FTC Launches Public Inquiry After Trump Issues Executive Order To Eliminate Anticompetitive Regulations That Favor Monopolies, Raise Consumer Costs

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has launched a wide-ranging public inquiry into federal regulations that could be stifling competition.

The initiative comes after an executive order from President Donald Trump issued earlier this month, directing federal agencies to identify and eradicate rules that may be protecting dominant players at the cost of new entrants and innovation.

What Happened: On April 14, the FTC issued a Request for Information asking the public to report federal rules that hurt competition. Consumers, workers, businesses, investors, and academics are invited to submit responses and comments by May 27 via Regulations.gov.

See Also: Meta Used ‘Buy Or Bury’ Strategy To Monopolize Social Media, FTC Says

Why It Matters: President Trump's April 9 executive order indicates a major change in federal regulatory policy, targeted at eliminating rules that protect monopolies or distort competition.

By instructing agencies to identify and repeal regulations that "raise prices or reduce choices for consumers," the administration is promoting a more open, innovation-friendly economy.

The FTC's public inquiry boosts this broader agenda by collating examples of how current rules harm competition. If fully implemented, the move could lower costs, catalyse entrepreneurship, and solidify the U.S. position in global trade negotiations.

FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson said in the official press release that regulations that limit innovation and protect dominant players "need to be eliminated or modified."

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