Institutional power file · US presidency
The White House
How presidential authority, executive agencies, Congress and the courts shape the practical reach of the US presidency.
Power mechanisms
Where authority actually moves
How the institution works
Evergreen explainersHow Power Works
How US Executive Orders Actually Work
Executive orders can direct the federal executive branch, but they do not create unlimited presidential power and remain constrained by statutes, courts and later presidents.
How Power WorksHow Congress Can Actually Constrain a US President
Congress can legislate, control appropriations, conduct oversight and use confirmation and impeachment powers, but each mechanism has its own voting thresholds and political limits.
Latest analysis
10 related pieces2026-09-14
Analysis
Analysis
Trump Is Asking Ukraine to Spare Russia's Refineries. That Is a Political Choice, Not Neutrality
The US president's request may be defensible as an attempt to ease a global diesel shock. It also asks Kyiv to surrender one of the few tools that directly raises the domestic cost of Russia's war.
2026-10-25
Analysis
Analysis
Brazil's Lula-Bolsonaro Runoff Tests Electoral Legitimacy and the Limits of Presidential Power
A close second-round vote will decide Brazil's presidency, but institutional acceptance and congressional power will determine the transition.
2026-10-04
Analysis
Analysis
Brazil's Election Is a Vote on Alignment, Not Only Leadership
The presidential contest between Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro will shape relations with Washington and Beijing, but congressional and state races will decide how much power the winner can use.
2026-09-25
Analysis
Analysis
The Trump-Xi State Visit Formalised a Managed Stalemate
Washington and Beijing created new channels and limited trade concessions without resolving the disputes that structure their rivalry. Ceremony became a tool for stabilising competition rather than evidence of strategic convergence.
2026-09-25
Analysis
Analysis
Taiwan Is Becoming the Hard Limit of the Trump-Xi Bargain
Beijing wants Washington to revisit the logic of the 1982 arms-sales communiqué while the United States treats Taiwan's defence as both a security commitment and negotiating leverage. That makes the island qualitatively different from the summit's trade disputes.
2026-09-23
News
News
Xi Begins Three-Day US State Visit With Trump Talks Set to Cover Trade, AI and Security
Chinese President Xi Jinping is visiting the United States from September 23 to 25 at Donald Trump's invitation, with bilateral talks expected to address the countries' increasingly broad strategic relationship.
2026-09-23
News
News
France Drafts UN Security Council Proposal for International Hormuz Shipping Mission
Paris is working with Washington on a Security Council resolution aimed at restoring commercial movement through the Strait of Hormuz.
2026-09-23
News
News
Macron Says He Discussed Ukraine-Russia Energy-Strike Moratorium With Trump
The French president said talks with Donald Trump covered proposals to halt attacks on energy infrastructure and strengthen Ukraine's defensive capabilities.
2026-09-13
Analysis
Analysis
Trump's United Ireland Comments Were Reckless Precisely Because the Question Is Legitimate
Irish unity is a lawful democratic possibility under the Good Friday framework. That is why outside leaders should treat it with more care, not less.
2026-09-09
Analysis
Analysis
Canada Has Learned the Most American Lesson in Trade Politics: Target the Swing States
Retaliatory tariffs are being designed for electoral geography as much as economic impact, turning trade policy into a form of cross-border political pressure.
Primary record
Start with the institution itself
These links provide the formal rules or institutional description underlying this power file. State & Power analysis is kept separate from the primary record.