WASHINGTON

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order Tuesday that opens the door for federal government agencies to relocate their offices outside of Washington, D.C.

“The American people are spread across more than 3.8 million square miles in urban, suburban and rural areas. To provide the highest quality services in an efficient and cost-effective manner, executive departments and agencies must be where the people are,” the executive order stated.

The order reverses two earlier directives issued by former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton which had encouraged federal agencies to situate their offices within central business districts and historic properties in urban areas—primarily in the nation's capital.

“Revoking these orders will restore common sense to federal office space management by freeing agencies to select cost-effective facilities and focus on successfully carrying out their missions for American taxpayers,” the executive order said.