Executive Authority: Presidential Power From America’s Founding to Today

In this episode of "We the People," Jeffrey Rosen hosts a discussion with Gillian Metzger and Saikrishna Prakash on the unitary executive theory, exploring its historical roots, the founders' vision for the presidency, and its relevance to contemporary constitutional debates. The conversation covers the Constitutional Convention debates, the evolution of presidential power, the role of independent agencies, and the Supreme Court's involvement in shaping executive authority, with the guests offering differing perspectives on the original understanding of executive power and the extent to which Congress can constrain the presidency. The scholars also examine the modern presidency's expansion beyond its original constitutional bounds and consider the potential for the Supreme Court to impose limits on presidential actions, as well as the likelihood of presidential compliance with court decisions.