Which of the following powers is NOT granted to the President by the Constitution?

The power to form new cabinet-level departments is not specifically granted to the President by the Constitution. Instead, this authority is derived from statutory law and requires congressional action. The Constitution provides for the establishment of executive departments but leaves the details, including their formation and organization, to Congress. Once Congress passes a law creating a new department, the President can then appoint a cabinet secretary to head that department.

In contrast, the other listed powers are directly outlined in the Constitution. Commissioning officers in the armed forces is stipulated in Article II, which establishes the President as the Commander in Chief. Granting pardons for federal offenses is also a power explicitly laid out in Article II, allowing the President to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States. The authority to receive ambassadors is found in Article II as well, positioning the President to engage in foreign relations, which is key to the role of the head of state.