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11.25.2019 0

John Bolton thinks presidents can end treaties w/ allies, but not military aid to non-treaty allies?

John Bolton believes presidents can rescind treaties without the Senate, but objected to President Donald Trump pausing military aid to Ukraine, a non-treaty partner:
http://dailytorch.com/2019/11/john-bolton-believes-presidents-can-rescind-treaties-without-the-senate-but-objected-to-president-donald-trump-pausing-military-aid-to-ukraine-a-non-treaty-partner/

Former National Security Advisor John Bolton has a long history of encouraging presidents to terminate treaties without going to the Senate for approval under the President’s inherent powers to conduct foreign affairs under Article II of the Constitution, vesting of executive power solely in the President. But he took issue with President Donald Trump briefly pausing and reviewing military and other foreign assistance to Ukraine on the grounds the President lacked legal authority. The funding included $250 million in military assistance and another $141 million in other foreign aid via the State Department to Ukraine. According to a Nov. 9 report from Bloomberg.com: “shortly before Sept. 9, Bolton had relayed a message to the State Department that the funding could go ahead. It’s not clear whether Bolton, who resigned from the job a week later, did so with Trump’s approval. Bolton’s handling of the funding struck officials in the White House as violating protocol and caught Mulvaney by surprise, according to another person familiar with the matter.” Did the President approve the transfer? When it comes to the execution of foreign affairs powers, employees of the executive branch must act in accordance with the President’s policies, or else it is they, and not the President, who are the ones acting above the supreme law of the land, the Constitution’s Article II vesting of executive power in the President. What do you think?

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