Monday, January 20, 2025
All civic learning topics for this day
Today's Topics
Curtis Yarvin builds anti-democracy pipeline to White House via tech billionaires
Curtis Yarvin, writing as "Mencius Moldbug," spent over a decade crafting 120,000-word anti-democratic manifestos calling for corporate monarchy to replace American democracy. His "Dark Enlightenment" philosophy, once confined to obscure blogs, now influences Vice President JD Vance, tech billionaire Peter Thiel, and Trump administration officials like Michael Anton through careful networking and intellectual evangelism, culminating in his attendance as "informal guest of honor" at Trump's January 2025 inaugural gala.
Trump's birthright citizenship order denies rights to 150,000 newborns annually
President Trump's January 20, 2025 executive order denies automatic citizenship to 150,000+ newborns annually whose parents lack legal status, directly challenging the Fourteenth Amendment's citizenship clause and 127 years of Supreme Court precedent established in United States v. Wong Kim Ark.
Trump appoints 13 billionaires worth $460 billion to administration
Trump stacked his new administration with 13 billionaires worth $460 billion combined, including Elon Musk ($400B), Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. This wealthiest cabinet in history exceeds the GDP of 175 countries, while watchdogs warn these ultra-wealthy appointees will prioritize their own interests over ordinary Americans.
Trump executive order attempts to eliminate birthright citizenship for millions
On January 20, Trump signed Executive Order 14156 attempting to deny citizenship to babies born in the U.S. to undocumented parents—blocked by three federal judges who called it "blatantly unconstitutional" and contrary to 127 years of Supreme Court precedent.
OPM implements Schedule F affecting 50,000 career positions
Trump's first executive order January 20, 2025, immediately revived Schedule F reclassifying tens of thousands of federal jobs outside civil service protections, allowing at-will firing of career officials for policy-influencing positions based on political loyalty.
FAR Council ordered to strip diversity requirements from procurement
Trump signed executive order on January 22, 2025, terminating federal diversity, equity, and inclusion requirements for contractors. The order forces companies to drop DEI standards or lose government business worth billions.
Seventeen state AGs challenge Executive Order 14110 in federal court
Seventeen attorneys-general file suit arguing Trump’s DEI executive order violates equal-protection guarantees.
HUD targets building codes while states control construction regulations
Trump signed "Delivering Emergency Price Relief for American Families" January 20, 2025, targeting regulations accounting for 25% of construction costs while representing major shift toward deregulation and market-based housing solutions over affordability programs.
EPA shutters Office of Environmental Justice despite Civil Rights Act
Trump eliminated EPA environmental justice office January 20, 2025, placing 168 staff on leave and canceling $1.7 billion in grants protecting communities of color from pollution, reversing decades of progress while disproportionately affecting minority neighborhoods facing toxic exposure.
Executive Order 14110 bans diversity training for 2 million federal employees
Trump ended federal diversity programs and blocked workplace inclusion training January 20, 2025, forcing federal contractors to scramble for compliance while civil rights groups filed immediate legal challenges, reversing decades of progress toward workplace equality.
State Department blocks 162,000 visas through Executive Order 14161
Executive Order 14161 signed January 20, 2025, launched enhanced vetting that became full travel bans on 12 countries and partial restrictions on 7 others by June 9. The expanded restrictions affect 162,000 annual visas and include new justifications like visa overstay rates and deportation cooperation—going far beyond the original Muslim-majority focus.
State Department confirms U.S. exit from Paris Climate Accord
Trump formally withdrew U.S. from Paris Climate Agreement January 20, 2025, for second time abandoning international climate cooperation affecting electricity bills, trade relationships, and America's global leadership while accelerating fossil fuel development threatening future generations.
White House issues 191 executive orders bypassing Congress on Day One
Trump took oath January 20, 2025, launching most aggressive presidential Day One agenda in modern history with 191 executive orders over 8 months, demonstrating how presidents use early actions to signal major policy shifts bypassing congressional oversight.
DOJ drops charges against 1,500 January 6 defendants in presidential clemency
Trump signed blanket clemency for nearly 1,600 people convicted of attacking the Capitol on January 6, 2025, using his first day back in office to free violent felons who had extensive criminal records including rape, domestic violence, and child pornography. The pardons eliminated $2.7 billion in taxpayer costs while allowing convicted criminals to avoid paying court-ordered restitution.
Judge Howell cites First Amendment as law firms surrender $1 billion under DOJ threats
A tale of two responses emerged in 2025 as Trump systematically threatened America's most powerful institutions. While tech giants, major corporations, and elite law firms capitulated to his authoritarian demands, a determined resistance fought back through the courts, grassroots organizing, and principled defiance. This unprecedented confrontation reveals the fragility of democratic norms and the courage required to preserve them.