Trump Administration to Scrutinize Regulations and Regulatory Process
Three successive pronouncements from the Trump administration demonstrate its drive to reign in unnecessary regulations, including those that affect retirement plans. First, on January 20, 2025, a memorandum from President Trump directed a regulatory freeze (for 60 days), halting the implementation of any new or pending regulations.
Second, on January 31, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order launching a “Massive 10-to-1 Deregulation Initiative” that directs federal agencies to conduct comprehensive reviews of their existing regulations, to eliminate or revise rules that are deemed unnecessary, redundant, or overly burdensome. For every new regulation proposed, at least 10 outdated or inefficient rules must be removed or reformed. The accompanying fact sheet outlines detailed procedures for implementation.
Third, an executive order fact sheet, “End Federal Overreach in Regulation and Enforcement,” issued February 19, 2025, outlines a sweeping initiative to rein in regulatory activities by requiring agency leaders to conduct comprehensive reviews of all rules under their jurisdiction. It mandates that agency heads, in close coordination with their DOGE team leaders and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), scrutinize each regulation for its legal basis and consistency with the current administration’s policy. Agencies must assess whether their current regulations exceed the statutory authority granted by Congress and determine if any rules conflict with constitutional principles. To provide structure and clarity in this overhaul, the fact sheet indicates that the administration will develop a “Unified Agenda.” This agenda will serve as a centralized roadmap to catalog and target regulations for repeal or modification.
Sources:
T. W. H. (2025, January 31). Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Launches Massive 10-to-1 Deregulation Initiative. White House. https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/01/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-launches-massive-10-to-1-deregulation-initiative/
T. W. H. (2025, February 19). Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Reins in Government Overreach and Begins Deconstruction of Unconstitutional Administrative State. White House. https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/02/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-reins-in-government-overreach-and-begins-deconstruction-of-unconstitutional-administrative-state/