Congress

Just Security’s expert authors offer analysis of U.S. Congress’ role in national security, foreign affairs, the rule of law, and rights. Coverage includes analysis and informational resources related to the legislative process, oversight and investigations of the executive branch, and major debates on the separation of powers and Congress’ constitutional role.

Highlights:

The US Navy warship USS Sampson (DDG 102) docks at the Amador International Cruise Terminal in Panama City on September 02, 2025. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on September 1, 2025, that eight US military vessels with 1,200 missiles were targeting his country, which he declared to be in a state of "maximum readiness to defend" itself. (Photo by MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP via Getty Images)

Timeline of Boat Strikes and Related Actions

A timeline that chronicles major events in the Trump administration’s campaign of lethal strikes against suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.
Several people wearing various colors of t-shirts, including bright orange or black, stand with signs at the base of tall columns, the photo shot from below, with banners between the columns behind them reading "Jimmy Kimmel Live"

How Defending Free Speech Can Unite Unlikely Allies

The Trump administration's threats to First Amendment rights have inspired a broad front defending free speech, freedom of the press, protest rights and more.

How Congress Can Regulate Military Promotions After Trump v. Slaughter

To restore transparency and accountability, Congress should reform the statutory authorities to remove officers from promotion lists and delay promotions.
The Declaration on Independence as seen on aging paper.

Reflections from Today’s Judiciary on the Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence

Many actions taken by the current administration echo the grievances laid out in the Declaration of Independence against King George III.
An Iranian woman walks past a mural depicting late Iranian supreme leaders Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (L) and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (R) in Tehran on June 18, 2026.

Time to Repeal INARA and Move Forward with the Iran MoU

The Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act should be repealed or amended. The alternatives are extending a disastrous war of choice or ignoring the law.
Humpback whales as seen from above swimming in blue water

Going Dark: Why Dismantling America’s Ocean Sensors Is a Security Risk

Shutting off ocean observation will reduce the United States' ability to see and respond to developments in fast-changing seas.
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2,543 Articles
Binders of executive orders stacked on a desk.

Collection: Coverage of Trump Administration Executive Actions

Coverage of key developments, including in concise “What Just Happened” expert explainers, legal and policy analysis, and more. Check back frequently for updates.
The U.S. Supreme Court is seen at dusk on May 30, 2026 in Washington, DC.

Bang, Bang, Bang: Callais Kills Off the Voting Rights Act

To the extent that the Voting Rights Act served as at least a minimal constraint on political gerrymandering, that constraint is gone.
Bill Pulte, then Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, speaks to reporters outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington, DC, on January 9, 2026.

The Acting DNI and the Intelligence Office Trump Wants

Bill Pulte’s appointment as Acting Director of National Intelligence suggests that ODNI may now be serving a more political function than advising the president.
Hegseth is seen in the foreground, walking by a wooden dias where members of the Senate Appropriations Committee are standing and sitting in a wood-paneled room.

Congress Can Act Now on U.S. DoD Inspector’s Report Revealing Violations of Civilian Harm Policy and Law

A Defense Department Inspector General report shows the Pentagon’s failure to prioritize congressionally mandated civilian protection mechanisms amid U.S. military action.
A picture of U.S. President Donald Trump hangs from the U.S. Department of Justice building May 15, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images)

What Congress Should Do About the President’s Sweetheart Deal in Trump v. IRS

Tax law experts offer three actions that Congress must take to fully unwind the Trump administration’s settlement and hold its architects accountable.
Copies of the People's Daily newspaper with a front page photo and headline which reads "Xi Jinping holds talks with US President Trump", are displayed at a news stand in Beijing on May 15, 2026. Trump said he had made "fantastic trade deals" with China's Xi Jinping, as the pair met on May 15 at final talks of a superpower summit that according to the US leader has also reaped a Chinese offer to help open the Strait of Hormuz. (Photo by GREG BAKER / AFP via Getty Images)

The Historic U.S. Defense Budget Request Needs a Sound Indo-Pacific Policy

The Trump administration's proposed $1.45 trillion defense budget for fiscal 2027 comes up short in three key ways for U.S. security in the Indo-Pacific.
The U.S. Capitol Building is seen on the National Mall from the Washington Monument on May 17, 2026 in Washington, DC.

How the Twenty-Fifth Amendment Applies Today

Yale Law School's Peter Gruber Rule of Law Clinic has updated its Reader's Guide to the 25th Amendment to cover Trump and Biden-era developments.

Collection: U.S. Lethal Strikes on Suspected Drug Traffickers, Operation Southern Spear, Operation Absolute Resolve

Collection of expert analysis on the legality of the U.S. strike on Venezuelan vessels in the Caribbean, the consequences of the strike, and related issues.
Exterior view of The United States Court of International Trade in lower Manhattan on May 29, 2025 in New York City. In a ruling that surprised many, the Manhattan-based trade court ruled in an opinion by a three-judge panel that a 1977 law called the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not grant Trump "unbounded" authority to impose the worldwide and retaliatory tariffs he has issued by executive order recently. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Delegation of Tariff Authority by Other Means

After the Supreme Court limited IEEPA tariff authority, the Trump administration turned to Section 301, raising new questions about executive power, trade law, and delegation.
Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel, Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) Lt. Gen. James Adams III, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, acting Commander of U.S. Cyber Command and acting Director of the National Security Agency Lt. Gen. William Hartman and Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe testify during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on worldwide threats in the Hart Senate Office Building on March 18, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

A Mid-Life Crisis for Senate Intelligence?

This week marks the 50th anniversary of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, prompting reflection on lessons learned and potential new directions.
In this handout photo provided by U.S. Central Command, Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115) implements a maritime blockade against an Iranian-flagged ship attempting to sail toward an Iranian port, on April 26, 2026 in the Arabian Sea. Rafael Peralta is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to support maritime security and stability in the Middle East. (Handout photo by U.S. Navy via Getty Images)

Is the United States (Still) at War? How Wars Begin and End

Armed conflict is not a matter of political branding, rhetorical convenience, or domestic law positioning. It is a legal status that turns on objective facts.
Illustration of a man handing an envelope to Uncle Sam in front of the U.S. Capitol Buildingn (via Getty Images)

State and Administrative Law Backstops to Federal Corruption

How the Administrative Procedure Act and state unfair competition laws could be used to punish, deter, or expose corruption in the federal government.
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