Informal powers of the president
The informal powers of the president are tools of influence not explicitly listed in the Constitution, such as executive orders, executive agreements, signing statements, and the bully pulpit. Presidents use them to shape policy beyond their formal constitutional powers.
The informal powers of the president are the powers a president exercises that are not expressly enumerated in Article II of the Constitution. Formal powers — vetoing legislation, commanding the armed forces, making appointments, negotiating treaties — are written down. Informal powers instead grew out of practice, precedent, and the president's unique position as head of the executive branch and a national political figure.
The most commonly cited informal powers include executive orders, directives to the executive branch that carry the force of law without congressional approval; executive agreements, arrangements with foreign governments that skip the Senate treaty ratification process; and signing statements, written commentary a president attaches when signing a bill, sometimes signaling how the administration will interpret or enforce it. Presidents also claim executive privilege, the ability to withhold certain communications from Congress and the courts.
Just as important is the power to persuade. The bully pulpit — the presidency's built-in platform for commanding public attention — lets presidents pressure Congress by rallying voters, setting the legislative agenda, and framing national debates. Political scientists often argue this bargaining and persuasion power is the true engine of presidential influence, since formal tools are limited and checked by the other branches.
Informal powers are a core topic on the AP US Government and Politics exam. Students should be able to distinguish formal from informal powers, give examples of each, and explain how informal tools like executive orders and the bully pulpit let presidents act when Congress is slow or opposed — along with the checks, such as courts overturning orders and successors reversing them.
Key takeaways
- Informal powers are presidential powers not explicitly listed in the Constitution.
- Key examples include executive orders, executive agreements, signing statements, executive privilege, and the bully pulpit.
- Executive agreements bypass Senate treaty ratification, and executive orders bypass congressional lawmaking, though both face judicial and political checks.
- The power to persuade — setting the agenda and rallying the public — is often the president's most important informal tool.
- The AP US Government exam tests distinguishing formal from informal powers with concrete examples.