Every controversial move Trump has made during his first 100 days in the presidential office

It's been 100 days since Donald Trump returned to the White House for his second presidential term, and it's been quite the rollercoaster.

Within hours of being sworn into office on January 20, President Trump wasted no time in signing off on a slew of executive orders, at least 25 to be exact, while declaring the 'golden age of America begins right now'.

The POTUS has kept up the momentum for change ever since, with a flurry of new orders and executive actions flying out of the White House, or from Trump's Truth Social platform, at breakneck speed over the past 100 days.

Now that we're at the milestone, here are some of Trump's most controversial moves so far.

Elon Musk, DOGE, and cut backs

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was created and tasked with 'modernizing Federal technology' and 'maximizing governmental efficiency and productivity,' spearheaded by none other than the richest man in the world and Trump's 'First Buddy,' Elon Musk.

Musk took to his new role quite well (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

The appointment alone proved controversial from the get-go, let alone when Musk brandished a chainsaw at the Conservative Political Action Conference in announcing his mission to slash trillions of dollars from the federal government and its 'bureaucracy.'

As a result, dozens of agencies and departments have shrunk, particularly in foreign aid initiatives like the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department of Education.

The move even left one agency, the Inter-American Foundation, working with just one employee after DOGE sacked everyone else.

While some have been all for the severe budget cuts, others fear the cuts will have a knock-on effect to government programmes like Social Security retirement plans, veteran benefits, and health insurance coverage for the vulnerable.

The tariffs plan has arguably already backfired (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Trump's tariffs and trade war with the world

On April 2, the day Trump calls 'Liberation Day,' the world recoiled in horror as the POTUS unveiled a hefty chart (literally) of tariffs on foreign goods from across the world, excluding Canada and Mexico, which are having their own separate spat with the president about it all.

The trade war stepped up a notch when China retaliated with countermeasures on US goods, and issued a warning to the rest of the world, while the stock market is still in panic-mode.

While Trump has hit pause on the plans for 90 days, tariff tensions are high with most fearing the US' trading partners could make life very difficult for its citizens. Take for instance Ontario Premier Doug Ford threatening to turn off the lights to 1.5 million residents in Michigan, New York, and Minnesota.

Anyway, since Trump showed off his shiny chart of reciprocal tariffs, interest rates boomed and consumer confidence has taken a tumble, reports BBC.

Unemployment is also beginning to rise, which hasn't been helped by the vast swathes of federal government employees who have been forced out of their jobs by DOGE.

Trump saw the deportation of hundreds to El Salvador's mega jail without any court challenges (El Salvador Presidency / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Clashes with the court over immigration

Trump clashing with the Supreme Court isn't exactly a rare occurrence, but his aggressively militant approach to deporting migrants en masse out of the US is landing him in some hot water.

Most controversially was his decision to use an old wartime law to deport more than 250 non-US citizens out of the states and into one of the world's worst prisons, El Salvador's mega-jail, the Center for Terrorism Confinement, without any legal proceedings like court hearings or trials.

This has already resulted in disaster, with one man, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia from Maryland with legal status in the US, being falsely imprisoned far from home in El Salvador due to a Trump administration 'error'.

People have pointed out that this scheme of 'deport first' without any trial taking place is in conflict with the constitutional right to due process under the Fourteenth Amendment, though this doesn't seem to bother Trump.

Indeed, his wrath has no bounds as the president has also hinted at sending US citizens to foreign prisons in a sort of 'modern' take on exile or penal colony, has further threatened foreign students with ripping up their university contracts and shipping them home if they're found 'protesting' for Palestine and has outlined plans for a self-deportation initiative to pay immigrants to leave the states.

Campaigners have had a lot to protest about in the last 100 days (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Roll back on diversity

Trump has not only slammed the brakes on diversity programs but is looking to rewrite the script entirely.

He brought an end to diversity and equity (DEI) programmes across the federal government and announced there would be punishments pending investigations into private companies and academic institutions.

Such programmes were brought in during the 1960s in line with civil rights victories to expand opportunities for people of color before expanding to women, LGBTQ+ rights and other racial groups.

The Trump administration argued the practices were 'illegal' and prioritized race and identity over talent.

To this end, another of Trump's executive orders further stated there are 'only two genders' that cannot be 'changed', affecting transgender citizens over their rights in areas like sports and prisons as well as their access to healthcare.

Trump had a stern word with Zelenskyy in February (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

Other controversial moments

Within a day, Trump also signed orders to pardon Capitol rioters, abandon the World Health Organization (WHO) and withdraw from the Paris climate agreement.

He's also soured some international relations, not least of all with China but also with Canada, after teasing the country should become the US' 51st State and downplaying its Prime Minister (formerly Justin Trudeau and now Mark Carney) by calling both of them both the 'governor of Canada.'

In another tense moment, Trump was seen 'yelling' at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as they discussed peace with Russia, and appeared to peeve off Catholics by rocking up to Pope Francis' funeral dressed in a blue suit while chewing gum, falling asleep and texting during the ceremony.

... Hang onto your hats for the next 100 days.