Ever wondered what ice pops and international bribery enforcement have in common? Stick with me here—just like that vibrant stack of popsicles, the Department of Justice’s approach to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) has been put on ice for a moment, only to come back with a fresh, streamlined flavor designed to protect American businesses and national security without overindulging in regulatory overreach. After a four-month freeze ordered by President Trump’s Executive Order 14209, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche shattered the old mold on June 9, unveiling a recalibrated enforcement playbook that slashes nearly half of the DOJ’s foreign bribery cases and zeroes in on the big players—the high-dollar bribes, key industries like defense and energy, and those shady deals that actually disadvantage U.S. firms competing abroad. Think of it as trimming the fat so the DOJ can move faster, smarter, and laser-focused, encouraging companies to come clean with the promise of lighter penalties if they cooperate. Sure, questions linger—will this enforcement shake-up play out fairly among all players, or will some still skate by?—but one thing’s clear: the game has changed, and if you’re in global business, it’s a mix of caution and opportunity you can’t afford to ignore. LEARN MORE
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