President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday instructing the U.S. Department of Justice to stop prosecuting Americans accused of bribing foreign government officials to secure business deals.
The order directs U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to suspend prosecutions under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) of 1977 until she issues revised enforcement guidelines aimed at enhancing American business competitiveness.
“Future FCPA investigations and enforcement actions will be governed by this new guidance and must be approved by the attorney general,” the executive order states.
According to the White House, the FCPA places U.S. firms at a disadvantage compared to foreign competitors, as it prevents them from engaging in common international business practices. “American national security depends on U.S. companies gaining strategic commercial advantages worldwide, and President Trump is putting an end to excessive, unpredictable FCPA enforcement that undermines American competitiveness,” a White House factsheet cited by Reuters explains.
However, anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International criticized the decision, arguing that the FCPA has positioned the U.S. as a global leader in combating corruption.
Gary Kalman, executive director of Transparency International U.S., warned that Trump’s executive order “diminishes—and could ultimately eliminate—the crown jewel of America’s fight against global corruption.”
This move follows a series of executive orders signed by Trump in recent weeks, including measures to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
