WASHINGTON — In a decisive move that centralizes greater interpretative authority on federal laws, U.S. President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order mandating that only the attorney general or the president himself can officially interpret U.S. laws for executive agencies. This new directive restricts federal regulators from autonomously interpreting legal statutes, a role previously held by various federal agencies.
The executive order articulates that “the President and the Attorney General’s opinions on questions of law are controlling on all employees in their conduct of official duties.” This effectively shifts interpretative powers away from federal regulatory bodies to the highest ranks of the executive branch.
This action is one of three recent directives by Trump aimed at restructuring federal oversight and enforcement. Alongside the interpretive order, the president also signed an executive order to enhance the accessibility of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments and a memorandum that imposes stricter reporting requirements on federal agencies regarding waste, fraud, and abuse.
Will Scharf, White House staff secretary, commented that this order on law interpretation “reestablishes a long-standing norm” in the United States. The order has prompted concerns among critics who worry it may be used to circumvent or ignore judicial rulings.
The directive specifies that agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, and the Federal Communications Commission will retain their regulatory powers, including the issuance of fines. However, their ability to interpret laws without direct presidential oversight is now curtailed.
According to the order, there has been a historical tendency for “so-called independent regulatory agencies” to function with minimal supervision by the president. These agencies have previously issued significant regulations independently, a practice that the new order aims to change by enhancing presidential oversight.
The White House has explained that agencies like the Federal Trade Commission, Federal Communications Commission, and Securities and Exchange Commission wield extensive influence over American lives and economic activities. The rationale behind the new executive directive is to ensure these agencies operate under the review of the democratically elected president, thereby holding them accountable to both the president and the voters.
By integrating these agencies more tightly under the executive branch’s supervision, the order seeks to affirm the president’s constitutional role in federal regulatory processes. It posits that with this change, all federal agencies, not just those within Cabinet departments, will be held accountable for their decisions as mandated by the U.S. Constitution.
This executive order represents a significant shift in the balance of power within the federal government, centralizing more authority within the executive branch, and could reshape how regulations are enforced and interpreted across the federal government.
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