Washington, DC [US], February 11: On February 11, 2025, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order halting the enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), directing the US Justice Department to cease prosecutions of Americans accused of bribing foreign officials in attempts to win or retain business abroad.
The new order suspends the nearly 50-year-old law, which was enacted in 1977 to prevent US companies from bribing foreign officials. Trump’s executive order calls for Attorney General Pam Bondi to review existing decisions under the FCPA and create new enforcement guidelines. The law had become a cornerstone of how US firms operate internationally.
While signing the order in the Oval Office, Trump argued, “It’s going to mean a lot more business for America.” He reiterated his long-standing criticism of the FCPA, calling it a “horrible law” and stating, “the world is laughing at us” for enforcing it.
However, Transparency International, an anti-corruption watchdog, has highlighted the US’s leadership in addressing global corruption through the enforcement of the FCPA, even as Trump seeks to weaken it.
According to a White House fact sheet, the executive order aims to restore American competitiveness and national security by creating “revised, reasonable enforcement guidelines” for the FCPA. The White House claims that overenforcement of the FCPA has harmed US companies by preventing them from engaging in practices common among international competitors, thus creating an uneven playing field.
The fact sheet further stressed that the law’s broad interpretation has imposed growing economic costs on the US. It also emphasized that ensuring US businesses can succeed globally requires reducing “excessive, unpredictable FCPA enforcement.”
Since taking office, Trump has made efforts to strengthen American competitiveness by signing executive orders related to artificial intelligence (AI), imposing tariffs on trade partners like Mexico, Canada, and China, and renegotiating trade agreements such as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). He has also prioritized cutting regulations to help US businesses operate efficiently on the world stage.