What Is an Executive Order?

An executive order is a directive issued by the President of the United States that manages operations of the federal government. Executive orders have the force of law and are used to direct federal agencies and officials in the execution of congressionally established policies. They do not require congressional approval, but they cannot override existing law or the Constitution.

Presidents have used executive orders throughout American history to address a wide range of issues, from national security and immigration to regulatory policy and government organization. The legal authority for executive orders derives from Article II of the Constitution, which vests executive power in the President and directs the President to “take care that the laws be faithfully executed.”

Executive orders are numbered consecutively and published in the Federal Register. They can be revoked or modified by subsequent Presidents, which is why executive orders issued by one administration are sometimes reversed by the next. Congress can also pass legislation that supersedes an executive order, and courts can strike down executive orders that exceed presidential authority or violate constitutional provisions.

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