United States President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to pause the enforcement of bribery to foreign government officials.
The order, signed on Monday local time, directs the Department of Justice to stop carrying out a nearly 50 year old law prohibiting U.S. companies and foreign firms from bribing foreign government officials, in order to gain or retain business, know as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
The White House says the pause is being implemented stop putting U.S. businesses at an economic disadvantage in a competitive foreign market, with Attorney General Pam Bondi being directed to prepare new guidelines instead.
"It sounds good, but it hurts the country,” Trump said at the White House, as he signed the order.
“Many, many deals are unable to be made because nobody wants to do business, because they don’t want to feel like every time they pick up the phone, they’re going to jail.”
