January 20, 2017
Trump inaugurated
Donald J. Trump is inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States.
January 21, 2017
Women's March
Millions of people around the world participate in the Women’s March, the largest single-day march in US history, to protest the Trump administration and its policies.
January 23, 2017
Global gag rule reinstated
In one of his first policy decisions, President Trump decides to reinstate the “Mexico City Policy,” a ban on aid to international groups performing or counseling on abortion. President Ronald Reagan first introduced this ban in 1984 at a U.N conference in Mexico City, and U.S. presidents have consistently rescinded and reinstated it since.
January 23, 2017
Withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership
President Trump directs the office of the US trade representatives to withdraw the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
January 27, 2017
Travel ban
President Trump signs an executive order that denies entry into the United States for people from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, and suspends the Refugee Admissions Policy for 120 days. Trump’s travel ban sparks large protests and legal challenges. As a result of legal challenges, Trump revises the executive order.
January 31, 2017
Gorsuch nominated for SCOTUS
President Trump announces his nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the US Supreme Court. Judge Gorsuch will fill the seat vacated when Justice Antonin Scalia died in February 2016. The US Senate denied President Barack Obama the chance to fill the seat.
February 13, 2017
Flynn resigns
President Trump’s National Security Advisor Michael T. Flynn resigns after he admits to misleading Vice President Mike Pence about conversations Flynn had with the Russian ambassador before Trump’s inauguration.
March 6, 2017
New executive order on the travel ban
President Trump signs a revised travel ban to respond to legal challenges to the first travel ban. The new travel ban implements a travel ban from six Muslim majority countries and temporarily suspends the Refugee Admission Program.
March 28, 2017
Reversal of environmental protection
President Trump signs an executive order that rolls back the Obama administration’s temporary ban on mining coal and a protection rule for streams. Trump reverses much of Obama’s clean power strategy, rolling back US action to combat climate change.
April 7, 2017
Action against the Syrian government
President Trump orders the US strikes against an air base in Syria after the Syrian government launches a chemical weapons attack against the Syrian province of Idlib, killing civilians including children.
April 10, 2017
Neil M. Gorsuch joins the US Supreme Court
Judge Neil M. Gorsuch is sworn into the US Supreme Court, replacing Justice Antonin Scalia who died in 2016.
May 9, 2017
FBI director James Comey removed
President Donald Trump fired the director of the FBI, James Comey. The firing is unexpected and raises concerns about abuse of power and the independence of the FBI.
May 17, 2017
Robert Muller chose as special counsel
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein names Robert Muller, former director of the FBI under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, as special counsel to investigate Russia’s interference in the 2016 election.
June 1, 2017
Withdrawal from the Paris climate accord
President Trump announces that the United States will withdraw from the 2015 Paris climate accord, another agreement negotiated by Obama.
July 28, 2017
Chief of Staff Kelly named
President Trump announces that he has replaced Reince Priebus as his chief of staff with John F. Kelly, a former general and secretary of Homeland Security.
August 12, 2017
Trump comments on the white nationalist rally
After a rally of white nationalists and neo-Nazis in Charlottesville, Virginia, Trump denounces the violence on “both sides.” He is strongly criticized for not denouncing white supremacy. He later condemns the attack that killed Heather Heyer.
August 18, 2017
Bannon resigns
Stephen Bannon resigns from the White House. Bannon was a chief strategist in the White House and campaign aid for President Trump. He helped develop the administration’s nationalist and populist approaches to immigration policy.
August 21, 2017
US increases presence in Afghanistan
President Trump announces a new US strategy in Afghanistan, increasing the number of US troops in the country to try to achieve a stable peace.
September 19, 2017
UN Address
President Trump addresses the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City. He focuses on his message of "America First" and discusses the ongoing situations with North Korea, Iran, and Syria.
October 30, 2017
Trump officials plead in court
Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort pleads not guilty to charges of laundering money. George Papadopoulos, a former foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign, pleads guilty to lying to the FBI and is cooperating with Mueller's investigation.
November 5, 2017
Tour of Asian countries
President Trump leaves on a five-nation tour of Asia. He travels to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
December 1, 2017
Flynn pleads guilty
President Trump’s former National Security Adviser, Michael Flynn, pleads guilty to lying to the FBI. His guilty plea indicates that Flynn is cooperating with Robert Mueller’s investigation into the Trump administration’s dealings with Russia.
December 22, 2017
Tax bill signed
President Trump signs a $1.5 trillion tax bill into law. The bill overhauls the federal tax code and is a victory for Republicans. The bill cuts taxes for corporations and the wealthy while delivering only moderate cuts to most Americans.