TRUMP’S DEREGULATION RECORD: IS IT WORKING?

Donald Trump has completed almost three years in office and has declared that his tenure will be marked by deregulation. Thus, it is timely and appropriate to consider what the Administration has and has not accomplished on deregulation, why Trump’s Administration has not accomplished more regarding deregulation, and what additional steps might be required to accomplish this agenda. This study examines the impact of deregulatory policies, the flow of new regulations, and deregulatory initiatives blocked by the Administration’s legally unsound effort to delay or suspend completed rulemakings in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). Without offering any normative stance on Trump’s deregulatory agenda, this study presents a series of seven key findings and provides—presuming deregulation remains a priority—recommendations for the Administration.