On his inauguration day, President Trump signed a slew of executive orders, making real what Project 2025 promised.
We at Ipas condemn these actions, aimed at rolling back domestic and foreign policies, and ignoring—or violating—basic human rights, particularly those of women and girls, LGBTQ+ people, Black and brown people, and immigrants.
With his pen, President Trump ensured his agenda will be carried out dramatically by altering the federal workforce with hiring freezes and unchecked security clearances; ending birthright citizenship; suspending refugee admissions and barring asylum for people at the U.S. southern border; terminating diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives; ending protections for the environment; and pausing all U.S. foreign assistance for 90 days.
One action is no less harmful than another, and one thing is certain: This Administration purports to put “America and its citizens first,” but as is often said, actions speak louder than words. Not only will Trump’s actions on his first day hurt people living in the U.S., but they will also hurt millions of people outside the U.S.
Withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WHO), for example, makes for poor public health within the U.S., threatens the U.S. reputation as a global health leader, and leaves the nation unprepared to handle the next pandemic. The WHO’s mission is to promote health and well-being globally—a mission supported by, and intertwined with, Ipas’s own.
Likewise, withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement will further deepen the global climate crisis. The U.S. is one of the biggest contributors to global emissions, and people who live in low-to-middle-income countries, those that are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, are most harmed.
And finally, putting America first apparently means completely altering U.S. foreign aid. Last night, Trump declared that all foreign assistance programs are “paused” for 90 days until a review can determine whether they are in line with the administration’s policy goals. He has already indicated such programs “contribute to global insecurity” and are “antithetical to American values.”
There is more to come. As we wait to see what’s next, we at Ipas double down on our values. We will continue to work to ensure everyone, no matter who they are, no matter where they live, has the right and ability to determine their own future, to live free from violence, and with dignity. We will proudly persist in the collective movement for human rights, for reproductive freedom, and for democracy.