2026 UNLV Constitution Day Lecture

The Absolutist Origins of Unitary Executive Theory

Holly Brewer
Burke Professor of American History & Associate Professor
University of Maryland

Date: Thursday, September 17, 2026
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Location: Campus Resource Center, Auditorium

Dictatorship in America seems more of a possibility here in the United States at the present moment than in Great Britain, even though Britain still has a king. Shockingly, one could create a list of President Donald Trump's legal violations that sounds very similar to the bill of indictment against King George III in the United States' Declaration of Independence in 1776. How did the United States, a supposed republic, a democracy dependent on the will of the people, come to such a pass?

The United States is in such a condition because the Supreme Court has effectively nullified crucial restraints on executive prerogative put in place after the Glorious Revolution in 1689 as part of the English Bill of Rights. The Supreme Court's reasoning is based on a "Unitary Executive Theory" that has its intellectual and legal roots in the 17th century, before that Bill of Rights.

Brewer will discuss the theory and its implications for American governance.

Because UNLV remains committed to fostering an inclusive environment that upholds the principles of academic freedom and open discourse, it is important to clarify that the content of any program, as well as the views expressed by speakers, panelists, or participants—before, during, or after an event—do not necessarily reflect the views, positions, or endorsements of the university, its administration, faculty, staff, or governing bodies.