Final answer:
Executive privilege allows a president to refuse testimony or information to Congress or courts, rooted in precedents set since George Washington's tenure. The Fifth Amendment also protects individuals from self-incrimination, providing a right to refuse answering questions that could lead to criminal prosecution.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept of executive privilege is a presidential power that, although not enumerated in the Constitution, allows the president to withhold information from Congress, the courts, or the public. Citing national security concerns, this privilege traces back to President George Washington and has been noted in historical cases such as United States v. Nixon, where President Nixon was compelled to hand over the Watergate tapes. However, the scope of executive privilege is not absolute, and the Supreme Court has outlined situations where it cannot be used to impede justice, such as avoiding prosecution or certain civil suits.
Additionally, the Fifth Amendment provides individuals with the right against self-incrimination, commonly known as “taking the Fifth.” This empowers people to refuse to answer questions from government entities if such responses might incriminate them. This right extends beyond just the president and is pivotal in maintaining the balance between the government's authority to investigate and an individual's right to protect themselves against wrongful convictions.