Unitary executive theory

The unitary executive theory is a theory of United States constitutional law holding that the president, as head of the federal government’s executive branch, must retain sole authority over executive administration and officials, structurally centralizing control within a unified hierarchy. Weaker formulations are less controversial than stronger versions, which face constitutional and practical criticism. During the Reagan era, conservative organizations, including the Federalist Society and the Heritage Foundation, and some Supreme Court justices, most notably Antonin Scalia, began favoring the theory.