United States President Donald Trump on Friday directed government agencies to freeze certain regulations and also signed an executive order to begin the process of repealing the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, Reuters reported. The orders were issued hours after Trump was sworn in as the 45th US president.
The order on Obamacare urged government departments to “waive, defer, grant exemptions from, or delay the implementation” of provisions that imposed financial burdens on states, companies and individuals, AP reported. White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus said the new president’s directive was aimed at “minimising the economic burden” of the Act. During his campaign, Trump had vowed to repeal Obamacare and replace it with “something terrific”.
The healthcare law was passed nearly seven years ago to expand insurance coverage to some 20 million people. It directed insurers to not turn down those who were already ill and asked them to slash medical charges to the sick and elderly. In the last few years, the US Congress has voted more than 60 times to repeal or alter Obamacare.
Furthermore, the official White House website deleted its pages on civil rights, climate change and LGBTQ rights following Trump’s inauguration. These were subjects that his predecessor Barack Obama was closely associated with. However, webpages detailing the new administration’s stance on foreign policy and law enforcement were put up.
“President Trump will honor our men and women in uniform and will support their mission of protecting the public,” read the webpage titled “Standing Up For Our Law Enforcement Community”. ”The dangerous anti-police atmosphere in America is wrong. The Trump Administration will end it.”
Trump was sworn in as the 45th US president on Friday. “We are transferring power from [Washington] DC and transferring the power back to the people,” he said in his first presidential address. “The oath of office I take today is an oath of allegiance to all Americans. I will never, ever let you down.”
Some 217 protestors were arrested, and six policemen sustained minor injuries as violence erupted near Trump’s inauguration parade.
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