While Trump’s Tariffs Tanked the Market, Here’s What Else He Was Quietly Doing
A flood of executive actions, a threat to democracy, and a power grab hiding behind economic chaos.
This past week, the U.S. economy took a massive hit.
Trump’s aggressive tariff strategy—rolled out in waves starting April 2—sparked a global trade panic, triggering a nosedive in the stock market.1
Major indices dropped sharply, with some analysts calling it the worst tariff-induced shock since the 1930s.
But while all eyes were on the financial chaos, something else was happening behind the scenes.
While the market burned, Trump was busy…
Between March 28 and April 11, the Trump administration issued 24 separate executive actions—executive orders, proclamations, and presidential memoranda.
Twenty-four.
In just over two weeks.
Some of them were seemingly innocuous.
Others? Downright dangerous.
Many flew under the radar.
And that’s the point.
This kind of coordinated, high-volume action during moments of distraction isn’t a bug of authoritarian regimes—it’s a feature.
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Coordinated Chaos: What These Actions Reveal
During the exact time the market was crashing from his tariff moves, Trump issued:
A military deployment order to “seal the southern border”
A directive to target a law firm (Susman Godfrey) and named individuals like Chris Krebs
Major deregulation of the energy and defense sectors
Tariff escalations against China, even after global retaliation
And a series of actions consolidating power over trade, energy, speech, and security
In isolation, each one might not seem like a five-alarm fire.
But taken together?
They paint a clear picture of a President using chaos as cover to push through controversial and anti-democratic agendas.
The Democracy Warning Lights
Here’s where we need to pay especially close attention: the actions that go after institutions, individuals, or checks on power.
These four stand out as direct threats to democracy:
Addressing Risks from Chris Krebs and Government Censorship2
Goes after a former government cybersecurity official by name. Sets a precedent for targeting critics and professionals deemed disloyal. (Category: Civil Liberties)Addressing Risks from Susman Godfrey3
Targets a law firm that has represented Trump’s legal opponents. This is retaliatory politics, plain and simple. (Category: Civil Liberties)Addressing Risks Associated with an Egregious Leaker and Disseminator of Falsehoods4
Broad and vague language aimed at whistleblowers, journalists, or dissenters. (Category: Civil Liberties)Military Mission for Sealing the Southern Border and Repelling Invasions5
Militarizing the southern border with language that stokes fear and paints migrants as a military threat. (Category: Military)
And These Orders Are Already Being Enforced
One of the most chilling signs?
These executive orders aren’t just sitting on paper—they’re already being put into practice.
At the State Department, an internal cable signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio instructs employees to report coworkers for “anti-Christian bias” through an anonymous tip line.6
This move enforces Trump’s February executive order and is part of a broader effort to collect detailed reports—names, dates, locations—on incidents from both the current and previous administration.
While the department claims it’s also collecting bias reports on other religions, the executive order focuses solely on Christianity.
This isn’t about protecting religious freedom—it’s about policing ideological loyalty to a specific religious worldview.
And it’s using government surveillance to do it.
This is Christian nationalism in action, and the method of enforcement—anonymous internal reporting, fear-based compliance, targeting of ideological “outsiders”—is straight from the authoritarian playbook.
It mirrors historical patterns of fascist governance, where national identity, religious conformity, and state surveillance merge into one machinery of control.
Full List of Trump’s Executive Actions (March 28 – April 11)
Below is every action Trump took during this period, along with a short summary and the area of government it impacts:
March 28
🔹 Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful
Pushes a federal-led effort to “beautify” DC, with vague language about safety.
→ Category: Infrastructure
March 31
🔹 Combating Unfair Practices in the Live Entertainment Market
Targets large entertainment platforms under the guise of fairness.
→ Category: Technology
🔹 Establishing the United States Investment Accelerator
Aims to fast-track domestic investment through deregulation.
→ Category: Economic
April 2
🔹 Further Amendment to Duties Addressing the Synthetic Opioid Supply Chain in the People’s Republic of China
Increases duties on Chinese goods tied to opioid chemicals.
→ Category: Economic
🔹 Regulating Imports with a Reciprocal Tariff
Imposes retaliatory tariffs tied to trade deficits.
→ Category: Economic
April 4
🔹 Extending the TikTok Enforcement Delay
Delays the enforcement of the TikTok ban, signaling indecision.
→ Category: Technology
April 8
🔹 Amendment to Reciprocal Tariffs on Low-Value Chinese Imports
Continues escalation of the trade war.
→ Category: Economic
🔹 Protecting American Energy From State Overreach
Preempts state environmental regulations.
→ Category: Environmental
🔹 Regulatory Relief for Certain Stationary Sources to Promote American Energy
Lowers pollution control standards for energy producers.
→ Category: Environmental
🔹 Reinvigorating America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Industry
Guts environmental protections in favor of coal.
→ Category: Environmental
🔹 Strengthening the Reliability and Security of the Electric Grid
Expands federal control over grid management.
→ Category: Environmental
April 9
🔹 Addressing Risks Associated with an Egregious Leaker and Disseminator of Falsehoods
Allows executive action against unnamed “leakers.”
→ Category: Civil Liberties
🔹 Addressing Risks from Chris Krebs and Government Censorship
Targets a named individual from Trump's first term.
→ Category: Civil Liberties
🔹 Addressing Risks from Susman Godfrey
Targets a law firm representing his legal foes.
→ Category: Civil Liberties
🔹 Directing the Repeal of Unlawful Regulations
A sweeping deregulation order with vague criteria.
→ Category: Governance
🔹 Maintaining Acceptable Water Pressure in Showerheads
Rolls back efficiency standards on water usage.
→ Category: Environmental
🔹 Modernizing Defense Acquisitions and Spurring Innovation
Streamlines defense contracts—at the cost of oversight.
→ Category: Military
🔹 Modifying Reciprocal Tariff Rates to Reflect Trading Partner Retaliation
Responds to retaliatory tariffs with more tariffs.
→ Category: Economic
🔹 Reducing Anti-Competitive Regulatory Barriers
Undermines regulatory agencies in the name of competition.
→ Category: Governance
🔹 Reforming Foreign Defense Sales to Improve Speed and Accountability
Speeds up arms deals abroad.
→ Category: Military
🔹 Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance
Reshapes naval procurement with unclear objectives.
→ Category: Military
🔹 Zero-Based Regulatory Budgeting to Unleash American Energy
Caps regulatory agency spending and encourages deregulation.
→ Category: Environmental
April 11
🔹 Clarification of Exceptions Under Executive Order 14257
Makes exceptions for politically friendly countries/companies.
→ Category: Economic
🔹 Military Mission for Sealing the Southern Border and Repelling Invasions
Authorizes a full military role in immigration enforcement.
→ Category: Military
Final Thought
Trump’s strategy is clear: create enough chaos that the public can’t keep up.
But we’re not going to let that happen.
Because authoritarianism thrives in silence.
And we’re not staying silent.
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https://www.npr.org/2025/04/02/nx-s1-5345926/trump-tariffs-timeline
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/addressing-risks-from-chris-krebs-and-government-censorship/
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/addressing-risks-from-susman-godfrey/
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/addressing-risks-associated-with-an-egregious-leaker-and-disseminator-of-falsehoods/
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/military-mission-for-sealing-the-southern-border-of-the-united-states-and-repelling-invasions/
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/11/state-report-anti-christian-bias-033535
Brilliant.