THE DIRECTIVES
Directives are an administrative tool that presidents since George Washington have used to instruct the executive branch to act. Presidential directives encompass a number of types and a broad range of topics. In this section you will see representative examples of three types and different policy areas that explain their use.
Executive Orders
An Executive Order (EO) is a signed document from the President of the United States that is used to direct the actions of executive departments and agencies of the federal government. EOs are not law but they can be legally enforced in Federal Courts. Presidents issue EOs for a variety of purposes that range from mobilizing troops, creating policy, and organizing the executive branch.
Each president faces unique problems during their administration, but all have had to address economic and fiscal challenges.
The three examples in this section show different ways that presidents have used EOs to establish economic and fiscal policy.
Nixon
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Providing for Stabilization of Prices, Rents, Wages, and Salaries issued on August 15, 1971.
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President Nixon invoked his Constitutional and statutory authority including the Economic Stabilization Act of 1970 to establish a 90-day freeze on prices and wages. The EO was an integral part of his new economic policy designed “create a new prosperity without war” through more employment opportunities, a temporary halt to rising prices and wages, and protection of the dollar from international pressures.
Clinton
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Budget Control issued on August 4, 1993
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President Clinton issued EO 12837 as part of his plan to reduce the federal deficit by providing direct spending targets and creating a mechanism to monitor costs and make adjustments if actual or projected costs exceeded targets. The EO was issued a few days before Congress passed the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (ORBA) so his executive order went into effect on August 10, 1993, the day he signed ORBA into law.
Trump
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Implementing the President's "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE) Workforce Optimization Initiative issued on February 11, 2025
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President Trump first issued Executive Order 14158 to establish the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) who, through access to records and data, would be a first step towards bringing accountability and transparency to federal spending.
President Trump next issued Executive Order 14210 to implement the workplace initiative that consisted of reforming the federal bureaucracy through staff reductions, agency elimination and consolidation.
MEMORANDA
Memoranda have gained visibility as an alternative or a supplement to EOs. Presidents are generally less likely to invoke formal authority nor are they required to publish them in the Federal Register.
The three examples in this section show how presidents have used them similarly to an executive order with varying degrees of specificity in their instructions to the executive branch.
Reagan
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Postponing Pending Federal Regulations issued on January 29, 1981
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President Reagan could have issued an executive order but instead, used a memorandum implementing his campaign promise to reduce the regulatory burden on the American people. In the memorandum he ordered all executive “cabinet” departments to postpone the development of federal regulations for 60-days. If exceptions were needed, they were required to consult with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to determine whether it was warranted. This memorandum accomplished two goals. It would allow the Reagan administration sufficient time to implement a new regulatory oversight process intended to reduce the regulatory burden. Second, the administration would use the new system to review the last-minute or “midnight” rules promulgated by the prior administration to ensure consistency with the policy of the incoming administration.
Obama
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Appliance Efficiency Standards issued on February 5, 2009
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The Department of Energy had been sued by 14 states and various other entities in the prior administration for failing to adopt energy standards mandated by law. In this memorandum, President Obama provided specific instructions to the Secretary of Energy for finalizing the legally required consumer and commercial appliance efficiency standards.
Trump
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Delivering Emergency Price Relief for American Families and Defeating the Cost-of-Living Crisis issued on January 20, 2025
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On Inauguration Day, with inflation concerns at the forefront, President Trump issued this memorandum to deliver emergency price relief to the American people. The heads of all executive departments and agencies were give no specific instructions other than to pursue appropriate actions consistent with law to lower the cost of housing, healthcare costs, home appliances and to create employment opportunities for discouraged American workers.
Proclamations
Proclamations are most notable for their ceremonial use to celebrate a historical event, honor an individual, or acknowledge a special event such as Mother’s Day. Proclamations are however, also used to declare and declare national emergencies, grant pardons, establish tariffs and trade policy, and proclaim National Monuments.
The three examples in this section show how presidents have used proclamations to proclaim national emergencies for different purposes and how pardons can be used collectively rather than individually.
Nixon
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Imposition of Supplemental Duty for Balance of Payments Purposes issued on August 15, 1971
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President Nixon issued Proclamation 4074 together with EO 11615 discussed above as part of his new economic policy. In the proclamation he declares a national emergency imposing a 10 percent tariff on all dutiable imports to induce the United States’ major trading partners to reduce trade barriers. To exert additional international economic pressure, President Nixon directed the suspension of the dollar’s convertibility into gold.
Carter
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Granting Pardon for Violations of the Selective Service Act from August 4, 1964 to March 28, 1973 issued on January 21, 1977
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Relying on his pardon power vested in the U.S. Constitution, President Carter granted a full, complete and unconditional pardon to all persons who might have committed or been convicted of an offense of draft evasion and restored to them full political, civil and other rights.
Trump
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Declaring a National Emergency at the Southern Border of the United States issued on January 20, 2025
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President Trump invoked his constitutional and statutory authority including the National Emergencies Act, to declare a national emergency to prevent the unauthorized physical entry of aliens across the southern border of the United States. He delegated authority to the Secretary of Defense to determine the appropriate support from the Armed Forces and the National Guard for the Secretary of Homeland Security. He authorized the Secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security to construct physical barriers along the southern border and to seek assistance from state Governors.