The Limits of Presidential Power in the U.S

1.

Democracy at Risk: The Limits of
Presidential Power in the U.S.
Semerenko Viacheslav
Democracy, isn’t it?

2.

Trump won
In 2025, Donald Trump won the presidential election — again.
A historic political comeback.
• The Republican Party gained majority control in both the House and the Senate.
For the first time in years, one party dominates all branches of government.
• With this “trifecta” — presidency, House, and Senate — Trump holds unprecedented
political power.
His influence now reaches deeper into the system than ever before.
• Supporters see this as a chance to “restore order.”
Critics call it a dangerous concentration of authority.

3.

MAIN PROBLEM AND FEAR: CENTRALIZING POWER
His words often echo the tone of leaders who centralize power.
Pledges to “purge the Deep State” and “take back control” sound more like missions than policies.
People afraid that loyalty will replace law.
If personal allegiance becomes the key to holding office, independent institutions may slowly erode
from within
Critics see early signs — rhetoric against courts, media, and dissenters.
They fear that democratic norms could be reshaped quietly, through obedience and fear rather than
force
Supporters, however, see strength, not threat.
They believe a strong hand is what the nation needs after years of chaos.
Trump

4.

EXAMPLES
1. “Dictator for one day” comment (Dec 2023)
• Trump said on Fox News he’d be “a dictator — but only on Day One”, referring to immediate executive actions on the border and energy.
2. Attacks on media and dissenters
• He called journalists “enemies of the people” and publicly ridiculed opponents at rallies.
3. Targeting the Justice Department and courts
Trump has repeatedly claimed the DOJ and FBI are “corrupt” and promised to “bring them under control.”

5.

WHAT EXPERTS SAY
• Political scientists warn of “authoritarian drift.”
Researchers from Carnegie Endowment and Brookings Institution note that Trump’s language and plans resemble early stages of
“executive centralization” .
• Legal scholars see risk of “lawful autocracy.”
Analysts such as Eric Posner argue that Trump’s use of lawful tools — executive orders, personnel changes, selective prosecutions —
could mimic the mechanics of authoritarian regimes while staying formally within the Constitution.
• Others urge caution.
Some experts, including Project Syndicate contributors, insist that calling Trump a “dictator” oversimplifies U.S. politics and
underestimates the resilience of American institutions.
• Consensus:
There is no agreement on whether the U.S. faces dictatorship — but wide agreement that the risk of democratic backsliding is real if
institutional independence erodes.
Democracy under attack

6.

SO, IS AMERICAN DEMOCRACY IN DANGER?
The question is no longer theoretical — it’s personal and political.
Millions of Americans now question whether their system still protects their voice.
You can think that country is deeply divided — truth itself has become partisan.
Each side sees the other not as opponents, but as enemies.
Institutions are under constant pressure from loyalty tests and political storms.
Even small cracks can become fractures when trust collapses.

7.

WHY THE U.S. CAN’T BECOME AN
AUTOCRACY

8.

SEPARATION OF POWERS
No U.S. president can hold total authority because power is divided among three branches — executive,
legislative, and judicial
This system exists to prevent concentration of power in any one person’s hands. The president can propose,
influence, or execute laws — but he cannot rule by decree
Congress can block presidential initiatives, reject budgets, override vetoes, and even impeach a sitting
president.
The Supreme Court can strike down presidential orders if they violate the Constitution
As it was In January 2025, President Trump signed an executive order attempting to restrict automatic
citizenship for children born in the U.S.
On February 6, a federal court in Washington State issued a preliminary injunction, immediately suspending the
order’s implementation.
The Court of Appeals later refused to lift the injunction, affirming that the executive branch cannot bypass the
judiciary even through emergency actions

9.

FEDERALISM
Unlike most countries, the U.S. is not a centralized unitary state — it’s a federation of 50 sovereign states with
their own constitutions, laws, courts, and police.
This structure divides political power horizontally, making it impossible for the president to impose full
control nationwide
In June 2025, President Trump ordered the deployment of more than 4,000 California National Guard troops
and 700 federal officers to Los Angeles to respond to protests against mass deportations.
The decision bypassed California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, and ignited a constitutional showdown between
the federal government and the state.
Governor Newsom and the California Attorney General filed an emergency lawsuit, claiming the move violated
the 10th Amendment and the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits federal military involvement in domestic law
enforcement.
A federal court temporarily blocked the deployment, ruling that the president could not federalize a state’s
National Guard without clear legal justification.
Although several hundred troops were initially deployed, the majority were withdrawn within weeks following
the court’s intervention and public backlash

10.

INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY
The U.S. judiciary remains one of the strongest barriers against executive overreach.
Federal judges, appointed for life, cannot be dismissed or pressured by the President — their only allegiance is
to the Constitution, not to any administration.
This independence allows the courts to openly confront presidential actions, even when the judges were
appointed by the same president
When the Department of Justice refused to dismiss ongoing investigations into Trump-related campaign
finances, the President attempted to intervene.
The D.C. District Court ruled that “no president may interfere in active federal prosecutions,” reaffirming that
the DOJ operates independently under the law
The judiciary directly shielded the rule of law from executive influence.

11.

CHECKS FROM CONGRESS
Even when the President’s party controls both chambers, Congress is not an extension of the White House.
The Constitution gives lawmakers control over funding, legislation, and military authorization.
Without congressional approval, the president’s ambitions stay on paper — not in action.
The administration sought to suspend a tranche of military aid to Ukraine pending a “strategic reassessment.”
However, both the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Armed Services Committee voted to
override the suspension, declaring that foreign aid approved by Congress cannot be halted for political reasons.
Funding resumed after a week of hearings, over White House objections
Even in 2025, with strong executive momentum, Congress actively blocked, rewrote, or constrained presidential
actions through law, hearings, and budget control.
The system works not because everyone agrees — but because no one branch can act unchecked

12.

PUBLIC OVERSIGHT
Even the most powerful executive cannot rule in silence.
The strength of American democracy lies in transparency, civic participation, and a culture of organized
dissent.
When institutions hesitate, society itself becomes a system of checks and balances — journalists, activists,
courts, and ordinary citizens acting together
In February 2025, The New York Times and Reuters published leaked internal communications from the
Department of Homeland Security, revealing plans for mass deportations that included U.S. citizens of dual
nationality.
After the story broke, major TV networks amplified the issue; within days, protests erupted in multiple states.
The backlash forced Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf Jr. to testify before Congress, and the
controversial order was withdrawn

13.

CIVIL RESISTANCE
Even the most powerful executive cannot rule in silence.
The strength of American democracy lies in transparency, civic participation, and a culture of organized
dissent.
When institutions hesitate, society itself becomes a system of checks and balances — journalists, activists,
courts, and ordinary citizens acting together
In February 2025, The New York Times and Reuters published leaked internal communications from the
Department of Homeland Security, revealing plans for mass deportations that included U.S. citizens of dual
nationality.
After the story broke, major TV networks amplified the issue; within days, protests erupted in multiple states.
The backlash forced Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf Jr. to testify before Congress, and the
controversial order was withdrawn

14.

THE FINAL FIREWALL
As of 2025, America has around 125 firearms per 100 citizens — over 400
million privately owned weapons, and just 2 million in the hands of all law
enforcement combined.
“Mr. Trump can do whatever he wants — but only as long as it serves the
interests of U.S. citizens.
Because if it doesn’t, the most heavily armed population on Earth will make
itself heard”
Conclusion
In the United States, power belongs to the people.
the President is only the face of their will