18

Since his election, Donald Trump has introduced significant measures undermining existing administrative law doctrines in ways that could restructure policy-making procedures. These deregulatory actions, taken through executives orders or presidential appointments, have increasingly diminished the technocratic expertise needed to implement public policies and could have potential far-reaching impacts on the federal administration. The legislative branch was also involved. Before the 2018 election ended Republican control, the House passed two statutory initiatives – the Regulation from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) and the Regulatory Accountability Act (RAA) – that would have had similar consequences if they had been enacted into law. This article evaluates both short-term and long-term effects in terms of transparency and democratic/ constitutional balance.