Scaling Back Anti‑Corruption Enforcement

• Paused enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)
  • On February 10, 2025, Trump signed an executive order directing the DOJ to halt new criminal prosecutions under the FCPA for 180 days (with a possible 180-day extension), while reviewing and revising enforcement guidelines Foley & Lardner LLP+15The Guardian+15CNBC+15Norton Rose Fulbright+6Holland & Knight+6Reuters+6.
  • Proponents argue this reduces burdens on U.S. businesses; critics say it cripples a key anti‑bribery law Morrison Foerster+3The Wall Street Journal+3Holland & Knight+3.
• Dismantled DOJ public corruption infrastructure
  • In his first weeks of the second term, Trump fired dozens of inspectors general—including heads of major watchdog offices—often without prior notice to Congress CNBC+1CNN+1Wikipedia+1AP News+1.
  • The DOJ’s Public Integrity Section and FBI corruption squads were downsized or repurposed, and prosecutors were reassigned to other priorities CNBC+1CNN+1.
• Shifted DOJ priorities away from corruption
  • DOJ memos prioritized enforcement against drug cartels, terrorism, tariff fraud, and immigration over public corruption .
  • As a result, experts say this has created a “golden age of public corruption” by removing federal checks and reducing high-level investigations CNBC.

Structural Changes to Government Oversight

• Executive Order 14215 (“Ensuring Accountability for All Agencies”)
  • Signed on February 18, 2025, this redirected agency authority, requiring them to consult with the White House and follow legal interpretations issued by the president and AG Financial Times+15Wikipedia+15Holland & Knight+15. Critics say it weakens independent oversight and concentrates power.
• Creation of “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE)
  • Announced January 20, 2025, DOGE gives extensive access to agency records and hiring processes, embedding White House teams inside executive departments Financial Times+5timesunion.com+5AP News+5Wikipedia.

Independent Expert Findings

• NBC & CNBC reports confirm dismantling of DOJ anti‑corruption units and firing of inspectors general, concluding these moves “gut federal capacity” to police corruption CNBC.
• ICAR, an NGO, has explicitly condemned reductions in the Public Corruption Unit, warning this diminishes enforcement of public integrity icar.ngo.

Summary: What This Means

While Trump has not positioned himself as an anti-corruption crusader, his actions have effectively reducedgovernmental ability to enforce public corruption laws. Legal experts and watchdogs widely view this as a rollback of accountability, not a victory over corruption.