The President

The north portico of White House in Washington.   (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)

Under the Constitution, the President is the federal official primarily responsible for the relations of the United States with foreign nations. The President as the chief spokesman of the Nation, directs Government officials and machinery in the daily conduct of diplomacy, and has the principal responsibility for taking action to advance U.S. foreign policy interests. Appoints ambassadors subject to the confirmation by the Senate and works with the Secretary of State to manage all official contacts with foreign governments. The President decides whether to recognize new nations and new governments, and negotiate treaties with other nations, which are binding on the United States when approved by two-thirds of the Senate. The president may also negotiate “executive agreements” with foreign powers that are not subject to Senate confirmation.

The President has several advantages over Congress in the area of Foreign Relations. First, as head of the foreign policy bureaucracy, the diplomatic corps, the intelligence agencies, and the military, the president controls the information that is vital to decision making in foreign policy. Second, because only one person occupies the office of the president, while 553 make up the Congress, the president is able to work with speed and secrecy- two capabilities that are indispensable in many diplomatic crises. Third, because it is the responsibility of the presidency to communicate with foreign governments through treaty negotiations and diplomatic channels, the president can most easily formulate policy that is consistent with negotiating positions and official statements. Fourth, as chief executive and commander in chief, he is in the best position to judge whether the US government can carry out a given foreign policy initiative. Fifth, because presidents are elected every four years, they can provide more continuity to foreign policy than Congress, which must sustain an election every 2 years. Sixth, because presidents, unlike members of the Congress, are elected by a national constituency, they are usually more inclined than Congress to focus on international problems that affect the entire nation. Finally, the president is the most identifiable leader and visible symbol of the nation and is, therefore, the most capable in rallying national support in a crisis.