US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on February 18 local time in an attempt to tighten the constraints on a group of independent federal regulators such as the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC), the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications Commission. The executive order requires these agencies to submit draft regulations to the White House for review and to consult with the Trump administration on their priorities and strategic plans. Independent federal agencies typically follow White House directives, but their responsibilities do not require this. The executive order could trigger legal challenges from these regulators. (Kim Ten)