What Exactly is an Executive Order?

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Main Story
What’s An Executive Order, Anyway?

• What’s Going On

  • New Voting Rules: On March 25, President Trump signed an executive order requiring people to show proof of citizenship to register to vote and demanding that all ballots be received by Election Day.

  • Targeting Law Firms: The Trump administration issued orders against big law firms like Jenner & Block, canceling their government contracts and security clearances, claiming they’re too politically biased.

  • Rolling Back Discrimination Protections: Another recent order removed rules that banned discrimination by federal contractors, including rules against separate facilities like bathrooms for different groups of people.

  • More Orders on the Way: Other executive orders cover energy, immigration, and even closing the Department of Education.

  • 👉 See the full list of President Trump’s executive orders here.

• A Quick Explainer

  • What Are Executive Orders?
    They’re official instructions from the president to government workers on how to do their jobs — kind of like a manager giving directions to a team.

  • They’re Not Laws:
    Executive orders don’t go through Congress and don’t apply to the public. They only guide how the government carries out existing laws.

  • Are They Legal?
    Some orders, like requiring proof of citizenship to vote, raise legal questions. Courts step in to decide if they go too far.

  • Where Do They Come From?
    The Constitution (Article II, Section 2) gives the president the power to lead the executive branch — but it’s up to the courts to decide what that really means.

  • Fun Fact:
    President Franklin D. Roosevelt holds the record with 3,721 executive orders! Most presidents stay within 100-300 executive orders.

  • Can They Be Undone?
    Yes — by Congress (with a big enough vote), the courts, or the next president.

• What This Means For You

  • Executive orders highlight how much power the presidency holds, especially when Congress is stuck in gridlock. But they also raise serious questions about checks and balances.

  • In an era where each new president seems to undo the last one’s executive actions, this tool is becoming a political tug-of-war — and a symbol of how polarized our government has become.

  • As elections approach, pay attention to what candidates promise to do by executive order. It often signals what they don’t expect to pass through Congress.

  Quiz: Which branch of government can overturn an executive order?

  Judicial Legislative Executive All of the above

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