{"id":338,"date":"2026-01-05T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/?p=338"},"modified":"2026-01-07T14:33:36","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T19:33:36","slug":"exec-power-in-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/exec-power-in-history\/","title":{"rendered":"History shows how presidents expand power"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>By Dan Stark, Mikay\u00adla Bun\u00adnel &amp; Lily Gold\u00adblatt<br>UConn Jour\u00adnal\u00adism<\/strong><br><br>Dis\u00adcov\u00ader how dif\u00adfer\u00adent U.S. pres\u00adi\u00addents have expand\u00aded the scope of the exec\u00adu\u00adtive branch since the 1800s in the visu\u00adal\u00adiza\u00adtion below. To read more about pres\u00adi\u00adden\u00adtial expan\u00adsions of pow\u00ader in each cen\u00adtu\u00adry, click on the links below.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-space-between is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-b2891da8 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/presidents-in-1800s-expand-wartime-and-veto-powers\/\" style=\"text-transform:capitalize\">1800s<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/how-20th-century-presidents-grew-power-at-home-and-abroad\/\" style=\"text-transform:capitalize\">1900s<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/executive-power-increases-in-21st-century\/\" style=\"text-transform:capitalize\">2000s<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignwide is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column has-vivid-cyan-blue-background-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/flo.uri.sh\/visualisation\/25900444\/embed\" title=\"Interactive or visual content\" class=\"flourish-embed-iframe\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"yes\" style=\"width:100%;height:2100px;\" sandbox=\"allow-same-origin allow-forms allow-scripts allow-downloads allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation\"><\/iframe><div style=\"width:100%!;margin-top:4px!important;text-align:right!important;\"><a class=\"flourish-credit\" href=\"https:\/\/public.flourish.studio\/visualisation\/25900444\/?utm_source=embed&amp;utm_campaign=visualisation\/25900444\" target=\"_top\" style=\"text-decoration:none!important\"><img alt=\"Made with Flourish\" src=\"https:\/\/public.flourish.studio\/resources\/made_with_flourish.svg\" style=\"width:105px!important;height:16px!important;border:none!important;margin:0!important;\"> <\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-space-between is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-b2891da8 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/presidents-in-1800s-expand-wartime-and-veto-powers\/\" style=\"text-transform:capitalize\">1800s<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/how-20th-century-presidents-grew-power-at-home-and-abroad\/\" style=\"text-transform:capitalize\">1900s<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/executive-power-increases-in-21st-century\/\" style=\"text-transform:capitalize\">2000s<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Dan Stark, Mikay\u00adla Bun\u00adnel &amp; Lily Gold\u00adblattUConn Jour\u00adnal\u00adism Dis\u00adcov\u00ader how dif\u00adfer\u00adent U.S. pres\u00adi\u00addents have expand\u00aded the scope of the exec\u00adu\u00adtive branch since the 1800s in the visu\u00adal\u00adiza\u00adtion below. To read more about pres\u00adi\u00adden\u00adtial expan\u00adsions of pow\u00ader in each cen\u00adtu\u00adry, click on the links below.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":972,"featured_media":210,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[147,148,149,91,58],"class_list":["post-338","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-executive-power","tag-1800s","tag-1900s","tag-2000s","tag-executive-power","tag-history"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/11\/Screen-Shot-2025-11-10-at-5.26.37-PM-e1762813637658.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":352,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/presidents-in-1800s-expand-wartime-and-veto-powers\/","url_meta":{"origin":338,"position":0},"title":"Presidents in 1800s expand wartime and veto powers","author":"Dan Stark","date":"January 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"By Dan StarkUConn Journalism Read here to learn more about expansions of executive power in the 1800s under Presidents Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk and Abraham Lincoln. Andrew Jackson\u00a0(1829-1837)\u00a0 Introduced the spoils system and expanded veto power Political cartoon depicting \"King Andrew Jackson,\" from an unknown artist. President Andrew Jackson\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;presidents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"presidents","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/presidents\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/30a.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":365,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/how-20th-century-presidents-grew-power-at-home-and-abroad\/","url_meta":{"origin":338,"position":1},"title":"How 20th century presidents grew power at home and abroad","author":"Dan Stark","date":"January 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"By Mikayla BunnellUConn Journalism Read more to learn about expansions of executive power under presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt, Lyndon B. Johnson and Ronald Reagan. Franklin D. Roosevelt\u00a0(1933-1945)\u00a0 Expansions under the New Deal and a proposed way to reshape the Supreme Court Franklin D. Roosevelt expanded the presidency to more than\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;presidents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"presidents","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/presidents\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/Roosevelt-2.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/Roosevelt-2.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/Roosevelt-2.