Explanation:
U.S. Foreign Policy Powers: Congress and the President
Backgrounder
U.S. Foreign Policy Powers: Congress and the President
The separation of powers has spawned a great deal of debate over the roles of the president and Congress in foreign affairs, as well as over the limits on their respective authorities, explains this Backgrounder.
Signing the Constitution of the United States, by Thomas Pritchard Rossiter, was painted in 1878. (Photo by MPI/Getty)
Signing the Constitution of the United States, by Thomas Pritchard Rossiter, was painted in 1878. (Photo by MPI/Getty)
WRITTEN BY
Jonathan Masters
UPDATED
March 2, 2017 2:28 pm (EST)
Summary
Both the president and Congress have some exclusive foreign policy powers, while others are shared or not explicitly assigned by the Constitution.
These two branches of government often clash over foreign policy–making, particularly when it comes to military operations, foreign aid, and immigration.
The judicial branch is limited in how much it can arbitrate constitutional disputes over foreign policy, and it is often reluctant to.
