Who’s signed the most Executive Orders? infographic
Graphic charts the number of Executive Orders issued by each U.S. president since John F. Kennedy in 1961.
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POLITICS

Which U.S. president has issued the most executive orders?

By Ninian Carter

January 16, 2025 - As one of the most common presidential documents in the U.S. government, an Executive Order is a signed directive from the president that requires no approval from Congress.

One of the most common presidential documents in the U.S. government is an Executive Order.

They are numbered sequentially, with more than 14,000 having been issued since George Washington took office in 1789.

An executive order is a signed, written, and published directive from the President of the United States that manages operations of the federal government.

They are not legislation as they require no approval from Congress, and Congress is not able to simply overturn them.

Only a sitting U.S. President can overturn an existing executive order by issuing another executive order to that effect.

Produced by the executive branch of the U.S. government, Executive Orders can be seen as controversial legal documents as they are in effect “instant law”.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 16/01/2025; STORY: Graphic News; PICTURES: Getty Images
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