Presidents from both parties routinely pause their predecessors’ rules, but Trump’s delays are lasting longer and reaching further — with targets including protections for student borrowers, standards for e-cigarettes, and expanded requirements that airlines report lost luggage. In one instance, a federal court found the approach illegal, providing fodder for future challenges.
“Obama did it to Bush. Bush did it to Clinton,” said Stuart Shapiro, a Rutgers University professor who served as a White House regulatory analyst under presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. “But the extent of the regulations that we’re talking about — and the political importance and the impact — is greater in the Trump administration.”