Commander in Chief
U.S. Naturalization Test (2025 Standard) glossary · Civics
Definition
The President's role as head of the military.
Commander in Chief in plain English
Commander in Chief is the title that puts the President in charge of the entire U.S. military. It's a deliberate design choice by the Founders: the top of the armed forces is an elected civilian, not a general, so the people (through their vote) ultimately control the army rather than the army controlling the people. Think of a sports team where the owner the fans chose, not a player, has the final say — it keeps power in civilian hands.
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