Competing Perspectives on the Unitary Executive Theory - American Enterprise Institute
Title: Competing Perspectives on the Unitary Executive Theory
Source: American Enterprise Institute’s Youtube page. The American Enterprise Institute (AEI) is a public policy think tank dedicated to defending human dignity, expanding human potential, and building a freer and safer world. The work of their scholars and staff advances ideas rooted in their belief in democracy, free enterprise, American strength and global leadership, solidarity with those at the periphery of society, and a pluralistic, entrepreneurial culture. Their website can be found here.
Date of Publication: June 25, 2026
Summary: On June 25, 2026 during AEI’s Summer Honors Program, AEI’s John Yoo, Brookings’ William A. Galston, and Cato’s Ilya Somin debate competing constitutional understandings of presidential power, separation of powers, and the structure of the modern administrative state. Their exchange contrasts a more Hamiltonian vision of an energetic, unitary executive with a Madisonian emphasis on shared authority, institutional checks, and the intermingling of powers among the branches. The panel also considers presidential removal authority, the constitutional status of independent agencies, treaty termination, foreign affairs, and the allocation of war powers between Congress and the president. Particularly relevant to ISSE’s work, the discussion shows how disputes over emergency action and executive authority often turn on deeper disagreements about constitutional design, historical practice, and the meaning of Article II. It also highlights how the growth of the administrative state and the permanent national-security apparatus has altered the practical balance of power envisioned at the founding.
