office. With the help of Trump’s ambassadors, Biden was able to facilitate a tentative truce in the Middle East. He has given the green light for Ukraine to launch long-range missile strikes against Russian targets, and he has also imposed additional sanctions on Russia’s oil and gas industry.

President Biden has taken more executive actions than many of his previous predecessors, said scholars, awarding more commutations and pardons, protecting more land, and enforcing more regulations.

It appears that Biden is not deviating from the usual standards.

I would describe the Biden administration’s recent actions as a bold move to solidify their policy priorities and President Biden’s legacy, but it’s mostly consistent with what’s typical for a modern administration.

Between Election Day 2016 and Inauguration Day 2017, President Barack Obama aimed to solidify his legacy, amid the prospect of a first Trump presidency.

Obama concentrated on getting more people signed up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, and he also prohibited oil drilling in certain parts of the Arctic and Atlantic Ocean. Like Biden, he designated two national monuments: the Bears Ears area in Utah and the Golden Butte area in Nevada.

along with another Utah monument, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

More actions were taken by Obama in four years than either of his four-year terms. This is also more than George W. Bush was given in his second term, before handing over power to Obama.

However, Trump signed 220 executive orders in his first term, more than any other president within a four-year period since Jimmy Carter.

Biden’s last days in office share some similarities with his initial days. When he first took office, he signed several executive orders that reversed Trump’s policies and set a new direction for the federal government.

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Once Trump takes the presidency on Monday, he is expected to once again undo some of those actions – and many more.