The 20th of January 2021 saw the swearing-in of US President Joe Biden, the 46th president in the history of the United States. Having won the election in November 2020, the President-elect became President in a ceremony at the Capitol; the ceremony itself scaled back due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Although there has been public dissent following the election, fuelled by President Donald Trump’s unverified claims of election fraud, the inauguration last Wednesday went off without a hitch. There had been significant concerns that public violence may erupt, due to the Capitol riots earlier this month, wherein virulent supporters of Trump stormed the building whilst the senate was in session. Donald Trump elected not to attend the inauguration: making him the first president since 1869 not to attend his successor’s inauguration.
President Joe Biden, former Vice President under the Obama administration, is a representative of the Democrat party. Since taking office, he has been busy already, signing over 30 executive orders before the end of his first week. Some of these executive orders directly reverse policy decisions made by Trump under his term in office. Some key areas that Biden has already targeted include the environment, the approach to tackling the coronavirus, and certain social justice issues, including tackling xenophobia and discrimination based on gender.
Where regarding the environment, Biden has made two major moves in the last week: Firstly, he reversed Trump’s decision to remove the US from the Paris Agreement, a legally binding international treaty which came into effect in 2016. The Paris Agreement, so named due to its being signed by United Nations member states in Paris, aims to limit global warming to 2 degrees celsius, although preferably 1.5.
Further actions taken by the Biden administration include revoking the permit that was granted to the TC Energy Corporation for the fourth phase of the Keystone XL Pipeline development. This new development would consist of 526km of a new pipeline from Canada, crossing over the border in Montana, then travelling through South Dakota and Nebraska. The pipeline was opposed by environmentalists, citing concerns over climate change, and indeed disruptions to national landmarks such as the Sandhills in Nebraska. Further concerns were raised by Indigenous activists, who feared their territories and livelihoods would be disrupted. Biden has been criticised by some right-wing politicians who cite job losses as a result of this executive order.
Also in the last week, large actions concerning the coronavirus pandemic have been made. Biden signed an executive order making mask-wearing compulsory on all public transport and in all federal buildings. According to the BBC, the US has suffered approximately 417,500 deaths as a result of the virus; fewer Americans died during the entirety of the Second World War, hence Joe Biden’s reference to the new pandemic response as a “wartime undertaking”. The President aims to roll out 100 million doses of the vaccine in 100 days. Initially, critics of this plan deemed the high figure unrealistic; now, though, Biden faces criticism for not planning to roll out more vaccines. Also reversed was the decision to remove the US from the World Health Organisation.
Other crucial actions taken by Biden’s administration include reversing Trump’s so-called ‘Muslim ban’, in which restrictions were placed on passport holders [from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen] attempting to enter the US. Biden has also halted the construction of the border wall between the USA and Mexico. In terms of gender identity, an executive order signed on January 20th prevents workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Further, CBS reports that Biden may repeal Trump’s transgender military ban as soon as the 25th January.
It will be interesting to explore what Biden manages to achieve in his first 100 days in office; clearly, his administration has been quick to repeal certain legislation by Trump’s government and to induce new policy of their own. It seems clear currently that Biden’s government is focussing on a more positive international policy, and attempted restriction on discrimination on the grounds of gender, race, or immigration status, and a massive effort to bring the pandemic under control.
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