American Government › Section L · The presidency › Topic L.5
Direct presidential action
When Congress will not act, presidents can sign an order, grant a pardon or fire an official on their own. These tools work quickly, but they are also the easiest for courts, Congress and the next president to undo.
In this topic
- Two kinds of presidential power
- The power to remove
- Pardons and commutations
- Executive orders, memoranda and proclamations
- Worked example: Executive Order 9066
- Checks on acting alone
- Worked example: the 2026 tariff ruling
- Line-item vetoes and signing statements
- War and diplomacy
- The power to persuade
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
This topic is part of Wuanberri Pro. Checking your access…