executive support for the president

executive elements

  • EXOP

  • national security council

  • office of management n budget

  • white house office

  • cabinet

EXOP

  • the Executive Office of the President

  • “the umbrella term for the top staff agencies in the White House that assist the president in carrying out the major responsibilities of office”

  • offers president admin support

    • began in 1939 when Brownlow Committee reported that President was seriously understaffed

  • now 1800+ staff

  • commonly known as ‘the West Wing’

primary responsibilities

  • prepping the budget » Office of Management and Budget

  • planning long-term economic strategies » Council of Economic Advisors

  • coordinating the country’s diplomatic and military policies » National Security Council

  • running the White House Office

    • develop the admin’s political strategies

    • provide advice on response to emergencies

    • present the president’s proposals to the American ppl n the world

    • liaise n negotiate w Congress

    • provide link between White House n govt departments

national security council

  • established in 1947 » post WW2, start of Cold War

  • advises President on national security n foreign policy

  • the pres gets daily briefing from his national security advisor (NSA) - possible conflict w sec of state

  • president can decide to listen to or side line his NSA

    • for a while, Trump put Steve Bannon in the NSC during his first term

office of management and budget

  • the OMB has 500+ employees

  • the only EXOP agency which needs Senate confirmation of its head

  • role: to oversee the spending of federal departments and agencies and to advise the president on how best to allocate funds

    • they prep the annual budget

  • its decisions affect the whole economy and national considerations take precedent over presidential agenda

  • possible clash in Trump 2 w Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

white house office

  • the WHO includes the president’s closest aides n advisors

  • the Head of the White House is the Chief of Staff

  • chief of staff acts as liaison/buffer/firefighter between president n cabinet

  • in the White House, the Chief of Staff is very busy

spokes in a wheel » favoured by Clinton

  • President = the hub

  • advisors n cabinet = spokes with easier access

  • allows president to be more hands on

    • okays all decisions

  • risk of micromanagement

pyramid » favoured by Obama n Bush

  • hierarchical system

    • Chief of Staff = gatekeeper

  • only a few key advisors have direct access

    • less important things sorted out before reaching Pres

    • “trusts” other members more

  • Trump an odd mix of spokes and pyramid

cabinet

  • “the advisory group selected by the president to aid him in making decisions and coordinating the work of the federal government”

  • cabinet not mentioned in Constit

    • suggests that the president ‘may’ seek ‘opinions’ of officers of executive departments

    • vague, suggests president doesn’t have to

    • Washington had meetings w Sec of War, State and Treasury

      • Press called these cabinet meetings, name stuck

    • cabinet is “institutionalised by usage alone”

appointments

  • all Cabinet appointments require majority vote in the Senate

  • Cabinet members often former Congressmen/women, governors, mayors, academic or leading businesspeople

  • supposed to be specialists in policy areas assigned to them

  • Mike Pence had to vote when 50/50 tie occurred over Betsy DeVos (Sec of Ed)

    • k harris used her vote several times when VP under Biden

  • issues w Trump’s pick in 2024

    • many causing concern as they don’t seem to have relevant experience eg Pete Hegsith

meetings

  • cabinet meetings called at the convenience of the president

  • reagan called 35 in his first year vs Clinton with 6

  • president decides