executive agreement
noun
: an agreement between the U.S. and a foreign government made by the executive branch either alone or with Congressional approval and dealing usually with routine matters
Examples of executive agreement in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
At a formal signing ceremony in a gilded ballroom at the Saudi capital’s Royal Court on Tuesday, Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed memoranda of understanding, letters of intent and other executive agreements spanning different government agencies.
—
Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 16 May 2025
The president has usurped the treaty power from the Senate by calling treaties executive agreements.
—Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 1 May 2025
Those executive agreements, as they are called, are still considered binding under international law.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 12 Feb. 2025
In 2016, President Obama had committed the U.S. to Paris by executive agreement.
—The Editors, National Review, 27 Jan. 2025
Instead, Trump could be expected to rely on executive agreements and bilateral deals to reshape America's global relations.
—Axios, 16 Oct. 2024
Although the administration is pursuing the deal as an executive agreement, which does not require congressional approval, the chair of the Senate Finance Committee, Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, has asserted the need for the White House to work with Congress on any such deals.
—David Kamin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Apr. 2023
On a formatting level, the IPEF is an executive agreement and will not require congressional approval like a traditional trade agreement would, CSIS notes.
—Brigid Kennedy, The Week, 27 May 2022
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Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 16 May 2025
The president has usurped the treaty power from the Senate by calling treaties executive agreements.
—Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 1 May 2025
Those executive agreements, as they are called, are still considered binding under international law.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 12 Feb. 2025
In 2016, President Obama had committed the U.S. to Paris by executive agreement.
—The Editors, National Review, 27 Jan. 2025
Instead, Trump could be expected to rely on executive agreements and bilateral deals to reshape America's global relations.
—Axios, 16 Oct. 2024
Although the administration is pursuing the deal as an executive agreement, which does not require congressional approval, the chair of the Senate Finance Committee, Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, has asserted the need for the White House to work with Congress on any such deals.
—David Kamin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Apr. 2023
On a formatting level, the IPEF is an executive agreement and will not require congressional approval like a traditional trade agreement would, CSIS notes.
—Brigid Kennedy, The Week, 27 May 2022
Cite this Entry
“Executive agreement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/executive%20agreement. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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