Corporate America in panic mode as CEOs launch war rooms and hotlines over Trump's executive order blitz

America's biggest corporations have been stunned by President Trump's breakneck pace as he starts his second term - and are working round the clock to catch up. 

Trump has gotten straight to work by signing dozens of executive orders, launching a $500 billion AI venture and firing thousands of White House staffers.

In several areas, corporate elites are scrambling to deal with the president's often chaotic nature on some bills that could dramatically affect their businesses.

JPMorgan Chase, whose CEO Jamie Dimon had back-channel communications with Trump in late 2024, has launched a 'war room' to deal with the president's actions. 

Staff members have been encouraged to study Trump's many executive orders and then send their analysis straight to Dimon.

Bank of America and Citigroup are launching similar rooms to help their international business understand how dramatically America has just changed. 

Some corporations are preparing for Trump's promised mass deportation program by establishing contacts with a legal hotline.

Fisher Phillips, a top lawn firm, says many companies have tapped into their rapid-response immigration team, with some clients worried that they may be raided by immigration enforcement. 

'We're already getting calls,' the law firm's immigration co-chair, Shannon Stevenson, told The Wall Street Journal about the 24-hour hotline. 'That's only likely to increase.' 

Clients - who range from construction firms to healthcare workers - have been given a specific number that they can call at the firm to deal with a surprise raid.

Some have even conducted special training sessions or posted guides to dealing with a raid at their offices. 

One law firm, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, launched a blog tracking Trump's various executive orders. 

At least one company, 3M, is worried about the president's plan to begin putting tariffs on Mexico and Canada, where half of their imports come from.  

'We're watching it very, very carefully, but we have a lot of operational levers that we can pull,' CEO Bill Brown said. 'We have a lot of factories in the U.S., and we can flex them and maybe bring some of that product back to the U.S.'

As the World Economic Forum's annual gabfest in Davos, Switzerland, got underway on Tuesday, the real corporate action was happening back in America on Trump's first day as the 47th president.

Energy industry executives could consider Trump's vow to 'drill, baby, drill' to boost U.S. oil and gas production and lower costs for U.S. consumers.

Foreign leaders deciphered what he meant by his wish to expand U.S. territory by taking back control of the Panama Canal and acquiring Greenland.

Trade advocates digested the unveiling of his 'External Revenue Service' to collect tariffs, duties and other revenue from foreign nations, which is a huge concern for the global business leaders at the Davos gathering.

From the earliest speeches on Tuesday, panel discussions and back-channel meetings focused on Trump´s executive orders and evocative oratory.

'Here I am,' said Donald Trump as season two of his presidency began Monday.

'The American people have spoken.'

Since then he has been a man in a hurry. In his first half day he delivered two more speeches, attended three inaugural balls and, in yet another Trumpian break with tradition, answered journalists' question while signing a slate of executive orders in the Oval Office.

He faces a two race against the deadline facing most presidents: The moment he becomes a lame duck by losing control over the House and Senate.

Trump has until the 2026 mid-terms to set his agenda in motion, and if his actions since Monday are any guide, he intends to go about it at full throttle.  

Trump's first full day in office on Tuesday involved swamping the media with events and headlines.

He went to church, met his congressional leadership team and unveiled plans for a huge AI venture, all before discussing everything from TikTok to Jan. 6 pardons in a question and answer session with reporters.

But Tuesday's news began in the most Trumpian way possible, with an early morning firing by social media post.

Reporters used to the leisurely pace of the Biden White House got their first reminder Trump operates on a different clock.

Phones buzz at 28 minutes past midnight. Inauguration day is technically over but the president is still dropping messages on his Truth Social platform. 

This one announces that the White House personnel office is combing through lists of Biden appointees and names the first four to be fired, including some high-profile critics.