White House unveils 2026 plan to cut 702 federal regulations, targeting $1.5 trillion in savings

The White House released its 2026 regulatory agenda on Friday, outlining plans to repeal or modify 702 federal rules, up from 482 in the previous year. The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, part of the Office of Management and Budget, said the effort is intended to remove regulations it views as barriers to economic growth.

"The North Star of this Regulatory Plan is improving the lives of Americans. At its core, this document outlines how the Trump Administration is promoting economic growth, jobs, and affordability," said Mark Paoletta, general counsel performing the duties of the OIRA administrator.

Paoletta added that the administration estimates the 2026 plan will generate $1.5 trillion in cost savings, surpassing the $211.8 billion reported for fiscal year 2025.

The plan includes several agency-specific actions. The Environmental Protection Agency will revisit vehicle emissions standards introduced under the previous administration and seek to repeal carbon limits for fossil-fuel power plants. The Department of Agriculture intends to issue a new rule for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that would add retailer requirements to curb fraud, adjust work-requirement criteria for able-bodied adults, and revise the definition of eligible foods. It also proposes modernizing food-safety inspections by eliminating outdated procedures.

The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security plans to introduce a framework for the responsible export of artificial-intelligence technology, ease export controls on certain drones supplied to U.S. partners, and incorporate copper into the national-security tariff list.