Donald Trump's Latest Executive Order: Only President, AG Can 'Interpret US Law' - MSN
Donald Trump's Latest Executive Order: Only President, AG Can 'Interpret US Law' - MSN
Erasing an entire branch of the US government
A branch that favors him, nonetheless
The headline is misleading. The order is specifically limited to executive branch employees.
Basically saying they aren't allowed to use their own judgement to determine legality of what they're asked to do. They have to follow the judgement of the president and the AG, and do what's ordered of them."Sec. 7. Rules of Conduct Guiding Federal Employees’ Interpretation of the Law. The President and the Attorney General, subject to the President’s supervision and control, shall provide authoritative interpretations of law for the executive branch. The President and the Attorney General’s opinions on questions of law are controlling on all employees in the conduct of their official duties. No employee of the executive branch acting in their official capacity may advance an interpretation of the law as the position of the United States that contravenes the President or the Attorney General’s opinion on a matter of law, including but not limited to the issuance of regulations, guidance, and positions advanced in litigation, unless authorized to do so by the President or in writing by the Attorney General. "
Yeah, it seems that much of the discussion online is based on the press conference where the order was announced, not the actual text of the order.
I think he literally wanted to throw the word “authoritative” into the universe. Just to test the waters.
It doesn’t seem that this bill does that.
I think it’s taking power from agencies like the fda and fcc. It doesn’t say anything about the courts.
But I might not understand everything perfectly.
Most of the judicial branch’s effective power comes from precedent: the court rules on one case, and that informs other officials’ interpretation of the law in similar circumstances going forward. This order seems to replace judicial precedent with the president’s opinion as the basis for interpreting the law outside the courts, with the court now only able to override that opinion on a case by case basis.
It's not a bill, it's an executive order
Foolish hyperbole only feeds into their propaganda, don’t take the bait. Be measured and precise, clumsy blows will only help your enemy.
Is this enough of a coup for a general strike yet? Or are you still waiting to see how it pans out?
They are waiting for another Luigi and then just watch.
Summary below taken from this r/law post by u/FormerJelloMaster
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🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨This Executive Order does the following:
❧ All federal agencies, including independent regulatory commissions, are now subject to direct White House control.
❧ Regulations cannot be issued without presidential approval.
❧ The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) can now withhold funding from independent agencies if they don’t align with White House priorities.
❧ All federal employees must follow the President’s and Attorney General’s interpretation of the law, eliminating legal independence.
❧ A White House Liaison is to be installed in every independent regulatory agency to enforce direct presidential control.
⚠️ This is the biggest executive power grab in U.S. history. ⚠️
This formally ends the concept of an “independent” regulatory agency, dismantling one of the last barriers to absolute executive power.
📍 This order effectively erases the last major restraints on executive power. 📍 The federal government no longer operates with checks and balances. 📍 Regulations and laws are now dictated solely by the President. 📍 If left unchecked, this is the moment the U.S. ceases to function as a democratic republic.
1️⃣ The President Now Controls All Regulatory Agencies
✅ The SEC, FTC, FCC, and FEC are no longer independent.
The Stock Market is now subject to White House control, enabling insider trading, favoritism, and targeting of political opponents. Antitrust laws can be selectively enforced, allowing administration-friendly monopolies to expand unchecked. Political opponents in the tech sector, media, or finance can be targeted with regulatory action while allies are protected. Elections are now influenced by direct White House oversight of the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
✅ The FDA, EPA, and consumer protection agencies are fully politicized.
Drug approvals, food safety regulations, and environmental policies can be rewritten for political or corporate interests. Climate change regulations can be erased overnight. Scientific research is now subject to White House approval before public release.
🚨 Implication: There is no longer any neutral enforcement of economic, environmental, or election laws. Everything is now dictated by political loyalty.
2️⃣ The White House Can Block Agency Budgets or Direct Funds Elsewhere
✅ The OMB can now adjust funding allocations for independent agencies.
This gives the President the power to defund agencies without needing Congress. Regulatory agencies that challenge presidential policies will be quietly strangled of resources. Agencies loyal to the President will receive full funding—even illegally. 🚨 Implication: Congress no longer controls federal spending on regulatory enforcement. The executive branch can choke out opposition agencies and reward allies.
3️⃣ The President & Attorney General Have Final Say on All Legal Interpretations ✅ All federal employees must follow White House interpretations of the law.
The Attorney General’s opinions override agency lawyers, inspectors general, and independent counsel. Agencies cannot adopt their own interpretations of legal statutes—everything must align with the President’s views. The President can rewrite federal legal interpretations overnight. 🚨 Implication: Legal consistency is gone. Agencies cannot push back against corrupt, illegal, or unconstitutional directives because the President’s interpretation is the only interpretation allowed.
4️⃣ Installing White House Liaisons in All Regulatory Agencies ✅ A “White House Liaison” will be placed in every independent agency.
This ensures constant presidential oversight of daily operations. These liaisons will report agency actions back to the White House and enforce political compliance. Agency directors will no longer have the ability to act without White House approval.
🚨 Implication: There is now a direct enforcement arm inside every regulatory body. Even agencies that resist presidential control will be internally monitored and controlled.
