What Is an Executive Order? How Is It Different From a Law?

Article II of the Constitution vests the president with executive power over the government, including the obligation to “take care that the laws be faithfully executed.” An executive order is a written directive, signed by the president, that orders the government to take specific actions to ensure “the laws be faithfully executed.” It might mean telling the Department of Education to implement a certain rule, or declaring a new policy priority.

Executive orders, however, cannot override federal laws and statutes.

 

'If you have questions about the Tracker, please contact the creator: head of our National Security Team and

former Department of Homeland Security General Counsel Jonathan Meyer. '

 

With President Donald Trump commencing his second term, significant changes are anticipated across global industries. His series of sweeping executive actions have already sparked pushback and legal challenges.

To assist companies in navigating these changes, Sheppard Mullin has developed an Executive Actions Tracker. We are continuing to update the tracker as new actions are released and new analysis becomes available. This resource includes:

• Links to the full text of each executive action
• Summaries of each, organized by subject area
• In-depth analysis of the implications
• Links to court challenges that have been filed
• Links to Sheppard Mullin blogs discussing the actions

Areas Covered by the Tracker

Our comprehensive tracker spans multiple areas and industries, including:

• Border/Immigration
• National Security
• Environment/Energy
• Technology
• Justice
• Federal Employees
• DEI/Social Issues
• Trade
• Economy
• Foreign Affairs
• Health

We provide expert insights on various topics, such as:

• Antitrust dynamics
• Environmental changes
• Government contracting
• Global trade policies
• Immigration concerns
• White collar enforcement priorities
• FDA and healthcare regulatory changes