Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Paul Atkins recently expressed his concern over increasing government regulation, quoting a famous line from former Republican President Ronald Reagan.

Atkins took to X on Tuesday to voice his disapproval of the government's increasing role in the private sector. He wrote, "President Reagan once said, 'The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the Government, and I'm here to help.'

Paul Atkins joked that the six most frightening words at the SEC are: 'We should create another disclosure requirement,' criticizing the tendency to add more regulations.

Atkins has served three terms at the SEC, where he is known for his criticism of regulatory overreach.

Atkins Pushes SEC Deregulatory Shift

Speaking at the Reagan National Economic Forum at the end of May, Paul Atkins criticized prior SEC leadership for engaging in "regulatory adventurism" that strayed from the agency's core mission, arguing that excessive regulations made public listings more costly and discouraged entrepreneurship.

He invoked Ronald Reagan's free-market philosophy, saying government should foster opportunity and investment rather than stifle them.

"Like President Reagan, I have come to understand the challenge of inheriting a regulatory environment gripped by government control that inhibited investment and punished success," Atkins stated.

SEC Eases Rules, Backs Crypto Growth

The Chairman said that the SEC is proposing measures to reduce the burden of being a public company, including more flexible reporting schedules, streamlined disclosure requirements, and easier access to public markets. He also noted that the agency has proposed rescinding its 2024 climate-disclosure rules.

He also said the SEC is advancing President Donald Trump's goal of making the U.S. the "crypto capital of the world" through Project Crypto, clearer rules on which digital assets qualify as securities, and a forthcoming "innovation exemption" for tokenized stocks, while also clarifying regulations for on-chain trading platforms.