The SEC proposed a clawback rule in 2015 that would require companies to adopt recoupment protocols for executive pay—but even then, the rule would mandate clawback policies only as strong as Yahoo's, in the event of financial restatements. Such restatements are rare, typically occurring when a company discovers accounting errors or improprieties later on, such as when Valeant Pharmaceuticals (VRX) had to redo its financial reports last year. Even so, the rule was never finalized, and now that Donald Trump has become the President, preaching a regulation-lite approach to business, the SEC clawback rule, along with other pay measures, will likely be kicked further down the road. Verizon itself put scant strings on its deal with Yahoo.