Roles and Powers of the President

Why do we have a president? And how do presidents get things done?

The Framers of the Constitution wanted to ensure that the executive branch was powerful enough to act, and so in Article II of the US Constitution, they established that executive power in the United States is vested in a president, who has certain powers. The powers of the president outlined in Article II are known as formal powers, but over the years presidents have claimed other powers, known as informal powers.

Presidents campaign for office based on their policy agendas: the things they promise voters that they will attempt to accomplish while in office. They use their formal and informal powers to accomplish their policy agendas.

Key terms

Term	Definition
cabinet	A group of presidential advisers, including the heads of the executive departments, the attorney general, and other officials chosen by the president.
executive agreement	An international agreement between the president and another country, which does not require the consent of the Senate.
executive order	A presidential order to the executive branch that carries the force of law. The Supreme Court can rule executive orders unconstitutional.
pocket veto	An indirect veto, which the president can use by neither signing or vetoing a bill passed by Congress fewer than 10 days before it adjourns.
signing statement	A presidential statement upon signing a bill into law, which explains how a president’s administration intends to interpret the law.
State of the Union address	The president’s annual message to a joint session of Congress, which includes recommended legislation and evaluations of the nation’s top priorities and economic health.
veto	The president’s constitutional right to reject a law passed by Congress. Congress may override the president’s veto with a two-thirds vote.

Formal powers of the president

Category	Powers
Executive	Take care that the laws be faithfully executed
	Nominate officials (with Senate confirmation)
	Request written opinions from administrative officials
	Fill administrative vacancies during congressional recesses
Foreign policy	Act as Commander in Chief of the armed forces
	Make treaties (with Senate ratification)
	Nominate ambassadors (with Senate confirmation)
	Receive ambassadors
	Confer diplomatic recognition on other governments
Judicial	Grant reprieves and pardons for federal offenses (except impeachment)
	Nominate federal judges (with Senate confirmation)
Legislative	Recommend legislation to Congress
	Present information on the State of the Union to Congress
	Convene Congress on extraordinary occasions
	Adjourn Congress if House and Senate cannot agree
	Veto legislation (Congress may overrule with supermajority)

Informal powers of the president

Power	Definition
Bargaining and persuasion	Setting priorities for Congress and attempting to get majorities to put through the president’s legislative agenda
Issuing executive orders	Regulations to run the government and direct the bureaucracy
Issuing signing statements	Giving the president's intended interpretation of bills passed by Congress
Negotiating executive agreements	Agreements with heads of foreign governments that are not ratified by the Senate

Image of Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush in the Oval Office, looking at papers.

Issuing signing statements indicating the president's intentions for executing a law are an informal presidential power that has become more prevalent in the modern era. Here, President Ronald Reagan and Vice President George H. W. Bush examine legislation in the Oval Office in 1984. Image source: Wikipedia

Key takeaway for this lesson

Beyond the Constitution — Article II of the Constitution describes the formal powers of the president, but the president also has informal powers, which have grown over time. Because the president and Congress have interrelated powers, tension frequently erupts between the two branches.

The United States presidential office is designed to ensure effective governance through a powerful executive branch. The powers of the president come from Article II of the Constitution, which grants formal powers such as executing laws, nominating officials, and conducting foreign policy. Informal powers have evolved over time and include bargaining with Congress, issuing executive orders, and negotiating agreements. Presidents campaign on policy agendas, using both formal and informal powers to fulfill promises made to voters.

The presidency in the United States is established by Article II of the Constitution, granting the president both formal and informal powers essential for governance. Formal powers include the ability to execute laws, nominate officials (with Senate confirmation), act as Commander in Chief, grant pardons, and veto legislation. Informal powers, which have developed over time, encompass bargaining with Congress, issuing executive orders to direct government operations, and negotiating agreements with foreign leaders. Presidents leverage these powers to advance their policy agendas and fulfill electoral promises.

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