Although the president has the unfettered ability to veto bills he does not want to see signed into law, the president may not simply excise certain portions of bills even if Congress gives to him that ability. Essentially, the case was as follows: Congress delegated to the President the ability to strike certain portions of an appropriations bill (hence the line-item veto). The Supreme Court held that this was a violation of separation of powers, because after striking certain items from an appropriations bill, and then signing the rest, the President was signing into law a bill that Congress (technically) did not pass!

The making of treaties with foreign powers is shared between the Senate and the President. Any treaty made, must be approved by the Senate before it takes effect. Pardons and receiving ambassadors are powers reserved to the Executive. 

The 22nd Amendment restricted the presidency to just two terms, when before there was no restriction. 35 years of age, natural born citizen, and resident for 2 years were all originally in the constitution. Religious qualification for president is prohibited by the constitution.

Surprisingly, the Constitution is not in fact very clear when it comes to detailing which actions constitute impeachable offenses. The official wording states that any President who commits “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors” may be subject to impeachment, but the document fails to define these crimes any further. Consequently, much debate exists as to the precise definitions of these “high crimes and misdemeanors,” because while treason and bribery are self-explanatory charges, no other activities are expressly prohibited. This state of confusion persists, as full impeachment standards have historically been left up to the House and Senate to decide as each body goes along. As of yet, the Legislative branch has failed to reach any sort of clear agreement, as is showcased by the House and Senate’s chaotic fumblings in 1999 over whether or not to impeach then President Bill Clinton for allegedly lying to the American people about his affair with a White House intern.

In cases in which Congress has adjourned within ten days of sending a bill to the White House, the President is indeed allowed to use a pocket veto to passively reject the bill – he simply declines to act on the bill, letting it die through inactivity. However, the President does not have the power of the line-item veto; s/he must either pass or decline a bill in its entirety, even if the President both approves and disapproves of some of its provisions. The Constitution places no limitations at all upon the number of vetoes which a President may use, but most Presidents tend to hold their veto power in reserve anyway, saving it up for use on bills whose passage they particularly do not wish to see. Historically, it has proven very difficult for Congress to successfully gather up the three-fourths majority vote (in both the House and Senate) needed to override a Presidential veto. Consequentially, the vast majority of bills which the President vetoes never return to Congress, whose members seldom ever even attempt to re-pass a vetoed bill.

Although the Constitution appoints the President as the one and only Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, the President does not actually have the power to unilaterally deploy the military. Any assembly and/or arming of the military for international deployment requires prior Congressional authorization, which usually comes in the form of a formal declaration of war. The President is permitted to request that Congress declare war, as FDR did in the aftermath of Japan’s 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, but the ultimate decision is intended to be left up to Congress. However, the President is solely entrusted with many national security and/or diplomatic responsibilities: only the President may enter into treaties, confer diplomatic relations, and end relations with any foreign country. In addition, the President is also allowed to enter into executive agreements with foreign heads of state. Executive agreements resemble treaties, but unlike treaties, these do not require Senate approval (merely notification) before they can go into effect. Most executive agreements concern low-key activities between the US and other nations, such as the delivery of mail or import/export custom rules.

Article II, Section 2, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution grants the President the ability to pardon people, as well as the power to commute sentences. This only applies to those who violate federal law, as governors still retain the authority to pardon people for violations of state law.

The U.S. Constitution gives the president the sole authority to veto legislation. If the president does not sign it and does not veto it within ten days of its passage then the bill becomes law. The exception is if Congress adjourns before the end of those ten days, in which case the president can refuse to sign it and it will not become law.

Article II, Section 2, Clause 2 of the U.S. Constitution gives the authority to appoint judges as well as other government officials. The Senate must approve these appointments.

Article II, Section 2, Clause 2 of the U.S. Constitution gives the authority to appoint ambassadors as well as other government officials. The Senate must approve these appointments.