"Ending the Weaponization of the Federal Government" (01,20,25)

What is it?

Executive Order 14147 is a presidential directive enforced by President Trump that directs agency heads to review their departments' prior decisions. The review focuses on finding actions that were not consistent with the rule of law or ordinary standards of legal and rational decision-making. In other words, the review looks for actions that didn't follow proper laws or weren't based on fair, logical reasoning. The reviewing leaders are directed by the executive order to look into the decisions and practices of their agencies in the past, to look at cases where political concerns may have inappropriately played a role in official actions, and to develop suggestions for addressing any misconduct they identify.

What's in it for us?

The most important potential effects on young adults and teens would likely be indirect and take time to develop. If government agencies reverse previous policies or enforcement actions during their reviews, this could change how certain rules are applied in areas that directly impact young people, such as student loan policies, educational funding decisions, or job market regulations. Young adults entering the workforce might see shifts in how federal agencies operate or enforce workplace protections and hiring practices.

However, it's important to note that these effects are somewhat of a reach since the executive order primarily focuses on reviewing past conduct rather than immediately changing current policies. The more significant impact might be on young people's overall trust and perception of government institutions, which could influence their civic engagement and how they view the fairness of federal decision-making. But realistically, most teens and young adults probably won't feel direct, immediate changes from this executive order. The effects would more likely show up gradually through any policy adjustments that result from the agency reviews.