Trump-Backed FTC Initiative Targets Regulatory Barriers to Market Entry

In a move to address concerns over regulatory barriers that may hinder economic growth, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has initiated a public inquiry aimed at assessing how federal regulations influence competition in the U.S. economy. This effort follows President Trump’s Executive Order on Reducing Anticompetitive Regulatory Barriers, which directs federal agencies to root out rules that may limit market entry or stifle innovation.

According to a statement from the FTC, the agency is seeking to identify federal regulations that unfairly protect dominant companies, prevent new players from entering the market, or otherwise disrupt fair competition. The inquiry will be part of a broader push by the Trump-Vance administration to reduce unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles and invigorate the private sector.

Per the Executive Order, the FTC will play a central role in advancing the administration’s economic agenda, which emphasizes the removal or reform of outdated rules that may favor entrenched interests. The Commission noted that certain regulations may be deterring entrepreneurship and innovation, ultimately hampering the broader economy.

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“Regulations that reduce competition, entrepreneurship, and innovation can hamper the American economy,” said FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson. “These need to be eliminated or modified to revitalize a competitive market.”

As part of the inquiry, the FTC has issued a Request for Information (RFI), inviting feedback from a broad range of stakeholders, including consumers, workers, start-ups, investors, and academics. According to a statement from the agency, the goal is to better understand which regulations may be inadvertently or deliberately creating competitive disadvantages.

Public comments can be submitted through Regulations.gov and must be received no later than May 27, 2025. All submissions will be made publicly available on the site. The FTC emphasized that this initiative is a step toward fostering a more dynamic and inclusive economic environment by reducing artificial barriers to competition.