On Tuesday, Trump signed a historic executive order granting the White House greater control over independent agencies that have typically operated outside its reach.
The order, aimed at increasing “Presidential supervision and control of the entire executive branch,” could affect agencies such as the Federal Election Commission, Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission, and Securities and Exchange Commission.
The move aligns with the unitary executive theory, which argues that the president holds absolute authority over the executive branch, and highlights the growing influence of Trump’s budget chief, Russell Vought, a key advocate of this theory.
The order is expected to face legal challenges, as it criticizes previous administrations for allowing independent regulatory agencies to operate with limited Presidential oversight. It argues that these agencies wield significant power without adequate accountability to the President or the American people, hindering a unified execution of federal law.
To address this, the order stipulates that Vought will oversee the agencies, setting performance standards and reporting on their efficiency to the President. It also gives Vought the power to adjust agency budgets to better align with the President’s priorities.
Vought, who is also temporarily leading the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, has already implemented significant staff reductions and funding freezes within the agency.
This unprecedented action marks a departure from past administrations, which generally refrained from interfering with the independence of these agencies.
