Trump Urges SEC to Scrap Quarterly Reporting for Companies

President Donald Trump on Monday called on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to end the practice of quarterly earnings disclosures and require companies to report results every six months instead. “This will save money and allow managers to focus on properly running their companies,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, noting that any change would require SEC approval. The SEC currently mandates financial reporting every 90 days. A shift to semiannual reporting would represent a major policy change, aligning the U.S. with the United Kingdom and several European Union countries. Trump argued that U.S. firms focus too heavily on short-term performance compared with rivals. “Did you ever hear the statement that, ‘China has a 50 to 100 year view on management of a company, whereas we run our companies on a quarterly basis??? Not good!!!” he wrote. Supporters of fewer reporting periods say the move could encourage companies to prioritize long-term goals, while critics warn that reduced disclosures would weaken transparency and heighten market volatility. Trump raised similar views during his first term, when he asked the SEC to study whether quarterly reporting requirements should be scrapped.