Trump issued eleven executive orders in September, bringing his total across both terms to 508

President Donald Trump’s (R) issued 11 executive orders in September, bringing his second term total to 288 as of Oct. 1. Trump issued orders on livestock, ranching, adjustments to delegations under the Defense Production Act, veterans benefits and employment opportunities, water quality, hunting, fishing, the H-1B Nonimmigrant Visa Program, America.gov, super intelligence, and disease-carrying pests. Click here to read more about each order.

Trump issued five more orders in September than he did in August, when he issued six executive orders. Trump issued 46 executive orders in January 2025, more than in any other month of his presidency. October 2025 was the month when Trump issued the fewest executive orders during his second term, when he issued only one.

Among all U.S. presidents, Trump has issued the 9th-most executive orders, with 508 orders across his two terms in office as of Oct. 1. Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) issued the most of all U.S. presidents, with a total of 3,721 executive orders during his time in office. William Henry Harrison (Whig) issued the fewest, having issued none during his one month in office. Three presidents issued only one executive order each: James Madison (Democratic-Republican), James Monroe (Democratic-Republican), and John Adams (Federalist).

Trump has issued an average of 173 executive orders per year in office in his second term, the highest average among the seven presidents who have held office since 1981. In his first term, Trump averaged 55 executive orders per year, the second-highest in that time. Joe Biden (D) averaged 41 per year, the third-fewest in that time. Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) issued 307 executive orders per year on average, the most of all U.S. presidents.

Trump issued one memorandum in September, having issued 88 total in his second term. The memorandum was on reciprocity in government procurement. Click here to read more about the memorandum. Presidential memoranda are similar to executive orders, but they are neither numbered nor have the same publication requirements.

Trump issued 11 proclamations in September, having issued 185 total in his second term. The proclamations were on Labor Day, Canadian trade and tariffs, Patriot Day, National POW/MIA Recognition Day, restrictions on entry of certain nonimmigrant workers, Gold Star Mother’s and Family’s Day, Constitution Day, Citizenship Day, and Constitution Week. Click here to read more about the proclamations . Proclamations are executive directives that typically relate to private individuals or ceremonial events, such as holidays and commemorations.

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