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/Roosevelt-2.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/Roosevelt-2.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/Roosevelt-2.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":375,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/executive-power-increases-in-21st-century\/","url_meta":{"origin":338,"position":2},"title":"21st century executive power starts with  the \u2018War on Terror\u2019 and unitary executive theory","author":"Dan Stark","date":"January 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"By Lily GoldblattUConn Journalism Read here to learn more about expansions of executive power in the 2000s by Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump during his first term. George W. Bush\u00a0(2001-2009) The War on Terror and the unitary executive theory President George W. Bush. After Sept. 11,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;presidents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"presidents","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/presidents\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2026\/01\/Bush-2-edited.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2026\/01\/Bush-2-edited.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2026\/01\/Bush-2-edited.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2026\/01\/Bush-2-edited.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":320,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/executive-power\/","url_meta":{"origin":338,"position":3},"title":"Executive Power","author":"Mikayla Bunnell","date":"January 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The White House in Washington, DC, on Oct. 21, 2025. Article 2 of the Constitution establishes the office of the presidency, including pardoning powers. Photo by Lily Goldblatt. Article 2, Section 1, established the office of the presidency. The clause requires that the president and the executive branch \u201cfaithfully executes\u201d\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Constitution&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Constitution","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/constitution\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/11\/white-house_10212025-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/11\/white-house_10212025-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/11\/white-house_10212025-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/11\/white-house_10212025-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/11\/white-house_10212025-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/11\/white-house_10212025-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1353,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/unitary-executive-theory-helps-trump-expand-power\/","url_meta":{"origin":338,"position":4},"title":"Historic dispute over \u2018unitary executive\u2019 advances in Trump era","author":"Charlotte Harvey","date":"January 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"By Charlotte Harvey\u00a0UConn Journalism A political theory that has been advancing for 100 years is now more influential than ever before\u00a0\u2013 taking center stage in recent Supreme Court arguments, despite many\u00a0experts claiming it invalid.\u00a0\u00a0 The\u00a0unitary\u00a0executive\u00a0theory\u00a0is a political,\u00a0legal\u00a0and constitutional theory that asserts that all the power of the executive branch is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Executive Power&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Executive Power","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/executive-power\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Washington delivering his inaugural address April 1789, in the old city hall, New-York.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2026\/01\/Washington-at-First-Congress-1789.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2026\/01\/Washington-at-First-Congress-1789.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2026\/01\/Washington-at-First-Congress-1789.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":372,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/tariffs\/","url_meta":{"origin":338,"position":5},"title":"Tariffs","author":"Mikayla Bunnell","date":"January 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The parking lot of a Walmart grocery store. Consumer prices have been impacted by tariffs. The U.S. Supreme Court will decide if President Trump's tariffs are constitutional. Photo by Connor Sharp. Article 1, Section 8\u00a0establishes that Congress can regulate commercial activity between the U.S. federal government and foreign nations, between\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Constitution&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Constitution","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/constitution\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-First3-grocery-ctore.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-First3-grocery-ctore.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-First3-grocery-ctore.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-First3-grocery-ctore.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-First3-grocery-ctore.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-First3-grocery-ctore.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pgTa6m-5s","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/338","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/972"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=338"}],"version-history":[{"count":61,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/338\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1765,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/338\/revisions\/1765"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/210"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=338"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=338"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=338"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}