As the US midterm elections approach, Democrats are intensifying efforts to limit the executive powers of President Donald Trump. According to a Washington Post report, opponents are working on multiple fronts, including legislative, legal, and ethics, to prevent a repeat of what they describe as an unprecedented expansion of executive authority. This endeavor may take decades to complete.
Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin, chair of the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee on constitutional, civil rights, and civil liberties, told the Washington Post that undoing the changes made by Trump to the executive branch's structure is possible but will be a long process. Raskin emphasized that a thorough, step-by-step approach is necessary. A Pew Research Center survey last year found that 78% of Americans are concerned about the president's expanding powers.
The Democrats' legislative package addresses various issues, reflecting the breadth of Trump's actions. Two proposed bills, introduced by Representatives Susan DelBene and Don Beyer, aim to restrict the president's use of emergency powers to impose tariffs without congressional approval. Raskin's proposed bills would criminalize the president's acceptance of payments from foreign governments without legislative permission and require public review of any White House renewals.
Another proposed bill seeks to ban presidential settlements with their administration, referring to a federal judge's attempt to use the courts to legitimize a deal that would have exempted Trump from IRS scrutiny and created a $1.8 billion fund. On the ethics front, potential Democratic presidential candidate Rahm Emanuel has proposed a comprehensive plan to ban trading in individual stocks and prediction markets.
The plan also requires individuals with over $1 million in assets to place their assets in blind trusts and criminalizes accepting foreign gifts. This comes after reports that Trump has made millions of dollars in individual stock deals since taking office and accepted a gift of a plane from the Qatari government. Senator Chris Murphy has introduced the "No Enemies Act," which prohibits executive branch officials from targeting or punishing individuals for their opinions.
US presidents have previously exercised expanded powers, but critics argue that Trump's actions are different in scope, frequency, and boldness. Trump has issued over 280 executive orders in his second term alone, surpassing his modern predecessors. The American Presidency Project at the University of California, Santa Barbara, has tracked these numbers.
Potential reformers draw inspiration from the Watergate scandal, which led to a series of laws restricting presidential powers in areas such as spending, surveillance, and emergency declarations. However, some analysts warn that rebuilding institutional checks is more challenging than dismantling them, especially given the current congressional power dynamics.
Key points
- Democrats are working on multiple fronts to limit Trump's executive powers.
- Proposed bills aim to restrict the president's use of emergency powers and increase transparency.
- The effort to rebuild the US presidency may take decades to complete.
