In one of the counsel’s first discussions of executive power with the president, McGahn told Trump he couldn’t automatically issue an executive order to impose tariffs on foreign countries’ goods—unless he had a grave reason. “I just want to do it. I’m the president. Can’t I do it?” Trump asked him. “No,” McGahn said, pointing out the standard role of Congress in imposing duties and tariffs on imports. “You need a study under the statute. There’s a process. They have to do reports, and there has to be public notice.”
