The total number of executive orders issued by U.S. presidents varies widely:
- Franklin D. Roosevelt holds the record for the most executive orders, having issued 3,721 during his presidency
- Other notable presidents include Woodrow Wilson with 1,803, Calvin Coolidge with 1,203, Theodore Roosevelt with 1,081, and Harry S. Truman with 907 executive orders
- Recent presidents since 1969 have averaged 269 executive orders per term, with two-term presidents averaging 328 and single-term presidents averaging 216
- Ronald Reagan issued the most executive orders among recent presidents, with 381 during his two terms
- Joe Biden issued 162 executive orders from 2021 to 2025
- Donald Trump issued 220 executive orders during his first term (2017–2021) and has issued more since starting his second term in 2025, including a record 143 executive orders in his first 100 days of the second term
In summary, the number of executive orders by a president depends on the length of their term and their governing style, with totals ranging from a few hundred to several thousand for longer-serving presidents.
