How Presidents Use Executive Orders: Understanding Trump's Power Play

Ever wondered how presidents can make big changes quickly? Enter executive orders – tools that help them manage the government without waiting for Congress. Let's dive into how they work and how Donald Trump is using them. First off, what are these orders? Simply put, they're like instructions from the president to federal agencies. They can be small, like giving government employees a day off after Christmas, or big, like setting up rules for artificial intelligence. Presidents often use them to push through agendas that Congress isn't keen on. What's interesting is that new presidents can cancel their predecessor's orders. Congress can't directly stop an order, but they can make it hard to follow by cutting funding or creating obstacles. So, how many orders do presidents usually sign? Well, it varies. George Washington signed just eight, while Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a whopping 3, 721. Trump signed 220 in his first term, and Biden signed 160 by December 20. Trump has big plans for these orders. He promised to sign up to 100 on his first day, covering everything from immigration to energy policies. But here's a twist: many of these are more like statements of intent, based on his campaign promises. Now, you might think presidents have all the power with these orders, but there are limits. Congress and the courts can block them. For example, in 1992, Congress stopped an order by President Bush. And when President Truman tried to seize steel mills during the Korean War, the Supreme Court said no. So, while executive orders are powerful, they're not all-powerful. It's a balance between the president, Congress, and the courts.