By madmin 
Donald Trump, a former president of the US who is seeking re-election now, has once again made it to the front page with his line of controversial executive actions that have torn a hole through both political and business circuits. The order that Trump signed on February 11, 2025, to stop the punishment of the law that enables US businesses to bribe foreign officials was a move that has infuriated anti-corruption advocates and ignited the fear of ethical business practices on the global stage.
The executive order, which is about the temporary halt of the enforcement of the [Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)], is one of the arguments the current government uses to back its claim that it does so in order to raise the American mark of competitiveness in international markets. Proponents of the move claim that this will withdraw the US companies to the same level as the ones operating in countries where bribery is actually more frequent. Nevertheless, opponents assert that this action could do away with the progress made before, and this would denote a betrayal of the US’ moral interests abroad.
In addition to the FCPA suspension, Trump, on the other hand, has done well to disparage environmental protection by executive-ordering a ban on paper straws in federal agencies and announcing a “back to plastic” drive. This decision, which contradicts the earlier decisions to cut plastic rubbish as well as encourage the utilization of more eco-friendly options, has met strong opposition from environmental organizations and climate warriors. The orders advocates argue that it will[be] create more jobs in the plastic industry and, thus, provide more convenient goods for the consumers.
The executive actions which have stimulated a lot of controversies have had an immediate effect on the financial markets. Stocks at plastic manufacturing sector companies experienced a high amount of profit after the announcement, whereas those at eco-friendly alternative companies saw a significant decrease. The broader market reaction has been mixed, with some investors expressing concern about the potential long-term implications of such policy shifts on corporate governance and environmental sustainability.
The international business community and anti-corruption watchdogs have been especially concerned about the suspension of FCPA enforcement. Transparency International, a coalition of global civil society organizations that is fighting corruption, has reacted to this move with a statement, censure, and expressing concern that it might bring about corrupt practices and malpractices in the global markets. Legal experts have also raised questions about the constitutionality of the executive order, suggesting that it may face challenges in court.
On the environmental side, the ban on paper straws and the promotion of plastic alternatives have refueled eco-discussions that focus on sustainability and corporate social responsibility. The environmental groups keep on promising to object to the order and justify that it is bringing people back to the times of plastic pollution before and also that it stands as a barrier to falling temperatures due to the emissions of greenhouse gases. Some large corporations have already disclosed that they will stick to their campaign promises of reducing plastic use, irrespective of the federal government’s position.
The executive actions have proven to be the catalyst for a movement, resulting in a tense and heated debate on the political scene, whereby the opposition accused the President of sacrificing moral and environmental arguments for cheaper short-term business gains. However, the supporters of the administration counter that the actions were inevitable and that they were taken to better the economy and save the jobs of tens of millions of Americans in a fierce global market.
So far, we have seen mixed reactions from different parts of the world, and on top of it is unpredictable. A few European policymakers have pronounced their anxiety over the suspension of the FCPA, suggesting that it affects the global effort against corruption, while some developing nations have praised the initiative by saying it gives them opportunities to get investors. The United Nations made a call for a new pact on cooperation against corruption and ensuring environmental safety, thus stressing unity in confronting the world’s problems.
The business community is movie split on the consequences of these executive actions. On the one hand, some industry groups have welcomed the moves as the ones that will support competitiveness in business and thus be pro-business; on the other hand, some are much more cautious and mention the risk of damage to the corporate reputation and the consequences for the sustainability of a company. As far as compliance with policy changes and environmental strategies are concerned so, many corporations are considering the reshaping of policies in the new light of environmental blow-ups.
Now that everything has settled regarding the controversial actions of the President, it is still too early to draw any conclusions as to the true impact this will have on the world markets and international relations, not to mention the effect these decisions will have on environmental issues. The only idea that comes out as a clear one is that from these decisions, the US is, once again, the main player in the global struggle over corruption, whereas ‘going green’ and government intervention in the business sector come to the front. The big issues that are likely to be on the cards for the 2025 Presidential contest are, in all likelihood, those that are political and economic ones correlative to the global arena and thus stay imprinted in the global business sector in the years to come.