#presidential-powers

#presidential-powers

A panel of federal judges on Thursday found President Trump had violated the law when he imposed a 10 percent tariff on most U.S. imports, dealing yet another legal setback to the White House in its efforts to wage a trade war without the express permission of Congress. In a split ruling, the Court of International Trade found that Mr. Trump had wrongly invoked a decades-old trade law when he applied those duties beginning in February. The president imposed the levies after his previous set of punishing tariffs was struck down by the Supreme Court.

Once again, in direct violation of the United States Constitution, President Donald Trump has ordered attacks against Iran without congressional authorization. This marks the second instance this year in which the president has undertaken military action without the approval of Congress, an action that should concern all Americans.

The SSRS Opinion Panel survey of 1,209 adults from across the U.S. was conducted between January 9-12. Trump's approval rating landed at a soft 39%, with 61% of respondents disapproving. The result, however, was an improvement from the last survey in late October, which had a 37% to 63% approval-to-disapproval split. The October result was his highest disapproval in the history of the poll, dating back to January 2017 just surpassing the post-January 6, 2021, number of 62%.

This is is the fifth episode of our ongoing series breaking down the U.S. Constitution. This month, Roman and Elizabeth first talk through Article Two, which establishes the executive branch, section by section. Elizabeth explains the constitutional powers and limitations of the presidency, including hiring and firing, impeachment, pardons, and presidential duties - and how President Trump and the current Supreme Court are upending those powers.

Hungary's parliament voted in favor of strengthening the president's position in future, a few months before parliamentary elections where longstanding Prime Minister Viktor Orban faces the biggest challenge to his stranglehold on national politics in years. Conservative opposition leader Peter Magyar and his TISZA party currently have a roughly 10-point lead in opinion polls, with a vote likely in April 2026. Hungary's parliament voted 134 in favor of the bill, with 49 votes against and two abstentions, meeting the two-thirds majority needed for the constitutional change.

A president might be able to send troops to kill a political rival, but we draw the line at sending them into cities for no reason.

No one man should have all that power. But there is an obvious solution-one that has almost been forgotten in the second Trump term. Congress should do its job.