Presidential Determination Exempts Air Force Training from Water Regulations

Fact Sheets

Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Issues Presidential Determination to Support U.S. Air Force Jet Fighter Training Operations

The White House

April 20, 2026

ENSURING MILITARY READINESS: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a Presidential Determination concluding that it is in the paramount interest of the United States to exempt U.S. Air Force jet fighter training operations in Idaho, Oregon, and Nevada from certain water regulations.

• The Memorandum grants these training operations a one-year exemption from many Clean Water Act regulations, while still complying with the toughest Federal standards.
  PRIORITIZING NATIONAL SECURITY OVER REGULATORY BURDENS: President Trump is taking decisive action to remove unnecessary obstacles that hinder critical military training essential to maintaining America’s combat readiness and global deterrence.

• Jet fighter training operations in the region are vital for preparing pilots and ensuring the U.S. Air Force remains the most capable and lethal fighting force in the world.

• Excessive regulation threatens operational effectiveness.
  PUTTING AMERICA FIRST: President Trump is ensuring that America continues to have the most combat-ready and lethal fighting force in the world, building on his record of restoring American strength and military dominance.

• President Trump has eliminated wasteful spending to focus every defense dollar on lethality and readiness.

• He signed an Executive Order to modernize defense acquisitions and spur innovation in the defense industrial base, ensuring red tape is no longer slowing defense acquisitions.

• He signed an Executive Order directing the Department of Defense to update medical standards to prioritize readiness and lethality.

• He signed an Executive Order to improve speed and accountability in the foreign defense sales system.

• He restored the historic name “Department of War” as a secondary title for the Department of Defense, signaling America’s resolve to maintain peace through overwhelming strength.

• He signed an Executive Order to stop defense contractors from putting stock buybacks and excessive corporate distributions ahead of production capacity, innovation, and on-time delivery for America’s military.

• He signed an Executive Order directing the Department of War to prioritize long-term Power Purchase Agreements with America’s beautiful, clean coal fleet to ensure military installations and critical defense facilities have uninterrupted, on-demand baseload power.