Memorandum on Delegation of Authority Under the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018
Issued 2019-07-19 by Donald J. Trump
Plain-English Overview
AI-generated summary explaining what this action does, who it affects, and why it matters
This memorandum transfers a specific responsibility from the President to the Secretary of State. Congress passed the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018, which gave the President authority to establish a comprehensive Indo-Pacific Energy Strategy. Through this memorandum, President Trump delegated that authority to the Secretary of State, who must work with the agreement of the Secretary of Energy to create this strategy.
The action affects how the executive branch develops energy policy for the Indo-Pacific region. Instead of the President directly overseeing the creation of this energy strategy, the State Department will lead the effort while coordinating with the Energy Department. This represents an internal reassignment of duties within the executive branch to implement what Congress authorized.
This matters because it determines which government officials will shape America's energy engagement with Indo-Pacific countries. The memorandum is a routine administrative tool that presidents use to distribute responsibilities among cabinet members. It also applies this delegation to any future laws that contain substantially similar provisions, creating a standing assignment of this type of work to the State Department.
AI-generated summary for educational purposes
Constitutional Analysis
How this action fits (or doesn't) within Article II authority and existing law
This presidential memorandum ("Memorandum on Delegation of Authority Under the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018") provides direction to executive branch agencies. The stated purpose: "o the Secretary of State the authority vested in the President by section 306(a)(1) of the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 (Public Law 115–409) with respect to establishing a comprehensive Indo-Pacific Energy Strategy, which shall be do..." Presidential memoranda function similarly to executive orders but are typically more narrow in scope, addressing specific agencies or implementation details. The President's authority to direct executive branch operations is grounded in Article II of the Constitution.
Memoranda are a routine administrative tool. They guide agencies on priorities, interpretation of statutes, and implementation procedures. As long as they operate within the bounds of existing law and respect congressional mandates, they are a standard exercise of presidential power that every modern administration has used.
Official Summary
Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2019 Memorandum on Delegation of Authority Under the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 July 19, 2019 Memorandum for the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Energy Subject: Delegation of Authority under the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 301 of title 3, United States Code, I hereby delegate to the Secretary of State the authority vested in the President by section 306(a)(1) of the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 (Public Law 115–409) with respect to establishing a comprehensive Indo-Pacific Energy Strategy, which shall be done with the concurrence of the Secretary of Energy. The delegation in this memorandum shall apply to any provision of any future public law that is the same or substantially the same as the provision referenced in this memorandum. The Secretary of State is authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register. D ONALD J. T RUMP [Filed with the Office of the Fe