Promoting Competition in the American Economy

The order directs federal agencies across nearly every major sector of the economy to use their existing statutory authorities to combat corporate consolidation and unfair competition. It creates a White House Competition Council, chaired by the Director of the National Economic Council, to coordinate implementation. Mandatory agency actions include: the Secretary of Transportation publishing a proposed rule on airline baggage fee refunds and beginning work on definitions of "unfair" airline practices; the Secretary of HHS publishing a proposed rule on over-the-counter hearing aids and submitting a plan to combat excessive prescription drug pricing; the Attorney General adopting a plan to revitalize bank merger oversight; the Secretary of Agriculture submitting a competition plan for agricultural markets; the Secretary of Defense reviewing competition in the defense industrial base; and the Secretary of Commerce conducting a study of the mobile app ecosystem.

The order also encourages independent agencies — including the FTC, FCC, Federal Maritime Commission, CFPB, and Surface Transportation Board — to pursue specific rulemakings on topics such as non-compete clauses, net neutrality, broadband price transparency, right-to-repair restrictions, and consumer data portability. It reaffirms the government's authority to challenge previously consummated mergers and declares the administration's policy of vigorous antitrust enforcement, but does not itself change any existing regulation or legal standard.

Federal departments and independent agencies directed or encouraged to act; small businesses, farmers, gig workers, and consumers who may benefit from reduced consolidation; airlines, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, internet platforms, agricultural processors, financial institutions, broadband providers, railroads, and other large consolidated industries subject to new scrutiny.

Consumers could eventually see lower prescription drug prices, cheaper broadband, fairer airline fees, and more choices in financial services — but only after agencies complete the required rulemakings. Farmers and small businesses gain a formal federal commitment to investigate consolidation in markets where they compete against large corporations.

The White House Competition Council coordinates agency implementation and receives the required reports; each report feeds a potential next step (rulemaking, legislation, or further study). Most binding directives require agencies to submit plans or publish proposed rules, not final rules — meaning real-world effects depend on subsequent notice-and-comment rulemaking processes. Independent agencies (FTC, FCC, etc.) are encouraged but not ordered to act. A severability clause and a standard no-private-right-of-action provision cabin the order's legal enforceability against agencies or third parties.