Executive Branch
Just Security’s expert authors provide analysis of the U.S. executive branch related to national security, rights, and the rule of law. Analysis and informational resources focus on the executive branch’s powers and their limits, and the actions of the president, administrative agencies, and federal officials.
Highlights:
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.
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 Moral Cost of Killing on Command
The U.S. government has a special responsibility to not impose avoidable harm to those who will carry out Nidal Hasan's execution.
Servant of the Law: The President as Chief Prosecutor
An examination of the constitutional, legal, and ethical constraints on the president when he exercises his power as chief prosecutor.
To Secretary Rubio: Demand Freedom for Uzbekistan’s Political Prisoners
The United States must seize its chance to secure the release of political prisoners in Uzbekistan while it has the leverage to do so.
Lessons from U.S. Global Anti-Corruption Efforts and Opportunities Ahead
The United States should learn from past mistakes and re-embrace the importance of promoting anti-corruption to its foreign policy.
4,835 Articles
Guantanamo Dispatches: Military Psychiatrist Finds Cole Bombing Case Defendant Competent; Federal Judge Refuses to Intervene
The latest from Carol Rosenberg. Court-ordered psychiatrist finds USS Cole defendant competent to be tried by Guantanamo military commission.
Guantanamo Dispatches: Four Possible Obstacles to Jury Selection in the USS Cole Case at Guantanamo Bay
The judge in the USS Cole bombing case postponed the start of jury selection to Oct. 26. Several unresolved issues could delay it further.
The Mythos of Digital Sovereignty
AI models such as Anthropic's Claude Mythos raise questions about access to frontier AI and institutional capacity.
“When the Guardrails Erode” Series
Bringing together expert analysis that traces this erosion, assesses the risks for democratic governance, and outlines pathways to rebuild or even reinvent these safeguards.
Closing Pay-to-Play Loopholes: Strengthening the Ban on Federal Contractor Political Spending
To help curb government corruption, Congress should close the gaps in and expand the ban on contractor political spending.
U.S. Government Responds to Maduro’s Immunity Arguments
Maduro's motion to dismiss on the grounds of head-of-state immunity faces an uphill battle against the U.S. government's opposition.
Is the Case Challenging Trump’s Denial of Visas to Harvard Students Moot? (Yes and no.)
Expert analysis of what the expired Harvard visa ban means for the university’s lawsuit against the Trump administration.
Fueling Russia’s War: The Russian Diesel Deal and International Law
By lifting export restrictions on Russian diesel, the United States arguably bears responsibility for aiding and assisting Russia's unlawful use of force against Ukraine.
Guantanamo Dispatches: Pentagon Reducing Rank of Top Military Commission Lawyers
An order from Secretary Hegseth will lower the ranks of the top two Guantanamo military commission lawyers starting in January.
Prize Courts Are Still Good Law. That Doesn’t Make Them a Good Idea.
The proposed revival of prize courts to seize Iranian oil vessels rests on a misunderstanding of the courts' historical purposes and the nature of modern naval warfare.
Guantanamo Dispatch: All Four Defendants’ Confessions Are Now Suppressed in the 9/11 Case
A military judge on Wednesday threw out the last disputed confession in the case against the suspected 9/11 plotters at Guantanamo Bay.
Boots Off Ballots: Troops and Elections, In Practice
Soldiers should always remember that in a democracy, any domestic deployment order given on or around an election is suspect.