Executive Order 14215 Targets Independent Agencies
🟠 Erosion of Democratic Norms ·
February 18, 2025
Summary
On February 18, 2025, Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14215, “Ensuring Accountability for All Agencies,” asserting direct presidential control over independent agencies such as the Federal Election Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Securities and Exchange Commission. The order requires independent agencies to submit all significant regulatory actions to the Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs for White House review. It also directs agencies to install White House liaisons and coordinate their policies and plans with the Executive Office of the President. Finally, the executive order authorizes OMB to adjust agencies’ apportionments to advance the President’s priorities, including prohibiting spending on particular activities. It declares that the President and the Attorney General provide the authoritative interpretations of law for the executive branch and bars any executive branch employee from advancing a contrary legal position, a provision that channels agency legal judgment through the DOJ. The Federal Reserve’s monetary policy functions are exempt, but its supervision of banks is not. Legal experts and watchdog groups warned the order dismantled agency independence structures put in place by Congress. This executive order advances Unitary Executive Theory.
Key Figures
Institutions Involved
Sources
- Executive Order 14215 - Ensuring Accountability for All Agencies
- Trump claims expanded power over independent agencies
- Trump seeks greater control of independent regulators with his new executive order