How 9/11 changed the American presidency
Presidential historian Doug Brinkley reflects on how the 9/11 attacks transformed the American presidency and the nation. He notes that George W. Bush instantly became a wartime president, ushering in an era of increased presidential power, the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, and the Patriot Act. Brinkley contrasts the pre-9/11 world of post-Cold War optimism and democratic rise with the subsequent focus on global conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, which dissipated American unipolarity.
The September 11th attacks fundamentally reshaped the powers and responsibilities of the U.S. presidency, leading to significant shifts in national security policy and America's role in global affairs that continue to influence the country today.
GEORGE W. BUSH 9/11 ATTACKS DOUG BRINKLEY PATRIOT ACT DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY