Trump promised on Tuesday morning to sign an executive order giving healthcare to “many.” The problem is that executive orders aren’t laws, and by constitutional definition, the President can’t create and pass his own laws.
The President tweeted:
Since Congress can't get its act together on HealthCare, I will be using the power of the pen to give great HealthCare to many people – FAST
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 10, 2017
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Trump doesn’t understand the difference between laws and executive orders. A president can’t use executive orders creating new policies that give healthcare to people. Any executive order that Trump signs to do this would be unconstitutional. As Paul Ryan was fond of saying when Obama was president, Congress passes laws, and the president signs them.
The courts ruled against Obama when he tried to use his executive powers on immigration, and Trump is already facing a legal challenge on his rollback of access to contraception.
The President is either knowingly telling a lie, or he still thinks executive orders are laws. Since Trump lies roughly five times a day and has in the past confused executive orders and laws both are viable possibilities.
Trump is admitting to the entire country that he has no clue what he is doing, but he is willing to violate the law to take healthcare away from millions of people.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association