Professor Carpenter was recently featured in a Wall Street Journal video discussing President-elect Donald Trump’s policy plans for his second term. The video, titled “What Trump Can and Can’t Do on Day One,” explored the legal and practical limitations of various proposals, including immigration enforcement and military leadership changes.
Addressing Trump’s plans for large-scale deportations, Professor Carpenter clarified the restrictions presidents face in using federal troops for domestic law enforcement, stating:
“The president can say there’s a national emergency, and it doesn’t matter; it doesn’t change the fact that he can’t use federal troops to enforce law.”
He also spoke about the process of replacing military generals, explaining the role of Congress in approving such changes and underscoring the legal boundaries that constrain presidential authority.
His comments emphasized the importance of existing laws in shaping and limiting executive power.