Executive Order

Subscribe to Executive Order via RSS
Photo of Lorraine M. CamposPhoto of Alexandra Barbee-GarrettPhoto of Catherine ShamesPhoto of Jasmine Masri

On August 7, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) titled, “Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking,” setting out the framework for sweeping changes to the grantmaking process.  The order purports to address the Administration’s concerns about federal grants supporting controversial or ineffective programs and incurring excessive administrative costs.  The EO implements three key changes to federal grant requirements. Continue Reading Grant Slam: New Executive Order Serves Up Changes for Federal Grants

Photo of Michael G. Gruden, CIPP/GPhoto of Kate GrowleyPhoto of Jacob HarrisonPhoto of Caitlyn Weeks

On June 6, 2025 President Trump signed an Executive Order, Sustaining Select Efforts to Strengthen the Nation’s Cybersecurity and Amending Executive Order 13694 and Executive Order 14144 (the “Trump Cyber EO”). The Trump Cyber EO rescinds and modifies select Biden administration guidance from EO 14144 covering several cybersecurity regimes, including digital identity verification, artificial intelligence, and secure software development practices, and it amends Obama administration guidance from EO 13694 authorizing sanctions on persons involved in malicious cyber activities. We have provided a summary of significant changes made by the Trump Cyber EO below.Continue Reading Trump Administration Cyber Executive Order Revises Prior Administrations’ Requirements

Photo of Lyndsay GortonPhoto of Brian Tully McLaughlinPhoto of Jason CrawfordPhoto of Kris D. MeadePhoto of Nkechi Kanu

On May 19, 2025, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche issued a Memorandum creating the Civil Rights Fraud Initiative that will “utilize the False Claims Act to investigate and . . . pursue claims against any recipient of federal funds that knowingly violates federal civil rights laws.” According to the Memorandum, though racial discrimination has “always been illegal,” the Administration posits that “many corporations and schools continue to adhere to racist policies and preferences—albeit camouflaged with cosmetic changes that disguise their discriminatory nature.” In an effort to prevent federal funds from being used in connection with or support of these purportedly racist policies and preferences, the Initiative will wield the power of the False Claims Act, the government’s most powerful tool to fight fraud, waste, and abuse.Continue Reading DOJ’s Civil Rights Fraud Initiative Bolsters Threat of False Claims Act Enforcement Under “Anti-DEI” Executive Order

Photo of Jonathan M. BakerPhoto of Laura J. Mitchell Baker

On April 16, 2025, the White House issued an Executive Order (“EO”), “Ensuring Commercial, Cost-Effective Solutions in Federal Contracts,” requiring agencies to meet their needs with commercially available products and services to the maximum extent practicable. The EO reiterates and builds upon the requirements set forth in the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994 (“FASA”), which similarly encourages the use of commercial acquisition procedures. Specifically, the EO institutes a required review procedure for certain open acquisition actions and establishes an oversight procedure to be implemented for all acquisitions hereafter.Continue Reading Agencies to Curtail Unique, Customized Acquisitions in Favor of Commercial Products and Services

Photo of Peter J. EyrePhoto of M.Yuan Zhou

This week’s episode features a deep dive on the President’s Executive Order, Eliminating Waste and Saving Taxpayer Dollars by Consolidating Procurement, which directs the consolidation of certain types of “domestic federal procurement” under the General Services Administration in an effort to “eliminate waste and duplication.”  This episode is hosted by Peter Eyre and Yuan…

Photo of Lorraine M. CamposPhoto of Adelicia R. CliffePhoto of Robert BurtonPhoto of Laura J. Mitchell BakerPhoto of Alexandra Barbee-GarrettPhoto of William B. O'Reilly

On March 20, 2025, the White House issued Executive Order (“EO”), “Eliminating Waste and Saving Taxpayer Dollars by Consolidating Procurement,” to consolidate domestic civilian contracting for “common goods and services” within one agency—the General Services Administration (“GSA”). The EO defines “common goods and services” as those described in the Category Management system first developed as part of a previous effort, dating back to 2014, to coordinate spending across the government.Continue Reading Trump’s Government Contracts Rebrand: From “Government” Procurement to “Just-GSA” Procurements

Photo of Lorraine M. CamposPhoto of William B. O'Reilly

On February 26, 2025, the White House issued an Executive Order (“EO”), “Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Cost Efficiency Initiative,” to transform federal spending on “covered” contracts, grants, and loans. The EO defines “[c]overed contracts and grants” as “discretionary spending through Federal contracts, grants, loans, and related instruments, but excludes direct assistance to individuals; expenditures related to immigration enforcement, law enforcement, the military, public safety, and the intelligence community; and other critical, acute, or emergency spending, as determined by the relevant Agency Head.”Continue Reading Trump’s “Cost Efficiency Initiative” Expected to Decrease Federal Contracting, Grant, and Loan Funding

Photo of Ellen Moran DwyerPhoto of Peter J. EyrePhoto of Kris D. MeadePhoto of Anuj VohraPhoto of Ted North

Late on Friday, a federal judge in Maryland issued a preliminary injunction pausing certain elements of the Trump Administration’s two recent executive orders (“EOs”) addressing “illegal DEI programs.” The two EOs, Exec. Order 14151, Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing (the “J20 Order”) and Exec. Order 14173, Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity (“J21 Order”), contain a number of provisions that, among other things, direct the federal government to dismantle “illegal DEI programs” within federal agencies and federal contractors. Please refer to our prior alert on these EOs for a full breakdown of the provisions in each.Continue Reading Administration’s DEI Rollback Efforts Paused by Federal Judge

Photo of Dan WolffPhoto of Tyler A. O'ConnorPhoto of Andrew Gavil

On February 18, President Trump issued an Executive Order titled “Ensuring Accountability for All Agencies” that directs independent agencies (as well as Cabinet Departments and their sub-agencies) to route all “proposed and final significant regulatory” and budgetary actions through the White House and the Office of Management and Budget. If implemented to its full extent, this action will significantly strengthen the authority of the White House by weakening the political autonomy of these independent agencies. As an assertion of the President’s inherent powers under Article II of the U.S. Constitution, it also stands to weaken congressional influence over these independent agencies, both through the appropriations and confirmation processes.Continue Reading Declaration of No Independence: President Trump Asserts Control Over Independent Agencies Through Executive Order

Photo of Toni Michelle JacksonPhoto of Trina Fairley BarlowPhoto of Derick D. Dailey

On February 13, 2025, a coalition of sixteen state attorneys general issued a “Multi-State Guidance Concerning Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Employment Initiatives” (the Guidance). Led by Attorney General Andrea Campbell of Massachusetts and Attorney General Kwame Raoul of Illinois, and joined by the Attorneys General of Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont, the Guidance is a direct response to concerns from the private sector in the aftermath of President Trump’s recent Executive Order 14173, which  directed federal agencies “to encourage the private sector to end illegal discrimination and preferences, including DEI.” The Guidance clarifies “the state of the law for businesses, nonprofits, and other organizations operating” in their respective states.Continue Reading State Attorneys General Issue Multistate Guidance on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility