On the Ballot The difference between executive orders and other presidential actions, and why it matters
On this episode: Donald Trump returns to the White House next week hoping to hit the ground running, eager to enact his agenda as quickly as possible. A primary tool in his arsenal are executive orders, which enable him to change course on policy simply with a stroke of his pen. Estimates of the volume of executive action we can expect from Trump have been all over the place, with some claiming it could be over a hundred and others theorizing it’ll all come in one sweeping order.
You might not know that executive orders are one of three different types of executive actions (along with presidential memoranda and presidential proclamations) the president has at their disposal, each with their own purposes and levels of influence — meaning that the type of action plays a big role in whether or not it has any teeth.
Ellen Morrissey — Ballotpedia staff writer covering the presidency — joins the show to explain the key differences between types of executive actions, dig into the history of how they’ve been used, highlight the track records of recent presidents, and weigh in on the strategy behind how an administration moves in their first 60 days in power.
- Follow along with Trump’s executive actions here, which will be updated as they become available: https://ballotpedia.org/Donald_Trump%27s_executive_orders_and_actions,_2025
- More on the transition process: https://ballotpedia.org/What_happens_during_Donald_Trump%27s_presidential_transition_process,_2024-
- Sign up for our Newsletters: https://ballotpedia.org/Ballotpedia_Email_Updates
Stream "On the Ballot" on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you have questions, comments, or love for BP, feel free to reach out at ontheballot@ballotpedia.org or on X (formerly Twitter) @Ballotpedia.
*On The Ballot is a conversational podcast featuring interviews with guests across the political spectrum. The views and opinions expressed by them are solely their own and are not representative of the views of the host or Ballotpedia as a whole.