After being sworn in on Monday, newly elected President Donald Trump quickly took a series of "first-day" actions, the foremost of which was to revoke former President Biden's executive order on artificial intelligence and to call for federal employees to return to the office.
Biden's AI order had provided a roadmap for the federal government to develop technology and manage risks. The order prompted the Office of Management and Budget to issue a memo requiring agencies to implement specific measures for managing and monitoring their AI use cases, as well as the application of technology in the context of national security. More importantly, this order initiated a pilot program for national AI research resources, which received bipartisan support. However, the order faced opposition from some Republicans who believed the policy would hinder technological development and expressed concerns about its reliance on the Defense Production Act.
Trump's new order requires agency leaders to "take all necessary measures to terminate remote work arrangements and require employees to return to their workstations full-time." While the order allows for necessary exceptions, its overall intent is to reshape the federal work environment.
Additionally, Trump established a new agency called the "Department of Government Efficiency" (Doge). He renamed the U.S. Digital Service to "U.S. Doge Service" and tasked it with the mission to "modernize federal technology and software to maximize government efficiency and productivity." According to the order, a temporary service organization called the "U.S. Doge Service Temporary Organization" was also established, led by the Digital Service Administrator, focusing on advancing President Trump's 18-month Doge agenda. Agencies are also required to form "Doge Teams" to collaborate with the U.S. Digital Service to implement related plans.
These measures by Trump mark a clear policy direction established by him and the Republican Party at the beginning of his administration, showcasing their rethinking of how the government operates.
