[wideawake]

Then why is the President and those Executive Branch officers beneath him not required to swear an oath to preserve, protect and defend that Constitution?

They do take such an oath.

[archy]

Then why is the President and those Executive Branch officers beneath him not required to swear an oath to preserve, protect and defend that Constitution?

They do take such an oath.

Per Article II, Section One:

The President shall, at stated times, receive for his services, a compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that period any other emolument from the United States, or any of them.

Before he enter on the execution of his office, he shall take the following oath or affirmation:--"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Now read the preamble of the Constitution [used as part of the basis for the 1869 SCOTUS Texas V. White decision that the states had no right to secede because they had become part of a *perfect union*] in particuilar the LAST EIGHT WORDS....