Knowledge
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| Source |
(modified from Gemini AI)
As of January 2026, President Trump has declared or continued approximately 11 national emergencies during his second term
. Critics and legal experts argue these declarations are "policy emergencies" designed to bypass Congress and implement his domestic and international agenda more rapidly than traditional legislation allows. Below is the stated purpose and practical impact of each major emergency declaration:
Border and Immigration
- Southern Border FAKE Emergency: Declared to achieve "operational control" of the border. Its primary purpose is to militarize the border and unlock 10 U.S.C. § 2808, which allows the president to redirect military construction funds for a border wall and mass deportation infrastructure without congressional approval.
- Foreign Terrorist Cartel FAKE Emergency: Designates groups like Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). This allows the administration to freeze cartel assets, prosecute anyone providing "material support" to them, and potentially invoke the Alien Enemies Act to expedite the deportation of suspected members.
Economic and Trade
- National Trade FAKE Emergency: Invoked under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to address persistent trade deficits. It serves as the legal foundation for a baseline 10% global tariff and higher reciprocal tariffs on specific countries like China, Canada, and Mexico.
- Northern Border Drug FAKE Emergency: Declared to combat the flow of fentanyl from Canada. It was used to justify a 25% tariff on Canadian goods, later raised to 35% in August 2025 due to perceived lack of cooperation.
- Brazilian Government FAKE Threat: Declared in July 2025, claiming the Brazilian government violated the free expression rights of U.S. citizens and interfered with the U.S. economy. It was used to impose a 40% duty on Brazilian imports. [Trump is allied with the former dictator of Brazil and is trying to extort Brazilians using
- a tarrifs and a fake emergency]
Energy and Environment
- National Energy FAKE Emergency: Declared on January 20, 2025, to address high energy prices and "hostile foreign actors" impacting supply. It is used to bypass environmental regulations (like the Clean Water Act), fast-track oil and gas permits on federal lands, and prop up coal plants that were scheduled for closure. [A gift to the Epstein Class and corporations that bribed him with money for his illegal ballroom, the inauguration etc]
- Forest Logging FAKE Emergency: Issued in March 2025 to expedite logging on 112 million acres of national forest. The emergency status allows these projects to skip typical regulatory hurdles and environmental impact reviews.
Domestic and Social
- District of Columbia Crime FAKE Emergency: Declared in August 2025 to "restore safety" in the capital. It allows the president to federalize the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, hire additional federal prosecutors, and deploy National Guard units for domestic law enforcement within the district.
- Fentanyl as a Weapon of Mass Destruction FAKE (WMD): Declared in December 2025 to treat the synthetic opioid crisis as a national security threat rather than just a public health issue, potentially unlocking military-grade resources for interdiction.
Foreign Policy
- Venezuelan Oil Revenue FAKE Emergency: Declared in January 2026 to "safeguard" Venezuelan oil funds held by the U.S. government from judicial seizure or attachment by third parties, asserting that these funds are the sovereign property of Venezuela.
As of January 2026, President Trump has declared at least 11 new national emergencies during his second term. This aggressive use of executive authority has far outpaced his predecessors; for comparison, he declared eight national emergencies in his first 100 days back in office, more than any other modern president in that timeframe.
Key Emergency Declarations (2025–2026)
The president has invoked the National Emergencies Act (NEA) and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to address what he terms "unusual and extraordinary threats".
- Southern Border Crisis: Declared on January 20, 2025, to achieve operational control of the border and redirect federal resources for wall construction and troop deployment.
- National Energy Emergency: Issued on January 20, 2025, to address energy supply and infrastructure "threats" caused by previous administrative policies.
- Foreign Terrorist Cartels: Declared on January 20, 2025, designating cartels and other groups as foreign terrorist organizations.
- Northern Border Drug Emergency: Declared on February 1, 2025, to combat the flow of illicit drugs from Canada.
- Trade and Tariff Emergencies: Multiple emergencies declared in early 2025 to impose steep tariffs on Mexico, Canada, China, and Brazil.
- District of Columbia Crime Emergency: Declared on August 11, 2025, to address public safety in the capital, later expanded with additional measures.
- Venezuelan Oil Revenue: Declared on January 9, 2026, to safeguard Venezuelan oil funds held in U.S. accounts from seizure.
Recent Status and Continuations
In early January 2026, President Trump issued official notices to continue several first-year emergencies for another year:
- January 12, 2026: Continued emergencies regarding the Southern Border, Cartels, and the Northern Border (fentanyl).
- January 12, 2026: Continued the National Energy Emergency.
Total Combined Emergencies
Including the remaining active declarations from his first term (13) and those from other administrations still in effect, Trump is currently responsible for roughly 21 to 24 total national emergencies active in the U.S. as of January 2026.
Separately, on January 15, 2026, the president threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy the military for domestic law enforcement in response to civil unrest in Minneapolis, though this is a distinct legal mechanism from the National Emergencies Act.
