President Trump's "one in, ten out" deregulation plan—formally Executive Order 14192, "Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation"—directs every agency to repeal at least 10 existing rules for each new one and to keep total regulatory costs below zero. As of early 2026, the administration reports strong headline numbers, but independent analysts say the ratio and the dollar savings are heavily inflated by accounting choices. The short version: on paper, the plan is running far ahead of its 10-to-1 target, with roughly 129 deregulatory actions per new significant rule. In practice, most of those actions are minor or administrative, and only a handful qualify as economically significant.
Table of Contents
- What the "10-for-1" order actually requires
- How far along is the plan?
- Why the numbers are smaller than they look
- A process shortcut worth watching
- What this means for you as a consumer
- Frequently Asked Questions
What the "10-for-1" order actually requires
The Executive Order 14192 full text, signed January 31, 2025, sets two rules for agencies. First, repeal at least 10 existing rules or guidance documents for every new rule issued. Second, keep the total incremental cost of new regulation "significantly less than zero" for fiscal year 2025.
This is a steeper version of Trump's first-term "2-for-1" order. As the Columbia Climate Law analysis explains, EO 14192 supersedes the earlier EO 13771, and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) now sets each agency's allowed net regulatory cost for FY2026 and beyond. "Guidance" here matters. It means informal agency documents, not just binding rules—so the pool of items that can count toward the "ten out" side is large.
How far along is the plan?
By the administration's own count, it is running far past its target. The GWU Regulatory Studies Center review reports that the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) claimed about 129 deregulatory actions per new significant rule, and roughly $211.8 billion in savings, over the first eight months of 2025. That is well beyond 10-to-1.
But the headline ratio depends on how you count both sides of the fraction, which is where the plan's critics focus. Looking forward, the administration has mapped a much larger pipeline. According to Fox Business reporting, agencies identified roughly 702 rules for rollback, projecting up to about $1.5 trillion in claimed savings.
Why the numbers are smaller than they look
The 129-to-1 ratio is not an apples-to-apples measure. The GWU center notes that the numerator counts all 646 deregulatory actions, while the denominator counts only "significant" new rules—so the ratio is built from two different definitions. The dollar figure is similarly concentrated.
The same analysis found the Treasury Department alone accounts for $128.6 billion—about 61% of the claimed savings—even though none of its 118 actions were actual rulemakings. That suggests much of the total is administrative cleanup rather than substantive rollback. Independent counts are far lower. Bloomberg Government reporting found at least 17 economically significant deregulatory actions through March 2026, and concluded output has fallen short of early promises.
A process shortcut worth watching
A key 2026 development is how the repeals are being done. OMB memorandum M-25-36, issued October 21, 2025, streamlined review of deregulatory actions.
As the OMB memo describes, it lets agencies invoke the "good cause" exception to skip the normal notice-and-comment period for many repeals. Notice-and-comment is the public's usual chance to weigh in before a rule changes. Skipping it speeds repeals, but it also reduces transparency and creates legal exposure—courts can strike down rules where "good cause" is not genuinely justified.
What this means for you as a consumer
Deregulation touches rules on lending, product safety, the environment, and financial disclosures. When protections are repealed, the practical effects show up slowly and unevenly, so watch the specific agencies that regulate the areas you care about.
A few concrete steps if you want to track real impact: Watchdogs across the spectrum flag the same trend. The Competitive Enterprise Institute's tracking notes that about one-third into 2026, deregulatory volume continued but with declining transparency and mostly minor rule changes.
- Check whether a change is an actual rule repeal or just withdrawn guidance—only the former changes your legal rights.
- Note which agency acted; Treasury and financial regulators drive most of the dollar figures but less of the day-to-day consumer protection.
- Watch for "good cause" repeals that skipped public comment, since these are the most likely to be challenged in court.
- Treat the $1.5 trillion and $211.8 billion figures as claimed, not verified, savings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it really "10 out for every 1 in"?
The reported ratio is about 129-to-1, but it counts all deregulatory actions against only "significant" new rules, so the two sides use different definitions.
How much has actually been saved?
The administration claims about $211.8 billion through mid-2025, though 61% comes from Treasury actions that were not rulemakings, per the GWU Regulatory Studies Center.
Can agencies repeal rules without public comment?
OMB memo M-25-36 lets agencies use a "good cause" exception to skip notice-and-comment for many repeals, which speeds the process but invites legal challenges.