How did the Supreme Court ruling in United States v. Nixon check presidential power?

Answer 1

The Supreme Court ruling in United States v. Nixon checked presidential power by affirming that the president is not above the law and must comply with judicial orders. In this case, President Nixon was ordered to release the Watergate tapes in response to a subpoena issued as part of a criminal investigation. Nixon tried to claim executive privilege and refused to hand over the tapes, arguing that the president had the authority to withhold information in the interest of national security.

However, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the president's claim of executive privilege did not outweigh the need for the tapes in a criminal investigation, and ordered Nixon to release them. This ruling set a precedent that the president cannot use executive privilege to shield himself from legal scrutiny or obstruct justice, and reaffirmed the principle of judicial oversight of presidential actions. This decision ultimately led to Nixon's resignation and demonstrated that the judiciary serves as a check on presidential power.