(FreePressBeacon.com) – In a new power move, President Donald Trump has signed a groundbreaking executive order that aims to centralize power by enhancing presidential oversight over independent federal agencies, fundamentally altering their operational independence.
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This move challenges the long-held autonomy of agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), suggesting a significant shift in how these bodies align with presidential directives.
Trump’s executive order asserts that federal agencies must answer to the president per the Constitution, arguing it ensures accountability to the American people.
Critics argue this shifts considerable power to the White House, potentially compromising the nonpartisan nature of these agencies.
This order targets agencies like the FTC, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which have long operated without direct presidential oversight.
The executive order is clear: Article II of the U.S. Constitution vests all executive power in the President, placing all executive branch officials and employees under his supervision.
No agency, regardless of its traditional independence, except for the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy functions, is exempt from White House review of draft regulations.
White House review isn’t alone in its scope.
Agencies must consult on priorities and strategic plans with the White House, aligning with the President’s promise to restore constitutional governance efficiently and responsibly.
Performance standards set by the White House ensure that tax dollars yield the highest return on investment, reinforcing fiscal responsibility.
The President, along with the Attorney General, will take on the mantle of interpreting the law for the executive branch, preventing agencies from adopting conflicting interpretations that could undermine the unity of executive policy.
Such initiatives are seen as an expansion of the unitary executive theory, emphasizing the President’s authority over the executive branch.
Trump’s budget chief, Russ Vought, receives supervisory power over agencies under this order, with responsibilities including setting performance standards and reviewing budgets to align with presidential policies.
Such actions align perfectly with Trump’s administrative legacy, promoting efficiency over what he considers needless bureaucratic red tape.
“The [order] directs that all independent agencies shall subordinate themselves to the office of management and budget (OMB) and Trump’s OMB hatchet man, Russ Vought,” says public interest activist Robert Weissman.
“No employee of the executive branch acting in their official capacity may advance an interpretation of the law as the position of the United States that contravenes the President or the Attorney General’s opinion on a matter of law,” states the executive order.
The formalization of this order sets the stage for potential legal challenges.
While some praise it as a necessary step to ensure constitutionally responsible governance, others argue it shields major corporations from scrutiny by independent agencies.
The debate on whether this change will lead to more efficiency or simply more presidential control remains heated.
President Trump signed an executive order Tuesday to expand his control over “so-called independent agencies” in a bid to reign in regulatory departments — including the Federal Trade Commission — that are currently out of direct White House control.
The order will require all…
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