Climax to Inauguration Day: Trump signs spate of executive orders

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump promised a spate of executive orders when he took office as president Monday, and he delivered.

Trump is looking quickly to implement his agenda, including declaring a national emergency on the U.S.-Mexico border, ordering construction on his border wall to resume and terminating diversity programs in federal agencies.

After a celebratory rally in downtown Washington, Trump signed a number of orders relating to immigration at the White House, including a directive to end birthright citizenship.

Birthright citizenship has been understood to be required under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which states: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.”

Democrats and some legal groups have vowed to challenge in court any attempt by Trump to do away with birthright citizenship.

"With these actions, we will begin the complete restoration of America and the revolution of common sense. It’s all about common sense," Trump said in his inaugural address.

He also followed through with a promise to sign an order granting the Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok more time to sell to a U.S.-based company.

The first order Trump signed before a crowd at the Capital One Arena revoked about 80 executive actions former President Joe Biden signed. He also signed a freeze on new regulations, as well as a hiring freeze on federal workers. And Trump also withdrew — again — from the Paris climate treaty.

When he was done, he threw some of the pens he’d used into the crowd.