Trump Team Explores Overhauling Banking Regulators in Deregulation Push

Donald Trump’s presidential transition team is reportedly investigating the feasibility of merging, restructuring, or even dismantling some of the nation’s key banking regulators. According to sources cited by The Wall Street Journal, advisers are exploring whether a president can eliminate the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or consolidate its functions with the Treasury Department.

Streamlining Federal Oversight of Banking Sector

These discussions are part of broader efforts led by the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), co-chaired by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. In interviews with potential appointees to the FDIC and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the team has raised questions about streamlining federal oversight of the banking sector. Ideas include folding bank deposit insurance into the Treasury or combining the FDIC, OCC, and the Federal Reserve.

However, any such drastic changes would require approval from a Republican-controlled Congress, an undertaking that is both procedurally complex and politically rare.

Crypto Policy in Focus

The transition team’s plans come as the FDIC prepares for a leadership change, with current Chair Martin Gruenberg set to retire on January 19, just before Trump’s inauguration. Gruenberg has faced criticism from figures like Representative Tom Emmer, who accused him of spearheading “Operation Chokepoint 2.0,” an alleged initiative to sever the crypto industry’s access to banking services.

The FDIC’s stance on cryptocurrency has drawn additional scrutiny from the courts. On December 12, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., ordered the FDIC to revise its heavily redacted “pause letters” sent to 23 financial institutions.

These letters reportedly urged banks to halt or limit their involvement with crypto assets. The court has mandated that less redacted versions of the documents be refiled by January 3.

Musk Advocates for Deregulation

Elon Musk has been vocal about reducing government bureaucracy, recently taking to his X platform to criticize the abundance of “duplicative regulatory agencies.” Musk called for the abolition of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), established after the 2008 financial crisis, citing its inefficiency.

The push for deregulation aligns with Trump’s promises to shrink government oversight and cut federal spending. If realized, these proposals could lead to significant shifts in the financial landscape, sparking debates over the balance between innovation and oversight. As discussions progress, the future of U.S. financial regulation hangs in the balance.