WASHINGTON—President Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday that seeks to give his political appointees far-reaching control over federal agencies that for decades have operated independently of White House influence.

The executive order would affect agencies like the SEC and FDIC, but it excludes the Federal Reserve's Board of Governors and Open Market Committee.

A regulatory expert said the directive will likely be challenged in court, as Congress has largely shielded some of the affected agencies from involvement by the White House.

President Trump’s efforts to expand control over independent agencies tees up a new test of presidential power that is already making its way through the courts. This week, the president

White House seeks sway over FCC, FEC, FTC and some Fed operations. Politics professor Sarah Binder says it "grabs power from Congress."

President Donald Trump has signed a sweeping executive order to expand the president's control over independent regulatory agencies.

During his first month in office, President Donald Trump has signed a plethora of executive orders that have proclaimed a dramatic expansion of the powers of the executive branch. In his latest, issued on February 18 and entitled Ensuring Accountability for all Agencies,