Trump Signs Executive Order on Obamacare on Inauguration Day

President Donald Trump hours after he was sworn in to the highest office in the nation signed an executive order aimed at "minimizing the economic burden" of Obamacare "pending repeal."

The executive order was Trump’s first since becoming the 45th president of the United States. The order says that "It is the policy of my Administration to seek the prompt repeal" of the law.

It orders that the Secretary of Health and Human Services and others to "exercise all authority and discretion available to them to waive, defer, grant exemptions from, or delay" any requirement of Obamacare that would impose a fiscal burden.

Related: Five Obamacare Provisions Trump Could Change Right Away

The order also directs agencies to give greater flexibility to states in implementing the health care law. It says the policy of the Trump administration is to "prepare to afford the States more flexibility and control to create a more free and open healthcare market."

The president can't repeal the health care law himself, but Trump and other Republicans have vowed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, which is widely known as Obamacare. Republicans in the House and Senate last week signed bills to complete the first step to repeal the law.

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSInflation and tariffs push U.S. holiday spending projections to a record $1.7 trillion

FOR SUBSCRIBERSWhat happened inside the room where officials tried to execute Christa Pike by lethal injection

FOR SUBSCRIBERSHow we reported the saga of the CIA officer and his gold-bar stash

FOR SUBSCRIBERS‘We’re going to beat you to death with audits’: Brad Raffensperger gears up to oversee his final election in Georgia

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDiddy is punished following NBC News report on his VIP life in prison and contraband cellphone use

FOR SUBSCRIBERS‘Too young to vote, old enough to be tear gassed’: French protesters’ anger swells

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDOJ gets aggressive in suing states that challenge Trump’s immigration policies

FOR SUBSCRIBERSJustice Department seeks criminal charge for former Trump aide Cassidy Hutchinson

FOR SUBSCRIBERS‘I just want to hold him’: USS Lincoln sailor to meet his 10-month-old son as ship docks

FOR SUBSCRIBERSSenate candidates run on raising Social Security taxes for higher incomes to prevent benefit cuts

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRussian operation that used ChatGPT tricked schools, a politician and media, OpenAI says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump administration’s deal with Nevada fuels data center fight in governor’s race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSLatino voters reject Trump’s immigration policies — and detail the personal impact

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAs Democrats eye big midterm gains, the Wisconsin governor’s race remains a nail-biter

FOR SUBSCRIBERSU.S. military prepares new Iran war options ahead of midterm elections

Slide 1 of 1

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSInflation and tariffs push U.S. holiday spending projections to a record $1.7 trillion

FOR SUBSCRIBERSWhat happened inside the room where officials tried to execute Christa Pike by lethal injection

FOR SUBSCRIBERSHow we reported the saga of the CIA officer and his gold-bar stash

FOR SUBSCRIBERS‘We’re going to beat you to death with audits’: Brad Raffensperger gears up to oversee his final election in Georgia

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDiddy is punished following NBC News report on his VIP life in prison and contraband cellphone use

FOR SUBSCRIBERS‘Too young to vote, old enough to be tear gassed’: French protesters’ anger swells

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDOJ gets aggressive in suing states that challenge Trump’s immigration policies

FOR SUBSCRIBERSJustice Department seeks criminal charge for former Trump aide Cassidy Hutchinson

FOR SUBSCRIBERS‘I just want to hold him’: USS Lincoln sailor to meet his 10-month-old son as ship docks

FOR SUBSCRIBERSSenate candidates run on raising Social Security taxes for higher incomes to prevent benefit cuts

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRussian operation that used ChatGPT tricked schools, a politician and media, OpenAI says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump administration’s deal with Nevada fuels data center fight in governor’s race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSLatino voters reject Trump’s immigration policies — and detail the personal impact

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAs Democrats eye big midterm gains, the Wisconsin governor’s race remains a nail-biter

FOR SUBSCRIBERSU.S. military prepares new Iran war options ahead of midterm elections

Slide 1 of 1

Related: Obamacare Repeal Would Leave 18 Million Uninsured, Report Says

Also Friday, Trump's chief of staff Reince Preibus also sent a memo Friday ordering that some pending federal regulations be frozen so Trump or others in the administration can review them.

In addition to the executive order, Trump on Friday signed commissions for retired Gen. James Mattis as Defense Secretary and Gen. John Kelly to run the Department of Homeland Security, after both were easily confirmed by the Senate. Trump has nominated Georgia Rep. Tom Price as as Health and Human Services Secretary.

• Add to Google

JAN. 18: Price Defends Healthcare Agenda: 'Nobody's Interested in Pulling the Rug Out'

01:49