Trump tests executive power with order stripping agency independence

President Donald Trump took another step in his mission to assert control over the executive branch by signing an order that curbs the ability of independent agencies to operate outside the bounds of the president’s agenda, a move that could upend decades-old federal law.

Independent agencies that have significant authority, such as the Federal Election Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, or the Securities and Exchange Commission, should not operate independently of the president, Trump said in the order.

“For the Federal Government to be truly accountable to the American people, officials who wield vast executive power must be supervised and controlled by the people’s elected President,” the Tuesday order stated.