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President Donald Trump has formally directed federal prosecutors to halt enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act on the basis that the 1977 statute harms U.S. economic interests and thereby threatens U.S. national security.

An executive order published late Wednesday evening instructs Attorney General Pam Bondi to review all current investigations and enforcement actions that pertain to alleged violations of the FCPA, and issue updated guidance or policies on the measure that align with Trump’s “Article II authority to conduct foreign affairs and prioritize American interests.”

“American national security depends in substantial part on the United States and its companies gaining strategic business advantages, whether in critical minerals, deep-water ports, or other key infrastructure or assets,” the order reads.

“Overexpansive and unpredictable” enforcement of the FCPA against U.S. parties who engage in what other nations view as “routine business practices” threatens those objectives, and “wastes limited resources that could be dedicated to preserving American freedoms,” the order reads.

The order comes less than a week after Bondi closed the Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative, a Justice Department-led effort to find, seize and repatriate the proceeds of foreign corruption.

It also fulfills another key objective of Project 2025, a right-wing political roadmap that Trump disavowed in the runup to his election.