Tracking every rollback, reversal, and overreach — and the path back to the America we know.
On September 13, 2019, the Trump administration issued Determination 2019-20366 continuing the exercise of authorities under the Trading With the Enemy Act. This determination extends powers permitting the executive branch to regulate financial transactions and trade with designated adversaries. The action maintains restrictions on American business transactions with specified foreign nations and entities.
On June 26, 2019, the Trump administration signed Memorandum 2019-14194 permitting graduates of military service academies and Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) programs to pursue professional sports careers. The memorandum modified existing restrictions on service academy graduates seeking to participate in professional athletics. The direct effect allows affected graduates to pursue professional sports opportunities without forfeiting their military commissions or requiring service obligation waivers previously required.
On June 25, 2019, President Trump signed Executive Order 13878 establishing a White House Council on Eliminating Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Housing. The order created an interagency council tasked with identifying and recommending changes to federal regulations, guidance, and policies that increase housing costs or reduce housing supply. The order directed federal agencies to streamline permitting processes and reduce regulatory requirements affecting housing development, though specific outcomes and measurable impacts on housing affordability remain limited based on available public records.
President Trump signed Executive Order 13867 on April 10, 2019, directing expedited issuance of permits for facilities and land transportation crossings at U.S. international boundaries. The order streamlined the permitting process for border crossing infrastructure by reducing review timelines and consolidating agency approvals. The confirmed direct effect was acceleration of permit decisions for ports of entry and border infrastructure projects that would have otherwise followed standard multi-year review procedures.
On April 10, 2019, President Trump signed Executive Order 13868 titled 'Promoting Energy Infrastructure and Economic Growth.' The order directed federal agencies to expedite permitting timelines for energy infrastructure projects, including pipelines, electrical transmission lines, and related facilities, by reducing review periods and coordinating agency actions. The confirmed effect was acceleration of federal approval processes for energy projects, reducing the time required for environmental reviews and agency sign-offs on designated energy infrastructure.
Executive Order 13840 was signed on June 19, 2018, directing federal agencies to review ocean policies and develop a new ocean policy framework. The order required agencies to balance economic development, national security, and environmental stewardship in ocean management. Confirmed direct impacts include revised permitting processes for offshore energy development and infrastructure projects, and altered coordination between federal agencies on ocean resource management.
President Trump signed Executive Order 13821 on January 8, 2018, directing federal agencies to streamline and expedite the process for locating broadband facilities on federal lands and rights-of-way in rural America. The order reduced administrative timelines and requirements for broadband infrastructure deployment on federal property. The confirmed effect was faster permitting for telecommunications companies to install broadband infrastructure in rural areas with federal land involvement.
President Trump signed Executive Order 13817 on December 20, 2017, directing the federal government to develop a strategy to ensure secure and reliable domestic supplies of critical minerals essential to national security and economic competitiveness. The order required the Department of the Interior and other agencies to identify critical minerals, assess supply vulnerabilities, and reduce reliance on foreign sources through expedited permitting and domestic production initiatives. The confirmed direct impact includes streamlined environmental review processes for mining projects and increased federal focus on domestic mineral extraction.
Executive Order 13807 was signed on August 15, 2017, establishing procedures to streamline environmental review and permitting timelines for infrastructure projects to a maximum of 2 years for major projects. The order reduced the default review period from 10 years to 2 years and removed certain environmental review requirements. The confirmed direct impact includes faster permitting for highways, pipelines, bridges, and water projects, with expedited reviews applied to hundreds of infrastructure permits filed after the order's effective date.
On January 24, 2017, President Trump signed Executive Order 13766, directing federal agencies to expedite environmental reviews and approvals for infrastructure projects deemed high priority. The order requires agencies to complete environmental assessments within two years instead of the standard timeframe and allows the President to designate projects for expedited review. Confirmed effects include shortened timelines for permitting decisions on infrastructure projects, though specific projects affected and measurable outcomes on infrastructure deployment remain subject to agency implementation and ongoing legal challenges.