📍 Every regulatory body—from financial markets to environmental protections—is now politicized. 📍 Congress no longer controls federal funding—agencies must obey the White House or risk defunding. 📍 The President’s legal interpretations override all agency autonomy, eliminating independent enforcement of federal laws. 📍 The federal bureaucracy, once designed to be resistant to corruption, is now completely subject to presidential loyalty.
4️⃣ Installing White House Liaisons in All Regulatory Agencies ✅ A “White House Liaison” will be placed in every independent agency.
Just like how the soviets would have a "political" officer that would report everything back to the KGB to keep everyone in line.
No matter how right you are, all those emotes are top tier LinkedIn bullshit and discredit your content.
Though I agree, this is not OC (see the top line).
This does not extend to the Judicial branch. It only applies to the Executive branch. You can read the EO yourself to see that fact.
This is bad because it is trying to exert control over independent agencies, and pretty stupid because there is something like 5000 final rules and proposed rules in the Federal Register last year, so if this were seriously implemented, the AG and POTUS would just sit in teams meetings for the rest of their terms while potential rules get discussed.
This is bad because it undermines the independence of federal agencies, it does not actually impact the Judicial system however.
those independent agencies are set up that way specifically to avoid being controlled by a president.
It still says that executive branch employees should just follow orders, which is not compatible with the rule of law.
This is bad because it undermines the independence of federal agencies, it does not actually impact the Judicial system however.
I assume that independent agencies would primarily look to judicial precedents for guidance on interpreting the law, so the order is stripping the judicial system’s influence even if it’s not stripping its explicit authority.
Federal Agencies make their own rules. That is how the Federal government works. Congress makes a law, usually with enough ambiguity that the federal agency charged with enforcing the law has to make specific interpretations. They make those interpretations, usually under some process that requires public notice and comment, and that interpretation becomes the law in effect. That interpretation can be challenged through a lawsuit, at which point a Judge could overrule the interpretation establishing a new interpretation through judicial review. Until recently, the courts gave a lot of deference to the agency's rule making process because rules are usually written by a combination of lawyers at the agency, and subject matter experts. So, for example if a new law regulating factory safety was passed, and the enforcement of the law was delegated to OSHA, then OSHA lawyers and subject matter experts (like doctors or engineers working for the agency) would make a rule and solicit public comment.
Nothing about this EO can, or pretends to. usurp the power of the judicial system. The AG can make any interpretation they like, it can still be challenged in a Court. And after the Chevron court case, these rulings are easier than ever to challenge.
Seems like a great opportunity for some malicious compliance. Force them to preside over every decision
This 100%.
The more valuable and critical a government employee knows they are; the more effective they can be by doing this.
Everyone in any federal agency who is resisting and who is being ordered to do something they object to should be falling to this maliciously compliant default to the maximum extent they can afford to do so. Gum up the works; extend out projects, stretch deadlines out, passively resist every step of the way and insist that every possible reasonable rule be followed to it's exact and literal definition...even if it's not common practice or expedient.
Exhaust the servants of the tyrant of their every resource; run these liaisons ragged; overload them with petty questions and minor, but critical, decisions; especially if they're bogged down. If you can make them quit or get fired by the cheeto in a non suspicious way; all the better. Making it impossible to keep a liaison in your department will keep them guessing if they keep quitting on their own due to extreme stress and overwork.
Anybody who is a Political Appointee should be considered a hostile co-worker automatically and kept out of every loop possible. Make them battle for every inch of information or status updates and give as little information as you can while only answering explicit questions. Bonus points if management is in on the game; and can ping-pong any information requests around violently across all the various managers and supervisors who each only leak a tiny tidbit of information.
So, my understanding was prior to 1984 if a law was unclear, the courts would get involved and clarify. However, sometimes the courts wanted something that the writers of the law didn't want, and that thing was different from the current congress, which in of itself different from what the president wanted, which even could be different from what the independent executive branch department heads wanted.
This all came to a head with Chevron. In Chevron, anything unclear in a congressional law that applied to a executive branch's mission was left up to the head of that department which in a way was controlled by who the president nominated. In that way, if congress left something vague that meant the courts, congress, and the president all agreed that the head of the particular department in the executive branch got to decide it.
This peace lasted up until Loper in the end of 2024 under Biden. In it, the Supreme court said basically "If something is unclear, it is the courts and not the executive branch" that got to interpret the law. Not wanting to overturn 40 years of regulation, the courts said "anything made under Chevron is still good, but that stops now", most likely since they thought Biden was going to win again and they wanted to take away his power.
Now this EO is saying "No, lol, Loper doesn't mater. No one but the president himself (and DOGE) can interpret the law." At least both Loper and Trump agree that THE REGULATORS can't make new regulations. And because SCOTUS didn't really want that job, and Trump doesn't want to do anything, don't expect any new regulations for the next 4 years.
My guess is that the reason they bothered with this, rather than leaving it with the courts, is that this version would allow Trump to abruptly reverse the things that were previously decided under Chevron deference.
