Donald Trump set a record for the number of declared emergencies during his first 100 days in office
In the first three months of his presidency, U.S. President Donald Trump officially declared more states of emergency than any of his predecessors in American political history. This was an unexpected and at the same time concerning signal for analysts and opponents, as such decisions grant the president even greater powers for rapid response and implementing measures without unnecessary bureaucratic delays. According to sources referenced by international media, notably Axios, Trump has already designated eight separate cases as states of emergency. Overall, these decisions have been used to pursue several strategic objectives: introducing trade tariffs, accelerating the development of the energy sector and mineral extraction, as well as deploying American troops at the border with Mexico to curb mass migration and illegal immigration. U.S. law has long allowed the president to declare states of emergency without prior approval from Congress. According to the Emergency Powers Act of 1976, the executive branch has nearly unlimited authority for such actions. In 1983, the U.S. Supreme Court effectively deprived Congress of the power to veto the president’s declaration of a state of emergency, opening the door for the president to more broadly use this mechanism to justify actions when necessary. As Axios emphasizes, Trump’s active use of emergency declarations and their widespread application are unprecedented in recent U.S. history and indicate a tendency to concentrate powers within the White House, significantly limiting the role of other branches of government. At the same time, these mechanisms allow for the preservation and continuation of sanctions regimes imposed against Russia since 2014. Trump has repeatedly signed documents to extend measures restricting Moscow, utilizing the emergency powers mechanism in his interest. In the context of current President’s policies and security measures, declaring states of emergency becomes a key tool for swift and direct actions, leading to a blending of legitimacy and risks of power centralization in the executive branch. This sparks active debate among the public and experts, as more voices call for greater transparency and restraint in government authority; meanwhile, the trend towards consolidating broad powers in the hands of a single president is gaining momentum. Further details on this topic can be found in our upcoming articles, where we analyze how such actions by Trump affect the balance of power within U.S. institutions and what this means for the future of democracy in the country.