Eleanor Finch
The Cabinet of the United States is composed of the Vice President, 15 department heads, and 10 other Cabinet-level officials. The President chairs Cabinet meetings and can dismiss members from office at any time without Senate approval. The Cabinet's role is to advise the President on any subject relating to the duties of each member's respective office. While the term Cabinet is not mentioned in the US Constitution, its role is inferred from the language of the Opinion Clause (Article II, Section 2, Clause 1) of the Constitution, which authorises the President to require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of members | 26 |
| Members | Vice President, 15 department heads, 10 Cabinet-level officials |
| Requirements to be a member | One cannot be a member of Congress |
| Meetings | Regular, weekly |
| Chaired by | The President |
| Powers | No collective executive powers |
| Members appointed by | The President |
| Members approved by | The Senate |
| Members serve at the | Pleasure of the President |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution does not explicitly mention a Cabinet
The Cabinet's role is to advise the president on any subject relating to the duties of each member's respective office. The Cabinet includes the vice president and the heads of 15 executive departments, such as the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, as well as the Attorney General. The vice president does not have any authority over the president's cabinet, and all cabinet officials directly report to the president, who can dismiss them from office at any time without Senate approval.
The tradition of the Cabinet arose out of the debates at the 1787 Constitutional Convention regarding whether the president would exercise executive authority solely or collaboratively with a cabinet of ministers or a privy council. The First Congress established four departments: State, War, Treasury, and Post Office. Over the years, different executive departments have been added and removed to serve the country's evolving needs.
While the Cabinet is not a legal institution and there is no requirement for it to ever meet, it typically meets on a regular basis, such as weekly. The president chairs these meetings but is not formally a member of the Cabinet. Cabinet members are not members of the legislature, and the Constitution prohibits any member of Congress from being an officer of the government. Cabinet members are subject to impeachment by the House of Representatives and trial in the Senate for "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors".
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The Cabinet's role is to advise the President
The Cabinet's primary role is to advise the President on any subject relating to the duties of each member's respective office. The term "Cabinet" is not mentioned in the US Constitution, but its role is inferred from the language of the Opinion Clause (Article II, Section 2, Clause 1). The Cabinet includes the Vice President and the heads of 15 executive departments, such as the Secretaries of State, Treasury, Defense, and Education. These department heads are nominated by the President and must be approved by the Senate. The President can also designate the heads of other agencies and non-Senate-confirmed members of the Executive Office as members of the Cabinet.
The Cabinet is not a legal institution, and there is no requirement for it to meet. However, it typically meets regularly, such as weekly, and the President chairs these meetings. The Cabinet does not have any collective executive powers, and the President can dismiss Cabinet members from office at any time without Senate approval.
The Cabinet's role is similar to that of a privy council, which advises the Prime Minister in other countries. The concept of the Cabinet arose out of the debates at the 1787 Constitutional Convention regarding the President's executive authority. As a result, the Constitution vests "the executive power" in the President singly but authorizes the President to seek advice from principal officers in executive departments.
The First Congress established four departments: State, War, Treasury, and Post Office. Over the years, different executive departments have been added or removed to serve the country's evolving needs. For example, Washington later signed the Judiciary Act, creating the position of Attorney General, around which a Justice Department grew.
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The President can dismiss Cabinet members at any time
The Cabinet is a body of advisors to the President, and while the term "Cabinet" is not mentioned in the US Constitution, its role is inferred from the language of the Opinion Clause (Article II, Section 2, Clause 1). This clause states that the President may "require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices".
The Cabinet members are nominated by the President and must be approved by the Senate. The President can dismiss Cabinet members at any time without the approval of the Senate. The President also has the authority to organize the Cabinet, such as by instituting committees. Cabinet members are political appointees and have full administrative control over their respective departments. They are subject to impeachment by the House of Representatives and trial in the Senate for "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors".
The Twenty-fifth Amendment is another mechanism by which a President can be removed from office. It states that the Vice President and either the Cabinet or a body approved by Congress can jointly agree that "the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office". However, the Cabinet cannot block a President from using their powers if the President objects in writing; in such cases, Congress would settle the dispute.
