To Rein In Federal Overreach, Trump Should Lean on Federalism

It is not a procedural formality — it is the most effective defense against an expansive federal government.

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President Donald Trump stands in the Oval Office of the White House, in Washington, D.C., February 21, 2025.

Nathan Howard/Reuters

President Trump recently issued an executive order aimed at cutting unnecessary regulations and reducing the size of the federal bureaucracy. The deregulatory initiative empowers the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and federal agencies to slash regulations that exceed constitutional authority, impose undue burdens on businesses, or stifle innovation and economic growth. This directive is yet another weapon in the Trump administration’s arsenal to reform the bloated federal government.

While deregulation is key to restructuring, there is one powerful tool that the Trump administration has yet to fully unleash in its quest to streamline government and reduce federal overreach: federalism.

JB

About the Author

Jennifer Butler

Jennifer Butler is a senior policy adviser at State Policy Network’s Center for Practical Federalism.

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