President Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order declaring that only the attorney general or the president, instead of federal regulators or bureaucrats, can speak for the U.S. when interpreting the meaning of laws carried out by the executive branch.

An aide talking about the order said it “reestablishes a long-standing norm” in the U.S. The order comes as Mr. Trump’s critics fight his agenda in court and raise accusations that he’ll ignore judicial orders.

“The President and the Attorney General’s opinions on questions of law are controlling on all employees in the conduct of their official duties,” the order states.

The document asserts that “previous administrations have allowed so-called ‘independent regulatory agencies’ to operate with minimal Presidential supervision.”

“These regulatory agencies currently exercise substantial executive authority without sufficient accountability to the President, and through him, to the American people,” the order said. “Moreover, these regulatory agencies have been permitted to promulgate significant regulations without review by the President.”

The president also signed a memorandum requiring federal agencies to report waste, fraud and abuse that’s uncovered and to detail programs that are eliminated. The aide described it as “imposing radical transparency requirements on government departments and agencies.”

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• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.