What major regulatory rollbacks or rulemakings did the administration complete in 2025–2026?
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Executive summary
The administration completed a mix of deregulatory directives, targeted rollbacks, and aggressive new rulemaking initiatives across defense, energy, financial markets, and consumer product policy in 2025–2026, with major items including nuclear-regulatory modernization steps, defense cybersecurity procurement changes, shifted SEC enforcement/implementation timelines, and reshaping hemp oversight via the Continuing Resolution (CR) [1] [2] [3] [4]. Reporting shows an explicit industrial-policy tilt—prioritizing reactor build-out, export controls and technology security, and easing some barriers for digital-assets—while regulators simultaneously used timing changes and guidance to slow or alter enforcement in other areas [1] [5] [3].
1. Nuclear and energy: Executive Order 14300 and NRC modernization
The administration accelerated a policy to modernize the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and kick‑start reactor construction and fuel supply infrastructure via Executive Order 14300, with the NRC expected to issue modernization rulemaking in early 2026—a central plank of its energy-industrial strategy [1]. Industry and legal advisers framed this as a push to reduce permitting frictions and prioritize new reactor licensing, an agenda that benefits the nuclear construction and critical‑materials sectors while drawing scrutiny from environmental and community groups concerned about pace and oversight [1].
2. Defense and export controls: ITAR updates and CMMC’s regulatory embedding
Defense-related rulemaking continued at pace: the administration amended the U.S. Munitions List and signaled tougher International Traffic in Arms Regulations enforcement in 2026 after 2025 changes, increasing export-control scrutiny even as it pursued supply‑chain resilience and technology security [1]. Separately, the Department of Defense finalized a consequential rule integrating CMMC 2.0 into DFARS in 2025, a change private‑sector lawyers call among the most consequential procurement compliance shifts for defense contractors [2].
3. Financial markets: SEC implementation delays, proxy‑rule shifts, and regulatory forbearance
Securities regulators used timing and procedural decisions to reshape near‑term compliance burdens: the SEC extended the compliance date for daily reserve computations under Rule 15c3‑3 to June 30, 2026, and the SEC staff announced it would not respond to Rule 14a‑8 no‑action letters until at least September 30, 2026—moves that effectively alter how firms and proxy advisers prepare for the 2026 season and shift enforcement rhythms [3] [6]. These administrative choices dovetail with an executive order targeting proxy‑advisory rules and reflect an explicit White House agenda to recalibrate corporate governance oversight [6].
4. Tech, crypto and space: “Innovation” pathways and novel‑activity authorizations
Policy documents and trade reporting indicate the administration directed Commerce to develop a new authorization process for “novel space activities” by January 2026 and signaled political support for industry-friendly crypto steps—like tokenization and SEC “innovation” exemptions—that aim to reduce barriers for bank and institutional engagement with digital assets [1] [5]. Proponents portray this as unlocking commercial opportunity; critics warn it risks regulatory gaps on consumer protection and systemic risk if statutory frameworks lag [5] [1].
5. Consumer product and health: Hemp regulatory overhaul via Continuing Resolution
Congress and the administration enacted significant hemp‑product regulatory changes through the November 2025 Continuing Resolution; those provisions redefine hemp by total THC and alter federal oversight of CBD products, a move legal advisers call a major shift in the federal regulatory landscape for hemp-derived consumer goods [4]. The change was controversial enough that bills seeking repeal were introduced immediately, reflecting industry and public‑health tensions over the policy’s implementation [4].
6. Pacing, administrative tools and what the record doesn’t show
Across sectors, the administration relied as much on executional tools—executive orders, compliance‑date extensions, and targeted rulemakings—as on sweeping re-writes; examples include FDIC and SEC compliance‑date extensions and state‑federal interactions on privacy and health rules [7] [3] [8]. Reporting provides clear signals about priorities and timelines but is limited in documenting every final rule issued in 2025–2026; a comprehensive, itemized list of all completed rollbacks would require cross‑agency federal register extraction beyond the sources reviewed here [7] [8].