Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Tackles Regulations That Stifle Competition
TLDR
This is a “fact” sheet for an executive order that directs agency heads to review and identify “anti-competitive” regulations for modification or rescission within 70 days, based on the premise that deregulation promotes competition. The approach contains significant flaws: it misunderstands how regulations often protect competition, sets an unrealistically short timeline, creates a false dichotomy between regulation and competition, lacks structured public input mechanisms, uses vague aspirational language without clear metrics, and delegates significant authority without establishing objective standards.
This is a “fact” sheet for an executive order that purports to address anti-competitive regulations by directing agency heads to review regulations, identify those deemed anti-competitive, and propose modifications or rescissions. While framed as promoting competition and economic growth, the order contains significant flaws in its approach, timeline, and premises.
The executive order and fact sheet claims to promote competition by eliminating regulations, but this approach fundamentally misunderstands the role many regulations play in creating fair markets. Regulations often prevent monopolistic behavior, protect smaller competitors, and ensure market access for new entrants. Blanket deregulation frequently benefits established market incumbents rather than fostering genuine competition.
The 70-day timeline for agency heads to identify “anti-competitive” regulations is unrealistically short for meaningful regulatory review. Comprehensive regulatory analysis requires careful assessment of market impacts, consultation with diverse stakeholders, and economic modeling — processes that typically take many months or years for significant regulations.
The order creates a false dichotomy between regulation and competition. Many regulations specifically exist to prevent anti-competitive practices by powerful market participants. Eliminating these protections could accelerate market concentration rather than reduce it.
The public input mechanism lacks structure for meaningful participation. Without clear criteria for what constitutes an “anti-competitive” regulation or a robust framework for evaluating claims, this process risks being dominated by industry insiders and lobbyists rather than representing diverse consumer and small business interests.
The order’s reference to a “Golden Age of American economic prosperity” uses aspirational language that lacks substantive economic metrics or benchmarks. This vague framing makes it impossible to objectively measure the order’s success or failure.
Most concerning, the order delegates significant authority to the FTC Chair and Attorney General without establishing objective standards for what constitutes an “anti-competitive” regulation, creating potential for arbitrary or politically motivated enforcement.
This executive order appears designed to advance deregulation under the guise of promoting competition, when in fact many of the regulations it targets may be essential for maintaining competitive markets. The compressed timeline, vague standards, and flawed premises suggest this is more aligned with ideological deregulation than evidence-based competition policy.
RESTORING COMPETITION TO U.S. MARKETS: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order aimed at eliminating anti-competitive regulations. Competition lowers prices, speeds innovation, and increases options for consumers. The Executive Order continues the President’s policy of ushering in a Golden Age of American economic prosperity.
- Agency heads, in coordination with the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission and the Attorney General, are directed to review all regulations subject to their authority and identify any that impose anti-competitive restraints.
- This includes regulations that facilitate the formation of monopolies, create or impose unnecessary barriers to entry, or needlessly burden agency procurement.
- In the next 70 days, Agency Heads must provide the FTC Chairman and Attorney General a list of all anti-competitive regulations, as well as a proposal to rescind or modify them as necessary.
- Regulations requiring rescission or modification will be placed on the Unified Regulatory Agenda created pursuant to Executive Order 14129 of February 19, 2025.
SOLICITING PUBLIC INPUT: The American people, more than any Federal official, know which regulations stifle entrepreneurship and economic growth. You are invited to tell us which regulations impede competition and should be changed or repealed:
- The FTC Chairman is required to seek input from the public, asking for help identifying anti-competitive regulations.
- The FTC Chairman will convey useful responses to the relevant agency for possible rescission or modification.
POWERING ECONOMIC GROWTH THROUGH DEREGULATION: This Executive Order is another element of the President’s sweeping deregulatory agenda that will ensure America remains the most competitive and dynamic economy in the world.