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.
9/11 Then and Now: How it Shapes Us 25 Years On
We asked experts with deep personal and professional ties to the post-9/11 era: how did 9/11 shape your path, and how does it continue to shape us 25 years later?
A Quarter Century After 9/11: Lessons Learned and Lost
A former member of the George W. Bush administration’s National Security Council reflects on what the United States got right and wrong in its response to the 9/11 attacks.
America’s War on Drug Smugglers at Sea Is Unlawful—and It Is Failing
U.S. strikes against suspected drug-trafficking vessels mark an unlawful expansion of military force into what has long been—and should remain—a law enforcement mission.
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.
4,781 Articles
What OLC’s Latest Opinion Means for Congressional Oversight of the Private Sector
Unpacking the Office of Legal Counsel opinion concluding that executive privilege may apply to presidential communications with private advisers.
Just Security Podcast: Has the United States Violated the Law of Armed Conflict in the Iran War?
Host Ryan Goodman is joined by an expert panel to discuss whether the United States has violated the law of armed conflict in its war against Iran.
What the Presumption of Regularity’s Erosion Means for Challenges to Executive Action
The erosion of the presumption of regularity presents opportunities to those challenging the Trump administration’s agenda in court.
The Anti-Corruption Tracker: Mapping the Erosion of Oversight and Accountability
This Anti-Corruption Tracker focuses on the erosion or dismantling of oversight and accountability systems within the United States Executive Branch.
The Just Security Podcast: Murder on the High Seas Part VI
Tess Bridgeman and Rachel Goldbrenner are joined by Brian Finucane and Rebecca Ingber to discuss the latest U.S. strikes against suspected drug traffickers.
AI-Cyber Operations: A New Frontier for Public-Private Partnerships
For the United States to take the lead in AI cyber operations capabilities, government and industry must create appropriate safeguards.
Why the Trump Administration is Pushing States to Quit the ICC, and How Member States Can Push Back
States parties should use the United States’ bid for support in its fight against the ICC to push back on Washington’s attempt to dismantle the Court.
Commandeering, Coercion, and Executive Power
States have constitutional protections against commandeering and coercion — but face a new challenge when the federal government sidelines states completely.
New International Criminal Court Sanctions and the Threat to U.S. Democracy
The U.S. sanctions against International Criminal Court judges and officials are a threat to constitutional rights in the United States.
The U.S. Government Must Preserve the Soft Power of Its Sanctions
To maintain sanctions' effectiveness as a tool, governments should strive to implement them with clarity, consistency, and credibility.
The Government’s Unexplained Reversal on Social Media Disclosure Requirements
Social media disclosure requirements implicate fundamental First Amendment rights, and the public has a right to know why they were implemented.
The Trump Administration’s Use of State Power Against Media: Keeping Track of the Big Picture
Tracking the use of State power requires systematically identifying linkages between individual developments and broader trends. This interactive graphic offers one method.