President Donald Trump has signed a slew of executive orders in the first days of presidency. Biased coverage from news sources across the political spectrum distorted the potential impacts the orders could have. 

Outlets on the left consistently framed Trump’s orders negatively, while outlets on the right framed them positively.

Paris Accords

One of Trump’s more consequential moves was withdrawing (again) from the Paris Climate Accords.

Washington Post (Lean Left bias) said it “raised fears among U.S. allies about the future of global climate initiatives” at a “perilous time for global climate efforts,” and “reinforced a sense that the United States is an unreliable partner in the global effort to reduce emissions.”

The Daily Wire (Right) included none of those perspectives, and highlighted Trump’s claim that exiting the deal “would save the country over a trillion dollars.”

The Daily Signal (Right) suggested the “regulations needed to meet the climate accord would cause a total income loss of more than $20,000 for a family of four by the year 2035.”

Two Genders

Trump signed an order that will "defend women’s rights and protect freedom of conscience by using clear and accurate language and policies that recognize women are biologically female, and men are biologically male."

Reuters (Center) said it came as Trump “moved to quickly end a range of policies aimed at promoting racial equity and protecting rights for LGBTQ+ people.”

National Review News (Lean Right) framed the decision positively, suggesting Trump was “restoring the sex binary to federal policy, rooting out the Biden administration’s promotion of progressive gender ideology in a move that will have broad implications for the maintenance of female-only public facilities, anti-discrimination litigation, and the use of taxpayer funds for ‘gender-affirming’ procedures.”

The Guardian (Left) said Trump “rolls back trans and gender-identity rights and takes aim at DEI.” 

DOGE

How impactful will Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) be?

The New Republic (Left) framed it as insignificant, calling it “a simple rebrand of something that already exists.”

The New York Post (Lean Right) framed it as effective, reporting Tuesday that DOGE “wasted no time beginning its purge of reckless government spending by shutting the Chief Diversity Officers Executive Council.”

Oil and Gas

One of Trump’s orders moves to re-open drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and National Petroleum Reserve. Do the economic benefits of expanded fossil fuel drilling outweigh its damage to the environment?

Fox News (Right) said “Alaska leaders cheer Trump oil and gas drilling executive order,” and highlighted how “State political leaders see development of the fossil fuel industry as critical to Alaska's economic future.”

The New York Times (Lean Left) suggested Trump was ignoring climate warnings in opening “fragile wilderness in Alaska for oil drilling and mining,” and said his “pivot to oil and gas follows the hottest year in recorded history.”

WHO Withdrawal

Trump elected to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO), which he also did in his first presidency.

The Associated Press (Left) said it’s a “move many scientists fear could roll back decadeslong gains made in fighting diseases like AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.”

One America News (Right) said Trump’s decision followed “the health agency’s disastrous mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Partisan media will continue to try to manipulate you. To think for yourself, follow more of our balanced coverage of the Trump administration.

Henry A. Brechter is the editor-in-chief of AllSides. He has a Center bias.

Reviewed by News Editor Andy Gorel (Center), News Assistant Johnathon Held (Lean Right) and Product Manager Evan Wagner (Lean Left).