I am a business economist with interests in international trade worldwide through politics, money, banking and VOIP Communications. The author of RG Richardson City Guides has over 300 guides, including restaurants and finance.
We’re not talking about the ancient Eurasian trade route. Yesterday, President Trump pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the founder of dark web platform Silk Road, ending his life sentence and satisfying calls from libertarians and Bitcoin backers who wanted him freed.
Who’s Ross Ulbricht? He created Silk Road, an online marketplace best described as Amazon for illegal drugs and operations, which he ran from 2011 to 2013. On the website, users could buy illicit drugs and computer hacking software and hire hit men—and could only pay with cryptocurrency. Ulbricht, who went by the Princess Bride-inspired nickname “Dread Pirate Roberts” online, was arrested in 2013 and convicted two years later for the distribution of narcotics and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
How extensive was the Silk Road?It spanned over 4,000 miles The site generated over $200 million in revenue over the two-ish years it was in operation. According to the prosecution during Ulbricht’s trial:
It spawned a network of nearly 4,000 drug dealers and 100,000 buyers across the world.
At least six people died from an overdose of drugs bought on Silk Road.
Ulbricht earned $18 million from commissions on drug sales.
The Trump of it all
“Free Ross” was a slogan in support of Ulbricht heard at conventions for the Libertarian Party and the cryptocurrency industry, two groups that campaigned for Trump during the presidential election. In a speech at the Libertarian Party National Convention last May, Trump said, “If you vote for me, on day one, I will commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht.” The party opposes criminal drug policies and viewed Ulbricht’s arrest as a government overstep.
As for crypto…it gets a morale boost from what some proponents consider its No. 1 guy going free.Silk Road was one of the first major places that used bitcoin, leading to Ulbricht becoming a sort of martyr for the cause. The editor of Bitcoin Magazine told the NYT that it’s hard to argue Ulbricht isn’t “the most successful and influential entrepreneur of the early Bitcoin era.”—CC
You may have relegated your 12-foot skeleton back to the garage—and finally finished the leftovers from that Costco bag of fun-sized candies—but for job seekers,but for job seekers, it’s still spooky season out there. That’s because they’re still likely to encounter “ghost jobs,” positions that companies advertise with no intention of actually filling. Last year, as many as one out of every five listings job hunters came across online may have beenphantom ones, according to a data analysis by hiring platform Greenhouse, which found that 18%–22% of jobs posted in 2024 didn’t result in a hire.
Companies may post the jobs in good faith, or they may do it to look like they’re growing. Still, Greenhouse co-founder Jon Stross told the Wall Street Journal, “The job market has become more soul-crushing than ever.” But there may be some help on the way to try to save job candidates from writing unnecessary cover letters: Both Greenhouse and LinkedIn have introduced tags for listings they can confirm are real.
January 22 | Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) questions Russell Vought, President Trump's nominee for Director of the Office of Management and Budget, in a Senate Budget Committee hearing. Vought was Project 2025’s “chief architect.”January 22 | Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) questions Russell Vought, President Trump's nominee for Director of the Office of Management and Budget, in a Senate Budget Committee hearing. Vought was Project 2025’s “chief architect.”
President Trump signs a series of executive orders at the White House on Jan. 20. Photo: Jabin Botsford /The Washington Post via Getty Images
President Trump began his pledge to give America a MAGA makeover Monday, taking a slew of executive actions to walk back Biden-era policies and fulfill bold campaign promises.
The big picture: Trump's radical expansion of executive power will dramatically change life for millions of people if the orders withstand the barrage of legal challenges that are already coming.
President Trump executive orders list 2025
What Trump's executive orders do...
Immigration executive orders
Many of Trump's first orders curtail immigration at the southern border.
He promised mass deportations but hasn't detailed how he would implement, staff and fund such a massive, costly operation.
Trump declares national emergency at Mexico border
Trump declared an emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, vowing to deploy troops to the region, including the National Guard. He also instructed the secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security to construct additional border barriers.
Trump designated "certain international cartels" and organizations, such as Tren de Aragua and MS-13, as foreign terrorist organizations and announced plans to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to target them.
Trump suspended U.S. Refugee Admissions Program resettlements "until such time as the further entry into the United States of refugees aligns with the interests of the United States." Homeland Security will report back within 90 days whether resuming refugee entries would "be in the interests" of America.
Nearly 1,660 Afghans cleared by the U.S. to resettle in the country, including family of active-duty U.S. military personnel, had their flights canceled following Trump's orders, Reuters reported.
Trump also ordered Homeland Security to terminate "all categorical parole programs that are contrary to the policies of the United States established in my Executive Orders," including those for refugees fleeing Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela.
Remain in Mexico policy
Trumpreinstated the "Remain in Mexico" policy, ending a program that released asylum seekers into the U.S. while their cases were considered.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection website said Monday that appointments made through the CBP One app at certain border crossings have been canceled. Hours later, Trump nixed the program.
Trump empowered officials to "repeal, repatriate, or remove any alien engaged in the invasion" of the southern border.
