Trump Designates Agency “Hit Squads” To Cut Most Regulations

The post Trump Designates Agency “Hit Squads” To Cut Most Regulations appeared first on WhoWhatWhy.

On February 24, the Trump Administration did something consequential. No, it was not barring certain news outlets from an informal briefing — called a “gaggle” — with White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, although that story made the front page of The Washington Post and was the subject of a lead editorial in The New York Times the next day.

This was the day’s real newsmaker: President Donald Trump issued another executive order, Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda. The President was flanked by leaders of the country’s largest corporations, including the heads of Dow Chemical, Lockheed Martin and Archer Daniels Midland, when he signed the document.

The order tightens the screws on federal agencies by putting in place enforcers to ensure compliance with White House policy “to alleviate unnecessary regulatory burdens placed on the American people.” Trump said his new order would help eliminate “75 percent of the repetitive, horrible regulations that hurt companies, hurt jobs.” He insisted that, although he sought to cut three-quarters of all federal regulations, he still wanted to protect public health and safety and the environment.