President Trump is using a trio of executive orders to throw the world economy and his own goal of cutting inflation into turmoil, experts say.

Trump’s orders say the tariffs are a consequence of illegal immigration and drug smuggling. Not everyone will agree with his reasoning, as U.S. government reports show that unauthorized border crossings from Mexico have fallen over the past year and seizures of fentanyl along the northern border are relatively low.

Washington Post staff tried to separate what is happening from what is not, and to explain what may happen in the future.

Donald Trump's flurry of executive orders has sparked lawsuits seeking to stymie the U.S. president's plans for cracking down on immigration, shaking up the federal bureaucracy and reversing protections for transgender people.