Trump birthright citizenship executive order
One of his boldest moves was an attempt to end birthright citizenship for those born to undocumented immigrants.
Trump ordered agencies (starting 30 days after the order) not to recognize babies as citizens if their mothers were "unlawfully present" at the time of birth and their father was not a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident.
That also applies to children born to mothers who were lawful, temporary residents and fathers who were not citizens or lawful permanent residents.
Energy and environment executive orders
Trump declared a "national energy emergency," ordering expedited, deregulated drilling as he's repeatedly vowed to "drill, baby, drill."
One order specifically targets energy production in Alaska — rescinding former President Biden's protections around the state's coastal areas.
In a separate memorandum, Trump paused offshore wind leasing in federal waters.
"[T]he heads of all other relevant agencies, shall not issue new or renewed approvals, rights of way, permits, leases, or loans for onshore or offshore wind projects," pending a review of federal wind leasing, per the order.
Paris Climate treaty
State of play: He also signed an order withdrawing the U.S., the world's second-largest greenhouse gas emitter, from the Paris Climate Agreement.
Trump had pulled out of the pact during his first term, but Biden rejoined the deal in a Day 1 order of his own.
It takes a year to withdraw from the agreement, Axios' Andrew Freedman reports.
Trump directed the Energy secretary to restart application reviews for liquefied natural gas export projects, which were paused by Biden over climate change concerns.
Trump also revoked a 2021 Biden executive order that set a goal for 50% of US vehicle sales to be electric by 2030.
Executive orders targeting DEI and transgender Americans
Trump established Monday that "it is the policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female" on official documents.
"These sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality," his executive order read.
Transgender Americans were a central target of Trump's often hyperbolic and outright false campaign trail messaging.
Zoom out: He also rescinded a Biden administration provision that allowed transgender people to serve in the military.
Trump did not immediately ban trans military personnel from serving, as he did under his first administration, but he paved the path to revive the ban.
Trump, as part of his crusade against what the GOP decries as "woke" culture, ordered the dismantling of government diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives within 60 days.
It eliminates policies that established several diversity initiatives, Axios' Emily Peck reports, including one that widened sex discrimination protections to include sexual orientation and gender identity.
In a Tuesday order, Trump specifically directed the Federal Aviation Administration "to immediately return to non-discriminatory, merit-based hiring, as required by law" and rescind DEI initiatives.
In a separate order, Trump ordered all executive departments and agencies to terminate what he called "discriminatory and illegal" preferences, policies, programs, guidance and other provisions and to "combat illegal private-sector DEI preferences, mandates, policies, programs, and activities."
In doing so, he revoked decades of executive orders, including the Equal Employment Opportunity order of 1965 signed by former President Lyndon B. Johnson.
It also calls for each agency to identify "up to nine potential civil compliance investigations of publicly traded corporations, large non-profit corporations or associations, foundations with assets of 500 million dollars or more, State and local bar and medical associations, and institutions of higher education with endowments over 1 billion dollars."
He required a full-time return to in-office work for federal employees and ordered a hiring freeze on government positions.
The hiring freeze does not apply to the military or "immigration enforcement, national security, or public safety."
He also reinstated his first-term Schedule F executive order, which could make it easier to fire civil servants deemed disloyal.
The order could strip employment protections from thousands of federal employees, Axios' Mimi Montgomery reports.
Employees are "not required to personally or politically support the current President" — but they must "faithfully implement administration policies to the best of their ability," the order said.
Jan. 6 pardons
Trump pardoned the vast majority of Jan. 6 defendants charged with participating in the Capitol riot and commuted the sentences of 14 others.
Among those were leaders of the extremist groups the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers.
"These are the hostages, approximately 1,500 for a pardon, full pardon," Trump said from the Oval Office on his first night as president.
Pardoning rioters was a prominent campaign pledge, but Trump had previously said recipients would be determined on a "case-by-case" basis.
Zoom out: He also announced Tuesday he had signed a full and unconditional pardon for Ross Ulbricht, the creator of the unlawful Silk Road marketplace who was sentenced to life in prison in 2015.
Health executive orders: WHO, COVID and drug costs
Trump signed anorderpulling the U.S. from the World Health Organization, a process he started during his first term.
Monday's order said the U.S. will withdraw "due to the organization's mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic ... and other global health crises, its failure to adopt urgently needed reforms, and its inability to demonstrate independence from the inappropriate political influence of WHO member states."
Zoom out: Trumpalso rescinded a 2022 Biden order to lower the cost of prescription drugs.
TikTok extension, DOGE and more executive orders
Trump signed a number of other executive orders and actions. Those include:
Ensuring government agencies do not "unconstitutionally abridge the free speech of any American citizen," highlighting what Trump and his allies considered censorship under Biden.
Ordering a review of trade practices and agreements.
Revoking security clearances of Trump's former national security adviser, John Bolton, and former intelligence officials who signed a letter discrediting the Hunter Biden laptop story.
Declaring that federal buildings should "respect regional, traditional, and classical architectural heritage" to "beautify public spaces and ennoble the United States."
Renaming Denali to Mount McKinley and the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
