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.
Expert Q&A: Decoding the Treasury Department’s Actions on Iran
How to understand the Treasury Department's sanctions relief for Iran's oil sector, its quick reversal, and what to look for going forward.
Counting the Votes in the Supreme Court’s Birthright Citizenship Decision
A close analysis of the Supreme Court Justices' opinions in Trump v. Barbara.
What Hungary’s Anti-Corruption Election Can Teach U.S. Democracy Advocates
Hungary's anti-corruption win offers U.S. democracy advocates lessons, but success requires a credible messenger and a concrete plan.
Trust, But Verify: Three Grand Jury Reforms to Hold the Government Accountable
Steps should be taken to strengthen grand juries by giving courts and defense counsel more tools to act as a much-needed check on prosecutors.
4,751 Articles
The Israel-Lebanon Framework Agreement: Return to the “Land for Peace”’ Formula
Experts examine the implications of the framework agreement signed by Israel, Lebanon, and the United States in June.
No, Trump Can’t Withhold Anti-Terrorism Funds to Pressure States to Change Their Election Rules
The attempt to condition states' counterterrorism funding on changes to election rules is unlawful and likely to be challenged in court.
If Federal Courts Don’t Trust Trump’s DOJ, Should Civil Rights Funders?
After suspending donations to SPLC, major charitable giving platforms must question whether it is prudent to defer to a DOJ that courts no longer trust.
Why Gold Threatens Peace in South Sudan
Without robust safeguards, ramping up gold production in South Sudan could fuel corruption, money laundering, and conflict.
AI and the Commercial Data Loophole
The Pentagon’s new deals to deploy commercial LLMs on its classified networks provide it with a powerful surveillance capability that could be turned on Americans.
“Zero Evidence”: How Judges and Grand Juries Have Rejected the Trump Administration Efforts to Investigate and Prosecute
A detailed record of federal courts and grand juries rejecting the Trump administration’s use of subpoenas, search warrants, and indictments.
The State Department’s Campaign Against the ICC Rests on a Misunderstanding of How the Court Actually Works
While the ICC does have real problems, the State Department's campaign against it is premised on a misapprehension of how the Court works.
The Alien Terrorist Removal Court’s First Case
Unpacking the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, what we know about its first case, and what to watch for going forward.
An Initial Readout of Trump’s Election-Interference Speech
An intelligence official on what the declassified material shows—and does not show—about foreign threats and the president’s allegation of an intelligence community cover-up.
In Context: Analyzing Secretary Rubio’s International Criminal Court Op-Ed
International law scholars address some of the factual claims and underlying assumptions in Secretary Marco Rubio's op-ed on dismantling the International Criminal Court.
How to Choose Which Military Members to Hold Accountable for Illegal Boat Strikes
A retired judge advocate explains how a future administration could decide who to prosecute for the illegal strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats.
Why It’s Wrong to Involuntarily Mobilize Reserve JAGs for Immigration Cases
Federal law specifies that involuntary mobilization is to be used only to provide military forces for war or national emergencies.