The new US President, Donald Trump, signed several executive orders that would cancel more than 80 executive orders and laws of former President Joe Biden, including canceling sanctions imposed by former President Joe Biden on extremist Israeli settlers who use violence against Palestinian citizens, withdrawing from the World Health Organization, the Paris Climate Agreement, and banning drilling in places considered to be environmental reserves, among others.

Trump also signed an executive order targeting “foreign nationals participating in anti-Israel protests that have swept across the country since October 7, 2023, under the guise of protecting the United States from foreign terrorists and other threats to national security and public order,” and stating that the government must be “vigilant” in issuing visas to foreign nationals and ensure that those approved “do not intend to harm Americans or our national interests.”

It requires the U.S. government to ensure that foreign nationals “do not harbor hostile attitudes toward its citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles, and do not advocate for, aid, or support designated foreign terrorists and other threats to our national security.”

Trump campaigned on a promise to crack down on anti-Israel protests, especially those on college campuses, but it's not clear exactly how he'll do that, given U.S. free speech laws.

Trump said in his first press conference after his election at the White House on the sidelines of those signings that he was affected by the extent of the destruction that befell Gaza during the Israeli war since October 7, 2023, and said that he would consider rebuilding Gaza "especially since Gaza is located in an attractive area on the Mediterranean coast" and could become an attractive tourist resort due to its location.

President Trump also issued an order suspending foreign development assistance for 90 days pending an assessment of efficiency and consistency with his foreign policy.

“All heads of departments and agencies responsible for U.S. foreign development assistance programs must immediately halt new commitments and disbursements of development assistance funds,” the new order says.

It was not immediately clear how broad the move would be and which programs, countries, NGOs and international organizations would be affected. It is also unclear what funding could be cut since Congress sets the federal government budget, but the move would likely affect U.S. aid to the Palestinians, which Trump cut during his first term.

The executive order reflects a return to the approach adopted by Trump during his first term between 2017 and 2021.

In his press conference, Trump reiterated what he had said in his inauguration speech about making America a great nation and ending the American collapse. He pledged to restore America to its rightful place as “the greatest, most powerful, most respected nation on Earth,” and he pledged to restore fair justice.

Trump reiterated his previous statements in which he promised to restore the Panama Canal, saying that the United States spent a lot of money and many Americans lost their lives while building the Panama Canal. He also pledged to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.