420 Chapter 12Chapter 12 || The PresidencyThe Presidencylaw. His attempts to force other nations to lower tariffs on American goods have
been largely unsuccessful. Trump’s approval rating in national polls has remained
relatively low despite a strong economy, and, due in part to voters’ dissatisfaction with
Trump’s Republican administration, Republicans lost their majority in the House of
Representatives in the 2018 midterms. Perhaps most notably, Trump has not stopped
federal and state investigations into his business dealings and Russian tampering in the
2016 elections: investigations that have hurt his popularity, tarnished his reputation, and
could lead to his removal from office.
Examining Trump’s failures alongside his successes suggests that his presidency may
not be transformational or especially unusual. Rather, just like the other 44 individuals who
have served as president, Trump is often constrained by factors that are out of his control,
from disagreements with other members of the federal government to the sometimes-
fickle opinions of the American public. The fact is that the president is but one actor in a
complex political system, a truth that has constrained all presidents, not just Trump.
Trump’s at times unorthodox approach to the office of the presidency has raised
questions about what, exactly, presidential power can achieve. Will Trump and the
outcomes of his tenure in office redefine what makes a successful president? What are
the factors that enable any president to be successful?The Development of Presidential Power
As we consider the history of America’s 45 presidents, four facts stand out: (1) Presidents
matter. Their actions have had profound consequences for the nation, in both domestic
and foreign policy. (2) Presidents get their power from a variety of sources, from
provisions of the Constitution to their management of the actions taken by the executive
branch of government. (3) Presidential power has increased over time, not because of
changes in the Constitution but because of America’s growth as a nation, its emergence
as a dominant actor in international politics, the expansion of the federal government,
and various acts of legislation that have given new authority to the president. (4) There
are sharp limits to presidential power. Presidents are often forced to compromise or
abandon their plans in the face of public, congressional, or foreign opposition.
These lessons are particularly important as we consider the presidency of Donald
Trump. Trump’s background and behavior in office are often described as being radically
different from those of past presidents. Even so, Trump must contend with the same limits
on presidential power faced by his predecessors, including voters’ high expectations
for presidential performance, conflict within Trump’s own Republican Party as well as
between Republicans and Democrats in Congress, and differences between Trump’s
goals and those held by federal bureaucrats who implement his decisions. Understanding
how the accomplishments of past presidents were shaped by these constraints gives us
some insight into what we can expect from the Trump presidency.Early Years through World War I
Since the early years of the republic, presidents’ actions have had profound
consequences for the nation. Presidents George Washington, John Adams, and Thomas
Jefferson forged compromises on domestic issues such as choosing a permanentTRACE THE EVOLUTION OF
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