President Donald Trump’s executive order that independent federal agency actions undergo White House review went into effect Monday, subjecting the Federal Trade Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission and others to the strict administration oversight that has applied to departmental agencies.
Trump’s February order requires at least 19 independent agencies and the Federal Election Commission to submit agency actions for review by the White House’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. The president has called into question the agencies’ independence, saying that by operating outside presidential control they are unaccountable to the public.