Trump firmly in saddle

NEW PRESIDENT SET TO GO BACK TO HIS AGENDA Reality check with lawsuit, petition on tax, facing him.

President Donald Trump got down to work yesterday, signing a slew of executive orders to start rolling out his policy agenda after a tumultuous first few days put his administration on the back foot.

As he embarks on his first full week in office, the 45th US president will seek support from lawmakers, business leaders and unions at the White House.

Since he was sworn in on Friday Trump’s White House has been pilloried for lying to the public about crowds at the inauguration.

About 2 million Americans have poured into the streets for women-led demonstrations.

“Why didn’t these people vote? Celebs hurt cause badly,” Trump tweeted angrily on Sunday.

An hour later, adopting a more conciliatory tone, he noted “peaceful protests are a hallmark of our democracy”.

“Even if I don’t always agree,” he said, “I recognise the rights of people to express their views.”

Trump aides say the next week will see a steady, if not daily, drip of executive actions designed to get back to Trump’s agenda.

Already there have been moves to roll back President Barack Obama’s health care reforms and freeze some regulations in the pipeline.

But reality has also bitten. A Washington group of lawyers and researchers filed a federal lawsuit against Trump yesterday, alleging he was violating a constitutional ban on accepting payments from foreign governments.

The Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington said his business properties abroad operate partly based on goodwill from foreign governments.

And a petition on Whitehouse. gov demanding that the billionaire immediately release his tax returns passed 100 000 signatures, the threshold at which the White House is supposed to respond within 30 days. – AFP