In his final days in office, President Biden announced a series of policy decisions aimed at strengthening his policies and, in some cases, making it harder for President-elect Donald J. Trump to carry out his policies. Sometimes.
Many of the 11th-hour decisions are executive actions, including measures on environmental justice, prison reform, immigration, and foreign relations. Some are aimed at preserving Biden’s legacy, while others are a last-ditch effort to expand on his approach. Much of that will likely be reversed after Trump takes office next week.
The move has drawn the attention of Trump, who said on social media earlier this month that Biden was “doing everything possible” to make the transition process “as difficult as possible.” said.
Trump added: “Don’t worry. These ‘orders’ will be lifted soon.”
White House officials said Biden directed them to ensure a smooth transition of power.
Here are some of Biden’s last major actions as he approaches the end of his presidential term.
coastal drilling
Biden last week announced a ban on new oil and gas drilling in more than 625 million acres of U.S. coastal waters as part of his efforts to protect the environment and ensure public health. Trump called the move “ridiculous” and vowed to repeal the ban.
national monument
Biden this month established two national monuments in California that collectively cover more than 848,000 acres of desert and mountain land in the state, including mining, drilling, wind, solar and other It will prevent energy development.
Cuba
The Biden administration announced Tuesday it would remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism and ease economic sanctions against the country as part of a deal expected to free protesters imprisoned by the communist government. Mauricio Claver-Carone, Trump’s recently appointed special envoy for Latin America, said the announcement supports an “authoritarian, anti-American regime.”
generosity
Last month, Biden commuted the sentences of nearly all federal death row inmates to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Trump supports the death penalty and called for its expansion during the 2024 presidential campaign. Last month, Biden also commuted the sentences of 1,500 people on home confinement, the most commutations in a single day by a president.
US Steel
Earlier this month, the president blocked Japan’s Nippon Steel Corp.’s $14 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel on the grounds that the sale posed a threat to national security. Trump also said U.S. Steel should be American-owned.
artificial intelligence
The Biden administration on Monday announced comprehensive rules governing how artificial intelligence chips and models can be shared with foreign countries earlier this week.
ukraine
In November, Biden authorized Ukraine to use long-range missiles supplied by the United States to attack Russian soil. Days later, Biden approved supplying U.S. antipersonnel mines to Ukraine. Earlier this month, the United States announced new sanctions targeting Russia’s energy sector. Mr. Biden is also trying to implement Congress-authorized U.S. aid to Ukraine. Mr. Trump is highly skeptical of U.S. aid to Ukraine.
student debt
The Biden administration announced this week that it had canceled student loans for more than 150,000 borrowers, bringing the number of Americans who had their loans forgiven during Biden’s term to more than 5 million.
deportation
Last week, the U.S. administration announced a sweeping extension of deportation protections for hundreds of thousands of people from Sudan, Ukraine, El Salvador and Venezuela, making it nearly impossible for Trump to quickly strip the benefits. . Trump promised to begin mass deportations on his first day in office.
civil servant
The Social Security Administration and the American Federation of Public Employees reached an agreement in December that will allow federal employees to continue working remotely through 2029. Trump has said he plans to go to court to stop the policy. Some of Mr. Trump’s advisers, who are focused on reducing the federal civil service, say requiring workers to report to the office could lead to voluntary resignations.
Biden signed a separate bipartisan bill that would give full Social Security benefits to a group of public sector retirees who currently receive Social Security benefits at reduced levels.
