President Trump signed an executive order Wednesday directing agency leaders to work with staff from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to cut costs through contracts, employee travel

President Donald Trump’s executive order grasping far greater control over independent federal agencies embraces a constitutionally questionable theory that presidents dating back to Ronald Reagan have considered – and ultimately rejected.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order late Wednesday, eliminating a handful of federal advisory committees like the Presidio Trust and the Inter-American Foundation.

The executive order puts independent federal agencies under the watch of Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, architect of the conservative blueprint.

A sweeping executive order issued by President Donald Trump on Feb. 18 aims to bring the nation’s independent financial regulators under White House oversight, marking a shift in how the agencies have operated since their inception.

The order is the latest example of Trump’s embrace of a broad and controversial theory of executive power. The White House is confident the Supreme Court will bless his approach.

A regulatory expert said the directive will likely be challenged in court, as Congress has largely shielded some of the affected agencies from involvement by the White House.

The order weighing on the federal agency's independence could also have implications on enforcement activity, concerned observers say.