Clancy structures Executive Orders much as he has his other novels. He uses an episodic narrative that leaps from place to place around the world to create a sense of vast intrigue and great international movements. Suspense is built by one moment showing the ebola virus being prepared to showing Ryan coping with political confusion to representatives of Iran, China, and India plotting America's downfall. Events from Africa to Asia seem to be conspiring to kill Americans and to humble the United States.