Simone Lawson
In the United States, the Cabinet is a group of advisors to the president, comprising the vice president and the heads of 15 executive departments. 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 states that the president may require the written opinion of the principal officer in each of the executive departments. The Cabinet's tradition arose from debates at the 1787 Constitutional Convention, where delegates considered the idea of a presidential advisory body.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Mentioned in the Constitution | No, the term "Cabinet" is never mentioned in the US Constitution. |
| Basis in the Constitution | The Cabinet's role is inferred from the language of the Opinion Clause (Article II, Section 2, Clause 1) of the Constitution for principal officers of departments to provide advice to the president. |
| Role | The Cabinet advises the president on any subject relating to the duties of each member's respective office. |
| Members | The vice president, the heads of 15 executive departments, and other high-ranking government officials. |
| Appointment | The president nominates members of the Cabinet, who must be approved by the Senate. |
| Meetings | Chaired by the president. |
| Powers | The Cabinet does not have any collective executive powers or functions of its own. |
| Impeachment | 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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What You'll Learn
The role of the Cabinet
The Cabinet's role is inferred from the language of the Opinion Clause (Article II, Section 2, Clause 1) of the Constitution for principal officers of departments to provide advice to the president. The Twenty-fifth Amendment authorizes 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 heads of the executive departments are—if eligible—in the presidential line of succession. The highest-ranking Cabinet member (after the vice president) is the secretary of state, who is fourth in line of succession to the president, following the vice president, the speaker of the House of Representatives, and the president pro tempore of the Senate.
The Cabinet does not have any collective executive powers or functions of its own, and no votes need to be taken. Cabinet members are nominated by the president and must be approved by the Senate. The president can dismiss them from office at any time without the approval of the Senate or downgrade their Cabinet membership status. The president also has the authority to organize the Cabinet, such as instituting committees. Like all federal public officials, Cabinet members are also subject to impeachment by the House of Representatives and trial in the Senate for "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors".
In theory, Cabinet meetings serve as a forum for exchanging ideas, resolving interdepartmental disputes, and maintaining administrative coherence. In practice, however, Cabinet meetings are infrequent and perfunctory, as it is difficult to have a meaningful conversation with so many people in the room. Cabinet deliberations are secret, and documents dealt with in the Cabinet are confidential.
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The Cabinet's constitutional basis
The term "Cabinet" is never mentioned in the US Constitution. However, its constitutional basis is inferred from Article 2, Section 2, 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". This is known as the Opinion Clause.
The Constitution does not specify what the executive departments will be, how many there will be, or what their duties will be. The First Congress established four departments: State, War, Treasury, and Post Office. Over the years, different executive departments have been added or removed to meet the country's evolving needs. For example, the Department of the Navy (now part of the Department of Defense) was the first new department added in 1798, and the most recent is the Department of Homeland Security, formed after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The Cabinet includes the vice president and the heads of executive departments, such as the Secretaries of State, Defense, Treasury, and Homeland Security. The President chairs the meetings but is not formally a member of the Cabinet. The Cabinet does not have any collective executive powers or functions of its own, and no votes need to be taken. Cabinet members are nominated by the President and must be approved by the Senate.
The role of the Cabinet is to advise the President on any subject relating to the duties of each member's respective office. Cabinet meetings serve as a forum for exchanging ideas, resolving interdepartmental disputes, and maintaining administrative coherence. However, in modern times, Cabinet meetings have become less frequent and meaningful, with some presidents choosing to rely less on the Cabinet's advice.
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The President's powers
The President of the United States is both the head of state and government, as well as the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. The President's powers are extensive, and while the term "Cabinet" is not mentioned in the Constitution, the President's powers are influenced and shaped by the Cabinet, which is inferred from the Opinion Clause (Article II, Section 2, Clause 1).
The President has the authority to organise the Cabinet, appoint members, and dismiss them from office without Senate approval. The President also chairs Cabinet meetings, which include the Vice President and the heads of 15 executive departments. These departments include: Defense, State, Treasury, and more. The President's power to appoint these heads is outlined in Article II, Section 2, which states that the President may seek written advice from these principal officers.
In addition, the President has the power to nominate members of the Cabinet and other key positions, such as the Director of National Intelligence and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. These nominations are subject to Senate confirmation. The President also has the authority to reorganise the structure of the Cabinet and its committees.
While the President's powers are broad, they are balanced by checks and balances within the US government system, including the Senate's role in confirming appointments and ratifying treaties. The President's actions are also scrutinised and can be challenged through impeachment by the House of Representatives for "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors".
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The Vice President's role
The role of the Vice President of the United States has evolved over time, and their role in the Cabinet has been subject to various interpretations and practices. Initially, the position of vice president was considered a legislative role, with Vice President John Adams being notably absent from George Washington's Cabinet.
The Twenty-fifth Amendment to the Constitution authorises the vice president, along with a majority of the heads of executive departments, to declare the president "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office". This highlights the vice president's role in situations where the president may be incapacitated or unable to perform their duties.
Historically, vice presidents were not always included in Cabinet meetings. It was not until 1919 that Woodrow Wilson invited Thomas R. Marshall to preside over Cabinet meetings during his absence, setting a precedent. The stature of the vice presidency grew during the administration of Dwight Eisenhower, who authorised Richard Nixon to preside over Cabinet meetings and assume temporary control of the executive branch during Eisenhower's illnesses and a stroke in 1957.
Today, the vice president is considered a member of the Cabinet by statute and plays a significant role in advising the president. The vice president is second in the presidential line of succession and is fourth in line, following the secretary of state. While the vice president does not have authority over the Cabinet, they can be tasked with presiding over Cabinet meetings and providing advice and opinions to the president.
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The Cabinet's evolution
The Cabinet is a group of people with the constitutional or legal task to advise a head of state, usually from the executive branch. The term "Cabinet" is never 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's role is to advise the President on any subject relating to the duties of each member's respective office. The President chairs the meetings but is not formally a member of the Cabinet.
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. The first president of the United States, George Washington, organized his principal officers into a Cabinet, and it has been part of the executive branch structure ever since. Washington's Cabinet consisted of five members: himself, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of War Henry Knox, and Attorney General Edmund Randolph.
Over time, the number of executive departments—and hence the Cabinet—has slowly but steadily increased. The Department of the Navy (now part of the Department of Defense) was the first new one added in 1798, followed by Interior in 1849, Agriculture in 1889, Labor and Commerce (soon to be split into two) in 1903, and four new departments in the 1960s and 1970s. More recently, the Department of Veterans Affairs was created in 1989, and the Department of Homeland Security was formed in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The Cabinet includes the Vice President and the heads of executive departments, including the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs. The President can also designate heads of other agencies and non-Senate-confirmed members of the Executive Office of the President as members of the Cabinet.
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Frequently asked questions
A cabinet is a group of people with the constitutional or legal task to advise a head of state, usually from the executive branch. 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 executive departments, including 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.
The term "Cabinet" is never mentioned in the Constitution of the United States. However, Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution establishes the Cabinet's role as advising the President.
