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  1. Home
  2. ›Definitions
  3. ›Presidency and the Desk
  4. ›Executive order

Presidency and the Desk

Executive order

Presidential directive to the executive branch.

What this means

An executive order directs how the executive branch carries out law and policy. It is not a statute. Later presidents or courts can revise, revoke, or limit an order’s effect.

Related

  • Proclamation

    Presidential announcement, often ceremonial or regulatory in form.

  • Presidential memorandum

    Written presidential direction, often less formal than an EO.

  • Federal Register

    Daily journal of federal rules, notices, and presidential documents.

All definitions · Methodology