This morning, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that seeks to limit the amount of government regulations.

The exact text of the executive order requires any executive agency that proposes a new rule to also identify at least two regulations to be repealed. The order does not actually mean that for every new regulation enacted, two will be removed. Simply, if a new regulation is formally proposed, the agency must identify two existing regulations that shall be repealed.

It doesn’t appear that there is anything that would require the rules to be germane to one another or the agency proposing it. For example, it seems possible the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could propose to eliminate two rules enacted by Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

The executive order does provide more effective limits on funding. One part of the four-page order requires any new funding for a new regulation to be offset from funding from an existing regulation. Another provision guts funding for any new regulation unless the new rule gets written approval from the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. The actual effect this has on new regulations being enacted is likely negligible.

Given a prior executive order limiting new regulations and the Trump administration’s approach to regulation already, it seems unlikely any new regulation would be enacted without explicit order from the White House.

What this means for cigar smokers remains to be seen.

This is the second executive order signed by Trump in regards to regulations, though both apply almost exclusively to new regulations. Because the regulation of premium cigars by FDA is already in effect, neither executive order directly affects the rules. As of now, the regulations remain intact with zero indication from the White House or executive heads that they will be reversed.

It does show the Trump administration is following through with campaign promises to limit regulation, though the White House has not begun to actually eliminate existing regulations. While President Trump’s executive order have contained stronger rhetoric than his predecessors, the actual policy result is not largely different than his predecessors, many of whom have put limits of new regulations while the new administration reviews recently enacted regulations.

To read the text of the executive order, click here.

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Charlie Minato

I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. I previously co-founded and published TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry for more than a decade, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. In addition, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff here at halfwheel. I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.