To be completely fair, I'd love to see SCOTUS' faces right now. Do they and Congress not understand that they're losing all their influence?
SCOTUS will, I think, be fine with this. It's what they were installed to do.
Oh I see, so not the House, Congress, or the Supreme court... gotcha...
So, when is military coup to remove orange turd?
So, when is military coup
Right after the civilian one.
Civvies have to start it, When the government calls in the military to stop it, the military has to refuse and back the civvies.
I'm not placing those odds as particularly likely.
Oh, look at that; another Project 2025 itemticked off on the list.
That must just be a coincidence, because he's never heard of project 2025
What are Americans waiting to get him off the throne he's created for himself ?
Half of the country isn't even paying attention somehow
And then it got worse.
His 24/7 security presents significant challenges to being able to do that.
Can we, maybe, impeach him now?
Pretty please with a cherry on top.
The Republican-controlled House and Senate could end this today. Like, right now. They could put a complete stop to it. They could remove Trump and Vance simultaneously, resulting in Mike Johnson - a total scumbag, but not one who wants to obliterate the United States - becoming the president.
Right now. They could do it right now. But they won't.
We have impeached him already. You mean convict and remove from office which is a step after impeachment and requires 2/3 of Congress to convict in order to remove him.
Good fucking luck with that. 😭
It's time for the military to fulfill their oaths.
And there we go, officially, nobody can say we have our democracy anymore. Officially destroyed.
Nah, this one's just part of Trump's endless blather. It simply can't be done without creating so much chaos that today's chaos would look well-organized. It's piffle, and I'm staying focused on the real things.
You say shit like this, meanwhile It's literally fucking happening anyway. Wake up.
As always this doesn't legally bypass laws. It can only go as far as the courts and civil service leaders let it go.
I admit such sweeping orders are scary but I refuse to panic until I see the extent of what they can actually get away with. Something to keep in mind about this is the president has actually had quite a bit of influence on "independent" agencies already. Much of what he wrote in this one is already true. Like the AG determining the government's legal position.
I think the biggest change here is putting OMB and the head of the 2025 project in direct competition with Musk for administrative power.
One of these days you would think one of the other powerful people in one of the other branches of government would get upset at this stuff.
"Does it make me less wealthy? No? Carry on."
yes that's pretty much how dictators would interpret it
“No, not like that.”
- The Supreme Court
that's literally the job of the judicial branch of government, not yours, you fucknut. your 'job' is to go play golf, scam some money from the secret service travel budgets, and to shut the fuck up. you are not qualified nor fit for office of any kind.
“Interpret” = make up.
But he said he would be a dictator in day one only!
About half the country knew that this would happen. And voted against him, a lot of people who did vote for him were uninformed.
I think there is genuinely a small percent of people who are happy about what’s. Even happening.
I’ve been living abroad for the past few years and seeing America fall this way stresses me out and makes me sad thinking of my family and friends who still live there.
About 30% of eligible voters voted for this.
And another 30% enabled this
No need for law experts anymore. Just ask Donnie.
In 2018, the U.S. Code was about 60,000 pages long and contained 54 volumes. How is he going to run a country when he has to interpret all of that.
Was he somehow forced to include the AG?
Having the AG there is the only paper-thin facade stopping it from obviously looking like absolute dictatorial authority. By having another name on the page it gives them the ability to say "it's not just Trump who decides the law, the AG weighs in too". Ignoring the fact that the AG is up his ass and serves Trump's every whim.
This is the straw that broke the back of American law and justice. Unless the SCOTUS slaps this EO down with the strongest of force as soon as possible, the American experiment is over.
Thanks for explaining. I figured it was something like that, but I'm Canadian so I wasn't sure.
So the Supreme Court overturns the Chevron doctrine, saying that only the judicial branch can interpret US law.
Donald Trump Executive order's himself to be one of the two people in the executive branch who can interpret US law.
Quick! Congress, pass a law saying that only you can interpret US law, so we get a bingo!
YES PLEASE!
Let the branches be forced to fight it out like a bunch of children in front of the SCOTUS; who will probably gleefully say "AHAHAHAH NOPE! You both get nothing, and I keep all of this power to myself."
This is Trump being mad at the situation regarding Eric Adams' trial and the refusal of the SDNY to drop the prosecution without prejudice in a quid pro quo scheme. They are trying to avoid people putting the constitution before the word of the Supreme Leader in the future.
Lol, get fucked Trump.
Is KY available at the government office or do I need to bring it with me to see Mr government?
Also, could Mr.Government please do the DMV too? Fuck it up real good for all of us please! Fire everyone who works there, delete the data, etc. I mean "fix it" real good for us please!
yes that's pretty much how dictators would interpret it
This is extremely concerning, but let's control the spin a bit. This is for federal employees and their job duties, as I read it. Please tell me if I'm wrong
What do you think those job duties entail exactly? Do you have any idea how regulatory agencies function, or are you just going to remain ignorant and pretend it's not happening?
I'm just pointing out the gyroscopic level of spin in the article. No need to get upset.
Its directed at the only people who can checks and balances. Cause lefties still think guns are meanie and 2nd amendment is not made for this exact situation.
What an asshole.