Presidential Power: How It Grows and What Comes Next (#283)
1/6/202625 min
Jack Goldsmith, who once ran the Justice Department office that advises presidents on what they can and can’t legally do, takes on some of the hardest questions about the limits of the president’s power — from changing the government to the use of military force abroad, including the invasion of Venezuela.
Drawing on his experience inside the executive branch, he looks at why the limits on presidential power are more fragile than they appear, how precedent quietly expands executive authority, and what that means for the future of the presidency.
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First 90 secondsLynne Thomen· Host0:00
(ding) From the earliest days of the United States, presidents have pushed the limits of their authority. Some of those moves were condemned at the time and celebrated later. Others reshaped the office of the presidency. Today, those questions are no longer abstract. From sweeping changes to how government operates, to the use of military force abroad, including the recent US invasion of Venezuela, we are once again confronting questions about the president's power. So who decides what a president can do and what powers will the next president inherit? (instrumental music) Hi, everyone. I'm Lynne Thomen and this is Three Takeaways. On Three Takeaways, I talk with some of the world's best thinkers, business leaders, writers, politicians, newsmakers, and scientists. Each episode ends with three key takeaways to help us understand the world and maybe even ourselves a little better. Today, I'm excited to be with Jack Goldsmith. Jack is a Harvard Law School professor, co-founder of Lawfare, and co-author of the Substack Executive Functions. He is the former head of the Office of Legal Counsel under President George W. Bush. That's the office responsible for telling the president what