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President Visits Troops at Bagram Airfield DVIDS263982
USCIS Civics · Question 42 of 128

Who is Commander in Chief of the U.S. military?

Official Answer

The President (of the United States)

In plain English

The president is the Commander in Chief of the U.S. military. The president is a civilian — not a soldier or general. The writers of the Constitution wanted the military to answer to a leader elected by the people. The Commander in Chief of the U.S. military is the president.

From the archives

President Visits Troops at Bagram Airfield DVIDS263982
President Visits Troops at Bagram Airfield DVIDS263982Staff Sgt. Susan Wilt, via Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
Image: President Visits Troops at Bagram Airfield DVIDS263982 — Staff Sgt. Susan Wilt, via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.Answers verbatim from USCIS M-1778 (09/25)