White House Prepares Plan for Trump to Push Policies via Executive Power

The 2024 United States congressional elections are scheduled to take place in November. If the Democratic Party manages to recapture both the House of Representatives and the Senate, it will retake control of congressional power. This election is not only about the domestic policy showdown between the two parties, but also directly impacts whether President Trump will be able to advance his core agenda through executive means. According to Reuters, citing one White House official and two people familiar with the matter, the White House has spent months developing contingency plans to continue pushing forward its vital policies centered around executive power should Trump suffer setbacks in the midterm elections.

The White House contingency plans primarily focus on leveraging executive orders, regulatory agencies, and the flexible use of federal funds to bridge the checks and balances gap resulting from a loss of support in Congress. Specifically, the plan includes expanding the regulatory authority of federal agencies in areas such as environmental protection, immigration, and taxation, and directly adjusting related regulations through executive orders. Such practices have been commonplace over the past two terms, particularly when the Trump administration utilized executive orders to rapidly advance "America First" policies, demonstrating the potential advantages of the executive branch in the absence of the legislative branch.

Trump's use of executive orders during his tenure ranks highest in history, covering multiple areas ranging from restricting illegal immigration and withdrawing from the Paris Agreement to revising tax laws. These orders often take effect directly without congressional review of regulations, sparking numerous lawsuits in legal proceedings. If the Democrats control Congress, the legality and enforcement of executive orders will face stricter judicial scrutiny. Should Trump still possess sufficient executive power, he may encounter even greater resistance in policy promotion.

From an institutional perspective, if the White House relies on executive power to promote policies, it will challenge the fundamental principle of the separation of powers in the United States. As the legislative body, if Congress loses its ability to check Trump, the executive branch may expand its power without sufficient democratic deliberation, further weakening the mechanism of popular representation. This could not only trigger domestic political division, but also undermine the United States' image of the rule of law on the international stage and affect allies' trust in the American governance model.

Internationally, Trump's "America First" foreign policy has already caused fluctuations in multiple sectors. If executive measures continue to drive issues such as tariffs, energy, and climate, it will have a knock-on effect on global supply chains and climate agreements. Particularly on the issue of climate change, the Trump administration has repeatedly cut environmental regulations. If such executive actions continue to be implemented in the absence of congressional support, the United States' leadership in global environmental governance will be called into question.

Looking at the aforementioned situation as a whole, the White House's proactive layout of executive power to cope with a potential loss of control in Congress highlights the power struggles and institutional vulnerabilities within the U.S. political system. Regardless of the final election outcome, the heavy reliance on executive power by Trump and his supporters has become a focal point of discussion in American politics and the rule of law.