Question: Can a US President borrow/print as much money as he wants to without Congress?

[kyzr]

MSNBC had Kamala on with Stephanie Ruhle and one of the questions asked was something like "what if Congress is divided and they don't approve all of your new taxes, what would you do? Would you print or borrow the money?"

I'm not sure how Treasury treats borrowing or printing of money regarding the Federal Budget.
I do know that Treasury cannot exceed the "Debt Limit", but what are their limitations below the Debt Limit?

These are the Budgets for the last several years. Can Treasury only borrow enough needed to cover approved Budget items, or does the President have discretion to have Treasury create money for his/her pet projects, like Student Loans, or Ukraine, or ________?
Biden’s 2025 Budget is $7.30T with a $1.8T deficit______TOTAL BIDEN $6.9T (in theory)
Biden’s 2024 Budget was $7.30T with a $2.0T deficit
Biden's 2023 Budget was $6.13T with a $1.7T deficit
Biden's 2022 Budget was $6.27T with a $1.4T deficit
Trump's 2021 Budget was $6.82T with a $2.8T deficit___ TOTAL TRUMP $7.6T (actual)
Trump's 2020 Budget was $6.55T with a $3.1T deficit
Trump's 2019 Budget was $4.40T with a $0.9T deficit
Trump's 2018 Budget was $4.10T with a $0.8T deficit

https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2054

• During the January – March 2024 quarter, Treasury expects to borrow $760 billion in privately-held net marketable debt, assuming an end-of-March cash balance of $750 billion.[2] The borrowing estimate is $55 billion lower than announced in October 2023, largely due to projections of higher net fiscal flows and a higher beginning of quarter cash balance.[3]
• During the April – June 2024 quarter, Treasury expects to borrow $202 billion in privately-held net marketable debt, assuming an end-of-June cash balance of $750 billion.[4]

 

[Concerned American]

MSNBC had Kamala on with Stephanie Ruhle and one of the questions asked was something like "what if Congress is divided and they don't approve all of your new taxes, what would you do? Would you print or borrow the money?"

I'm not sure how Treasury treats borrowing or printing of money regarding the Federal Budget.
I do know that Treasury cannot exceed the "Debt Limit", but what are their limitations below the Debt Limit?

These are the Budgets for the last several years. Can Treasury only borrow enough needed to cover approved Budget items, or does the President have discretion to have Treasury create money for his/her pet projects, like Student Loans, or Ukraine, or ________?
Biden’s 2025 Budget is $7.30T with a $1.8T deficit______TOTAL BIDEN $6.9T (in theory)
Biden’s 2024 Budget was $7.30T with a $2.0T deficit
Biden's 2023 Budget was $6.13T with a $1.7T deficit
Biden's 2022 Budget was $6.27T with a $1.4T deficit
Trump's 2021 Budget was $6.82T with a $2.8T deficit___ TOTAL TRUMP $7.6T (actual)
Trump's 2020 Budget was $6.55T with a $3.1T deficit
Trump's 2019 Budget was $4.40T with a $0.9T deficit
Trump's 2018 Budget was $4.10T with a $0.8T deficit

https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2054

• During the January – March 2024 quarter, Treasury expects to borrow $760 billion in privately-held net marketable debt, assuming an end-of-March cash balance of $750 billion.[2] The borrowing estimate is $55 billion lower than announced in October 2023, largely due to projections of higher net fiscal flows and a higher beginning of quarter cash balance.[3]
• During the April – June 2024 quarter, Treasury expects to borrow $202 billion in privately-held net marketable debt, assuming an end-of-June cash balance of $750 billion.[4]

Congress holds the purse strings. Budgets have to go through congress, require the approval of both houses and the signature of the POTUS.

 

[JohnDB]

MSNBC had Kamala on with Stephanie Ruhle and one of the questions asked was something like "what if Congress is divided and they don't approve all of your new taxes, what would you do? Would you print or borrow the money?"

I'm not sure how Treasury treats borrowing or printing of money regarding the Federal Budget.
I do know that Treasury cannot exceed the "Debt Limit", but what are their limitations below the Debt Limit?

These are the Budgets for the last several years. Can Treasury only borrow enough needed to cover approved Budget items, or does the President have discretion to have Treasury create money for his/her pet projects, like Student Loans, or Ukraine, or ________?
Biden’s 2025 Budget is $7.30T with a $1.8T deficit______TOTAL BIDEN $6.9T (in theory)
Biden’s 2024 Budget was $7.30T with a $2.0T deficit
Biden's 2023 Budget was $6.13T with a $1.7T deficit
Biden's 2022 Budget was $6.27T with a $1.4T deficit
Trump's 2021 Budget was $6.82T with a $2.8T deficit___ TOTAL TRUMP $7.6T (actual)
Trump's 2020 Budget was $6.55T with a $3.1T deficit
Trump's 2019 Budget was $4.40T with a $0.9T deficit
Trump's 2018 Budget was $4.10T with a $0.8T deficit

https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2054

• During the January – March 2024 quarter, Treasury expects to borrow $760 billion in privately-held net marketable debt, assuming an end-of-March cash balance of $750 billion.[2] The borrowing estimate is $55 billion lower than announced in October 2023, largely due to projections of higher net fiscal flows and a higher beginning of quarter cash balance.[3]
• During the April – June 2024 quarter, Treasury expects to borrow $202 billion in privately-held net marketable debt, assuming an end-of-June cash balance of $750 billion.[4]

Treasury Department has to be complicit.
So does the Federal Reserve.

 

[shockedcanadian]

The day you are a monarchy lead by a king or queen.

What is a priority to them is that the "important ones" aren't holding their billions in U.S dollars when it collapses.

 

[TroglocratsRdumb]

the house appropriates spending

 

[JWBooth]

Treasury prints bonds and sells them to the Federal Reserve (and anybody else fool enough to buy) who prints the notes, and moves decimal points in accounts of major banks.

 

[JWBooth]

the house appropriates spending

In theory

 

[Concerned American]

Treasury prints bonds and sells them to the Federal Reserve (and anybody else fool enough to buy) who prints the notes, and moves decimal points in accounts of major banks.

Cart before the horse. If it doesn't pass both houses, it doesn't add to the debt and wouldn't require bonds. Bonds are just a way of financing the existing debt.

 

[jotathought]

No, the president cannot unilaterally 'print' or 'borrow' money. The authority to print money is with the Federal Reserve. The president can influence policy but does not have direct control over printing money. Borrowing money is the responsibility of Congress.

 

[Leviticus]

the house appropriates spending

No. They control the budget. But not exactly how each penny is spent, except in very specific cases. They give each department money buts up it's t o the office to decide how yo spend any excess after mandatory expenses are covered.

 

[The Irish Ram]

The Federal Reserve, a corporation of elite Bankers and "stakeholders" determine what our Treasury prints.