Presidential Leadership – The Many Roles of the President
Presidents have seven major duties. Five of these
are based on the Constitution; serving as head of
state, chief executive, chief legislator, chief
diplomat, and commander in chief. Two other roles
not mentioned in the Constitution have developed
over the years. These are economic planner and
political party leader.
Head of State
As head of state, the President represents the
nation and performs many ceremonial duties.
Serving as host to visiting kings, queens, and heads
of foreign governments, the President is the nation’s
chief diplomat. Other ceremonial duties are less
important, but receive a great deal of attention.
Lighting the national Christmas tree, giving awards
and medals, making public service statements on
important issues, meeting public figures from
musicians to business leaders are all considered a
part of the role of the President.
The President is both the head of state and
the chief executive. In most countries, these are two
separate duties. One person – sometimes a king or
queen, is the ceremonial head of state, while another
person – such as a prime minister, leads the
government.
This difference is important; much of the
mystery and excitement that surround the
presidency exists because the President is more than
a politician.
Ceremonial Duties
Like Woodrow Wilson, seen here in 1916,
Presidents often throw out the first pitch at
baseball games.
Chief Executive
As the nation’s chief executive, the
President sees that the laws of Congress are carried
out. The Executive Branch employs more than 2
million people to enforce the laws and programs
that Congress establishes. The President is in charge
of these employees and the federal departments and
agencies for which they work.
One tool the President has to influence how
laws are carried out is through executive orders.
Executive orders are rules that have the force of
law. They are mean to clarify an existing law, or
direct a federal agency. For example, President
Harry Truman used an executive order to integrate
the armed forces in 1948.
As chief executive, the President appoints,
with Senate approval, all federal judges, including
the justices of the Supreme Court. Presidents can
use this power to influence the course of
government by appointing judges that share their
political ideology.
Reprieves and Pardons As chief executive,
the President can grant “reprieves and pardons for
offences against the United States.” A reprieve is
postponement of punishment, while a pardon is a
release from legal punishment. In 1974, President
Gerald Ford granted “a full, free and absolute
pardon unto Richard Nixon” for any crimes the
former President may have committed in connection
with the Watergate scandal.
Amnesty Finally, the President may also
grant amnesty. Amnesty is a group pardon to
individuals for an offense against the government.
Amnesty often applies to military personnel. For
example, Presidents Ford and Carter granted
amnesty to men who fled the draft during the
Vietnam War.
Chief Legislator
Congress expects the Executive Branch to
propose legislation it wishes to see enacted.
Usually, the President describes planned legislative
programs in the annual State of the Union message
to Congress. This message is meant to call attention
to the Presidents ideas about how to solve important
problems facing the country.
When the President and the majority of
Congress are from different political parties, the
President must work harder to influence members
of Congress to support a particular program.
Presidents may hand out political favors to
get Congressional support. They may visit the home
state of a member of Congress to help support their
reelection. Or a President may start a new federal
project that will bring money and jobs to a member
of Congress’s home state or district. Presidents may
also invite members of Congress to important White
House social events.
An important presidential tool in lawmaking
is the veto power. Each bill Congress passes is sent
to the President for approval. Presidents sometimes
use the threat of a veto to force Congress to stop a
bill, or change it to better fit the Presidents wishes.
These threats succeed because Congress often finds
it difficult to gather the needed 2/3 votes to override
a veto.
Economic Planner
The President’s role as chief economic
planner has grown rapidly since Franklin D.
Roosevelt’s New Deal. The Employment Act of
1946 gave new duties to the President. This law
directed the President to submit an annual economic
report to Congress.
The President also has the duty to prepare
the federal budget every year. The President
supervises the work and spends many months with
budget officials deciding which programs to support
and which to cut back.
Party Leader
The President’s political party expects the
chief executive to be a party leader. The President
may give speeches to help fellow party members
running for office, or attend fundraising activities to
help raise money for the party.
Presidents are expected to appoint members
of their party to available government jobs. Political
patronage, which is the appointment to political
office, rewards those who supported the party and
President during an election.
Being a political party leader can be a
difficult role for a President. People expect a
President, as head of the government, to represent
all Americans. Many Presidents face conflict
between leading their own political party and
leading the country.
Chief Diplomat
The President directs the foreign policy of
the United States, making decisions about the
relations between the United States and other
countries. Presidents are given access to classified
information about foreign affairs. The Central
Intelligence Agency, the State Department the
Department of Defense, the Department of
Homeland Security and the National Security
Council all constantly provide the President with
the latest information needed to make foreign policy
decisions. Members of Congress, who lack access
to that type of information, often find it difficult to
challenge the President’s decisions.
As chief diplomat, the President has the sole
power to make treaties, formal agreements between
the governments of two or more countries. As part
of the Constitutional system of checks and balances,
however, two-thirds of the Senate must approve all
treaties before they can go into effect.
Generals, admirals and other military leaders
run the armed forces on a day-to-day basis. The
President, however, is responsible for key military
decisions. For example, the President has the
authority to order the use of atomic weapons, a
tremendous responsibility.
The President has other duties as
commander in chief. During a war, the President
can take actions at home to support a war effort.
The President may also use the military within the
nation, either to put down rioting or aid in times of
natural disasters.
Signing a Treaty
President Barack Obama in 2011 signs the
Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START)
alongside Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev.
Commander in Chief
Presidents can back up their foreign policy
decisions with military force when necessary. The
Constitution makes the President commander in
chief of the armed forces of the United States.
The President shares with Congress the
power to make war. Presidents ask for
Congressional approval to send troops into battle.
The United States has not officially declared war
since World War II, despite being involved in
numerous conflicts. The War Powers Act of 1973,
allows the President to send American troops into
combat areas without Congressional approval.
Under the act, the President can only send
combat troops into battle or into areas where
''imminent'' hostilities are likely, for 60 days without
a declaration of war by Congress. The President can
extend the time the troops are in the combat area for
30 extra days, without Congressional approval, for a
total of 90 days. The act, however, does not specify
what Congress can do if the President refuses to
comply with the act. Congress could presumably
suspend all funds for such troops and override a
Presidential veto.
The role as head of state, chief legislator,
economic planner, chief diplomat, and commander
in chief gives the President broad powers. Today,
the President of the United States is the most
powerful single individual in the world.