the presidency

president relationship with congress

• The president cannot be a member of Congress because of the separation of powers

• If there is unified government, the relations between the president and Congress are better

• If there is divided government, the president will find it more difficult to pass their legislation through Congress

• A president can use powers which bypass Congress if they cannot pass legislation

  • EX: 2014, Obama used an executive order to grant certain undocumented immigrants ‘deferred action’ status

• National events can affect the president’s relationship with Congress, as Congress may grant the president greater discretion in times of emergency

• Presidential approval among voters affects the relationship with Congress - lower approval ratings may encourage greater congressional opposition

president relationship with supreme court

• The president checks the SC’s power through nominating its justices, which gives the president influence over the ideological balance of the SC

• If the president is popular, their response to SC decisions may influence public perceptions of legitimacy

• The SC can rule a president’s actions unconstitutional

  • EX: 2004 - the SC ruled against President Bush by granting Guantanamo Bay detainees access to US courts to challenge their detention

trump 2016 promises

• Trump was elected in 2016 with the campaign slogan ‘Make America Great Again’ (MAGA)

• Trump promised to build a wall along the US-Mexico border and make Mexico pay for it

• Trump promised to cut taxes, particularly for businesses and middle-class Americans

• Trump promised to “drain the swamp” by reducing corruption and the influence of Washington insiders

• Trump promised to renegotiate North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and take a more protectionist approach to trade

trump 2016 policy successes

• Trump passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 2017, reducing corporate tax rates from 35% to 21% and cutting individual income tax rates

• Trump replaced NAFTA with the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which entered into force in 2020

• Trump withdrew the US from the Paris Climate Agreement, fulfilling a campaign promise to reverse Obama’s climate policies

• Trump imposed significant tariffs on imports, particularly from China

trump 2016 policy failures

• Trump failed to make Mexico pay for the border wall, US federal money was used instead

• Trump failed to repeal and replace Obamacare

• Trump failed to achieve his promised $550 billion infrastructure investment

trump 2024 promises

• Trump continued his MAGA slogan

• Trump promised to secure the US-Mexico border, and carry out the largest deportation operation in American history

• Trump promised to reduce inflation and the cost of living, particularly energy and food prices

• Trump promised to end DEI programmes across the federal government

• Trump promised to end birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants

trump 2024 policy successes

• Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law on 4 July 2025, delivering major tax changes and making several campaign promises part of federal law

  • This included no federal tax on tips or overtime

  • It also increased the Child Tax Credit and provided tax benefits relating to Social Security

• Trump has implemented a major expansion of immigration enforcement, including increased ICE arrests and deportations

  • EX: by September 2026, Reuters reported that ICE arrests had reached nearly 51k

• Trump has imposed substantial new tariffs, stating he would pass sanctions on countries supporting Russian oil and energy, which would subsequently impose 100% tariffs on India and China

• Trump signed the Laken Riley Act, expanding mandatory detention requirements for certain undocumented immigrants accused of specified crimes

trump 2024 policy failures

• Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship by executive order has faced major legal challenges

• Trump’s tariff policy has faced legal challenges, with courts questioning the constitutionality of the administration’s authority to impose some tariffs

obama (2008-2016) promises

• Obama was elected in 2008 with the campaign slogan ‘change we can believe in’ and ‘yes we can’

• Obama promised to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

• Obama promised to increase equality of pay between men and women

• Obama promised to close the Guantanamo Bay facility

• Obama aimed to introduce expanded access to healthcare across the US

• Obama proposed reforms to immigration and gun control

obama (2008-2016) policy successes

• Obama brought an end to the Iraq War in 2011

• Equality of pay was improved through the 2009 Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

• Obama was able to pass the Affordable Care Act 2010

obama (2008-2016) policy failures

• Obama failed to close Guantanamo Bay

• Obama was unable to pass the DREAM Act through Congress

  • Obama used executive action to introduce DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) instead

• Obama could not pass major gun control reforms through Congress, though he used executive actions to tighten some background checks

 

george w. bush (2001-2008) promises

• Bush promised to reform Social Security and the US healthcare system

• Bush to cut taxes

• Bush outlined plans to combat terrorism through his ‘War on Terror’ after 9/11

• Bush promised to increase spending on education

george w. bush (2001-2008) policy successes

• Bush expanded Medicare through the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (2003)

• Bush delivered major tax cuts

• Congress passed the No Child Left Behind Act (2001), introducing standardised testing

george w. bush (2001-2008) controversial policies

• Bush’s ‘War on Terror’ included passing the USA PATRIOT Act (2001), military intervention in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the continued use of Guantanamo Bay

bill clinton (1993-2001) promises

• Clinton promised to reform the healthcare system

• Clinton outlined plans to improve education

• Clinton aimed to reduce the size of the budget deficit

• Clinton promised to take responsibility for improving the environment

• Clinton aimed to introduce laws to increase gun control

• Clinton promised to ensure citizens had equal civil rights

bill clinton (1993-2001) policy successes

• Clinton had success in reducing the budget, passing laws on the environment and equal civil rights

  • Clinton was able to reduce the budget deficit by 50%

  • Clinton protected over 40 million acres of federal forests and land under his Lands Agency Initiative

  • ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ (1993) allowed gay, lesbian, and bisexual people to serve in the military, but required them to keep their sexual orientation private

• Clinton had success in education and gun control

  • Clinton’s Goals 2000 Program set out goals to reform national education including to increase graduation rates of school students to over 90% and to improve students’ maths and science achievement

  • Clinton passed the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act which introduced criminal background checks for gun buyers and a 5 day waiting period on purchases

bill clinton (1993-2001) policy failures

• Clinton was ineffective in achieving some of his aims around healthcare and civil rights equality

  • The 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was passed which allowed states to refuse same-sex marriage

  • Clinton’s healthcare reform plan failed to pass through Congress in 1994