Historically, there have been instances of Presidents removing Cabinet members. For example, President Roosevelt notified Humphrey, a member of the Federal Trade Commission, of his removal from office due to their divergent views on public policy. This incident, known as the Humphrey Case, resulted in Humphrey suing for salary. The Court unanimously decided in favour of the President's right to remove any executive officer as a means of discipline.
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The Vice President is part of the Cabinet
The United States Constitution does not explicitly establish a Cabinet, and the term "Cabinet" is never mentioned in the Constitution itself. The Cabinet's role is inferred from the language of the Opinion Clause (Article II, Section 2, Clause 1) of the Constitution, which states that the President "may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices". The Twenty-fifth Amendment also authorises the vice president, together with a majority of the heads of the executive departments, to declare the president "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office".
The Cabinet includes the Vice President and the heads of 15 executive departments, such as the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, as well as the Attorney General. The Vice President is part of the Cabinet by statute, although they do not have any authority over the President's Cabinet and all cabinet officials directly report to the President. The Vice President is also fourth in the line of succession to the presidency, following the speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro tempore of the Senate.
The Cabinet is part of the executive branch structure, with the President as the head of state, leader of the federal government, and Commander-in-Chief of the United States armed forces. The Vice President supports the President and assumes the presidency if the President is unable to serve. The Vice President also presides over the U.S. Senate and breaks ties in Senate votes.
The Cabinet's primary role is to advise the President on any subject he or she may require relating to the duties of each member's respective office. The President chairs Cabinet meetings and can appoint and dismiss members at their pleasure. Cabinet members are nominated by the President and must be approved by the Senate.
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The Cabinet has no collective executive powers
The concept of the Cabinet in the United States was born out of the debates at the 1787 Constitutional Convention, which centred on whether the president would exercise executive authority solely or collaboratively with a cabinet of ministers or a privy council. The Constitution (Article II, Section 1, Clause 1) ultimately vests "the executive power" in the president alone. The term "Cabinet" is not mentioned in the Constitution, and its role is inferred from the Opinion Clause (Article II, Section 2, Clause 1), which states that the president may seek written advice from the principal officers of executive departments.
The Cabinet does not possess any collective executive powers or functions of its own, and no votes are required during its meetings. The Cabinet is chaired by the president, who is not formally a member, and its members are appointed by the president to serve at his pleasure. The president can dismiss them at any time without seeking the Senate's approval. The vice president, while a member of the Cabinet, does not hold any authority over it, and all cabinet officials report directly to the president.
The Cabinet's primary role is to advise the president, who has the authority to organise the Cabinet by forming committees, for instance. Cabinet members are subject to impeachment by the House of Representatives and trial in the Senate for "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors". Additionally, the Twenty-fifth Amendment empowers the vice president and a majority of the executive department heads to declare the president "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office".
In contrast, parliamentary systems, such as those in the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada, adhere to cabinet collective responsibility, where cabinet ministers are expected to publicly support all governmental decisions made in the Cabinet, even if they disagree privately. This convention fosters solidarity and cohesion within the cabinet, presenting a united front that displays political strength. In such systems, the cabinet collectively decides the government's direction, especially regarding legislation.
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Frequently asked questions
The Cabinet's role is to advise the President on any subject he may require relating to the duties of each member's respective office. The President can also organise the Cabinet, such as by instituting committees.
The Cabinet is inferred from the language of the Opinion Clause (Article II, Section 2, Clause 1) of the Constitution, which states that principal officers of departments can provide advice to the President. The term "Cabinet" is never mentioned directly in the Constitution.
The Cabinet consists of 26 members: the Vice President, 15 department heads, and 10 Cabinet-level officials. The President can appoint the heads of departments and other members of the Cabinet. The members of the Cabinet serve at the pleasure of the President and can be dismissed at any time without Senate approval.
Cabinet members are nominated by the President and must be approved by the Senate.
