Legal pressures surrounding US president could rise

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
House Of Representatives ◽  
Executive Branch ◽  
Legal Cases ◽  
Content Type ◽  
White House ◽  
Judicial Appointments ◽  
Witch Hunt

Significance This follows Trump taking to social media on April 21 to say that the investigations into his lawyer, Michael Cohen, were a “Witch Hunt”, a phrase he also often uses to describe Mueller’s Russia probe. Trump and his White House face various legal cases at present which risk becoming expansive and undermining the running of the executive branch. Some of the controversies affect Trump personally, others as president. Both could prove an unwelcome synergy for the country: what affects Trump affects the presidency. Impacts The scope and complexity of the probes facing Trump’s administration are sufficient to avoid denting Trump’s core voter base. Trump’s conservative judicial appointments could conceivably be sympathetic to the administration if cases go to court. If Democrats win the House of Representatives, Trump’s administration would likely face more conduct-related probes.

Congress will update US military force authorisation

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
House Of Representatives ◽  
Executive Branch ◽  
Military Force ◽  
National Defense ◽  
Legal Basis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
White House ◽  
Us Military ◽  
The Us ◽  
Speaker Of The House

Subject The debate on new rules authorising the use of military force. Significance When senators return from the summer recess, they will have to consider the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed by the House of Representatives on July 14. This NDAA, the annual spending plan for the US military, drew controversy because of a bipartisan amendment that would have repealed the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), the legal basis for military action in the US global counterterrorism campaign. The amendment was blocked by the speaker of the House, Paul Ryan. Impacts Erratic White House policymaking will spark congressional initiatives to reassert the legislature’s authority. Congressional oversight of the armed drone programme will defer to the executive branch. Trump’s North Korea threats are generating additional scrutiny of the president’s absolute authority to order a nuclear attack.

US intelligence director search will become harder

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
House Of Representatives ◽  
Court Cases ◽  
Inspector General ◽  
Content Type ◽  
White House ◽  
Foreign Governments ◽  
Legal Battle

Significance The first whistleblower, also anonymous, is reportedly an IC member, too. Both complaints are being handled by IC Inspector General Michael Atkinson, who testified to the House of Representatives intelligence committee on October 4, and acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Joseph Maguire, who testified on September 26. Impacts A protracted legal battle with House Democrats over White House records of presidential communications looks likely. If the whistleblower controversy runs for much longer, it will influence the Senate’s deliberations on the DNI nominee. Foreign governments could be less willing to offer to support legitimate overseas US investigations. Further court cases concerning the extent and applicability of executive privilege are coming. Intelligence management and policy will almost certainly be an election issue in 2020.

Prospects for US politics in 2020

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
House Of Representatives ◽  
Presidential Election ◽  
Donald Trump ◽  
Content Type ◽  
White House

Subject Prospects for US politics in 2020. Significance US politics next year will be dominated by campaigning for the November 3 presidential election as well as ballots for the Senate and House of Representatives, and then by responses to the outcomes. The Republicans want to retain control of the White House, and current President Donald Trump will also want them to retain the Senate given the likelihood of impeachment by the Democratic-led House of Representatives. The Democrats want at the very least to keep control of the House.

Trump will stay but US legislation will suffer

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
House Of Representatives ◽  
Vice President ◽  
Executive Branch ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Presidential Nomination

Significance This comes after House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi yesterday announced impeachment investigations against Trump. The Democrats suspect that Trump blocked an aid package to pressure Ukraine into investigating former Vice President Joe Biden, to undermine his position as leading contender for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. Impacts Trump’s wish to release transcripts could aid his defence but undermine executive branch privacy. The Republican-led Senate may initiate investigations of House Democrats. The Republicans are unlikely to drop Trump from the 2020 ticket. The Trump impeachment risk will increase if Democrats win the House and Senate in 2020. The acting director of national intelligence will testify to Congress on the whistle-blower report tomorrow.

Big tech's anti-Trump activism to have limited impact

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Hate Speech ◽  
Public Speech ◽  
Content Type ◽  
White House ◽  
Media Companies ◽  
Capitol Hill ◽  
Democratic Control ◽  
Media Firms

Significance Facebook has indefinitely suspended Trump from its main platform and Instagram, while Twitter has done so permanently for his role in instigating violence at US Capitol Hill on January 6. These developments spotlight the role of social media firms in spreading and tackling hate speech and disinformation, and their power unilaterally to shut down public speech. Impacts Democratic control of the White House and Congress offers social media companies a two-year window to ensure softer regulation. The EU will push its new digital markets legislation with vigour following the events at US Capitol Hill. Hard-right social media will find new firms willing to host their servers, partly because their user numbers run to millions not billions.

