Executive Order 10456 Constitutional Neutral (+0.02)
Executive Order 10456—Delegating to Secretary of Defense and the Director of Defense Mobilization Certain Functions Relating to Critical Defense Housing Areas
Early Statesman synthesis distilling legal jargon into practical meaning, statutory anchors, and structural constitutional impacts.
This executive order, signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on 1953-05-27, establishes federal administrative policy concerning "Delegating to Secretary of Defense and the Director of Defense Mobilization Certain Functions Relating to Critical Defense Housing Areas." It is a direct, concise executive instruction delivering focused administrative or military commands to department leadership.
Constitutional Assessment: Scrutinized through Article II, Section 2, this action exercises the President's constitutional role as Commander in Chief. Early Framers recognized broad executive discretion in commanding military forces during conflict, provided it remains bounded by congressional declarations and respects civilian domestic courts.
Key Directives & Operative Actions
▪Formal executive instruction issued by the President establishing official administrative policy on Delegating to Secretary of Defense and the Director of Defense Mobilization Certain Functions Relating to Critical Defense Housing Areas.
Exec. Order No. 10456, Dwight D. Eisenhower (May 27, 1953). Available at https://executiveordersarchive.org/orders/app-executive-order-10456-delegating-secretary-defense-and-the-director-defense-mobilization.
Official Document Text
Source: The American Presidency Project (UCSB Archive)
By virtue of the authority vested in the President by section 208 (a) of the Housing and Rent Act of 1947, as amended, and by section 301 of title 3 of the United States Code, I hereby delegate all powers, duties, and functions conferred upon the President by section 204 (f) (5) (B) of the Housing and Rent Act of 1947, as amended by section 5 (a) of the Housing and Rent Act of 1953 (Public Law 23, 83d Congress), relating to critical defense housing areas, to the Secretary of Defense and the Director of Defense Mobilization, who shall act jointly in the exercise or performance of such powers, duties, and functions. DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER THE WHITE HOUSE, May 27, 1953.
