Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?

The Commander in Chief of the military is the President. This role is outlined in the U.S. Constitution, specifically in Article II, Section 2, which explicitly designates the President as the head of the armed forces. This authority allows the President to make critical decisions regarding military strategy, deployment, and overall military operations.

The President’s capacity to act as Commander in Chief underscores the principle of civilian control over the military, a fundamental tenet of democratic governance in the United States. Other roles, such as the Secretary of Defense, serve to advise the President and manage the Department of Defense, but they do not hold the title of Commander in Chief. The Vice President, while important in many respects, does not have command authority over the military either. The Chief Justice, as the head of the judicial branch, has no military command responsibilities at all. Thus, the President's role as Commander in Chief is a key aspect of maintaining a balanced separation of powers in the U.S. government.