Executive Branch

Qualifications to become President:

• Natural-born citizen

• At least 35 years old

• Lived in the US for at least 14 years

How long a president can serve?

• 2 Terms of 4 years

• Associated through the 22 Amendment

Article II provides the powers and responsibilities of the President and the Executive Branch

President Roles

Formal Roles of the president

1. Head of state: Relationship with foreign countries(trade and negotiation during crisis)

   • Appoints Embassadors / American representatives in foriegn countries

   • Treaties with foriegn which must be approved by senate

2. Chief Executive: Final Authority (Hires and fires)

   • Executes laws(strictly or not strict based on preference)

   • Grants Pardons

   • Nominate Judges of Supreme Court

3. Commander in Chief: Direct military, send overseas and cannot declare war( Advisors help)

4. Chief Legislator: Signs and vetos laws

   • State of Union Address: All congress come together to talk about the direction the president wants the US to go

Informal Roles of president

1. Political Party Leader- Leads party(ex Donald Trump and Republican Party)

2. Crisis Manager: Lead in time of crisis

   • Can affect how president election goes due to how well president does during a crisis(trust)

3. Moral Pursuasder: Ex. End of Slavery

4. Executive Order: Orders by president that are basically in equal footing to a law(ex. FDR’s Internement of Japanese Americans)

   • How Executive order is Checked

     • Judicial Branch- Can say the order is not constitutionals

     • Legislatie Branch- Can make a law to contradict an executive order

5. Executive Agreements: Treaties related to trade made by president

6. Executive Privilege: Claim of president that they have right to keep certain info from other branches

   • Ex. Us V Nixon: Tried to cover tapes and not hand over documents about Vietnam under executive privilage but was denied that

Vice President Roles

• President of the Senate: Reside over senate sessions

• Tie-breaking votes: Power to break tie votes in the senate

• President Succession: Something bad happen to the president vice takes over

• Reside over recieving and counting electoral ballots cast in presidential election

Why was the electoral college created?

• Comprimise between the smaller and larger states

• Made sure those with the most knowledge determined the president through votes

• Balance power between staes with (House based on populus and Senate being equal)

Two types of Vetos

• Regular Veto: President vetos a bill and will be sent back to congress to either get 2/3 votes to overide the veto or the bill dies

• Line Item Veto: President could choose to revome some things within the biill but not the entire bill

  • Benifit to President(Selective Rejection & Increase of influence)

• Pocket Veto: President takes no action on bill for 10 days which prevent the bill from becoming law

Congress can put legislature through by 2/3 votes of House and Senate to override the veto(low chance of happen)

President chooses the people in the cabinet and the people are confirmed by the Senate by majority rule

The cabinet’s power is as advisors for the president depending of the offices/deparments (ex. Department of Education)

Office of Management: Assist the President in managing the federal budget in according to the president ideals and vision

How can a president be removed from office?

• Role of House: Can impeach President by passing articles of impeachment(requires majority vote of the house)

• Role of Senator: If president is impeached Senate holds a trail to determine if president should be removed from office(2/3 majority needed for conviction and removal)

• Role of Judicial Branch: Can rule on actions related to impeachment

US V Nixon: Watergate Scandal Nixon used executive privilege to try and keep tapes from investigation but Supreme Court ruled it not constitutional

War powers resolution(limit prolong military action of president): The War Powers Resolution (1973) was designed to limit the President's authority to send U.S. troops into combat without Congressional approval.

• 48 hours of committing armed forces to military action

• 60-day limit on the deployment of troops without Congressional authorization or a declaration of war.

Examples of Executive Privilege

Executive privilege refers to the President’s right to withhold certain information from Congress, the courts, or the public to preserve confidentiality in sensitive matters. Examples include:

• Withholding advice from the President’s advisers regarding policy decisions.

• Protecting military or national security secrets.

• Refusing to release certain communications between the President and his Cabinet or other senior officials, especially if revealing them could harm national interests.

22nd Amendment: Limits the number of terms a president can serve

25 Amendment: Deal with succession of president and succession

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Executive Office of the President (EOP)

The Executive Office of the President consists of various organizations that support the work of the president. Key components include the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), National Security Council (NSC), and the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA). Each plays a crucial role in policy development, budget management, and national security guidance.

White House Staff

The White House staff is composed of individuals who directly support the president in day-to-day operations. This includes roles such as the Chief of Staff, Press Secretary, and other assistants and advisors. The staff helps coordinate policy, communications, and administration functions.

Cabinet

The Cabinet is comprised of the heads of the executive departments, such as the Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, and Secretary of Education. These individuals are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The Cabinet’s primary role is to advise the president on various issues related to their departments and to help implement the president's policies.