# Signing Executive Orders **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 28, 2017, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signing-executive-orders/778413 "2017-01-28T18:33:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2017, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signing-executive-orders/778413/1 "2017-01-28T18:33:41Z")
Is it common for the President to hold up and display his signature on an Executive Order [after signing](http://i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170123124921-trump-executive-orders-01-23-exlarge-169.jpg)? I don’t remember seeing it as much in prior administrations. I thought they’d just sign it, pass out a few pens, shake a few hands, and close the folder. Is Trump that fascinated with his own signature or is this a pretty routine thing to do? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2017, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signing-executive-orders/778413/2 "2017-01-28T18:35:53Z")
He’s like a kindergartner displaying his finger-painting to mommy. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2017, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signing-executive-orders/778413/3 "2017-01-28T19:27:35Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > He’s like a kindergartner displaying his finger-painting to mommy. BM, is that you? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2017, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signing-executive-orders/778413/4 "2017-01-28T19:53:45Z")
I don’t know about this specific aspect of it, but it’s long been common to make a big spectacle of this sort of thing. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2017, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signing-executive-orders/778413/5 "2017-01-28T21:38:54Z")
**Moderator Note** > [@running\_coach](#): > > He’s like a kindergartner displaying his finger-painting to mommy. Let’s stick to the facts in GQ, please. No political pot-shots. Also, typo in thread title fixed. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2017, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signing-executive-orders/778413/6 "2017-01-28T21:42:44Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > **Moderator Note** > > Let’s stick to the facts in GQ, please. No political pot-shots. > > Also, typo in thread title fixed. Sorry, didn’t notice the forum. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2017, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signing-executive-orders/778413/7 "2017-01-28T22:44:18Z")
Here’s a video of[Lyndon Johnson signing the Medicare Act in 1965](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_1wEUm05Lo), joined by Harry Truman, Congressional leaders and a bunch of other people. Here’s[Richard Nixon signing the law establishing OSHA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y5D27z1FKk) in 1970. [Obama signing an act](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGIrnJlih_I) commemorating Ronald Reagan. [Bill Clinton signing NAFTA.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arvU2hFgQvk) And here’s[George W. Bush signing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtB7SnGL00Q)the Patriot Act. If you look carefully, you’ll see Bush only used one pen to sign, and then passed out a lot of ceremonial pens that weren’t even used. Here’s a clip of [Richard Nixon signing a treaty](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lPyj7TL4Uc&t=151s) with the Soviets. Sure, an international treaty gets a higher level of pomp and circumstance. But trust me, Nixon knew how to put on a show. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2017, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signing-executive-orders/778413/8 "2017-01-28T23:30:24Z")
None of the videos showed any of them showing the signatures, almost as if to prove they were signed. I understand the multiple pens thing, it appears that Trump uses one and passes out many as well. I’ll take that as an indication that Trump is alone in displaying his signature [in the way that he does](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dmdpjfKNT0)? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2017, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signing-executive-orders/778413/9 "2017-01-29T00:40:21Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Here’s a video of[Lyndon Johnson signing the Medicare Act in 1965](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_1wEUm05Lo), joined by Harry Truman, Congressional leaders and a bunch of other people. > > Here’s[Richard Nixon signing the law establishing OSHA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y5D27z1FKk) in 1970. > > [Obama signing an act](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGIrnJlih_I) commemorating Ronald Reagan. > > [Bill Clinton signing NAFTA.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arvU2hFgQvk) > > And here’s[George W. Bush signing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtB7SnGL00Q)the Patriot Act. If you look carefully, you’ll see Bush only used one pen to sign, and then passed out a lot of ceremonial pens that weren’t even used. > > Here’s a clip of [Richard Nixon signing a treaty](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lPyj7TL4Uc&t=151s) with the Soviets. Sure, an international treaty gets a higher level of pomp and circumstance. But trust me, Nixon knew how to put on a show. These are are acts of Congress (sans treaty) being signed into law by the respective presidents. In comparison, an Executive Order is merely a directive to employees of the Executive branch to do or not do something.