Democracy & Rule of Law

Just Security’s expert authors provide analysis on threats and challenges to democracy and the rule of law in the United States and globally. Coverage includes analysis of the separation of powers, good governance, democratic backsliding, authoritarianism, judicial independence, freedom of the press and association, and accountability for rule of law violations.

Highlights:

Department of Justice building against twilgiht sky

What Just Happened: The Trump Administration’s Dismissal of Voting Rights Lawsuits

Retreat from voting rights enforcement and efforts to tighten access to the ballot mark a rupture with the Civil Rights Division’s traditional role.
The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

A Terrible Idea

On the reconciliation bill’s provision that would restrict federal courts’ authority to hold government officials in contempt for violating court orders
US President Donald Trump (L), accompanied by his UAE counterpart Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan gestures with a clenched fist.

From Air Force One to Economic Entanglement: The Real Stakes of Trump’s Middle East Diplomacy

As Trump reinforces his foreign policy priorities, expanding the use of “sticky power” will be essential to sustaining U.S. influence and outcompeting rivals across the globe.
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The Just Security Podcast: What’s Next for U.S. Diplomacy and Foreign Assistance?

Expert panel considers the proposed restructuring of the State Department and unpacks the implications for U.S. foreign policy, what's at stake, and what lies ahead.
Statue of Liberty holding torch with text bubbles instead of flame. Chatbot technologies in daily life, freedom of speech concept vector illustration. Vector illustration.

Curating Cyberspace: Rights, Responsibilities, and Opportunities

To challenge authoritarianism, platforms should embrace a role that balances expressive rights and responsibilities in a pro-democratic way.
Gavel and scales with a US flag in the background as symbols of a jurisdiction.

Litigation Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions

A public resource tracking all the legal challenges to the Trump administration's executive orders and actions.
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3,082 Articles
US President Donald Trump (R) walks with Russia's President Vladimir Putin (L)

When the Free Press Falters: What America Can Learn from Russia’s Descent

The unraveling of press freedom in the United States mirrors Putin's capture of the Russian media, write two experts who know both terrains.
Close-up shot of U.S. money and flag

How Trump’s Law Firm Settlements Circumvent Congress and Violate Federal Spending Laws

The Trump administration has operated outside the appropriations process and congressional oversight through its law firm settlements.
Image: A prison officer guards a cell at maximum security penitentiary CECOT (Center for the Compulsory Housing of Terrorism) on April 4, 2025 in Tecoluca, San Vicente, El Salvador. (Photo by Alex Peña/Getty Images)

Another Abrego Garcia, and the Administration’s “Contrivance” to Keep Him in El Salvador’s Prison

Fourth Circuit rejects the government's attempt to keep a detainee very similar to Abrego Garcia in CECOT prison.
A collage of images featuring scenes from the Russia - Ukraine War.

Just Security’s Russia–Ukraine War Archive

A catalog of over 100 articles (many with Ukrainian translations) on the Russia Ukraine War -- law, diplomacy, policy options, and more.
IMAGES (left to right): Natural disaster and its consequences (via Getty Images); In this picture taken on September 28, 2022, an internally displaced flood-affected family sits outside their tent at a makeshift tent camp in Jamshoro district of Sindh province (Photo by Rizwan Tabassum/AFP via Getty Images; Trees smolder and burn during the Dixie fire near Greenville, California on August 3, 2021. – Numerous fires are raging through the state’s northern forests, as climate change makes wildfire season longer, hotter and more devastating. (Photo by JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images)

Just Security’s Climate Archive

A catalog of articles analyzing the diplomatic, political, legal, security, and humanitarian consequences of the international climate crisis.
Ukraine, Kyiv Oblast, Pripyat, Interior of long abandoned building with completely broken out windows - stock photo (Getty Images)

Making Russia Pay: Obtaining Compensation for Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine in American Courts

US courts may offer avenues for holding Russia accountable for injuries caused by its unlawful invasion of Ukraine, subject to certain limitations.
Binders of executive orders stacked on a desk.

Collection: Just Security’s 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.
Judge gavel with american flag on wooden table

When the Executive Defies the Judiciary: How Federal Courts Can Enforce Their Orders Without the Marshals

Federal courts possess a number of tools to ensure the U.S. government is held responsible for failing to enforce or execute court orders.
Sen. Patrick Leahy sits in front of a poster with examples of Russian-created Facebook pages

Is the U.S. Abandoning the Fight Against Foreign Information Operations?

The Trump administration's policy shift paves the way for foreign propaganda to flourish, leaving Europe to step into the breach.
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The Just Security Podcast: Discussion of Stephen Miller Remarks on Suspension of Habeas Corpus & Path Ahead

An assessment of Stephen Miller's recent remarks on the suspension of habeas corpus and the path ahead for courts and members of Congress.
A group of police officers stand by a police car.

Bosnia’s Secession Crisis Can Be an Opportunity for Progress

The ouster of Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik, with constitutional reform, would finally put Bosnia on a path to stability and the EU.
Hand arranged wooden cube blocks with leaves. Climate-change related green icons. (Getty Images)

Don’t Succumb to Climate Fatalism

Climate policy is taking a hit, but succumbing to this backsliding is not the answer. Instead, there are real security, economic, and political benefits to hitting back.
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