On January 22, 2025, Donald Trump, upon assuming office for his second term as President of the United States, reversed several ethics rules implemented by his predecessor, Joe Biden. This move has drawn criticism from government oversight groups who argue that it contradicts Trump’s initial 2016 campaign promise to “drain the swamp” in Washington.
Trump’s executive order on his first day in office nullified Biden’s ethics directive, which had been established in January 2021. The new changes include 1) lifting restrictions on executive branch employees accepting significant gifts from lobbyists. and 2) removing the two-year prohibition on lobbyists pursuing positions in the executive branch, and vice versa.
These actions effectively dismantle the ethics framework put in place by the Biden administration, potentially increasing the influence of lobbyists and special interests in government operations.
Critics argue that Trump’s decision to revoke these ethics rules contradicts his original “drain the swamp” rhetoric and may lead to increased conflicts of interest.
Lisa Gilbert, co-president of Public Citizen, a government oversight group, stated that “Trump is unleashing a torrent of potential conflicts of interest and capitalizing on his position to pursue billions at the expense of taxpayers.”
SHOCKING… NOT!
This is not the first time Trump has made changes to ethics regulations. During his first term in 2017, he enacted an ethics order prohibiting executive branch staff from becoming lobbyists for five years. However, just before leaving office in 2020, he exempted current and former members of his administration from these regulations, similar to actions taken by President Bill Clinton at the end of his tenure.
So, Clinton ‘drained the swamp’ too?
Alongside these changes, the Trump Organization has implemented a voluntary agreement that prohibits dealings with foreign governments but allows interactions with private companies overseas.
Additionally, Trump and his family appear to be leveraging their political achievements for financial gain, with the president benefiting from a new token increasing in value and First Lady Melania Trump securing a documentary deal with Amazon.
Trump is leveraging the presidency for a money grab? SHOCKING!
While the White House has not responded to inquiries about potential new ethical regulations to replace those nullified by the Biden administration, some experts suggest that Trump may introduce his own executive measures. However, there are already extensive ethics laws and regulations governing executive branch employees, which may make additional measures unnecessary. The immediate consequence of Trump abolishing Biden’s directive might be to provide former members of the Democratic administration with more employment opportunities by removing previously imposed restrictions.
As Trump begins his second term, these changes to ethics rules signal a significant shift in the approach to government ethics and lobbying, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest and the influence of special interests in the administration.