[47th U.S. President Donald Trump. Photo Credit: Unsplash]

Last week, on February 18th, Trump signed Executive Order (EO) 14215, titled “Ensuring Accountability for all Agencies.”

Donald Trump, who became the 47th president of the United States on January 20th, 2025, has been busy with new legislation since entering office.

As soon as he stepped into his position, Trump began signing controversial executive orders, which have drawn praise from his supporters and sparked angry backlash from those opposed to him. 

Some of these executive orders include reinstating the death penalty (EO 14164), revoking past executive orders related to the environment and energy (EO 14154), and rescinding past executive orders about equity, economic relief, and other issues (EO 14148). 

EO 14215, “Ensuring Accountability for all Agencies,” is one of his latest executive orders. 

This directive expands presidential supervision beyond the main executive departments to include all federal agencies and commissions, greatly increasing the powers of the executive branch– specifically, the president’s. 

This sweeping order could potentially give the presidential office near-unlimited power, as it can now regulate all federal bureaus. 

It is important to note that this order is widely considered both illegal and unconstitutional, as it “curb[s] the authority of independent agencies,” according to Syracuse University College of Law professor David M. Driesen. 

Driesen explained that it appears as if Trump is following the unitary executive theory, where the president exerts absolute power over the executive branch. 

Experts warn that this could pose a threat to democracy because it is likely to pressure government officials to allow and execute illegal orders and legislation from the president, fearing the loss of their positions if they refuse.

Before his re-election, Donald Trump promised to carry out a dictatorship on his first day in office: “No, no, no, [I’m not going to be a dictator] other than day one. We’re closing the border, and we’re drilling, drilling, drilling. After that, I’m not a dictator.”

However, experts say that Donald Trump is continuing to take legislative action that consolidates his exclusive power as president, moving the country closer to what some historians recognize as an authoritarian government. 

“Trump is challenging just about every constraint on his power,” Driesen said, “and then hoping the courts will declare all the statutes that constrain him unconstitutional.” 

Trump’s actions could, however, also be viewed by his supporters as part of a comprehensive effort to restore executive authority.

The White House website defends the president, claiming that signing EO 14215 will “restore[s] constitutional governance and accountability to the entire executive branch” and benefit all the people of the nation.