Navigating Trump’s 2025 Executive Orders: Social Work Students’ Experiences at Practicum Sites

During the first 100 days of Donald Trump’s second presidential term, numerous executive orders (EOs) were issued. This study examines bachelor of social work (BSW) and master of social work (MSW) students’ experiences at their practicum sites following the 2025 immigration-; diversity, equity, and inclusion–; and gender-related EOs. To do this, the study used a cross-sectional survey to examine the experiences of 180 BSW and MSW social work students at their practicum sites in the spring of 2025. Descriptive statistics and a thematic analysis of open-ended survey responses were conducted. Most students reported that at least one of the EOs had been acknowledged or addressed at their practicum sites (n=116, 64%). Messages from practicum sites regarding the EOs were categorized into the following themes: client-focused messages, messages describing organizational effects, messages that aligned with the EOs, and unclear or insufficient messages. More than half of respondents (n=89, 51%) indicated that their practicum sites’ responses to the EOs probably or definitely aligned with social work ethics/values. Implications for practicum learning experiences are discussed, including recommendations to strengthen learning opportunities related to Competency 5.