President Donald Trump has ordered federal agencies to stop enforcing a wide range of regulations, a move that critics say may violate longstanding legal norms and endanger public protections.
Maxine Joselow, Hannah Natanson and Ian Duncan report for The Washington Post.
In short:
- Federal enforcement of safety and anti-discrimination rules has dramatically slowed since Trump’s second term began, with agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Labor Department, and Transportation Department reducing or pausing key activities.
- At the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, enforcement cases have dropped by over 90% compared to past administrations, while Trump has also directed a halt to water efficiency standards enforcement.
- Critics, including former federal officials and legal scholars, warn that bypassing the rulemaking process undermines both the law and the ability of agencies to protect public and environmental health.
Key quote:
"The conscious effort to slow down enforcement on such a broad scale is something we have never seen in previous administrations."
— Donald Kettl, professor emeritus at the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy
Why this matters:
From preventing air and water pollution to ensuring fair labor practices and infrastructure safety, enforcement mechanisms are what make statutes meaningful. When those in power suspend enforcement at scale, as is occurring under Trump’s second term, they are not merely adjusting policy — they are rewriting the rules of governance without legislative consent. Critics argue this tactic bypasses democratic safeguards like public comment and judicial review. Slashing enforcement also favors politically connected industries — especially fossil fuels and petrochemicals — at a time when environmental stress and inequality are already high.
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