Budgeting for National Security

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodney Bent
Keyword(s):  
National Security ◽  
House Of Representatives ◽  
Federal Budget ◽  
Executive Branch ◽  
White House ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Basic Concepts ◽  
Budgeting Process

This chapter explains basic concepts used by the executive branch and Congress in requesting and allocating federal budget resources for national security. It provides a context for mandatory and discretionary budgeting and also defines some basic budget terms, such as “budget authority” and “outlays.” The chapter briefly explains the budgeting process, first within the executive branch (e.g., the White House and Departments of Defense and State) and then within the Congress, both the House of Representatives and the Senate. In addition, the chapter highlights some of the trade-offs that the executive branch and Congress must make in allocating federal budget resources to national security.

Congressional social media communications: evaluating Senate Twitter usage

2016 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 643-659 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob R. Straus ◽  
Raymond T. Williams ◽  
Colleen J. Shogan ◽  
Matthew E. Glassman
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
House Of Representatives ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Media Communications ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Communications Strategies

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand why some Senators choose to use Twitter more frequently than others. Building on past research, which explored causal factors leading to early congressional adoption, theories about why some Senators use Twitter more frequently in their daily communications strategies are developed. Design/methodology/approach A “power user” score was developed by evaluating each Senator’s clout, interactivity, and originality on Twitter. These scores are then used as the dependent variable in a regression model to evaluate which factors influence Senators becoming Twitter “power users.” Findings The study found that: constituent income is positively correlated with heavy use, but constituent education level is not; the more ideological a Senator is the more he or she will be a Twitter power user; the number of days on Twitter is a significant indicator of advanced Twitter usage; and having staff dedicated to social media is positively correlated with being a Twitter power user. Research limitations/implications All Senators in the second session of the 113th Congress (2014) were evaluated. As such, future research hope to expand the data set to additional Senators or the House of Representatives. Practical implications A better understanding of why some Senators use Twitter more than others allows insight into constituent communications strategies and the potential implications of real-time communication on representation, and the role of accountability between a Senator and his or her constituents. Originality/value The study examines constituent communication by Senators in a new, more interactive medium than previously considered. Additionally, the study places findings about Senator’s constituent communication in the broader context of representation.

US midterm elections pose challenges for Democrats

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
House Of Representatives ◽  
Illegal Immigrants ◽  
Law And Order ◽  
Donald Trump ◽  
Content Type ◽  
White House ◽  
Presidential Nomination ◽  
The Past ◽  
Midterm Elections ◽  
Democrats And Republicans

Significance At present, Republicans need to gain only five seats to take control of the House of Representatives and just one to control the Senate. Awareness that the party holding the White House usually loses seats in midterm elections is driving tactics among both Democrats and Republicans. Impacts Republicans are likely to rely on law and order issues that have proved politically successful for them in the past. Republicans will link Democratic 'softness' on illegal immigrants to rising crime and Biden’s approach to Mexican border security. Securing a Republican Congress may well lead Donald Trump to commit to running for the party’s 2024 presidential nomination.

US House Democrats eye ambitious agenda from January

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
House Of Representatives ◽  
Left Wing ◽  
Leadership Positions ◽  
Majority Party ◽  
Content Type ◽  
White House ◽  
Party Leaders

Subject Outlook for the Democrats' policy plans in the House of Representatives from January 2019. Significance In January, the Democrats become the House of Representatives majority. Party leaders are drafting their legislative programme but need to balance the ambitions of the party's left-wing activist base, which made gains in the November 6 midterms, with the party's desire to strengthen its congressional position and win the White House in 2020. The party also faces pressure from progressives for leadership positions, with some incoming representatives pledging to vote against Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's return as House speaker. Impacts A push to impeach Trump is unlikely, despite calls from the Democratic base, as it could look too politically motivated. Senate Republicans will appoint further tranches of conservative judges (and would bar any Trump impeachment). Democrats will conduct expansive investigations into the Trump team, assessing whether foreign agents influenced US policy.

‘Imperial’ US executive will provoke Congress

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
House Of Representatives ◽  
Military Policy ◽  
Donald Trump ◽  
The West ◽  
Content Type ◽  
White House ◽  
Imperial Presidency ◽  
Closed Door

Subject US presidential powers. Significance On June 19, Hope Hicks, a former Trump 2016 campaign aide and former White House communications director, answered questions about her time on the campaign in a closed-door Congress session, but did not answer questions about her West Wing service. This followed arguments from the White House that her communications with President Donald Trump and activities in the West Wing were covered by ‘constitutional immunity’ and that taking House of Representatives questions could undermine the ‘prerogatives’ of the presidency. The case touches on the powers of the presidency and the 'unitary executive' theory, which affects how the president governs. Impacts The administration will resist future congressional attempts to get former and current White House officials to testify. Congress will try to push back against an overmighty executive but would need to overturn presidential vetoes. Areas where Congress will seek greater powers include trade and foreign and military policy. If Congress feels its oversight powers are diminished by an ‘imperial presidency’, pressure to impeach Trump will grow.

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