Trump Signs Order to Boost US Drug Manufacturing Ahead of Potential Pharma Tariffs

A key focus of the executive order is cutting red tape to shorten the timelines for building new plants.

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks alongside (L-R) Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Martin Makary, Director of the National Institutes of Health Jayanta Bhattacharya, President Donald Trump, and speechwriter and political advisor Vince Haley during an executive orders signing event in the Oval Office on May 5, 2025. Alex Wroblewski/AFP via Getty Images

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump on May 5 signed an executive order aimed at boosting domestic production of prescription drugs and reducing U.S. dependence on foreign pharmaceutical supply chains.

The order directs the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to streamline the approval process for domestic manufacturing facilities by eliminating unnecessary regulations and accelerating reviews. A key focus is cutting red tape within the permitting process of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).